how to live a longer, happier life by achieving true wellness
“Joy is the ultimate wellness solution.” There’s your Dear Gabby truth bomb moment, right off the bat.
That line comes from Jason Wachob, who joined me for this inspiring Big Talk with his spouse, Colleen. Colleen and Jason are cofounders and co-CEOs of the highly influential wellness brand mindbodygreen. They are legends and OGs in the field, but they know the world isn’t getting it right when it comes to achieving wellness. Why? Because we aren’t including joy. We aren’t including human connection, spiritual connection, a sense of purpose, or even fun.
Colleen and Jason are upending the current idea of wellness (and literally writing the books on it), and their insights may seriously enhance and extend your life.
how to find joy—and why you won’t find it in the current wellness movement
Just a few years ago, I was suffering from a host of maladies, including serious GI problems and constant discomfort. I was convinced that if I followed the right wellness trends, ate specific foods or spent enough time in the sauna, I’d finally feel better. I was sucked into the promises made by the wellness industry.
Guess what finally made me feel well for the first time in my life? Resolving my trauma.
When I did that, my gut problems disappeared. I felt free. I felt alive. My relationships improved. I felt like joy was within reach. I felt well. I’m not a doctor and I am a fan of medical treatment, including medication, when needed. (I am vocal about taking anti-anxiety medication and am so grateful for my doctors.) But in my case, I believe that no amount of supplements or sauna time or even doctor’s visits would have fixed what was wrong with me. I needed to heal the unresolved burdens that my body was holding onto.
We’ve been tricked into believing that wellness can be achieved with flat tummy tea or a booty-lifting weight routine. To be fair, body movement and nutrition (real nutrition, not fad diets) are important. Jason and Colleen are huge advocates for both. But they also recognize that diet and exercise are only part of a much bigger picture.
This episode sheds light on that picture, along with real strategies to get you started.
why lack of joy and connection can be dangerous
If you search “wellness” on social media, you’ll be hit with what Colleen calls “bro-centric body optimization protocols” and loads of people selling special teas and diet plans. You’ll also see people claiming to be able to help you live longer. Life extension has been a major element of the wellness industry, and Jason and Colleen are the first to state that being mobile and staving off disease are essential parts of extending your life. But Jason makes a majorly valid point:
what’s the point of living to 100 or longer if you don’t have friends, if you can’t find joy?
We’re in the middle of not just a mental health crisis, but also a loneliness epidemic. Research from BYU suggests that loneliness is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of increasing the risk of premature death.
Instead of only focusing on increasing our lifespan, Colleen and Jason are committed to helping people extend what they call a joyspan. I love that concept so much.
in this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why we have such a hard time creating connections right now, and what to do about it
- How to create connections based on your personality type
- Whether digital connections are as valuable as IRL connections
- How to find joy even when you’re facing depression or other struggles
- How to become the CEO of your own well-being
I’m so excited about what Colleen and Jason are doing, and I think this episode is important for anyone who feels like they put a ton of pressure on themselves to pursue wellness but still feel stuck. I got a ton out of it, and I know you will too!
weekly card reading
This is a great card for this topic. Just like one bicep curl won’t give you ripped arms, one single moment of pursuing a more joyful, connected life won’t get you where you want to be. To feel good consistently, you have to make it a practice. Devoting your days to your inner life will bring you joy. Stay consistent with your conscious contact to the Universe and you will be set free.
get more gabby
free manifesting meditation to attract your desires
- The Joy of Well-Being: A Practical Guide to a Happy, Healthy, and Long Life by Colleen and Jason Wachob
- Jason Wachob is the cofounder and co-CEO of mindbodygreen, the leading independent media brand dedicated to well-being, with 15 million monthly unique visitors. He is also the host of the popular mindbodygreen podcast and the bestselling author of Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume. He has been featured in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, FastCompany, Business Insider, BoF, and Vogue, and has a BA in history from Columbia University, where he played varsity basketball for four years. He lives with his wife, cofounder and co-CEO Colleen, in Miami with their daughters, Ellie and Grace. In his spare time he loves walking to get hot black coffee. You can find him on Instagram at @jasonwachob.
- Colleen Wachob is the cofounder and co-CEO at mindbodygreen, the leading independent media brand dedicated to well-being, with 15 million monthly unique visitors. She lives in Miami, Florida, with her husband, mindbodygreen cofounder and co-CEO Jason Wachob, and their two girls, Ellie and Grace. She graduated from Stanford University with degrees in international relations and Spanish. She spent 10 years working at Fortune 500 companies, including Gap, Walmart and Amazon, before devoting her life’s work to mindbodygreen. Colleen has been a speaker at Fortune 500 companies and numerous trade conferences on well-being trends. Her new passion that brings her joy is pickleball. You can find her on Instagram at @colleenwachob
- Develop a life-changing spiritual practice in just 3 minutes a day with my gabby coaching membership. Try 7 days free!
- For a deeper dive check out my books.
- If you feel you need additional support, please consult this list of safety, recovery and mental health resources. I’m proud of you for your commitment to self-care.
disclaimer
This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and support you on your personal journey towards inner peace. I am not a psychologist or a medical doctor and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any psychological or medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified health professional.