What Are 3 Things You Could Do If You Were Asked to Become an Advocate of Health and Wellness?

If you’re reading this, someone has probably asked you to become a “health advocate” or “wellness champion” at your workplace or in your community.

You probably also know that most people talk a lot about health but rarely make actual changes to their lifestyle.

Why am I bringing this up? Because being an effective health advocate isn’t about preaching perfect habits – it’s about making real impact in ways that don’t make everyone avoid eye contact with you in the hallway.

1. Be the example (but not the annoying kind)

Leading by example is the most powerful advocacy tool you have. But there’s a massive difference between being inspirational and being that person everyone mutes on Instagram.

Here’s what actually works:

• Make visible changes to your own habits that people can observe naturally. Don’t announce your kale smoothie every morning – just drink it.
• Share your struggles along with your successes. Nobody relates to perfection, but everyone understands the battle of choosing stairs over the elevator when you’re already tired.
• Participate in wellness initiatives without making a big deal about it. Join the office step challenge, but don’t send daily updates about your step count to everyone.
• Practice what you preach about work-life balance. Nothing kills your credibility faster than promoting wellness while answering emails at 11 PM.

The goal isn’t to be a health saint – it’s to show that real people with real lives can make healthier choices without their entire personality becoming “that health person.”

2. Volunteer strategically (where it actually helps)

Volunteering your time is great, but only if you do it where it makes real impact. Random acts of wellness advocacy often get ignored.

Focus your efforts on:

• Organizing health events that people actually want to attend. Hint: free healthy food usually works. Nobody shows up for a lecture on cholesterol, but they’ll come for a smoothie bar with a side of heart health tips.
• Mentoring people who have specifically asked for help. Unsolicited advice is the fastest way to become the office health pest.
• Joining health-related committees where you can influence policy. This is often more effective than trying to convince people one by one.
• Supporting health organizations doing meaningful work in your community. Sometimes the best advocacy happens when you amplify others’ efforts rather than trying to be the star.

Remember that volunteering should fit your skills and personality. If you’re an introvert, maybe organizing a huge health fair isn’t your thing, but creating an amazing resource guide might be perfect.

3. Create PSAs that don’t make people cringe

Public service announcements about health can easily veer into after-school special territory. The key is making them actually engaging rather than eye-roll inducing.

What separates good health messaging from trash:

• Develop campaigns that address real problems people care about. “How to have more energy without five cups of coffee” will always outperform “The Dangers of Excessive Sodium Intake.”
• Use multiple channels to reach people where they already are. The break room, email, social media, text – mix it up so people don’t tune you out.
• Partner with people who have actual credentials when sharing health information. Nothing tanks advocacy faster than promoting something that turns out to be pseudoscience.
• Use stories and real examples rather than scary statistics. “John from accounting lowered his blood pressure by taking quick walks after lunch” is more compelling than generic advice.
• Track whether your messages are working and adjust accordingly. If nobody’s reading your wellness newsletter, try a different format or topic instead of just pushing harder.

The best health PSAs make people think “I could do that” rather than “I could never do that.”

Health advocacy that doesn’t alienate everyone

Being asked to advocate for health and wellness is both an opportunity and a challenge. Do it well, and you can legitimately improve people’s lives. Do it poorly, and you’ll be avoided like the breakroom during flu season.

The most effective health advocates understand that meaningful change happens through consistent, relatable influence – not through perfection or preaching.

So if you’ve been tapped for this role, embrace it with a healthy dose of humility and humor. Share what works for you, volunteer where it matters, and communicate in ways that resonate.

And remember – sometimes the most powerful health advocacy happens in quiet conversations and small, consistent actions rather than grand wellness initiatives.