We define Wellness Intelligence as the ability to make the right decisions and take the right actions in pursuit of the right things. It is about you being able to answer the question, “what should I do?” with ease, flow, and purpose in any situation. It is about being connected to your own ”right”.
Although we coined the term and define Wellness Intelligence in one way, we are only here to introduce ideas, solutions, and perspective … we create the conditions for you to discover your own Wellness Intelligence. When we teach and have open conversations, we learn. Every week in The Wellness Intelligence Collective (TWIC), we share our interview with one member … our “Good Human of The Week”. Below we share what Wellness Intelligence means to some of them. What does Wellness Intelligence mean to you?
From Greg Klym, Certified Mindfulness Coach:
“Attunement to what feels right in our body. Intuiting into what we’re needing individually in any given moment. To me it’s the ability to get underneath the noise of our conditioned mind and learn to listen to what our body is telling us. Tapping into a deeper wisdom. Also connecting with the wellness expertise of others that supports our own path of personal growth and overall well-being.”
From Andy Storm, my youngest son and a bright shining light:
“A cool thing to help you be able to live in a very healthy way.”
From Andrea Donsky, Nutritionist, the Founder of NaturallySavvy.com and Wearemorphus.com:
“Being open to all aspects of our health/wellness including our mental, physical and emotional states, and understanding they are all interconnected.”
From Andrew Flynn, Mentor, Ironman, and “Champion of YOU”:
“This is a great question. I am not totally sure. I guess for me, it means having the knowledge to do better, to be better and to practice that every day. How can I be better for me, for my community and for my world so that I am leaving a positive, healthy legacy for the next generation.“
From Laurin Mayer, Writer and Mental-Health Warrior:
“Wellness intelligence sounds so cool and important. What sparks joy for you? What makes you tick? When do you feel most happy & healthy?? Learning signs of feeling healthy and happy. What makes you feel passionate? I guess wellness intelligence is all these things together??“
From Megan Khosroshahi, Borden Communications:
“To me, Wellness Intelligence is the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate our Wellness. We make so many decisions every day that influence our wellness… being Wellness Intelligent is about building a deeper connection and understanding to our choices and their influence over how we feel, think, and perform.”
From Tom Sandler, Photo Journalist and Musician:
“To me it means the awareness of what is good for you, what makes us healthy and happy. It’s the knowledge of being smart, looking after ourselves and our health whether it be physical, mental, spiritually or emotionally in the right and responsible way. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the planet. I’m reminded of the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So many people get lazy and neglect themselves, they eat wrong, they’re stressed, they’re unhappy, they do the wrong kind of exercise. I try to take a holistic approach, music plays a big part in that process, it’s food and yoga for the soul.”
From Briana Bragg, Founder of Vacation of the Mind:
“Wellness Intelligence for me, means having a strong mind/body connection where we are present with or thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We are in tune with ourselves and how we show up in the world, being present in the moment and attuned to our needs – what does our body need, what does our mental health need and how are we interacting with the world around us.”
From Rachel Ostroy, Mental Fitness Coach, Professional Co-Active Coach, Positive Intelligence Coach:
“To me it means knowing what makes you feel well. I had a coach who was all about vitality. All her clients had to come up with their vitality equation, what makes them feel vital. For example it could be to do yoga three times a week + get an average of 8 hours of sleep a night + go on a date with my husband every week + get out of the house everyday + keep in regular touch with old friends = my vitality. Wellness Intelligence is knowing all the parts of your vitality equation, what makes you feel well.”
From Arielle Weinstein, gr 11 student, newly published author of children’s book “Perfectly Imperfect”:
“Wellness Intelligence, to me, is about getting into consistent routines which work for your own body. It is about first gaining an understanding of yourself, and then partaking in specific actions, daily, that meet your body’s needs. Wellness Intelligence finds a balance though. It is about creating these routines, but understanding that routines don’t have to be rigid. One must be able to understand their body, and modify their routines when necessary. Additionally, Wellness Intelligence is about conversing with others and learning and opening your mind to developing yourself based on the values of others. Wellness Intelligence is also about taking care of one’s mind. While physical wellness may be a contributing factor to that of mental wellness, there are specific actions one can take in order to preserve one’s mental wellbeing. Taking breaks, getting fresh air, spending time with friends, family and dogs, watching your favourite show, cooking, eating, and simply talking and expressing your thoughts, are all ways to be Intelligently Well. Physical and Mental Health are equally as important, and often go hand in hand with each other. It is important to find a routine that enforces the use of both mental and physical tools.”
