Holistic Wellness

 

 

Wellness is a constant and active process of achieving an optimal state of health, where a person becomes aware of, and makes choices towards a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle. There are eight dimensions to wellness that are interconnected and equally important. All of these are helpful for self-exploration and can help you determine choices or situations that impact your overall well-being and achieve the lifestyle you desire.

 

Emotional wellness includes an understanding of, and an ability to cope with your thoughts, feelings and emotions, as well as deal with life’s challenges. Emotional wellness includes feeling good about who you are, having a positive attitude and strong sense of self as well as having a sense of control in your life with the ability to adapt to change.

 

Environmental wellness involves creating or finding spaces where you live, work, and study that help you feel motivated to reach your goals. Signs of environmental wellness include being aware of the limits of the earth’s natural resources, conserving energy, spending time outdoors and creating home and work environments that are supportive and nurturing.

 

Financial wellness is living within your means and learning how to manage your finances for the short and long term. Signs of financial wellness include learning how to manage your money and establish a personal budget, being educated about debt and how to manage it, along with ways in which you can create wealth.

 

Intellectual wellness is being open to new ideas and experiences, having the capacity to think critically, being curious and finding ways to be creative. Signs of intellectual wellness include the ability to challenge yourself to see all sides of an issue, becoming a critical thinker, committing time and energy to self-development and being a lifelong learner.

 

Occupational or Professional wellness is having a career that is fulfilling to you and meaningful to both you and society. Signs of occupational wellness include doing work that you find motivating and engaging, feeling inspired and challenged, having a balance between work/school and other areas of your life, and having financial/educational plans for the future.

 

Physical wellness is listening to and taking care of your body for optimal health and functioning through a smart diet and activity choices.

 

Some pillars of physical wellness include moving your body daily, practicing safe sex, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, eating a balanced, nutritional diet, and staying hydrated throughout the day.

 

Social wellness is having positive connections with friends, family, and others. Examples of social wellness include balancing social and personal time, the ability to be yourself around others, the ability to set and respect your own and others’ boundaries within relationships, having an awareness of others’ feelings and being engaged with other people in your community.

 

Spiritual wellness is complex but involves establishing peace and harmony in your life by demonstrating an individual purpose and reflecting your values and beliefs in your actions. Signs of spiritual wellness may include developing a sense of meaning and purpose in your life, having the ability to spend reflective time alone, developing your self-awareness, having principles, ethics and morals that provide guidance for our life as well as practicing forgiveness and compassion.

 

The optimal goal of holistic wellbeing is to raise your awareness of the various aspects of well-being that creates balance and to implement specific changes within the areas you feel you need to pay attention to. Do more research on the “Wellness Wheel” a simple yet effective tool for a more balanced, happier, and healthier lifestyle.