WHAT IS WELLNESS? KNOW ITS IMPORTANCE AND DIMENSIONS.
When you hear the word ‘wellness’, what thoughts come to your mind?
Health?
Wellbeing?
Happiness?
I bet some even consider wellness as a state of being happy.
But, the concept of wellness is far more vast than you think it is. Wellness is the constant pursuit of making choices that lead to an individual’s successful existence.
Being physically healthy by choosing the right aspects isn’t wellness. But, wellness covers a wide spectrum of dimensions that define one’s lifestyle.
Let’s go through a more detailed explanation of what wellness is, why it is important for a person, and what are its dimensions.
Let’s start!
WHAT IS WELLNESS?
According to the National Institute of Wellness, the term wellness is considered “to be an active process of choices, actions, and intentions that takes a person closer to an optimal state of well being.”
Considering this definition, it can be safely said that wellness is not static or stagnant. Instead, it is a constant quest to live a better, healthier and happier life.
Wellness and health are often used interchangeably. But both the concepts have vast differences. To put it in one line, health can be termed as a state of well-being while wellness is the continuous effort put to attain a healthy lifestyle.
“We are responsible for our decisions, so wellness is our sole responsibility to ensure that we make the right choices that will lead us towards a state of a balanced health.”
IS WELLNESS IMPORTANT?
Wellness is indeed a crucial aspect of living a healthier and holistic life. As we read earlier, it is a constant cycle of selecting the right options to achieve a healthy, happy and wholesome life.
This wide concept of wellness defines a person’s growth and personality development. Regardless of a person’s age, gender, or nationality, giving wellness its due importance helps us to determine how we talk, feel, react, understand and so on.
Wellness makes a person aware of his surroundings, and the better choices in life that show the path towards a whole and fulfilling life. By maintaining an optimum level of wellness, an individual reduces the risk of illness, stress and depression.
The spectrum of wellness not only includes the physical well-being of an individual but also covers other dimensions that make a person fulfilled and satisfied.
Want to know what the dimensions of wellness are?
Read on to the next part of our article.
DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
All the aspects of wellness are critical to having a fulfilling life. So what are these dimensions?
- Physical wellness
- Spiritual wellness
- Emotional/psychological wellness
- Social wellness
- Intellectual wellness
- Occupational wellness
Each of these dimensions is dependent on the other. You cannot achieve happiness by focusing only on one dimension of wellness. By making these dimensions work together harmoniously, a person can improve his quality of life.
Let’s dive a bit into these dimensions to get a clearer idea of how each one of them is important to achieving overall wellness.
Physical wellness
In this dimension of wellness, an individual takes care of his body through exercise and the right diet to increase stamina and strength. Taking good care of the body also results in a decrease in stress and signs of depression.
Nourish your body with the right elements of exercise, proper sleep, nutrition, etc.
Spiritual wellness
The constant need to find inner peace can be found in this dimension of wellness. An individual can be alone or be a part of the community to find the purpose and meaning of life. It is not necessarily associated with religion only. One can find his purpose based on his beliefs and values as well.
Emotional/psychological dimension
Based on beliefs and life, this dimension of emotional/psychological wellness is related to the emotional well being of a person. The emotional well-being of a person shows his ability to handle the emotions and experiences of life.
Through this dimension, an individual learns to think positively and in a constructive manner. Inculcating emotional wellness results in a positive attitude in life.
Social wellness
What is included in this dimension? Social wellness includes your relationship with your family, friends, colleagues and community. Maintain and enjoy healthy relationships through social wellness. It shows your care towards your people and your community.
Intellectual wellness
An individual can harness the power of intellectual power to acquire knowledge and use it to the best of their abilities to create personal growth and contribute to making society better. It includes expanding the knowledge and skills and putting them to good use to make a difference in society.
Occupational wellness
Occupational wellness is nothing but gaining satisfaction by working a job. It becomes easier to balance work and personal time which results in progressive growth and enhanced productivity of a person.
Wrapping up,
It is easier said than done to make the right choice for yourself and your well being. However, incorporating these dimensions in your life can be a game-changer as it will lead to living a contented and purposeful life.
We hope this article helped you understand the right meaning and the importance wellness has in every individual’s life.
Did we miss anything?
Which dimension will you start your wellness journey with?