Wellness
Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.
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Wellness is the pursuit of continued growth and balance in the five main dimensions of wellness.
Many people think about "wellness" in terms of physical health only.
Wellness, however, is much more than physical health. Wellness is a full integration of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. It is a complex interaction that leads to quality of life.
Wellness is commonly viewed as having five dimensions. Each dimension contributes to our own sense of wellness or quality of life, and each affects and overlaps the others. At times one may be more prominent than others, but neglect of any one dimension for any length of time has adverse effects on overall health.
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The Five Dimensions of Wellness
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Spiritual Wellness
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Spiritual strength may come from religious faith, heritage, experience within our community, influence of role models, or other sources of inspiration. Spiritual wellness involves possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that help give direction to one's life. It encompasses a high level of faith, hope and commitment to your individual beliefs that provide a sense of meaning and purpose. It is willingness to seek meaning and purpose in human existence, to question everything and to appreciate the things which cannot be readily explained or understood. A spiritually-well person seeks harmony between what lies within as well as the forces outside.​​
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Intellectual Wellness
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The intellectual dimension encourages creative, stimulating mental activities. Our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. People who possess a high level of intellectual wellness have an active mind and continue to learn. Keeping up-to-date on current events and participating in activities that arouse our minds are also important.
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Emotional Wellness
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Emotional wellness refers to building an awareness of and accepting one's feelings and moods. It includes finding ways to encourage positive thinking and acceptance of oneself. Emotional wellness is a dynamic state that fluctuates frequently with your other four dimensions of wellness. Being emotionally well is typically defined as possessing the ability to feel and express human emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger. It means having the ability to love and be loved and achieving a sense of fulfilment in life. Emotional wellness encompasses optimism, self-esteem, self-acceptance and the ability to share feelings.
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Physical Wellness
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Physical wellness includes expanding your knowledge about your lifestyle and how food, good nutrition and physical activity can be an integral part of your lifestyle. Physical wellness encompasses a variety of healthy behaviours including adequate exercise, proper nutrition and abstaining from harmful habits such as drug use and alcohol abuse. It means learning about and identifying symptoms of disease, getting regular medical checkups, and protecting yourself from injuries and harm. Developing such healthy habits today will not only add years to your life but will enhance the enjoyment and quality of those years.
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Social Wellness
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Social wellness entails being cognisant of the impact you and your actions have on your community, the society and nature. Social wellness refers to our ability to interact successfully in our global community and to live up to the expectations and demands of our personal roles. This means learning good communication skills, developing intimacy with others, and creating a support network of friends and family members. Social wellness includes showing respect for others and yourself. Contributing to your community and to the world builds a sense of belonging.
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Spiritual Wellness
Tips and suggestions for optimal spiritual wellness:
- Set aside time in your day for meditation, prayer or personal time
- Set aside time in your day for relaxation/quiet time
- Explore your spiritual core
- Spend time alone/meditate regularly
- Be inquisitive and curious
- Be fully present in everything you do
- Listen with your heart and live by your principles
- Allow yourself and those around you the freedom to be who they are
- See opportunities for growth in the challenges life brings you
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Intellectual Wellness
Tips and suggestions for optimal intellectual wellness include:
- Stimulate enough your creative and mental activities
- Join any courses or workshops
- Learn (or perfect) a foreign language
- Read
- Seek out people who challenge you intellectually
- Learn to appreciate art​
Emotional Wellness
Tips for optimal emotional wellness:
- Make decisions/complete activities with minimum stress/worry
- Accept and forgive yourself
- Tune-in to your thoughts and feelings
- Seek and provide support
- Cultivate an optimistic attitude
- Looking forward to something​
- Learn time management skills
- Practice stress management techniques​
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Physical Wellness
Tips for optimal physical wellness:
- Participate regularly (min 3X/week) in an aerobic activity
- Get adequate and satisfying sleep, and wake up refreshed
- Work on issues related to tobacco, alcohol, or nutrition
- Get help to control your meal portions
- Eat a good variety of healthy food
- Do not smoke (or very little)​
Social Wellness
Tips and suggestions for optimal social wellness include:
- Set aside and plan time to be with your family and friends
- Ensure that your relationships are positive and rewarding
- Get involved in group activities or hobbies
- Cultivate healthy relationships
- Contribute to your community
- Share your talents and skills
- Communicate your thoughts, feelings and ideas
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Life As It Should Be's mission is to help you achieve and control awareness of your wellness lifestyle
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