Wellness Defined
Wellness is often discussed in terms of nutrition or fitness, but the concept of wellness is so much more than that. The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as “an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.” The National Institute of Health says “wellness is about the holistic integration of physical, mental and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit.” To sum it up, wellness is about living life in a way that enables you to be at your best in every sphere (or dimension) of your life.
Eight Dimensions of Wellness
So, what are those dimensions? Some entities, such as the National Wellness Institute, take the view there are 6 dimensions of wellness — emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. However, other institutions take the view there are 8 interdependent dimensions of wellness, which includes each of the six listed above, as well as, financial, and environmental. Each dimension is defined below:
- Emotional — Understanding and respecting feelings, values, and attitudes.
- Occupational/Vocational — Fulfillment and satisfaction from work
- Physical — caring for your body.
- Social — Maintaining healthy relationships, developing friendship.
- Intellectual — growing intellectually, maintaining a curiosity and desire to learn, expanding knowledge and skills.
- Spiritual — Having purpose, value and meaning in life with or without organized religion.
- Financial — Living within your means and making informed financial decisions.
- Environmental — Understanding how your environment affects your well being and demonstrating a commitment to taking care of the planet.
One thing to note, the wellness dimensions do NOT have to be equally balanced. Instead, ensure each dimension is balanced in a way that is right for you. Each person’s circumstances are different, so resist the urge to compare yourself. Instead, focus on the balance that you need to live your best life.
How to Achieve Fulfillment in Each Wellness Dimension
This begs the question though of HOW do you identify the right balance and then implement that in your life? Well, I recommend you start by just evaluating what is in your life right now. Take time to think about what you enjoy, where you feel fulfilled now (and why you feel that way), what you dislike, and where the gaps exist.
Once you have a sense of the areas in your life that are going well vs. not going well, begin to develop habits that will ensure either (i) continued wellness in these areas or (ii) improved wellness in these areas. In order to change or develop a habit, you need to develop new routines. Your routines should take advantage of your strengths, tendencies, and aptitudes. To help you succeed in crafting these new routines identify strategies that enhance the likelihood of success. For example, you might invest in a habit tracker (one of my favorites is the app Strides) or a paper planner. Any system that holds you accountable will be crucial in helping you craft a routine that will change your habit and, therefore, enable you to live a well life.
At this point, you may feel a little overwhelmed. However, please remember, the goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to ensure you are living your best life! Resist the urge to try to adhere to another person’s definition of living well. Instead, be mindful of and work towards your personal definition of success and your standard for living well.
Finding Wellness Posts on the Site:
- Heart & Soul: Focused on mental and physical health
- Skincare 101: Focused on clean skincare and beauty tips
- Paris + Travels: Focused on traveling tips and advice