Hi, wellness friends, Welcome back to the wellness inspired podcast, a place where you can find inspiration, motivation and empowerment in the pursuit of a wellness lifestyle. I'm your host, sherry Davidson. I'm a wellness coach and acupuncturist in Houston, texas, and I am deeply passionate about health and well-being. And, as always, I am here with my co-host, finn. And if you're new to the podcast, finn is my terium mixed rescue dog, trail runner and loyal companion. He is also a therapy dog and greeter at element five acupuncture and wellness.

Speaker 1: 0:49

And today we have an exciting episode for you. We are going on a journey and diving into the transformative topic that can reshape your approach to thinking about your health and wellness. I want to introduce two concepts to you. We will explore the contrast between hedonic and eutomonic wellness and why making the crucial mind shift from hedonic to eutomonic wellness is super important if you truly want to make sustainable, healthy change and live a life of vitality. And I also want to mention here that both of these concepts are important when thinking about your health and well-being. However, in the West, the skill is tipped. We spend way too much time practicing hedonic wellness, so this episode is also a quest to harmonize the opposing aspects of our well-being. We'll uncover the art of finding equilibrium not by choosing one path over the other, but by blending them into a symphony of joy, growth and lasting fulfillment. With that said, let's journey together through the yin and yang of wellness, seeking to find balance in the dance of life.

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But before we get started, I want to share something with you. I am planning a European Wellness Riverboat cruise in 2024. My friend, tammy Heroka she is a travel concierge and friend. She's also been on the podcast we talked about wellness travel. She is helping me plan this amazing adventure. I have yet to commit to a river, but I'm thinking of a seven night cruise on the Danube River. We would cruise through Austria, germany, hungary and Slovakia. There will be active sightseeing, so hiking, biking and maybe some running If I can make that happen I need to talk to somebody about that but there will also be yoga, wellness talks, relaxing and locally sourced cuisine. So stay tuned for more details. I already have many people interested and yeah, so get ready to grab your spot. All right, let's do this.

Speaker 1: 2:58

Heedonistic and eutomonic wellness are concepts you are probably not very familiar with, so let's start untangling these intriguing concepts and how they relate to your health and well-being. When I first heard these terms in comparison, it really resonated with me being a TCM practitioner. All the information that I take in gets filtered through a TCM lens constantly, so it doesn't matter what I'm listening to, what I'm reading, who I'm talking to, it is constantly being filtered through this lens. So when I heard these terms, I thought, oh my gosh, this is two sides of the same coin. It is the Yin and Yang of wellness, and it really shifted my perspective and my approach on health and well-being, and by the end of this episode, I hope that it does the same for you. So let's get started.

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Heedonic wellness is all about pursuing pleasure and immediate gratification. It is that extra piece of chocolate cake that brings a smile to your face but leaves you with a pang of guilt afterward. And while these moments of delight are important, they often fade quickly, leaving us longing for more. I want to give you some more practical examples of hedonic wellness so you can wrap your head around what this means. Hedonic wellness is treating yourself to a piece of decadent chocolate cake solely for the pleasure of its taste, without much consideration for its nutritional value. Another example binge watching TV shows. Spending an entire weekend watching your favorite TV series, simply for the entertainment and immediate gratification it provides. And we all know this one retail therapy going on a shopping spree to buy trendy clothing items, gadgets or accessories that bring a momentary feeling of happiness but may not be aligned with your long term financial goals. And I'm going to get a little pushback on this one, but just just bear with me here and it'll all make sense in the end. Vacationing for relaxation is hedonic wellness. Taking a vacation to a luxurious resort to relax by the pool and enjoy spot treatments this focuses on the hedonistic pleasure of relaxation and leisure.

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Now, on the other side, lies eunimonic wellness. It delves deeper than hedonic wellness. It is about cultivating a life rich in meaning, purpose and personal growth. It's like savoring a wholesome and nourishing meal. It is satisfying, leaving you content and energized. Unimonic wellness propels you to make choices that align with your core values, empowering you to sustain healthy changes that create lasting well-being. Now imagine awakening each morning with a renewed sense of purpose. Instead of pursuing fleeting pleasures, you're drawn to pursuits that light up your soul. You engage in challenging activities, nurture relationships that enrich your life and make choices that resonate with your authentic self. This shift in focus, my friends, is the heart of eunimonic wellness.

