TOTAL WELLNESS, where do I begin??
When we think about wellness, the first thing that comes to mind is physical wellness. Every New Year, gym memberships skyrockets and the search for the latest diet fad is the #1 searched item on Google. However, many people are unaware that there are actually eight dimensions of wellness, and your physical fitness is just one of them. These are:
Emotional
Financial
Social
Spiritual
Occupational
Physical
Intellectual
Environmental
In order to achieve complete wellness, you want to make sure you are addressing and constantly working towards improving on each one of these dimensions. The first thing you want to do is assess your current wellness level on each dimension. Then, create wellness goals starting with the dimension you scored the lowest. As you work towards your goals and nurture each category, you will begin to feel more balanced and centered. The more your wellness level increases, the closer you are to achieving total wellness. Below you’ll find some information and links to kickstart your journey.
How do you take care of your emotional health? How about a little meditation? Here are 20 reasons you should give meditation a try: 20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today | Psychology Today
Financial stress can affect your overall wellness. You may already be a budget guru but if you need a little help (or a lot), check out:
How to Budget Your Money | Budget Planning for My Money | My Money Coach
Loneliness has been associated with a wide variety of health problems including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease among others. Here are some suggestions on how to strengthen your support network: Manage stress: Strengthen your support network (apa.org)
Expanding your sense of meaning and purpose in life is a vital part of wellness. Although this is a personal journey and is different for each one of us, here are some suggestions on how you can work on improving your spiritual wellness: How do you increase your spiritual wellness? – Operation Meditation
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, Americans spend 8.8 hours per day at work; that’s more than a 1/3 of your day. That’s why it’s so important that you do what you love and find personal fulfillment from it. Here are some tips on how to improve your occupational wellness:
Occupational Wellness | Salisbury University
When most people think of wellness, this is the dimension that comes to mind. Being physically active is not only good for the body but it works wonders for the mind as well. Here are 7 Minimalist Workouts to kick start your fitness goals: 7 Minimalist Workouts to Kick-Start Your Fitness (becomingminimalist.com)
Intellectual wellness is as important as the other wellness dimensions. Engaging in cognitively simulating activities and committing to be a lifelong learner are two ways you can start improving your intellectual wellness. Check out this Intellectual Health Assessment and tips on maintaining a high level of intellectual wellness: DBSA-WellnessWheel-WS-Intellectual-04.29.20.pdf (dbsalliance.org)
How often do you think about the effects of the environment on your wellness? Well, it absolutely does have an effect and here’s some ways to promote health through a healthy environment: Environmental Wellness Toolkit | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Food for thought: What can you do personally to improve your environmental health?
I hope this information helps you start on a healthier new path in this journey we call life. Happy Wellness!!
Mireille (Mimi) Etienne LPC, LMHC
License Professional Counselor/Life Coach