From Debra Mazer, “Open-Eyed, Heart-Wide” Haggadah:
“When I hear “Wellness Intelligence,” I think of the innate wisdom of the body. No one can tell you what’s right for you: no one diet, no one coaching program, no one marketing approach, no one anything. We have the wisdom within, and we have to take the time to listen to it. And then have the courage to act on it. This courage, this listening, this action. This alignment with the True Self. This is what brings us into alignment with the Body Temple. And All of Life.”
From Laura Gilmour, Wild Muskoka:
“When I think of Wellness Intelligence I think of nature. And my body is nature. So I move with the intelligence in my own body towards what is well… what is good for me.”
From Akira Simona Musilkova, meditation teacher, channeler, healer, and DJ:
“Wellness Intelligence is general well being in all areas of life. That includes listening to our body what and when it wants to eat, how much to exercise and rest. Meditation helps to control our emotions, allowing them to flow and not holding onto them. Studying spiritual evolution practices so we can ascend to higher states of being. There’s much more that Wellness Intelligence can encompass depending on people’s interests and hobbies. For example, I need to live in nature to feel well and in harmony with the natural cycles of the day and night. I desire to dance, move and stretch. You can learn more as we continue to learn together.“
From Khoa Nguyen, Salesforce Consultant and a Happiness Mentor, a philosopher, optimist, and public speaker:
“Wellness Intelligence means for me to make better decisions and take better actions with the aim of improving the quality of life, how YOU want it. The quality of life can be divided in the following aspects:
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Environmental
- Social
- Mental
- Financial
- Intellectual
- Physical“
From Ryan Storm, Podcaster, Lisa’s eldest son, and our “voluntold” intern:
“I feel like I have a different perspective on Wellness Intelligence than a lot of people my age because of my involvement in The Wellness Intelligence Collective from its inception. It’s been really phenomenal to learn along with and from my mom as her work has developed. To me, Wellness Intelligence encompasses everything you do on a daily basis, no matter whether its intention is for bettering your mind and body or not.”
From Chef Bashir Munye:
“The ability to understand where you are at this moment in your life and making the best choices with what you have.“
From Micheal Regina and Jenessa Clark, The Little Farm That Could:
“Challenging yourself to be in control of your own wellness. Growing your food, collaborating or supporting those who produce something you don’t, moving in a way that feels right for you today, most of all keeping your mind curious!”
From Yasmine Gerbara, VIE gems:
“To me, Wellness Intelligence is being wise about all factors of my health. Learning and applying what feels good in my body, mind and soul while still enjoying and indulging in life. Wellness to me isn’t achieved by a strict diet or formula. It is exploration, it is that big sweet dessert after a meal and it is also nurturing my body, creating, connecting, doing hard things and acting towards longevity.”
From Teejay Peterson, Air Force Reservist and Founder & Lead Community Event Organizer of Bit of Hope:
“My take on Wellness Intelligence is knowing what is good for you as a whole and applying it as an everyday, consistent lifestyle. The knowledge that comes with being open to new ideas and possibilities as it relates to your well-being.”
From Stacey Smith, holistic nutritionist:
“Knowing the right decisions to make for yourself to live your best life. Both physical and mental/emotional. They’re all tied together.”
From Anya Kyago, movement therapist and quantum healer:
“I feel its all about including health into all aspects of your life, involving physical, emotional, mental health, as well as bringing awareness into personal life and work, uniting people, becoming more aware our relationship with self and external world. And just making the world a better place contributing to the collective consciousness. This is how I see it.”
From Gavin Higgins, photographer:
“For me, it’s about the big picture and achieving balance. It’s easy to focus on one thing, like physical exercise, and to tick that box every day and pat yourself on the back and say job done. But that’s a shallow outlook and personal development should be so much more than that. That’s is the thing that struck me immediately with your work is that you have taken the time to incorporate many different aspects of “wellness” and to develop a holistic and comprehensive outlook and approach to personal development. I love how accessible and achievable you have made your valuable knowledge and methods. ”
From Shannon Cottrell:
“For me, Wellness Intelligence means being open to learning more about our wellness and all areas of it (mind, body, spirit). Learning about the facts, what works for each of us, what wellness activities bring us joy. And living into that bit by bit!“
Sungsook Han, owner of HansommChef:
“Wellness Intelligence is the ability to be aware of oneself and make intelligent choices that allow one to find a balance and happiness in life.”
From Joy Badler, educator and mindfulness coach:
“Wellness Intelligence allows me to activate my body’s innate self-healing. It is discovering how to live your life to allow you to be in complete alignment with yourself and the Universe.”
