How does one woman surviving an illness result in an annual event celebrated across over seven thousand locations in more than 150 countries on five continents? It starts with dreaming big—but that’s only the beginning.
Belgin Aksoy is a dreamer. She’s the founder of Global Wellness Day, which was unveiled in 2014 at the Global Wellness Summit in Morocco. Two years later, the momentous progress of Global Wellness Day won her the Woman in Wellness award at the GWS in Austria. It is celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year.
Global Wellness Day is a day dedicated to living well, holding free-of-charge educational and experiential wellness events open to the general public – like yoga, nutrition, dance, sound healing classes, etc. – that inspire people to try living smarter and living well. The purpose of the day is to recognize the value of our lives, to pause and think, to be free of the stress of everyday life, to bring nations together over a common mission, and to spread the message that wellness is more than a luxury—it’s a necessity.
In 2004, Belgin began facing her own health challenges when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She began a personal journey to live a better life, including changing her perspective on what really matters. She changed the way she ate, exercised, and slept, and in 2012 she had turned her health around. Not only that, she was healthier than ever before. She knew that the universe had given her something special, and she had to find a way to give back.
The theme for this year’s Global Wellness Day is “Think Magenta.” After the last few years have been so gray and bleak, we need a bit of color in our lives. Global Wellness Day’s worldwide family of ambassadors, supporters, and volunteers are working together to add color to people’s thoughts, to inspire them to build healthier habits and bring some positivity to their lives.
For the first time since 2020, GWD will be celebrated with live events from Turkey to Thailand in 2022. But, also, don’t forget to check out Global Wellness Day’s You Tube Channel and Facebook Page to watch this year’s three-hour GWD Live Stream featuring presentations by wellness luminaries from around the planet.
However you celebrate wellness, whether at home or through one of the Global Wellness Day partners, it’s important to consider how you can incorporate wellness into your day. Because one day can change your life.
To learn more, visit Belgin Aksoy’s site at GlobalWellnessDay.org
Resources:
Hosted by Kim Marshall.