What is Wellness?
Wellness, may be defined as a sense of overall well-being. Wellness is being in good physical and mental health. Because mental health and physical health are linked, problems in one area can impact the other. At the same time, improving your physical health can also benefit your mental health, and vice versa. It is important to make healthy choices for both your physical and mental well-being.
Wellness includes the mental, emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of a person’s life.
Emotional health refers to a positive self-concept, which includes dealing with feelings constructively and developing positive qualities such as optimism, trust, self-confidence, and determination.
Incorporating aspects of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness, such as choosing healthy foods, forming strong relationships, and exercising often, into everyday habits can help people live longer and improve quality of life. The Eight Dimensions of Wellness may also help people better manage their condition and experience recovery.
TIP: Remember, that wellness is not the absence of illness or stress. You can still strive for and achieve a state of wellness, even if you are experiencing these challenges in your life.
Learning about the Eight Dimensions of Wellness can help you choose how to make wellness a part of your everyday life. Wellness strategies are practical ways to start developing healthy habits that can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health.
The Eight Dimensions of Wellness are commonly defined as:
- 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