From Anouk Frolic, artist, environmentalist, animal rights activist:
“Wellness Intelligence to me, is when your body is in tune with your mind, and you know innately what you need to maintain balance, a sense of peace and calm, optimal energy, and space for gratitude and love.”
From Sven Segal, The Better Shoes Foundation :
“The learnings of how to practically optimise my wellbeing, while developing greater awareness of the interconnectivity between mind, body and soul. Apart from your great down-to-earth personalities and your splendid nurturing qualities, what I love about TWIC is your holistic approach to wellbeing, as other practices out there tend to be narrower and much more specific.“
From Dr. Mary Nagai:
“Wellness Intelligence means learning about me so that I can seek and make better decisions about what opportunities support my physical, mental and social wellness or health so that I can optimize and promote my general health.”
From Sam Stedman, Eco Parent Magazine and The Whole Family:
“Ha! I hope to find out some day. For me, at this exact moment, it means being smart enough to know that it’s time for a change – that the pace at which I’ve been moving for the past decade is too fast to be sustained for another decade. Once I get that piece reckoned with, I hope to learn a great deal about the nature of Wellness Intelligence.“
From Zoe Weil, Institute for Humane Education (IHE):
“For me, wellness encompasses both personal wellness, in that I strive to stay mentally and physically healthy and fit, as well as wellness in our society and world. I believe I have a responsibility to strive for wellness in both spheres. Pursuing my own personal wellness is not an endpoint, but rather the foundation for contributing to a healthier world. And intelligence is something I strive to cultivate carefully, too. To be able to understand the societal systems that cause harm and my own impacts in the world – positive and negative – requires intelligence. Leading a life that contributes to the well-being of everyone, and not just myself, is what Wellness Intelligence means to me.”
From David Ravandi, 123 Organic Tequila:
“Wellness Intelligence for me is connecting ones physical, mental and spiritual health in a balanced way.”
From Jonathan Cinelli, Project Management Professional and Associate Certified Coach:
“A whole understanding of who I am as a human being. Its about the sum of so many small parts, that build on each other to create the strongest, sustainable, robust version of myself at that moment. Its about accepting that I am a dynamic creature + there is no one thing that is of more importance, there is so much to learn.”
From Richa Gupta, founder of Good Food For Good:
“Wellness Intelligence means knowing what makes you feel well. It means listening to our body and learning to do things that keep it well. After all we are born with only one body.”
From Deborah Smith-Webber, Lauren Webber, & Kaileigh Webber, The Mallorn Project:
“We’re still figuring out what Wellness Intelligence means to each of us, but the shared core elements are mental and physical health, living our values, and connecting with nature. These help us to – in your words – “make the right decisions and take the right actions in conscious pursuit of the right things”, including co-founding The Mallorn Project.”
From Kassia Gooding, R.H.N.:
“Knowing and understanding what enables you as an individual to feel and be your best regardless of what others are doing or saying. Do what you want to do because you want to do it. Period.”
From Elie Landesberg:
“I would describe Wellness Intelligence as the level of acuity we have to notice when our mind-bodies have lost their equilibrium, and the repository of solutions, self-taught, intuitive, and gleaned from the collective, which can be used to restore balance, and prevent further imbalance as we move from birth to death.”
From Marilyn Lazar:
“My pre-Covid routine looked very different: taking classes daily and teaching several times a week, sharing meals with family and friends, taking my grandchildren to programs, attending cultural events on a regular basis, travel. It’s been a challenge to keep adapting as guidelines change, to deal with the anxiety that comes from being physically isolated and by necessity spending way more hours than I’d like to on screens in order to stay connected. Not hugging my grandchildren who are too young to understand why I’m not there. The uncertainty of what comes next. (Shoutout to Rev. Lynda Thomson in The Be Attitudes on TWIC who demonstrated a great takeaway on coming back to being OK in this moment) But Wellness Intelligence still means staying active physically, intellectually and emotionally. Continuing to add to the wisdom I’ve been accumulating about health all my life. I embrace hours-long walks in wilting heat and frigid cold to move my body and to socialize, to explore nature or see the city, possibly filling my backpack with delights to bring home for dinner. Sorting fads from science-based evidence, trusting my intuition, staying open-minded. Did I mention balance?”
