Hello & Welcome to Be. Live. Stay. Well…

Hello & Welcome to my blog site – referred to as The Well from this point forward. 🙂

Many of my friends and colleagues have encouraged me over the years to start a blog, but I kept thinking writing the occasional article here and there was enough…enough to spread a message…enough to touch a life…enough to help someone…and enough to share a passion. I realize now that it isn’t. So, without further hesitation or trepidation, I’m plunging (pun intended) in to The Well.

You may be wondering “why a well”? The name came about several years ago in a conversation with a dear friend, Jessica, when she and I worked together to reorganize and revamp the Wellness Council of Sheridan County. We felt we needed a website makeover and it was Jessica who thought of The Well. I don’t know if she remembers that conversation, but I credit her for the inspiration and the encouragement.

The way I view it – a well is a place for wishes, replenishment and nourishment; it’s a place to fill your cup, find renewal or simply delight in quiet contemplative moments. I love the idea of a well because it reminds us to continually fill our cups. Our cup being whatever we so choose – our bodies, our minds, our hearts, our careers, etc. The well is our source for rejuvenation. We can’t pour from an empty vessel, so it’s important to prioritize our mind, body, and spirit in order to achieve a healthful balance of life and derive a feeling of satisfaction and achievement. My hope is to allow this blog to be your well – a source of nourishment and replenishment for all my readers as I share tips, tricks, tools and topics related to physical activity, nutrition, family fitness and wellness, stress management, personal wellness, mental fitness, and lifestyle.

Let me begin by sharing some details about myself and why I’m qualified to share the information I plan to share. My name is Erin Nitschke. I’m a wife, mother, college level educator and health and human performance professional. I hold degrees in Exercise & Sport Science (B.S.), Kinesiology & Health (M.S.), and Adult & Post-Secondary Education (EdD). I am also a National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer (since 2005) and an American Council on Exercise Fitness Nutrition Specialist and am currently studying to become an American Council on Exercise Health Coach. I teach at Sheridan College in Sheridan, Wyoming where I am also the Director of Health and Human Performance. I am also a regular contributor to the Sheridan Press’s Health Watch column and the Casper Star Tribune’s LiveWell magazine.

In short, this is not just another blog about health or another .com do-it-yourself advice column. The tips, tricks, tools, and topics I blog about are designed to help you live your best life, achieve your optimal level of wellness, and create a balanced – not deprived – lifestyle.

I’m not one who believes I have all the answers (some days I have none of the answers – at least not the right ones); however, beyond being a professional with a great deal of education, practical experience, and qualifications, I’m a real person with many of the same fears and anxieties as the rest of you experience. I have endured failure and celebrated success. I’m perfectly imperfect and I’m here to establish a new and added avenue by which to share my passion, expertise, and down to Earth approach to being well, living well, and staying well. I look forward to this journey together and hope you find some useful, straightforward, honest, and – most of all – realistic – guidance to a better quality of life.

Meet you at The Well.