Wellness is more than just your physical health, it incorporates a holistic approach to how you live each aspect of your life. Holistic health involves nurturing and sustaining your physical, nutritional, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial and environmental health. When each of these are in balance, you can achieve optimal wellness, but the path to holistic health is unique to each individual. Yet when just one of those areas are out of balance, it can cause the other areas to become unbalanced.
Wellness means different things to each individual. Being well gives each person the ability to reach their personal goals. After all, when your body, mind, and soul are cared for holistically, you’re able to pursue and meet your goals with less resistance.
As you are individual in your wellbeing, so to should your approach to health and wellbeing. This approach is determined by your biological makeup, age, gender, personality, social life, career and even the environment you live in.
Your physical wellbeing
This more than just exercise. Yes, keeping your body moving and active is important, physical health also includes diet, hygiene, sleep. Are you getting enough sleep and is it quality sleep? No matter what stage of your life, you need regular, restful sleep to keep your body and mind physically fit. Studies show that adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep each night to function at their best.
Your nutritional wellbeing
You have seen the advice from health professionals about getting plenty of fruit and vegetables into your day. However, many people are still not eating enough fruit and vegetable. You live a busy life and your body and mind need fuel and energy daily to help you achieve all you need to in a day. A balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables and grains with a side of dairy will help nourish your body and mind. By paying attention to yurt nutritional health and patterns of eating, will allow you to build up the energy to deal responsively with the number of stressors that come into your day.
Your emotional wellbeing
Perhaps the most important pillar of wellbeing in today’s constantly changing environment. It is important to have a safe, supportive network of trusting confidants around you to help navigate feelings of uncertainty. Identifying, assessing and developing solutions will allow you to manage those feelings and respond positively next time you feel that way.
Your social wellbeing
Connection with other people and forming positive relationships is crucial to maintaining your wellbeing. Meaningful and supportive social connections help you through challenging times and increase your happiness and engagement with the world around you. It may take time to build productive, healthy and sustainable networks; but when you do your efforts are well worth it and powerful.
Your spiritual wellbeing
This pillar refers to finding your purpose and creating a harmonious, balanced life. How you define spiritual health is as individual as each person. It involves knowing your true value and what direction you want to take in life. Spiritual health is not necessarily about religion, but for some it may be. A values based approach allows you to set intentions to guide your actions for a happy, healthy you.
Your intellectual wellbeing
Keeping your mind active is vital to sustaining your wellbeing. Continuous learning, taking on new challenges and increasing your knowledge all contribute to a healthy mind. As we have discussed previously, your brain is a powerful tool so it is important to keep it active and alert. You can do this by engaging in puzzles or challenging learning and engaging in stimulating conversations.
Your financial wellbeing
You may overlook this one, but it is important to ensure your financial health is in a lance like your other pillars of wellbeing. When you are stressed and worried about money, it is one of the top contributors to declining your mental health. It is important o undertake a regular financial audit of your incomings and outgoings to ensure that you are living within your means and avoid the stressors that come with financial pressures.
Your environmental wellbeing
This pillar refers to your surroundings at home, in the community and at work. DO those environments support your health and wellbeing goals? Does your environment make you feel safe? What is your relationship with your environment like? When you build and take care of a safe, secure and healthy environment around you it also has a positive impact on the world and will sustain your daily life.