What is the meaning of Wellness?

Wellness

Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. Remember that wellness is not the absence of illness or stress. You can strive for wellness even if you are experiencing these challenges in your life.

Wellness encompasses 8 mutually interdependent dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental . Attention must be given to all the dimensions, as neglect of any one over time will adversely affect the others, and ultimately one’s health, well-being, and quality of life. They do not, however, have to be equally balanced . We should aim, instead, to strive for a “personal harmony” that feels most authentic to us. We naturally have our own priorities, approaches, and aspirations, including our own views of what it means to live life fully.

 Eight dimensions of wellness

• Emotional—Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
• Environmental—Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being
• Financial—Satisfaction with current and future financial situations
• Intellectual—Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills
• Occupational—Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work
• Physical—Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep
• Social—Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system
• Spiritual—Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life

Definition

1.Emotional wellness: Emotional wellness is defined as coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.

     Goals for your Emotional Wellness

• Become more aware of your feelings and accept them as valid indicators of what you are experiencing
• Develop the ability to experience and appropriately express a wide range of emotions such as humor, joy, fear, anger, frustration, appreciation, sadness, etc.
• Develop assertiveness and confrontation skills

2. Environmental wellness: Environmental wellness is defined as occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being. 

     Goals for your Environmental Wellness

• Become aware of how your external environment affects you 
• Redesign your environments to more effectively support and reinforce your needs
• Be concerned about the future of the local, national and world ecology and climate
• Minimize your contribution to the destruction of the outdoor environment   

3. Financial wellness: Financial wellness is defined as satisfaction with current and future financial situations.

    Goals for your Financial Wellness

• Learning how to gain control of your finances so they work for you.
• Understanding how to manage a budget, credit cards, checking and savings accounts, investments, retirement funds, etc. 
• Handling finances without too much stress.
• Setting and making progress toward your short- and long-term goals.

4. Intellectual wellness: Intellectual wellness is defined as recognizing one's creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills. 

     Goals for your Intellectual Wellness

• Strive to be open to new experiences and ideas in all areas of your life
• Expand your ability to create, develop, analyze, critique, concentrate, understand, evaluate, problem solve, predict, comprehend, etc.
• Feel competent in intellectual and academic activities by improving your skills in academics, studying, time management, stress management, note taking, listening, and public speaking.
• Develop a love for learning and philosophy for “life-long learning”

5. Occupational Wellness: Occupational Wellness is the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure time, addressing workplace stress and building relationships with co-workers. It inspires us to prepare for work in which we will gain personal satisfaction and find enrichment in our life. At the center of occupational wellness is the premise that occupational development is related to one’s attitude about one’s work. 

 

6. Physical wellness: Physical wellness consists of recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep, as well as preventing illness and injury or managing chronic health conditions. 

    Goals for your Physical Wellness

• Understand how and why your body works
• Feel comfortable with your physical appearance
• Make informed choices about your body and sexuality
• Feel competent at physical activities

7. Social wellness: Social wellness is defined as developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.

    Goals for your Social Wellness

• Develop the ability to create and maintain close friendships
• Feel comfortable interacting with diverse individuals and groups
• Become aware of your responsibilities for the welfare of different communities
• Understand and accept those with a different sexual orientation

8. Spiritual wellness: Spiritual wellness is defined as expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life, including one's morals and ethics. It may or may not involve religious activities. 

    Goals for your Spiritual Wellness

• Explore your personal values
• Question and clarify your values
• Become aware of how values develop and change from life experiences
• Become aware of the differences in others’ values