You're ready to experience whole body wellness and healthy living for yourself. But, where do you start?

At 25 years old, Emily A. Francis was at a crossroads. Her lifelong struggle with anxiety had taken a drastic turn, resulting in panic attacks and agoraphobia.

Her career as a wellness and exercise coach was seemingly finished.

How could she lead an exercise class if she didn’t want to leave the house? That’s when she decided to focus on healing her whole body.

Her journey took 7 long years and a lot of trial and error. She tried traditional medication, diet changes, and even met with a shaman healer!

Each step was integral to finding true healing. Eventually it led her to the pathway where she could heal others, too. Today, she’s a wellness expert and author who shares her wisdom with others.

Here are 3 important steps to whole body wellness and healthy living.

1. Take time to listen to your body.

Everyone has moments in their lives that they'd rather forget. And sometimes they actually do — they bury them deep down and keep them there.

Believe it or not, you can actually block trauma from your memory. However, your body never forgets. The past can live within your soft tissues, wreaking havoc on your health.

Those unpleasant moments from the past can keep you from living a strong, healthy life.

But, the memory systems you’re born with do know how to function in a healthy way. The key is to remind them.

To start, take time to listen to your body. Over time, you’ll begin to recognize its signals — both good and bad. These signals will begin to guide you toward a healthier existence.

2. Be open to alternatives.

No matter your current struggle, it’s important to note that there's always more than one way to heal.

Emily was willing to try a variety of methods. She believes each person’s path to healing is unique and encourages you to remain open.

Explore your options, which can include traditional medicine, physical therapy, counseling, massage, nutrition, spiritual practice, and holistic healing. And these are just a few!

For example, if you're dealing with frequent body aches and pains, you might try seeing physical therapists and massage therapists at the same time.

As you try things out, keep in mind that a combination of approaches might be right for you (just like it was for Emily). This will require time and patience, but you’re worth it!

3. Treat your whole body.

The last step is to remember to treat your whole body, not just the current ailment.

This is essential to true and lasting healing. When something is off, there are four areas that need attention — your physical body, emotions, life energy, and spirit.

Emily emphasizes a key point: understand the difference between your mind and your brain.

Think of your brain as the motherboard for your body. It’s a physical organ that functions, chemically.

Your mind is where your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors live.

Understanding this difference can help you find the right path to healing not just your body but also your mental health.

Your brain is an organ with chemical makeup. Your mind encompasses your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

One may need a medicinal approach while the other may require a more holistic one in order to fully heal. However, these can happen at the same time.

Look into practices and therapies that address each of these areas and you’ll be on the road to whole body wellness and healthy living.

Are you ready to experience whole body wellness?

Hilary DeCesare is the Founder and CEO of The ReLaunch Co. She’s appeared on ABC’s The Secret Millionaire and on major news outlets such as CBS, ABC, Fox, Huffington Post, and Yahoo, and offers several ReLaunch courses and coaching. To connect with her directly or for media requests please email hello@therelaunchco.com.

This article was originally published at The ReLaunch Co.. Reprinted with permission from the author.