From Hans Pfister, Co-Founder + President of The Cayuga Collection of Sustainable Luxury Hotels and Lodges:
“Not caring about best practices and what others have done. Do you your own thing if you think it is right.“
From Lucy Davies, Naturopathic Nutritionist:
“What would spring to mind for me would be tapping into our instincts about how to be well. When we learn to listen to & respect our bodies, we can be our own guides & can be in the driving seat when it comes to our health. It can mean sovereignty; knowing that it is up to us & us alone to decide what’s best for us, & from there we can make unbiased choices in how to look after ourselves. For example, what we choose to allow into our bodies is up to us & us alone; it’s not up to anybody else to take that power from us. This doesn’t mean we all need to be qualified in some field of natural health, it just means tuning into & listening to our instincts when it comes to who we decide to trust & take advice from, based on what feels right to us.”
Cody McElrea, Founder of TruNorth:
“Awareness of and respect for one’s well being and the well being of others.”
From Barry Cik, Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic:
“There are two kinds of businesses: (a) those who really do want to eliminate (toxic) chemicals, versus (b) those who are just greenwashing to sell product. It doesn’t take much intelligence to figure out who’s who, but that’s what we all have to do.”
From Lynda Thompson, Reverend, Reiki Master:
“Just for today, I will live with no fear, and trust in the process of my journey … yesterday and tomorrow need not dictate my today.”
From Lauryn Zuk, Storytellyer, Poet-Ponderer-Wanderer:
“Wellness intelligence, to me, evokes a sense of wholeness. It is following the intelligence, not just of the brain-mind, but the body-mind, the heart-mind, and the soul-mind. All parts of being are components of wellness, not just how we live in our bodies, but how we live on the earth, how we consume, how we react, etc… Wellness Intelligence integrates these various intelligent practices, many of which are innate in our selves, but perhaps got lost along the way of “adulting” in our society.”
From Alain Mernard, founder of Green Beaver:
“To me, it means to live a ‘well balanced’ life. This means having a healthy equilibrium between our family, friends and our occupation as well as between what we consume and our environment. If it is not sustainable, it can’t be right. By living a well balanced life, one can reach a mindfulness state easier.”
From Emily Shaw, Owner Amaveda:
“I think the most intelligent way to view wellness is in the knowing that the human body is profoundly and unequivocally capable of self-regulation and self-healing.”
From Danny Dreyer, Founder of ChiRunning:
“To me it means learning to create a very intimate dialog with your body. One where you’re always listening to what it has to say, and doing your best to use that information to make higher choices for your wellness and the wellness of others. More right choices leads you in the direction of a truly unified approach to wellness, where you’re not just thinking of, and sensing, your physical body, but paying just as much attention to your heart, your mind, your environment, your own feelings, and those of others. Being “intelligent” in all these areas will result in a much more unified and deeper experience of living on this planet. And then, you become someone who can truly serve the evolution of life instead of a block. You indeed “create the conditions for energy to flow” one of the highest precepts of t’ai chi. You allow Life to move through you, instead of thinking you are in control of your life.”
From Brian Phillips, Founder and Co-owner of WORLD Hair and Skin:
“Wellness Intelligence is building consciousness through participation in a learning structure that supports health, wellness and fulfillment.”
From Sharon Neiss, Author, Get Up:
“I have decided that there is no cookie-cutter solution to taking care of your body. Looking after your body can not be taught in a one-hour fitness class. There are so many moving parts to it. What’s good for you, is not necessarily good for me, and vice-versa. I believe that everyone should pay close attention to what your body needs and the goals that you want to accomplish. Then, get educated! With your own intelligence, plus the knowledge that you’ve learned, create a self-care plan that works for you and your lifestyle that you can follow through with. Lastly, there is no quick fix for anything. Any goal that you set for yourself will require good old-fashioned hard work, that will be uncomfortable and hard. The moment you own up to what’s ahead, you are well on your way!”
From Lisa Kates, Founding Partner in Building Roots:
“Wellness Intelligence begins with tuning into what you need. It’s not one thing but it’s like a wheel with spokes radiating from your body. It’s about knowing what you want to feel like, and then doing the work in order to get to that point, realizing what your limitations are but also not selling yourself short. Wellness means care, intelligence means learning how to. Wellness Intelligence is activated when we slow down and listen to our body, taking time to stretch, bend and flex, our minds and our bodies. If we keep our minds open to new ways of improving ourselves anything is possible.”
From Yashar Khosroshahi, ND, Brain-Based Executive Coach, Co-Founder of MINDSHIFT LEADERSHIP:
“In a day and age where information is available at the tips of our fingers, it is more important to build wisdom. To me that means the ability to take the abundance of health information and apply it in a personally meaningful and purposeful way. Therefore, the higher one’s Wellness Intelligence “score” the more likely they have taken a proactive approach to building a relationship with all they have learned to be the healthiest version of themselves – mentally, emotionally, and physically.”
