Leading with Wellness – Part 1: Your Wellness Determines Your Leadership Success

Guest Contributor: Molly Haydon -  Wellness Advisor 

On January 1 at 11:45 a.m., I became a statistic. 

As I sipped a delicious margarita at lunch, I became one of those people who failed to keep their New Year’s resolutions. My proclamation for Dry January lasted less than 12 hours. This is ironic because I’m a wellness teacher who helps people make lifestyle changes. It reinforces that we all have a hard time changing our habits. According to a report from Forbes, 68% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions.

Why is change so hard even though we know it’s what we need? 

Whether your 2025 plans were big or small, the reality is that all change takes time, scheduling and consistency. At work we can focus on achieving goals because there is a paycheck hinging on it. It’s much harder in your personal life when no one is paying you to eat healthier or go to the gym more often. 

Over the years, I have learned to tell as many people as I can about what I’m planning, so I have an accountability team. I download apps to help keep me on track with persistent notifications. I even hang the dreaded list of improvements on my mirror to remind me to keep going.  

The most important success tool in personal change is that you have a tightly focused list because that’s more achievable. If you adopt too many changes, you could become distracted by the multiples and experience lack of progress. When we complete a task, our brain releases the reward chemical dopamine.  Natural dopamine remind us of our progression and propels us forward.   

Change within ourselves takes a little time to show up as progress. You can’t see the small repair work going on in your microbiome, liver or arteries but, over time, you will feel the benefits. That is the greatest motivator and once you reap the rewards, going back isn’t even an option. Your hard work pays off as your body is in balance again. We start out in this life with a balance within; it’s our environment and habits that cause the imbalance.   

Most people want to improve their wellness. 

In a survey done by Forbes last year, health improvements ranked in the top 5 of respondent's resolutions lists. 

Top New Year Resolutions For 2024

The above data is based on a survey of 1,000 U.S adults who plan on setting a new year resolution. Data was collected on Oct. 23, 2023.

We know that health encompasses so much more than just fitness. There are multiple pillars within our lives that need attention for us to be in balance to support the symbiotic relationship between gut health, heart health and brain health. 

My company, Lifestyle Check-up, focuses on the daily habits and routines of individuals and cross-references them against their micro and macro health concerns. The six pillars of health I work with are: 

1. Nutrition 

2. Movement 

3. Mindfulness 

4. Emotions 

5. Sleep 

6. Self-care 

   
   

Total health is when you are consciously supporting all six pillars within your life as they all influence one another. What I find most often is that people usually have two pillars that are causing them concern, and a third is starting to present itself. The simple statistic I pull from my clients is that most people are only really taking care of 50% of themselves.  

Pivotal Growth Wellness 

In conjunction with Pivotal Growth, we have developed a new Wellness Diagnostic for leaders to quickly check-in or check-up on their mind-body health. This snapshot gives immediate insights into what areas might need some extra focus to achieve wellness. Healthy leaders are balanced leaders.  

Wellness is a global concern, and it’s a commitment beyond January. 

Note: At the time this blog was written, I successfully achieved my Dry January status despite the aforementioned blip. 

Molly Haydon, Wellness Advisor

M O L L Y   H A Y D O N   

Wellness Advisor 

Molly has over 20 years of experience leading marketing and publicity for global live entertainment tours, including concerts, Broadway, and Cirque du Soleil. Her decade-long journey in stress reduction and healthy living inspired her to transition from corporate life to helping others. Three years ago, she founded Lifestyle Check-up in Portland, Oregon, where she supports individuals navigating physical and emotional health changes by optimizing lifestyle habits for balance and stress management. Molly is a Certified Health Instructor from the Chopra Center and a Wellness Consultant for Pivotal Growth Incorporated.