As you all know, WRAP is very important to me. It has been my guide to living since it was first developed by peers at a seminar I was leading. WRAP was developed in March of 1997. That means that its 20th “birthday” is coming right up. I am going to begin celebrating that important anniversary a few weeks early by taking the time to review my list of Wellness Tools, see if there are any that I have been neglecting, any that I might benefit from using more or less, and any new ones that I can add to my extensive list.
You may wonder how my list of Wellness Tools got so long. Over the years I have led hundreds of WRAP groups and workshops. At every workshop or group I learned new Wellness Tools from the participants. Any that I feel would work for me I would add to my list. Now that I am retired I don’t lead so many groups. That has limited my exposure to new Wellness Tools. Now I find them in other places. I get Wellness Tools from my supporters. (I have kept my circle of support strong over time. It is very important to me.) I get them from magazines, newsletters and websites that I visit. And sometimes I discover them as I am using other Wellness Tools. For instance, if I am on a walk (a Wellness Tool), I notice how much I enjoy looking up into the tops of trees. So I have discovered another Wellness Tool. I can look into the tops of trees on my walks and looking out certain windows in my home. And it gives me a life. I will add daily meditation time and some cognitive exercises I am doing as well.
I will also take the time to review the rest of my WRAP. Perhaps, now that I am in my 70th decade I need to add some tools to my Daily Maintenance Plan. I may have discovered some new Triggers and some new ways to respond to them, ways that are more in keeping with my age and new interests. I will go over my Early Warning Signs. I know those have changed and making changes in my WRAP on this section and the section, When Things are Breaking Down is overdue for me. As always, I will review my Crisis and Post Crisis Plans as well.