Wellness Isn’t Optional, It’s Essential

My journey toward wellness began at a pivotal moment in my life, when I was forced to slow down, breathe, and start again with intention. This was when I received a dose of reality that caring for myself was not selfish, but essential. Along the way, I often thought, ‘I don’t think I can do this, but here I am, eager to motivate and inspire others to embrace the importance of self-care. Self-care is more than a task to complete; it is a practice that requires us to be fully present. Learning to breathe again made that presence possible, and it changed everything.

Building on this truth of being present, I recently had the honor of speaking at the Restoration Seventh-day Adventist Church in Apple Valley, California. The event celebrated pharmacy technician students who had completed a free community program developed and facilitated by Dr. Ida White, PharmD. Standing before them, I felt a deep sense of responsibility to offer guidance as they prepared to enter a demanding field. I reminded them that their calmness, clarity, and ability to pause for themselves would be just as vital as the technical skills they had learned, because before they can care for anyone else, they must first learn how to care for themselves.

I share this because I want to be the first to testify that learning to take care of myself first gave me the clarity to understand the profound importance of caring for others. It also revealed the urgent need to educate others about why this level of care is essential, not optional.

This is the heart of SILWELL-C: Staff-Inspired Leadership for Wellness & Calm. My work is deeply fulfilling because it reminds me, and those I serve, that wellness is not a destination; it is a way of living and a way of leading with presence, purpose, and compassion.

Cynthia Skyers-Gordon, Ed.D.