What IS Wellness?
A wave everyone can ride
Wellness is the act of doing things daily that will increase your mental/physical/emotional well being.
Wellness looks different to everyone, though; you can do small things to contribute to your mental like drink a glass of water every hour, take a nap every day, take time to yourself, etc. There are also many pillars of wellness.
When I think of wellness, I automatically think of my body’s state of being. What my sleeping habits are like, how often I’m eating, if I have any uncomfortable thoughts — is what I think about my wellness state.
I appreciate the fact that wellness is different to every human being. I’m sure that those questions might have never arisen in your mind when you think about your health. One may think about the current position of their mind and whether or not they’ve been meditating. Little do you know, wellness is beyond deeper than meditation and making sure your mind is up to par. It also has to do with your body, social interactions, and emotional health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Pillars of Your Wellbeing
There are seven dimensions of wellness. These categories make up your right mind.
7 Dimensions of Wellness
Physical
You are keeping your body in shape, putting in good things to keep your mind in a calm place, and it is almost an instant mood booster. I do not want to go too much into detail because it is nearly obvious. Physical health is familiar to most.
Emotional
Making sure your love life or friend relationships aren’t driving you crazy. You want to be emotionally intelligent to think clearly in high stressed situations or intense conversations. Having the ability to usefully explain how you feel and what you think is a great quality to have. People appreciate clear communication.
Intellectual
Typically, intellectual wellness is to identify one’s creative talents to understand more knowledge and new skills. Intellect is more than talking about the moon and stars. Some examples are; good study skills, effective time management, and becoming a critical thinker and in other words, being able to develop original ideas, views, and opinions.
Social
These days, social wellness is somewhat essential with as much internet we use now, but not only online. Creating a healthy space for your social interactions is more apart of health than we realize. For example: Saying no to events we aren’t interested in going to. Commonly, people of all ages tend to look past this because they sometimes feel entitled to answer others. Even at times, the answer is “because I don’t feel like it.” Remember that it is okay to take mental days, even when you are already committed to something. People change their minds all the time. Keep that in mind when you feel bad for canceling on someone. It is always important to put yourself first.
Spiritual
Spiritual wellness is on the rise as more people are discovering who they are spiritually. This dimension gives us systems of belief, ethics, our sense of morality, and values. Spiritual wellness can be a very personal liberating experience because it allows you to live a life filled with your own beliefs and moral systems. This constructs our understanding of life’s meaning.
Environmental
This topic is becoming more and more critical as our Earth becomes drier. The objective behind environmental wellness is to live a lifestyle that respects our surroundings. This realm encourages us to live in harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it. I go into more detail about the atmosphere and Earth’s environment in my previous article Climate Change.
Occupational
Occupational well-being is a major part of wellness. This ties into the amount of productivity in one’s chosen profession. Working is a crucial element to our everyday lives, so being comfortable in your occupation is a significant component of your mental stability. Make sure your work life is healthy. It unnoticeably affects your everyday lifestyle.
Final Thought
My target for this article is to get my audience to understand how wellness can be present in all aspects of your life and body and that it is vital to create an experience that makes you most comfortable to live. Today, I encourage you to do something you love, an activity that eases your mind or even explores your sense of self. Wellness is diverse just like us; it’s healthy to scrutinize the different compartments of your mind, body, and soul.
Always,
Sunny 🌻
