Wellness? What exactly does it mean?
The concept of wellness is not new, but one that has recently become more popular.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), wellness can be defined as a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has designed a model called the 8 Dimensions of wellness:
⦁ Physical
⦁ Intellectual
⦁ Emotional
⦁ Social
⦁ Spiritual
⦁ Vocational
⦁ Financial
⦁ Environmental
Each of these dimensions are important in obtaining the state of personal wellness.
Below I explain what each aspect means and some ideas for making changes in your life toward this balance.
Physical Wellness
This is the idea of a healthy body. Included in physical wellness are things such as eating right, staying active, getting enough sleep and maintaining regular checkups.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Improving Physical Wellness
⦁ Eat a diet rich in whole fruits and vegetable- eat the rainbow
⦁ Decrease fast foods and processed foods
⦁ Drink plenty of water
⦁ Prioritize sleep- 7-8 hours of sleep. Keep a regular sleep schedule which includes the weekends!
⦁ Exercise- shoot for (at least) 30 minutes per day
⦁ Take a time out- relax, refresh
⦁ Don’t smoke
⦁ Keep to recommended alcohol intake of 1-2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women
⦁ Maintain a healthy weight
⦁ Wash those hands!
⦁ Get those steps! Shoot for 10,000 steps a day
⦁ Have a primary care doctor and have an annual exam
⦁ Brush your teeth and maintain regular dental checkups as dental health plays a role in physical health
Intellectual Health
Intellectual health refers to continued learning such as new skills, new information and ideas.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Improving Intellectual Wellness
⦁ Join the library
⦁ Read a new book
⦁ Learn a new skill such as cooking, new sport
⦁ Take a class at the community college
Emotional Wellness
Emotional health refers to one have the skills to cope with stress, enjoy their life and express feelings.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Improving Emotional Wellness
⦁ Find ways for self-care such as a massage, yoga class, meditation
⦁ Read a book
⦁ Start the day with a statement of gratitude
⦁ Start journaling
⦁ Spend time each day doing something you love
⦁ Take a deep breath during a stressful situation prior to reacting
⦁ Try to find the positive in a situation where you would normally focus on the negative
⦁ Communicate
Social Wellness
Social wellness involves our personal relationships and interactions with others such as friends and family.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Improving Social Wellness
⦁ Bring back “family dinner”
⦁ Take a walk with your family or friend
⦁ Join a club
⦁ Ask a new acquaintance to lunch
⦁ Find your “village, your support system
⦁ Take a break from the everyday and schedule in some QT with your family or friends- such as a movie, sporting event or other activity you all enjoy
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness is the values and beliefs that provide a purpose, meaning and belonging in our lives.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Spiritual Wellness
⦁ Be grateful
⦁ Be kind
⦁ Do something nice for a stranger
⦁ Moment of mindfulness
⦁ Accept yourself
⦁ Yoga
⦁ Meditation
⦁ Take some time each day away from the screens!
⦁ DANCE
Vocational Wellness
Vocational or Occupational wellness is the idea of finding work life balance.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Vocational Wellness
⦁ Set goals in your career
⦁ Attend a meeting or retreat related to your industry or professional society
⦁ Continue to develop skills, new roles within your career
⦁ Spend time outside of work doing things that you enjoy
Financial Wellness
Financial wellness can be described as finding satisfaction with our current and future financial goals and status.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Financial Wellness
⦁ Think about wants vs needs
⦁ Plan for the future
⦁ Seek guidance from a financial planner
⦁ Think about a big purchase for a few days prior to making it
⦁ Take a look at your expenses each month. See where you can cut down.
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness is the concept of understanding the impact one has on the environment and resources and acting responsibly.
Never Say Never Wellness Tips for Environmental Wellness
⦁ Volunteer
⦁ Recycle
⦁ Carpool
⦁ Try out a farmer’s market if available in your area
⦁ Bring your reusable bags
The journey to finding our individual wellness balance is personal, takes time and is not a perfect science. The first step is finding the areas that may benefit from a little TLC and taking the steps towards making these changes.
Michaela
Sources: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)