The most inspiring advice Well+Good Council members shared in 2017

The Well+Good roster of wellness pros are experts on everything from fitness to woo-woo wellness and clean eating. For the better part of the last six months, these superstars have been dropping wisdom left and right from their vast wells of knowledge. It’s almost too much information (almost).

Here are some of the most enlightening quotes and *aha!* moments from each of our council members—think of it as a digest version of all-things wellness related from 2017.

Drink in the wellness wisdom below.

1. Gabrielle Bernstein, positive-vibes guru and New York Times best-selling author

“The next time you catch yourself thinking, ‘I better not get my hopes up,’ pause and then go ahead and let yourself get your hopes up. Dwell in the good feelings that arise when you allow yourself to dream big.”

2. Robin Berzin, MD, functional medicine doctor and CEO of Parsley Health

“I can’t tell you how many people I see blowing money on workouts, juices, cleanses, and products, when really underneath, they have a thyroid problem, or an inflammation problem, or a gut issue that not all the spin classes in the world could fix.”

3. Jill Blakeway, DACM, acupuncturist, women’s health expert, and founder of the YinOva Center

“We’re all swimming in a sea of emotional energies put out there by ourselves and others, and that can influence us in ways good and bad. Early in my career as an acupuncturist, I had to learn how to protect my own energy field so that I could help as many people as possible without becoming drained. It’s a practice I like to think of as energetic self-defense.”

4. Lila Darville, sex expert and relationship coach

“It’s not always easy when your body starts to change and morph into a baby-building vessel. But it’s time we start recognizing the beauty of the pregnant form. Let’s not be each other’s (or our own) harshest critics. Together, let’s shift the paradigm around pregnant bodies and embrace our body as beautiful, at whatever stage of life we’re in.”

5. Joey Gonzalez, CEO of Barry’s Bootcamp

“Just like you see with eating, people tie exercise with emotion. People may not go to class if they’re feeling down, or alternatively, they work out when they’re hoping to feel better. Then the ebbs and flows of working out get tied to an emotional roller coaster. It’s good to be aware of that and to avoid practicing that way, because it’s just not sustainable. Working out should be as important when you’re not feeling like it, just as much as those times when you really want to do it—it’s a commitment.” 

6. Sophia Gushee, toxic exposure expert

“I now view toxic exposures at least as important as diet and exercise. Small adjustments can lead you toward elevated energy, a body you feel great about, more clear and glowing skin, improved sleep, less anxiety, better moods, and lower risks for all health issues and diseases. Preliminary studies indicate it could improve our metabolism, fat storage, fertility, mental health, risks for endometriosis and various cancers, and much more.”

7. Mckel Hill, RDN, founder of Nutrition Stripped

“Creating and practicing a routine is one of the most powerful things you can do to train your body to stay centered.”

8. Norma Kamali, fashion icon with a (healthy) wellness obsession

“I believe there is a correlation between the way women move in athleisure and active sportswear to the attitude they have about themselves. Whether it is the casual shoes, the more relaxed fit, or comfort, there is a feminine swagger that says, ‘I am in charge of me—and I like it.’”

9. Miranda Kerr, supermodel and creator of Kora Organics

“To me, meditation is so important. When you’re running around all the time and constantly busy, I find it’s so helpful to take some moments for yourself and just breathe. Then, it makes you more prepared to take on whatever you’re doing.”

10. Candice Kumai, rockstar healthy chef

“My life’s greatest healer (and I’m still working on it!) is nature, along with my heritage. This gift of shinrin-yoku, even when I was at my lowest of lows, is the gift of being able to walk within the trees. It was, and is, what heals me. I know myself better when I come back from a hike, for my soul has been cleansed and my spirit renewed.”

11. Lily Kunin, healthy chef and founder of Clean Food Dirty City

“While I originally saw my food allergies and health issues as limiting factors (transitioning to any major dietary change can be challenging!), I now realize that they fuel my passion to eat and create delicious food. Trying new restaurants with friends and family remains one of my favorite things to do and keeps me constantly inspired in the kitchen.”

12. Elle Macpherson, supermodel and wellness entrepreneur

“As I get older, I’m learning the value of creating balance within, of being mindful, and projecting positive energy from the minute I wake up.” 

13. Drew Ramsey, MD, psychiatrist and farmer

“Here’s a wild proposal: Do less this year. Your life has been on a setting of ‘too busy’ since mid-2014. Enlist help. Make the meals simple. Express your concerns early. Who knows? You might find yourself actually looking forward to things”

14. Kimberly Snyder, celeb nutritionist and Ayurveda expert

“I would contend that it’s not so much the actual life situations themselves that build up anxiety so much as our reaction to them. Sure, traffic sucks, but we can either take a big breath and deal—or get worked up into a red-faced frenzy. When practiced regularly, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, as well as other centering techniques, can help us keep calm and quell our nervous fears.”

15. Latham Thomas, doula, author, and founder of Mama Glow

“We hold on to things that often contribute to holding us back. Where might you be storing the physical manifestations and energy of the past in your present life—be they traumatic, harmless but just taking up space, or just no longer fruitful? Clearing the physical space is an important step in excavation.”

16. Alisa Vitti, women’s hormone expert and founder of FloLiving.com

“I grew up around hard-working women who had no idea how to put themselves first, so I never learned to do that either. It was only through my years of research and experience that I came to realize just how critical this piece of the wellness puzzle is—and that what works for me when it comes to prioritizing self-preservation is cycle-syncing. That means during each phase of my cycle, I integrate the right foods, workouts, and lifestyle habits to complement and capitalize on my body’s natural strengths throughout the month.”

17. Claire Wasserman, career expert and founder of Ladies Get Paid

“I’m an advocate for therapy and encourage everyone, regardless of whether or not you want to be an entrepreneur, to spend a lot of time getting to know yourself. Understanding what you need to support your well-being is crucial and perhaps the most important thing you can do for yourself. Taking care of myself is taking care of the community.”

Reliving 2017’s greatest hits? Here’s what we learned about de-stressing this year and why it’s not surprising that “feminism” is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year.