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So now I want to give you, like I did, hedonic wellness. I want to give you some practical examples of unimmonic wellness. So a good example of unimmonic wellness is mindful eating, choosing whole, nutrient rich foods that nourish your body and align with your long-term health goals, focusing on the bigger picture of well-being and not the immediate gratification. Another great example is learning a new skill or skills. So enrolling in courses or workshops to learn a new skill or to enhance your knowledge. This fosters personal growth and a sense of accomplishment. Another example volunteering. So devoting your time to volunteer work for a cause that resonates with your values, you contribute positively to your community and it creates a sense of purpose.

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Also, there are physical challenges. Participating in a marathon, hiking a challenging trail or practicing a new exercise that pushes your limits and leads to personal growth and achievement is another example of unimmonic wellness, and I think this is one of the reasons why I really enjoy running, because it really pushes me out of my comfort zone and I have this accomplishment. I have achievement and personal growth in that. Meaningful relationships is another example. So engaging in deep conversations that build connections with friends and family. It promotes emotional support, personal development and mutual growth. So everybody wins out of that situation.

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And one of the last examples I'll give is creative pursuit, so engaging in creative activities like painting, writing or playing a musical instrument. It allows you to express yourself and tap into your inner passions. Well, there you have it, a few practical examples of each. There are many more, but hopefully this is enough so you can wrap your head around the two concepts, so you can observe it in your life and notice it when you're making decisions. But remember the key difference between hedonic and unimmonic wellness it is your choices underlying motivation and lasting impacts. I also want to emphasize here this shift in mindset of unimmonic wellness is crucial for making sustainable, healthy change. When we are solely chasing hedonic pleasures, we might find ourselves in a cycle of short lived highs followed by inevitable crashes. It's like chasing a fleeting spark instead of igniting a sustainable flame. Unimmonic wellness fuels that inner fire propelling us to make choices that honor our well-being for the long haul.

Speaker 1: 8:40

Now I want to share an article with you I read recently, because I think it's a good example. The name of the article, the title of the article was called burnout retreats the latest cure for white collar wipeouts. Cutting edge medical treatments meet hardcore rest and relaxation at the elite rehab style clinics. So burnout is on the rise and the cure is hardcore rest and relaxation at an elite rehab style clinic. That's what caught my eye and I got interested and I wanted to know more. So, according to this article, burnout rates have been on the rise since the pandemic. They have reached an all-time high and they're expected to rise. An AFLAC report it was a 2022-2023 workforce report. It revealed 59% of Americans feel moderate burnout. That is 7% higher than 2021. And get this the World Health Organization I did not know this. The World Health Organization has recognized it as a medical condition and they have since 2019. So if you're feeling burned out which you know, it's saying that 59% of all Americans are feeling moderate burnout you can go to the Shaw Wellness Spa in Spain for a whopping $7,430.

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It's a seven-day program to improve job performance, mental and physical health, and if you have more time and money, you can go and I might say this wrong, but the Sensei Lani and Hawaii for a 30-day sabbatical package for rest and recovery. Guess how much? This is $25,000. Now, I'm not saying these experiences are not beneficial and I'm not against them. If I had $25,000 lying around or my company paid for it, I would absolutely be up for the experience. It sounds amazing. I looked them up. It looks amazing.

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The point here is they are short-term solutions, not a long-term solution to optimal health and well-being. This is a hedonic choice. You cannot burn the candle at both ends. Year after year, go on a $25,000 burnout retreat, return to your stressful life and expect to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. But here's how you can. The balance happens when you weave the hedonic wellness experience into your everyday life when you return. For example, if you went on a daily hike on your retreat, you should go on a daily walk when you return. And if you want to take it a step further, ask yourself why you had to go in the first place. Do some self-discovery on your values and ask yourself if your job aligns with those values. If you do that, you might not have to go on a burnout retreat.

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Now I'll admit that transitioning to focus on unimmonic wellness can be challenging. It demands a conscious effort to rewire your mindset. It's so hard because we are bombarded with messages encouraging us to seek instant gratification. We're influenced to pursue a hedonic lifestyle. But we are not complete here and we never will be fully and genuinely happy, and this is why we need to balance the scale of wellness. True growth comes from embracing challenges and pushing beyond your comfort zone. So that piece of cake that you wanted to eat it's about sitting through that. That discomfort of not getting that dopamine rush from eating that chocolate decadent cake that tastes so good in your mouth. Unimmonic wellness is about seeing beyond the immediate discomfort and recognizing that these challenges are stepping stones to becoming your best self. All right, so how can you start making this mind shift? I know you're just. You just can't wait to hear this.

