There it was. The low-tire light illuminated my dashboard once again. Last time I checked, it wasn’t really a low-tire after all, but rather a false alarm. I stared at my dashboard. Do I ignore the light? Or investigate further?

How many of us have been there?

We see a warning sign that our own personal tire may be going flat, but we ignore it.

Perhaps it is a headache that has gone on too many days. Perhaps it is an extra few pounds on the scale. Or maybe a yearning of unmet need for social-connectedness.

What do you think of when you hear the words To Be Well?

Having a wellness tire that is properly inflated is a foundation of life, regardless of your career choice. Sure, we can all operate on a low tire for a while. But doing so over time can impact the frame, which in turn impacts the entire vehicle.

About five years ago, I found myself working another holiday retail season in a position that required immense energy and hours. Sure, I exercised almost every day and filled my body with enough spinach to make Popeye proud, but I could not ignore the tingling in my jaw that I knew correlated with stress. Like the low-tire light on the dashboard, I chose to ignore it, hoping it would go away.

When left unchecked, stress is the beginning of a multitude of issues.

Ignoring the warning light of stress, just like ignoring the low-tire light, will impact not only you but those you come in contact with. My journey over the next couple of years would eventually lead to a job change. And I realized there was a more important journey that needed to take place inside of me.

Self-care.

Self-care should not be saved for special occasions. It should be a part of our day-to-day living.

Although some may find self-care overrated, it actually may be a secret ingredient to living life well. Self-care should not be saved for special occasions. It should be a part of our day-to-day living.

Over the past several years, I’ve discovered sacred moments in taking time to enjoy the first sip of coffee in the morning, watching the sunrise in the quiet, journaling by the fireplace or laughing with a loved one until my belly hurts. These moments lay the foundation for me to show up well in life and leadership.

“To Be Well” is to be personally aware.

At times, your internal voice may be the fire that gets you up and moving. At other times, your internal voice may quietly whisper that it’s time for rest and renewal.

Take the time to do a check-up on your wellness tire.

How do you rank? Consider all areas such as physical, financial, mental, spiritual and social.

1) Identify areas in which your wellness tire is low. Congrats! That’s the first step.

2) Next, decide to do something about it. Don’t know where to start? Try finding someone who knows more than you do. You wouldn’t start tinkering on your car without seeking direction of sort, would you?

3) Last, find an accountability partner and take action. A partner will become your springboard to taking the action steps you need to achieve your goals.

“To Be Well” is to be personally aware.

As you progress along, keep in mind that setbacks will occur. Setbacks are not permission to stop and let our wellness tires deflate, but rather a time we may have paused to catch our breath and remind ourselves why we started.