March Welcome – Live Well, Travel Well, and Breathe Hatteras Island

First steps, reaching out, and learning to breathe

Wellness is not all woo-woo or a mystical, magical path. Simply being more aware of the choices we make, we can take steps to support our wellbeing. Start small. Take time to rest and be kind to yourself, move and stretch, and feed your mind, body, and soul with experiences you enjoy. Only do what you can manage. And no matter how little you put in, know you can keep growing. Wellness is not about achieving health and fitness goals. It’s about developing practices and a mindset which will make a difference and carry you on your personal journey.

I was dealing with debilitating shoulder pain, and my stresses were being compounded. I knew I had to stop and evaluate my work-life-family balance. I had so many thoughts in my head and lost sight of so many things. But where to start? I was exhausted, and I wanted to be able to breathe again!

Looking for a creative outlet, I thought I’d start a travel blog and write about all the places I’ve been to, and explore Hatteras Island—my new home. Traveling had always been my passion. I had a mound of photos I wanted to sort through and share travel stories with my daughter, many of the adventures she’s already a part of. Learning new skills to build a website was part of the challege. With a click of a template, I then found myself staring at a blank screen. My first blog post, I was lost for words and overwhelmed. So I shelved that project.

Still feeling the need to breathe and release tension, I signed up for a breathwork and meditation course to calm my ‘monkey mind,’ regain some focus, and support my yoga practice. It reconnected me with Escape Haven Retreats in Bali, where I used to work many years ago. This inspired me to reach out to my local wellness community here on Hatteras Island to find what I could do locally and keep me on track with my wellness journey.

Its not always easy finding out what’s going on Hatteras Island without dipping into the local Facebook groups. Not being big on social media, I had to become better acquainted and improve my algorithms (whatever that means!).

With this mission, I created Hatteras Island Wellness Connection, a Facebook group for health, fitness, wellness services, and events. I figured if I’m looking for this information, then others may also be interested too. So here we go with my first monthly welcome.

My goal this year is to find balance in what I do, make healthier lifestyle choices, try different wellness activities each month (yes, I’ve been doing this), meet the people involved, and have fun along the way! I heard back from different practitioners, learned about their modalities, found local holistic services, and indulged in a deep tissue massage. It was reassuring to know I wasn’t here alone, there are people around here who care about the wellbeing of others, and want to share the good vibes!

Photo credit: Hassan OUAJBIR