Global Wellness Day - How June 13, 2015 Could Herald a New Journey Toward a REAL Wellness Lifestyle

Introduction: Global Wellness Day

Global Wellness Day (GWD). GWD was founded by a woman in Turkey named Belgin Aksoy. It is intended to encourage healthier, happier lives. Ms. Aksoy is the creative director of the Richmond Nua Wellness Spa in Lake Sapanca, Turkey. For two years, this spa has hosted wellness day festivals now and then. The GWD, intended to become an annual event, is already backed by volunteers in at least 30 nations, with support from influential spa leadership groups, such as the Global Spa and Wellness Summit (GSWS).

GWD will be celebrated on Saturday, June 13.

The idea of linking a single day to a grand goal of a better life seems fatally optimistic and hopelessly hopeful. Fortunately, GWD is not about dramatic conversions; rather, it's intended simply to encourage more people to take modest steps that provide good experiences, both physically and mentally.

The leaders and those who support GWD have modest expectations. They do no think celebrating a global wellness day will bring peace to the Middle East or harmony and understanding elsewhere, or sympathy and trust abounding or other Age of Aquarius pie-in-the-sky outcomes. Nor will a global wellness day feed the hungry or inspire Vladimir Putin or other totalitarians to embrace yoga, meditation, the healing arts or other pleasantries on offer at destination resorts around the world. The GWD enthusiasts are not lunatics.

Participants are optimistic, however, in other modest ways. The initial goal is simply to increase awareness of sound health practices. Eventually, the goals might expand to shaping public policies that support educational initiatives and environmental actions conducive to living well. The reality at present, for far too many, is that the odds are stacked high against well being. GWD proceeds despite social, political and economic realities around the globe that are anything but wellness friendly.

A Call for Input from the German Wellness Association

Lutz Hertel is the President of the German Wellness Association and a recognized leader in the spa industry in Europe. He is a good friend and a strong advocate for REAL wellness. Lutz also serves as one of a dozen or so ambassadors for GWD.

As a friend and supporter of the German Wellness Association, I got a request from Mr. Hertel to suggest seven steps that the Association might shape into steps for GWD promotions. Naturally, I accepted the challenge and made sure that each of the steps would promote REAL, not ersatz wellness (e.g., risk reduction actions such as stop smoking).

In a message to Lutz, I noted that the initial seven steps identified by the GWD leaders did not go to the essence of REAL wellness. They might be sensible enough for other advances (e.g., environmental awareness, building community, energy conservation, etc.) but the seven steps did not address REAL wellness values.

Here are the initial seven steps produced by the GWD leaders and sent to the 30 nations representatives for comment and expansion, if desired.

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