By: @inceipek1
Wellness is a constant and active process of achieving an optimal state of health, where an individual becomes aware of, or makes choices towards a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle. The Wellness Wheel is a tool for self-exploration that can help you determine choices or situations that impact your overall well-being and achieve the lifestyle you desire. There are eight dimensions on the wellness wheel that are interconnected and equally important.
Emotional wellness includes your thoughts, emotions, and ability to deal with life’s challenges. Signs of emotional wellness include feeling good about who you are, having the ability to talk with someone about your emotional concerns and saying “no” when you need to without feeling guilty.
Environmental wellness involves creating or finding spaces where you live, work, and study that help you feel motivated to reach your goals. Signs of environmental wellness include being aware of the limits of the earth’s natural resources, conserving energy, and creating home and work environments that are supportive and nurturing.
Financial wellness is living within your means and learning how to manage your finances for the short and long term. Signs of financial wellness include learning how to manage your money and establish a personal budget, being educated about debt and how to manage it, along with ways in which you can create wealth.
Intellectual wellness is being open to new ideas, having the capacity to think critically, and finding ways to be creative. Signs of intellectual wellness include the ability to challenge yourself to see all sides of an issue, becoming a critical thinker, and continuously developing your ideas, views, and opinions.
Occupational wellness is having a career that is meaningful to you and society. Signs of occupational wellness include doing work that you find motivating and engaging, feeling inspired and challenged, and feeling good about the work you accomplished at the end of the day.
Physical wellness is listening to and taking care of your body for optimal health and functioning.
Some pillars of physical wellness include moving your body daily, practicing safe sex, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, eating healthy, and staying hydrated throughout the day.
Social wellness is having positive connections with friends, family, and others. Signs of social wellness include balancing social and personal time, the ability to be yourself around others, the ability to create boundaries within relationships, and being engaged with other people in your community.
Spiritual wellness is complex but involves taking time to stop doing and start being. Signs of spiritual wellness may include developing a purpose in life, having the ability to spend reflective time alone, developing your self-awareness, and practicing forgiveness and compassion.
The optimal goal of the Wellness Wheel is to raise your awareness of how balanced you are in all aspects of your well-being and to implement specific changes within the areas you feel you need to pay attention to. The Wellness Wheel is a simple yet effective tool for a more balanced, happier, and healthier lifestyle.
References:
https://www.unh.edu/health/wellness-wheel
https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/news/2021/february/how-to-use-a-wellness-wheel/
