In my 10+ years in the wellness industry, I have found myself coming back time and again to the concept of consistency- the slow-burn, realistic change that people tend to avoid like the plague. In some ways, it’s much easier to dive right into the deep end of cross-fit, keto diets, and lifestyle coaches. But at the end of the day these drastic changes, however effective for the time being, are difficult to implement into the lives we already have. We also struggle to implement appropriate solutions before our issues become disruptive and require significant intervention. This is a problem because many of us don’t believe at our core that smaller solutions will be effective. This Precision Nutrition study examined their clients’ behaviors in their coaching program, and they discovered you only need to be about 10% consistent in your wellness plans to see results over the course of a year. For example, if your goal was to eat a plant-based diet with minimally processed ingredients, 100% consistency would mean 21-28 meals each week fit within these guidelines. Clients in this study achieved measurable change over the course of a year with as little as 4 good meals each week.

While this example primarily addresses diet and activity, this mindset is helpful when applied in other areas as well. A few examples:

  • Sleep has demonstrated ties to intellectual function, emotional regulation, immune system, cardiovascular health, and more. Better sleep hygiene can be achieved with consistent bedtimes and sleep conditions, reducing screen usage before bed, and avoiding caffeine/stimulants in the afternoon.
  • Chronically elevated stress levels can lead to serious mental illness like anxiety panic disorders and depression, harm your digestive function, affect weight gain/loss, and make you more susceptible to health conditions like heart disease and cancer. A significant body of evidence shows mindfulness, exercise, and limiting screen time/social media have a protective affect against stress disorders.
  • Inactivity is known to increase the severity of chronic pain, depression, and systemic inflammation. Any type of physical activity can counteract these effects, whether it’s time spent in nature, a short walk down the street, or a fitness class you enjoy.

It’s important to find health-supportive activities that you enjoy and can realistically fit into your regular rhythms. Washington Wellness programs support these behaviors through SmartHealth activities, Diabetes Prevention Programming, Living Tobacco Free resources, and our wellness trainings and webinars. Additional support is available through the Washington State EAP, and community resources are likely available as well depending on your location.

Wellness is a lifelong pursuit, and it’s more important than ever that we integrate wellness habits and care for ourselves daily. Start now, stick with it, and you’ll be surprised by what’s possible in due time.

Explore this topic along with others at or upcoming Elevating Cougs development conference, October 22 and 23. Visit the Elevating Cougs page for further details, and subscribe to the ECC newsletter. Remember to register for the conference and browse the multitude of sessions among our three tracks:

  • Developing/Caring for Yourself as a Coug
  • Leading as a Coug
  • Workday Success Stories
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Content Credit: Maria Royall, CWP, 2024 Elevating Cougs Guest Speaker