From Rosalind Wyatt, British Visual Artist:
“I don’t know – I am hoping you guys can help me with that!!”
From Sandra Pozzobon, Elementary School Teacher:
“To me, Wellness Intelligence means knowing why you’re choosing what you choose and knowing if it brings wellness or not. That’s not to put too much pressure on oneself to obsess over every single choice we make in life but when we are more aware of the reasons why we make certain choices, then the more likely we can choose things that bring wellness to ourselves and our communities.”
From Kev Self, Creator and Coach at Self❤️:
“For me Wellness Intelligence means being smart about what I do today that future me will thank me for. And I think being around others to inspire me and help me find my unique recipe that I can then inspire others with. It’s part of being whole, complete and perfect.”
From Navaz Habib, Author of “Activate Your Vagus Nerve”:
“To me, Wellness Intelligence means connecting with the universal intelligence that is within you, and determining what is working, as well as what is holding you back. It is taking stock of your current biological function, energy and ability to function, and using that to create positive changes in your health so you can perform at a higher level, without health issues holding you back. When we connect with this inner power, we are in tune with our body, but too many of us don’t take the time to connect with ourselves and trust that we are capable of so much more, if we just take the time and effort to ensure we feel our absolute best.”
From Hope Paterson, Culture Coach & Engagement Expert:
“It means listening to one’s gut. In today’s world that is often difficult to do. Layers of distractions, shoulds, busy-ness, expectations are all calling on us in BIG loud voices. In the face of this reality, I have been exploring how to activate my own and family wellness intelligence. It takes being a body-heart detective at times. Listening to cues. Talking about our emotions. Slowing down to allow for what needs space. Having moved around so much in my life, I have realized that I am incredibly sensitive to energies around me. When I’m in a positive space with like-minded people my Wellness Intelligence gets amped up. When I’m in a closed, fearful, tight, unnatural zone I feel foggy and it’s harder to feel intelligent about anything frankly :).”
From Inder Bedi, Founder of 457 ANEW:
“Clarity and guidance to channel my knowledge and experience towards art that benefits the universe, to keep growing in the process.”
From Ashley Joyce, Nutritionist:
“Consciously trying to take care of ourselves and the people around us. Wellness alone can look like self care for a lot of people but Wellness Intelligence is focusing on the collective as well. Pura Vida comes to mind if you have ever been to Costa Rica! and if you haven’t I highly recommend it.”
From Rich Knox, Drummer, Personal Trainer, Nutrition and Mindfulness Meditation Coach:
“To me, Wellness Intelligence is multi-dimensional, but essentially, it’s about connection and understanding. It’s about having the knowledge about which actions or foods, or exercises, intentions or thoughts work best for you, your fellow humans, and the planet; the wisdom to be able to tell the difference and allow for balance, humility and compassion; and the awareness to be able to feel it in your body, recognize it in your mind, and truly experience life, deeply.”
From Susan Mok:
“For me, I am constantly trying to do this with an open mind and purposefully, so that I can climb each rung of the ladder (in all 8 dimensions) for the benefit of the state of my overall well being. It’s a journey and a constant work in progress!”
From Ted Chan:
“I think Wellness Intelligence means how one learns to make sense of all these exercises and being able to incorporate it into one’s daily life. Understanding is the beginning of learning.”
From Chris Wong, Owner of Young Urban Farmers:
“Wellness Intelligence is about living a balanced life that focuses on the simple, yet critical aspects that contribute to a healthy, vibrant life. This includes prioritizing nutrition, sleep, exercise, and making time for family and friends. I like the principles of antifragility by Nassim Taleb, which is beyond resilience and robustness, and being able to thrive even with stress, volatility, and randomness.”
From Nicholas Ferguson, Co-Founder of The Great United:
“For me it means understanding myself, knowing what works for my mind, body and spirit so that I’m operating at my best at all times.”
From Lue Kraltchev , Co-Founder of The Great United:
“I believe it’s about seeking and balancing all of the things that contribute to our whole wellness: mind, movement, nourishment, relationships, meaningful work, emotional health.”
From Terry Walters, Award-Winning Author, Educator, Speaker:
“I think of Wellness Intelligence as listening and minding the whole – all the pieces that go into making me balanced and healthy, from the food I eat and the air I breathe, to my sleep, my work, my relationships, how I move my body, how much I laugh, dance, sing, love… Each day I may need different fuel to support that intelligence and while food is certainly not the only answer, it is definitely a powerful piece. We get nourishment from so many different sources. I can’t say that I always have Wellness Intelligence, but I always have the intention to tune in and do my best to nourish the many pieces of my life that bring balance.”
