E170 John Webster GET Wellbeing Strategic Plan
Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 170
Date: April 29, 20
Participants: Elise Seifert, Sheila Webster and John Webster
Guest: David Amerland (Move That Body)
Start Times and Segments:
[0:00:35] What’s On Your Mind: Sheila an Elise explore eight ways to display emotional intelligence, including showing empathy, trusting others, pausing before reacting, and asking questions to avoid assumptions. It emphasizes owning mistakes, expressing gratitude, lifting others up, and keeping promises. Each habit fosters stronger emotional connections, encourages personal growth, and creates healthier, more supportive relationships both personally and professionally.
[0:12:35] Expanding Minds Interview: Alterative to Interview – It has been great to speak to many people over three years of podcasting. It helped John Webster formulate a strategic plan for wellbeing. John’s strategy is guided by the acronym "GET" Wellbeing: Grow, Embrace hard work, and Together. He envisions growth as striving for a well-rounded life, embraces hard work as essential for true fulfillment, and believes in the power of community for collective and personal wellness. This strategic plan supports his action-oriented three-step approach: first, identify the wellness areas that are personally meaningful; second, engage consistently in activities that nurture each category; and third, conduct regular wellness check-ins to stay balanced and mindful. His framework is both visionary and practical—offering a high-level purpose while encouraging everyday actions. By blending strategic thinking with actionable habits, John ensures that wellbeing is not just an abstract goal but an evolving, lived experience.
[0:26:21] Move That Body: David Amerland talks about the art and science of breathing – breathe better - live better. David unpacks the impact of proper breathing techniques on our physical and mental wellbeing. Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth can transform your oxygen intake, especially during prolonged activities. Hear about the importance of diaphragmatic breathing and get practical techniques such as the 'double sigh' to enhance your oxygen flow and reduce stress.
Takeaways:
John – My strategic plan for wellbeing focuses on a vision and goals, not prescriptive actions, to allow for flexibility. Wellbeing is person specific. Each person’s approach must be customized to their own needs and goals.
John – I call my strategic plan "GET" Wellbeing —Grow, Embrace hard work, and Together. These are my high-level objectives / visions to achieve wellbeing.
John – Personal growth includes striving to be a well-rounded and curious individual across many life skills.
John – Embracing hard work, rather than avoiding it, is essential for achieving lasting fulfillment.
John – Wellness is amplified through collaboration and community, compared to pursuing it in isolation.
John – Wellbeing is an evolving journey, requiring periodic reflection and adjustment of the strategic plan.
Guest Information: Listeners know John Webster as a co-host of this podcast. John’s an Ontario lawyer who works at international law firm Gowling WLG, from the Waterloo Region office. He is a commercial litigator with 27 years of experience in complex litigation. John is a strong advocate for personal wellness, and this podcast (Let’s Be Well Together) and published a book about his journey (Accidentally Well). John has a lively curiosity that was fostered during his days studying philosophy at university. He embraces the saying, "Never stop learning." You can often find him enjoying its trail system in Kitchener-Waterloo, whether along old rail lines, through a forest or along the Grand River. He's married to Sheila and has three adult children. He’s enjoying life even more after the experiences he writes about in his book.
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Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-) Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila, Elise, Isabelle, Noura, Julie and Riley