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I'm going to give you four practical steps to help you get started. The first one is intentional reflection or self-discovery. I think it's really important to dedicate some time to reflect on your values, passions and goals, consider how your choices align with your authentic self. If you don't do the self discovery, you're just on autopilot. You're just, you know, kind of floating in the wind and just doing whatever you've done in the past and not really making any, any, any big change. So I do think that being mindful and doing some intentional reflection or self-discovery is very important when you're trying to get started on this journey. Another practical step that will get you started is to nurture relationships that uplift and inspire you, so engaging in heartfelt conversations that lead to growth and connection. So meaningful connections are super important.

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Another way is purposeful pursuits. Set meaningful goals that reflect your aspirations. Strive for personal growth in your pursuits, whether it is through learning, creating or contributing, like I mentioned in the beginning, learning new skills, playing an instrument or volunteering. And the last one I'm going to send you off with is a resilient mindset. It is super important to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. So, instead of shying away from difficulties, view them as a stepping stone to a more fulfilling life. This is a resilient mindset, and I think we could never go wrong cultivating this.

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Okay, so let's talk about striking a balance between these two forces. I want to reiterate here there is a time and a place for both in your well-being. One or the other is not good or bad. It is the yin and yang at play, and at the end I'll interpret hedonic and unimonic wellness through a yin and yang lens. It'll be fun, but first I want to talk about striking a balance between the two approaches to well-being, because it's essential for creating a sustainable and fulfilling life. So here's why it's important to strike a balance or to find that equilibrium. Holistic well-being is one of them. So integrating hedonic and unimonic elements ensures you're nurturing different dimensions of your well-being.

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While hedonic experiences offer immediate joy, unimonic pursuits provide depth, purpose and personal growth. A balanced approach addresses both your short term and your long term well-being needs. So that's one. Another one is long term fulfillment. Relying solely on hedonic pleasures can lead to a cycle of seeking constant gratification without addressing deeper needs. Unimonic pursuits, on the other hand, contribute to lasting fulfillment by aligning with your values, fostering growth and creating a sense of purpose. Another reason it's important to find equilibrium is again we go back to resilience. Balancing these approaches enhances your resilience when you encounter challenges. The perspective of unimonic wellness helps you view setbacks as opportunities for growth. This reduces the negative impact on your well-being, and the joy derived from hedonic pleasures can provide emotional support during rough times, but should only be temporary.

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Okay, on to the next. Another reason that it's important to find balance is to prevent burnout, as we were talking about in that article. An excessive focus on either approach can lead to burnout. A hedonic lifestyle might lead to overindulgence and neglect of personal growth. Conversely, a solely unimonic path can become overwhelming and devoid of joy, so striking a balance prevents burnout by allowing you to recharge and pursue growth simultaneously.

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Next on the list is emotional intelligence, balancing these two forces. It cultivates emotional intelligence. Engaging in hedonic activities helps you manage stress and negative emotions, while unimmonic pursuits enable you to understand your desires, values and motivations better. This self-awareness contributes to overall emotional wellbeing. So emotional intelligence. And next is a mind shift for sustainable change. I touched a little bit on this the mind shift from a hedonic to unimmonic wellness. It encourages you to think long term, so it propels you to make choices that align with your aspirations, enabling sustained health changes rather than short term fixes that might not last. And again, this goes back to the article I mentioned earlier. Another reason to balance these forces is enhanced relationships. By balancing these approaches, it enriches your relationship. Engaging in hedonic activities with loved ones can create joyful memories, while unimmonic pursuits can foster deeper connections through shared values and growth experiences. Okay, I've got two more.

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A unimmonic wellness guides you towards finding purpose in your actions. By integrating it with hedonic experiences, you create a life that's not only enjoyable but also meaningful and rewarding. And so it goes back to finding that purpose and I mentioned this again when I talked about how to weave the hedonic and the unimmonic together in that article, where if you were going for walks or going for hikes on the retreat, then you should incorporate that when you come back. So incorporating a daily walk in your daily life, that was one way. And then the other one was to do some self discovery about your values and then reflecting to see if that aligned, if your job aligned with your values. So that's kind of what that's talking about. And then the last one is personal growth. So striking a balance encourages personal growth, a balance between these two forces.

