Whether it’s the day you marry the one you love, or the day you bury them. The answer is the same.

Be well.

If it’s the day you win a gold metal or suffer a drastic injury. The answer is the same.

Be well.

No matter if you’re 18 or 80, the answer is the same.

Be well.

What will it take be well? The answer is the same no matter what day it is. It’s simple really. The rules don’t change because of the circumstances. It must always be at the forefront of our minds. It’s not difficult. It’s simply a lifestyle, a mindset, a way to live.

To be well you must take care of these three things.

Take Care of Your Body

Why do we eat what we eat, sleep when we sleep, and move when we move? Is it a reaction to the world around us? Possibly. Will that make us well. No.

Your body is the container you live in. 24/7. 365 days a year. Your whole life. There’s no escaping it. And your body is unique to you.

What will it take to be well in your body? Eat right, move, and get enough sleep. Simple as that. It’s no more complicated or difficult to understand.

Eat - You know what foods cause you to feel good and energetic and those that don’t. If you haven’t paid attention, start to write it down. Feeling good in the moment by eating chocolate cake or drinking too much wine isn’t what I’m talking about. What food helps you feel good all morning, all afternoon, or all evening? What foods move through your digestive system without causing bloating and stomach pains? What foods leave you satisfied for 3 – 4 hours, not craving more or leaving you hungry? Eat those foods.

Move – Your body was made for movement. Sitting on the couch may feel good in the moment but will leave you without energy and craving more couch time. What activity do you enjoy? Walking? Dancing? Swimming? Cleaning? Gardening? Playing ping pong? Cross country skiing? Find something that is fun and do it regularly. You must move. Find the balance between sedentary and exhaustion. Don’t be afraid to sweat or hurt a little. All things in moderation. Move your body.

Sleep – Every body needs sleep. Make sure you get enough of it. Most adults need 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night. Make sleep a priority in your household. Eliminate lights in your bedroom. Sleep is most effective when you are consistent with your bedtime and waking time, even on the weekends. To be well, you must give your body the sleep it needs.

During this pandemic, it’s very important to take care of your body because of the added stress on it. But don’t just pay attention to your body now. Build habits now that will go with you into a pandemic free world. This is how you will be well both now and in the future.

Take Care of Your Mind

What is strong mental health? It is a healthy sense of self and connection with others. It is being able to both give and receive love. It is taking responsibility for the direction of your life along with its successes and failures. A person with strong mental health is an asset to both themselves and the world.

Mental health begins with self-love. This is not to the exclusion of others, but necessary for the love of others. To love ourselves is not selfish, it’s essential. You cannot give to others what you do not have yourself. A mentally healthy person has an appropriate image of themselves. They accept both their strengths and shortcomings, without judgment of themselves or others.

Our mental well-being requires us to love others. We were designed to connect with others. In this time of pandemic, many people are realizing the connections they had with others were taken for granted and not strengthened. Others are realizing their lack of connection is so dramatic, severe loneliness has set in. We must be connected with others.

And mentally healthy connections with others must have personal boundaries. To do this well, we must understand the balance between self-love and love of others for the benefit of both. This is a delicate give and take requiring honesty, authenticity, and grace. Difficult relationships will point out your blind spots when it comes to personal boundaries.

Finally, people with strong mental health take responsibility for the direction of their life and their work ethic. They know how to delay gratification and be resilient in times of difficulty. Above all else, the mentally healthy person is proactive instead of reactive.

You will be well when you have strong mental health. This is extremely important in a time of stress, like this pandemic. Every day of your life, however, will be better with good mental health. This is not something to stop focusing on once our world is free of the virus. Your constant pursuit of good mental health will allow you to be well.

Take Care of Your Spirit

We are all spiritual beings. Whether you are part of a faith community or not, you have a spirit that lives inside of you. To be well, you must strengthen and expand your spirit. It will guide you every day but will show its power more clearly during difficult times.

How do you start if you’re not sure how to tap into your spiritual being? Here are seven spiritual principles. Take one and work on having it become more of a habit in your life. Each of you will do this differently because we are all unique. For example, what does it mean to you to be joyful? How can you be joyful more often? How can you bring that to others? How will you find it in the middle of a pandemic?

· Faith

· Hope

· Gratitude

· Joy

· Meaning

· Purpose

· Love

Spiritual health is an untapped resource in many people’s lives. You can see the strength of it in the ways people are helping others and stepping up during this difficult time. True spiritual strength gives because it wants to, not because it’s obligated or feels guilty. It comes from a heart filled with love.