I shared a story in last week’s newsletter that I think is worth repeating here.

There’s a stretch on one of our regular cycling routes that gets into my head. It’s silly, really, because it’s only about 2 ½ miles, and there’s nothing inherently difficult about it, but it comes after a U-turn, and there is usually a crosswind or cornering headwind for this stretch. I’m cautious on the U-turn, so Kenny usually comes into that stretch at a faster speed than I do, and it just feels way harder than it should.

Last weekend, we rode a 52-mile loop that includes that short stretch, which is early in the ride. As we approached the turn, I found myself thinking, “I hope I don’t drag in that stretch,” and other unhelpful thoughts.

Sure enough, as we started into my silly nemesis stretch, Kenny came out of the turn more quickly and put some distance between us. I started thinking, “Ugh, here we go.”

Then, however, I recalled the James Clear quote I had turned to after my morning meditation:

“Take all the energy you spend on . . .

· worrying about the past

· worrying about the future

· worrying about what others think

· worrying that you might fail

. . . and channel that energy into one useful action within your control.”

I decided to take that advice and close the gap between Kenny and me.

Between where I was and where I wanted to be.

It wasn’t a huge gap—maybe 50 feet at that time—but, of course, he was moving, too, and it would grow, if I didn’t pick up the pace.

I dug deep and found some more power and immediately started seeing the gap between us narrow. In 30 seconds or so, I had reeled him in and was on his wheel.

I suddenly had loads more energy and felt much more confident.

I felt victorious.

Rather than whine in my head about not riding the way I wanted to ride, I made the powerful decision to channel my energy into one useful action that was in my control—quickly hammering down on the pedals to close the gap between Kenny and me.

It made a huge difference in the way I felt, both mentally and physically, and I know that it made the rest of the ride better.

So, I pose the question to you: What is one useful thing that you can do today to help close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, specifically in terms of your wellness?

My Priority Wellness program launches this week.

I created Priority Wellness because the number-one frustration that I hear from midlife+ women is that they can’t, won’t or don’t prioritize their wellness.

Some feel that they don’t have time.

Sometimes, they lack information or resources.

Some believe it’s selfish to make their own well-being a priority.

Many of us at this stage of life feel pulled in so many directions: engaging in community work that’s important to us, taking care of grandkids, helping our young-adult children navigate life, assisting aging parents.

Truly, who has time to take care of herself?

The reality is that the clichés are true. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you can’t take care of anyone or anything else, if you haven’t taken care of yourself—not long term, and not to the extent that you could if your own well-being were nurtured, too.

That’s why I created Priority Wellness.

I realized that the best way I could help other midlife+ women was to design an educational and coaching program that pulls together my education—which includes a BA in Sociology, with a minor Women’s Studies; an MA in Sociology; and MEd in Exercise Science and certifications in health coaching, life coaching, academic life coaching, vegan nutrition and yoga—my professional experience helping a wide range of people accomplish what they want to accomplish and my lived experience prioritizing my own wellness so that I could show up as the person I want to be and make the most of my gifts, even through the most difficult years of my life, as I helped my son navigate serious mental health and substance use struggles.

I’m grateful every day that he is doing very well these days, and I’m still using everything I have learned over the years to prioritize my wellness on a daily basis, while supporting my son, his partner, our 10-month-old grandson, our cat and my husband, working in my business and volunteering.

Priority Wellness pulls together all my best tools into a powerful combination of mindset and action lessons because both matter.

As a cyclist, I envision it as a bicycle.

The rear wheel is “mindset” because the rear wheel is connected to the drivetrain. The mind propels everything we do. We can’t prioritize our wellness or show up the way we want to show up in the world without having the right mindset, so I teach specific mindset tools to drive our wellness endeavors.

We train six broad categories of mindset in Priority Wellness:

· Clarity

· Barrier Busting

· Self-Belief

· Resourcefulness

· Language

· Prioritization

Of course, mindset only takes us so far, so the front wheel, which is also where the steering happens, consists of specific “action” lessons that will enable us to get where we want to go. These include:

· Nutrition

· Movement

· Mindfulness

· Rest

· Time Management

· Stress Management

Both the individual and the group program will include 16 weekly lessons/coaching sessions. We’ll start with about 30 minutes of yoga to help center us and prepare us to receive and be fully present for the lesson.

Then, we’ll move into a mindset lesson and an action lesson.

Each week, there will be specific actions to take before the next session.

By the end of the program, each participant will have what I’m calling her personal “route guide,” essentially, her own, customized wellness plan, tailored to her life, alleviating much of the friction to making wellness a priority.

I’ll also offer a graduate membership for women who want continued accountability and ongoing mindset and action lessons after completing the 16-week program.

Enrollment for the first Priority Wellness Academy opens July 15, and the first cohort will start on 8/17.

The personalized program can start at any time.

I’ve tried to make particularly the group Academy very accessible, with an introductory price for this cohort of $397 for the 16-week program. I will even offer one scholarship spot in each cohort.

I’m also offering a special referral deal. If you refer a friend, and you both end up enrolling in the same cohort, you will each get $50 off your enrollment fee.

Ten percent of every sale will be donated to Hopestream Community which means so much to me. It is a wonderful online group for moms of kids who struggle with mental health and substance use and is part of my own story of survival.

So, here are a couple ideas for useful actions you could take to close the gap between where your wellness is and where you want it to be:

· Join the FREE Priority Wellness Webinar, on Tuesday, July 15, at 6 p.m. CDT. Click the link to register. You’ll learn more about the program and come away with ideas and inspiration for enhancing your wellness.

· Schedule an assessment to get a clear picture of where your wellness currently stands and find your fit within Priority Wellness.

Mindset and action both matter in taking control of your wellness. Let the Priority Wellness program help you create a customized plan to make the most of your gifts for yourself and for the world.

You are worth prioritizing.

I firmly believe that we have not only the right, but the responsibility, to make the most of the gifts we have been given, and we can only do that when we take care of ourselves.

Start closing the gap today between where you are and where you want to be.