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Hedonic pleasures may provide comfort, but unimmonic pursuits challenge you to step out of your comfort zone, leading to learning, development and self improvement. So there you have it. The balance between hedonic and unimmonic approaches creates a harmonious, resilient and fulfilling life. It also helps you navigate the complexities of wellbeing by addressing immediate pleasures, with long-term growth, resulting in a more meaningful and joyful journey. So there you go.

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Okay, as promised, I want to translate hedonic and unimmonic wellness through a yin yang lens. It might be a little bit repetitive, but let's do it anyway. So let me. Just for those of you that aren't real familiar with yin and yang or this theory, I'm just gonna give you a short little, just kind of go over that a little bit. Yin yang is a traditional Chinese philosophy. It represents the universe, dualistic nature. So we're opposing forces, are interconnected but also interdependent.

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The concept of yin and yang can be applied to the balance between hedonic and unimmonic wellness. So I think this is gonna be super cool. So why do we wanna do this? Because it's what I do. It's what I do and it's fun. And it reiterates that we have to find a balance between the two if you want to thrive in your life. So here we go.

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Here is how the concept of yin and yang can be used to understand the balance between these two wellness approaches. So the first one is rest and recharge versus reflection and growth. Well, let me go back. Rest and recharge is the yang versus reflection and growth, which is yin. So, just as yang represents activity, movement and energy, engaging in hedonic wellness activities can be seen as embracing the yang aspect. It's a way to recharge and provide immediate energy, similar to taking a break or indulging in a pleasurable experience. On the other hand, the yin aspect involves reflection, personal growth and purpose aligning with unimmonic wellness. Okay, next we have celebrations and special occasions yang versus routine and meaning yin. Celebrations and special occasions are moments of excitement and energy.

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Yang, where hedonic wellness can thrive. They provide a burst of joy and pleasure. Routine activities that align with your values and contribute to personal growth, such as unimmonic wellness pursuits, reflect the yin aspect by providing a sense of stability and meaning. I just love this. And then we have self care breaks, which are yang versus deep self exploration, which is yin. So self care breaks can be seen as embracing the yang aspect of nurturing oneself. These breaks provide quick relief and rejuvenation. This is the burnout retreat, deep exploration and personal growth characteristics of new yin and monic wellness align with the yin aspect by delving into the inner experiences and cultivating a deeper sense of purpose. And I have not been to one of these clinics and again, I'm not against them, I'm just using it as an example and they might be doing some of this deeper exploration, reflection activities while people are there, but I don't know that.

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Okay, next, social bonding yang versus meaningful connections yin. Engaging in hedonic activities for social bonding represents the yang aspect, where social interactions provide immediate joy and connection. This is your networking events, this is your social happy hours Meaningful connections and relationships that promote personal growth and mutual understanding, aligned with the yin aspect, fostering deeper connections over time. These are the heart to heart talks that you have with people that are incredibly meaningful. Okay, we have stress relief, which is yang, versus resilience yin. The hedonic activities can provide quick stress relief, similar to the concept of releasing built up energy. So that could be going for a run. Resilience and personal growth are nurtured through unimonic wellness, which is yang, and this involves embracing challenges and using them as opportunity for growth.

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We have creative expression, which is Yong, versus inner discovery Yan. Engaging in creative expression is an outward manifestation of energy, so that's Yong, and it allows for the release of artistic or emotional expression and inner discovery and self-understanding, characteristic of unimonic wellness, aligned with the Yan aspect, involving introspection and personal growth. And I've got two more for you. We got instant gratification Yong, versus lasting fulfillment Yan. Immediate pleasure and gratification represent the Yong aspect, providing quick burst of joy, lasting fulfillment and purposeful action that contribute to personal growth, aligned with the Yan aspect, offering deeper and sustained contentment. And last, enhancing well-being with the Yong versus holistic balance Yan. Incorporating hedonic pleasures improves well-being in a Yong way and providing instant enjoyment, achieving holistic balance by integrating both hedonic and unimonic approaches aligned with the Yan aspect, creating a harmonious and interconnected well-being Just so beautiful. So, in the context of Yan and Yong, the balance between hedonic and unimonic wellness involves recognizing the interplay between the two opposing but complementary forces, resulting in a holistic and well-rounded approach to life and well-being.

