Fundamentals of influencing our own health and wellbeing are understanding: 

• how to go about it, and
• it requires enduring behaviours. 

For many people who are not intuitively interested in wellbeing enhancing activities these can be strong barriers to improved healthiness and resilience. David Gates, our Chief Wellbeing Officer, investigated the characteristics of wellbeing supporting behaviours when leading coaching development at a leading London Health Club.

From his work he has continued to evolve a framework for supporting individuals of all backgrounds to learn, understand and adopt permanent wellbeing supporting behaviours.

Key elements of his client study and evolving behaviour framework are:

• understanding of wellbeing facilitating behaviours and the need for them
• clear models of effective behaviours and guidance in adopting them
• support from qualified practitioners in adopting “good habits and techniques” from the outset  (This builds appropriate neurological pathways that are fundamental in building enjoyment, performance, achievement, on-going progress and confidence all of which reinforce changing behaviour)
• support from other, valued, people such as family, friends and respected peers
• guidance in understanding and handling set-backs, regressions and on-going progression, to a point where experience allows people to self-coach.

David’s work in supporting permanent behaviour is an important attribute in FitterForLife’s wellbeing services. All of our wellbeing practitioners’ practice intuitively incorporates it.