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Have you ever had that feeling of, “something’s off?” Chances are, it was. That moment — but every day really — is an optimal time for a wellness check.
We often use health and wellness interchangeably but there’s a difference.
World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or illness,” and wellness as “the optimal state of health of individuals and groups.” The difference in the two lies in the goal and process, whereas “wellness” is part of the process to achieving a goal of good health and a life fulfilled.
When we talk about wellness, it’s not limited to a tangible physical feeling, but the health of your mind, body and spirit — both subconscious and fully aware. It’s all interconnected and industry experts believe that watering all dimensions of wellness help nurture overall healthy lives.
What are the 8 dimensions of wellness?
Emotional
Emotional wellness is being aware and in control of your emotions. When trouble arises, are you quick to anger, withdraw, ignore it? Or are you even-tempered? There is balance in acceptance and resolution.
Environmental
Environmental wellness is how you take care of your personal space and care for your community. Whether it’s organizing your closet or decluttering a drawer, recycling or turning off the lights when you’re not using them to preserve energy, considering the space around you adds a boost to the footprint you leave on the world around you.
Financial
Financial wellness is how you manage and value money — creating balance between budgeting and living within your means.
Intellectual
Intellectual wellness is how you feed your mind, non academically. Some people read or journal, others join small groups or pick up hobbies. What is it that stimulates your mind?
Occupational
Occupational wellness is finding balance in work and play. It’s not “dream job or fail,” but ongoing professional growth and satisfaction in an area you spend a majority of time, not settling and being open to the demands of transition that best suits your lifestyle and personal goals.
Physical
Physical wellness is how you listen to and take care of your body, and is not limited to what you eat and working out. Physical wellness also includes how much sleep you get, how much time you spend on your phone, and even how often you go to the doctor for routine check-ups.
Social
Social wellness is being able to interact and engage with people. Communication, support, authenticity and accountability sit here. Examine your community and network. Do they make you better or bitter?
Spiritual
Spiritual wellness involves your values and purpose rooted in harmony around your morals and belief system. It’s what you practice and where you find solace and retreat to for balance.
What does caring for your mind, body and spirit look like?
When all of these dimensions are working together, a holistic balance takes place in your routine, thinking patterns and the way you guide life’s paths, fully. If a few are mishandled, there tends to be a trickle effect on how you operate the others. But when the operating engine (or core) of most are in tact, it’s easier to navigate forks in the road and find your way back to wholeness.
It’s important to note that there’s no one way to wellness. It’s a dynamic concept ever-changing and unique to each being.
In an article collected by the National Library of Medicine, Dr. Debbie Stoewen says the dimensions do not 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,” she wrote.
Mindfulness in each dimension can open doors to healthy habits daily. The power is in your decision to take action, and success is in the eye of the beholder.
8 Dimensions of Wellness: What Does Caring For Your Mind, Body, and Spirit Look Like? was originally published on elev8.com
