When was the last time you used a metaphor? When you described one thing as something else in order to emphasize a specific idea? Metaphors such as, “time is money” or, “her heart is made of gold” are popular ways we use language to convey a certain concept. Whether it is the value of money (as important as time) or the characteristic of generosity (captured in the idea of gold), we use such phrases to create a certain image, explain an idea, generate a feeling, or emphasize a thought.

Just the other day, I was describing progress on one of my current projects as, “a plane I am building and flying at the same time.” In my mind, the image of someone both building and flying a plane connected with the craziness I had been experiencing - working and launching a new venture that wasn’t even completely done! The uncertainty, anxiety, and excitement of building AND flying the plane was what I was trying to capture with my metaphor. The feeling evoked was relatable (we all find ourselves in these crazy situations from time to time, right?) and the imagery generated - imagining someone building and flying a plane at the same time - was the perfect visual explanation of the complexity of my ordeal.

The use of metaphors to understand, describe, and share our experiences in life is something most of us do and often without thinking. We use metaphors to convey how we are feeling, to help explain what is happening, and to make complex ideas more understandable.

And one amazing place to use a metaphor is to describe our personal experiences with wellness.

Undeniably, the most common metaphor used is that wellness is a journey, and this is definitely a relatable idea - growing wellness often resembles the ups and downs of traveling! There are also many more metaphors that can be used to capture the experience of finding and growing wellness. From a road trip to a mountain climb, from a mission to an adventure - our wellness experiences, when described through metaphor, can help us make sense of what we are going through as we grow wellness in our lives. The wellness metaphor can shape our experience with wellness, provide us encouragement, and give us strength. It can be a powerful tool in a wellness toolkit!

Here are some examples for wellness metaphors that might connect with your personal experiences…

• The wellness journey or road trip. Capturing the idea that the destination is not the goal but rather the journey itself, this wellness metaphor encompasses the ups and downs, detours, potholes, and rest stops. A wellness journey or road trip is the experience of finding a way to wellness that is uniquely your path and embraces the journey itself.

• A wellness mission. When we set ourselves a mission, we establish a deep-rooted reason for accomplishing something. We set goals and take the steps we need to execute our mission. A wellness mission might be one where you are tackling a chronic condition or maybe learning to manage stress better. Regardless of the mission, you set wellness goals that move you towards “mission accomplished” - where you are living the life you envision.

• The wellness adventure. The adventure is the experience of the unknown partnered with the thrill of day-to-day living. Adventures are exciting, exhilarating, and make us feel alive. If you are on a wellness adventure, you might be shaping your wellness experience by experimenting and exploring in the world of wellness, tackling each new challenge with tenacity and excitement.

• A wellness mountain climb. Mountain climbs can be long, hard, and daunting. They take determination and endurance. There are peaks and valleys; twists and turns. The climb is accomplished one step at a time and as a resilient climber, you are tackling the trail methodically and building the wellness habits that will make you stronger with each step. The wellness mountain climb is one that will result in amazing views when you reach the top and the enthusiasm to tackle the next mountain on the horizon.

• The wellness building. If the idea of journeys and missions doesn’t connect well with you, maybe you see wellness as a structure that is built from the foundation up. You lay groundwork for wellness - knowing your strengths, values, and past successes - and you build your wellness one brick at a time. Creating the building that both houses and represents your hopes and dreams for wellness; solidifying the place where wellness can grow and flourish.

 The wellness metaphor is far from the only thing we use to grow wellness in our lives; however, it can be a powerful tool that shouldn’t be underestimated. The right wellness metaphor will help build imagery and positive emotion around our personal wellness experiences. It also helps us create grounded, motivated and inspired to keep moving forward toward our ultimate vision of wellness.

What metaphor captures your experience of wellness? How will use it to shape the well-ness you are cultivating?