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And before we leave, before I wrap this thing up, as I was generating this content, I remembered coming back from the Faro Islands. I was on a running adventure and I was done with my adventure and it was incredibly challenging because it was so steep and I think I was sore, for I swear three weeks after that race. But I was heading back to Iceland from the islands and there was an older couple that sat next to me. They had been on a sailing trip. They sailed from Iceland to the Faro Islands and after talking to them, or while I was talking to them, it was pretty obvious that that was his adventure and she went along for the ride.

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But we were talking and she asked me why I liked to travel so far from home and do a very difficult trail race. And I told her because it was super challenging for me and I learned a lot about myself and I built resilience and I got to see a beautiful place, an experience, a beautiful place that most people have never been on. These trails are not frequent very much and it was just an incredible experience all the way around. And that was very similar to her husband. He really enjoyed sailing from Iceland to the Faro Islands. It was just if fulfilled something in him. And she was the yin to his yang. Because she asked me why I had to go so far from home to get that, why I could not go within and do the self discovery and find the challenges that were inside, why I had to go look outside of myself for that. And my response was in that moment and I told her. I said well, honestly, I go.

Speaker 1: 26:48

I think you need both. I think they're both important to cultivate. I think it's so important to go inside and figure out who you are. Who is that authentic you? What does that authentic you want out of your life? What does it mean to you? And I think we can find challenges inside for sure. I mean think about mindful meditation when you sit and sometimes you see things about yourself that you don't like, and you can work to change that or not.

Speaker 1: 27:24

But I also think it's just as important to go out and experience the world and seek challenges. I mean traveling alone is a challenge. I mean just think about it just flying and getting from place to place and layovers and cancellations and losing the luggage and getting lost and taxis not there to pick you up, or changes in your hotel or Airbnb. There's just so many challenges out there that we face that can make us also resilient. I just happen to like to travel and trail run. It's the challenge that I've chosen and it's one that really fulfills me, and so I will continue to do it. But then the less.

Speaker 1: 28:06

The point here is, I think we need both, and this inner play and play of unimonic wellness and hedonic wellness is just proof of that. So, anyways, I just wanted to share that story with you. All right, I want to conclude with because we are so wired for hedonic wellness, we have to focus more on unimonic wellness to rewire our brains in order to bring balance back to our lives. So when you go out there and start to shift your mindset, remember that unimonic wellness isn't just a destination, it's a journey. It's about consciously choosing a path that aligns with your heart's desires and values, and with each step, you're paving the way to lasting well-being, to a life that radiates purpose and vitality. Okay, what did you all think? I really enjoyed sharing this information with you and thank you for joining me on this insightful episode of the Wellness Inspired Podcast. And as you head out on your journey towards unimonic wellness, may you discover the joy of sustained, healthy change that enriches every facet of your life. Until next time, keep riding the wave of wellness and embracing the transformative power of a unimonic mindset.

Speaker 1: 29:30

And, as always, I would love to hear from you. So if you have any comments, questions or suggestions, let me know. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast and share with your family and friends. You can also give me a rating and review. Wherever you listen to your podcast, it helps others find me as well. To get updates on new episodes and wellness inspiration in your inbox, please join the Wellness Inspired Community. Go to the wellnessinspiredpodcastcom to sign up.

Speaker 1: 29:57

I'll put the link to the website in the show notes so you can click and join. Also, there's a Facebook community at the Wellness Inspired, and you can follow me on Instagram at wellness underscore inspired. If you're in the Houston area or just visiting and interested in our services acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, zinchiatsu or dry needling therapy contact us. You can find out more on our website at element5omcom that's element5, the number 5, omcom, and again I'll put the link in the show notes. If you're interested in health and wellness coaching, we can connect in the clinic or on Zoom. Reach out to us and we'll get you on the schedule and, as always, I would love to hear your feedback. I am dedicated to bringing you great content that is inspiring and informative, with an artsy fun at G-SPIN. Thank you so much for listening. We'll meet here again next time and remember, never stop exploring, learning, loving and being you. Bye.

The Wellness Inspired Podcast

The Art of Merging Pleasure and Purpose in Your Wellness Journey

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