Have you ever wondered what wellness really is and why it is so important to us? Do you want to know how we can achieve complete wellness? In this article, you will know the true meaning of wellness and how it can be adopted in your life. So let's get started!
What is the Meaning and the Need of Wellness?
Wellness does not actually imply having a physically healthy person, but it is a way of life where the body, mind and the spirit are at harmony. It is also a dynamic process where an individual continues to make an attempt to ensure that he enhances his health and quality of life. Wellness does not classify as something that can prevent or cure the disease, but rather an art of living a positive and balanced life.
Usually, persons believe that they are in perfect health condition when there is no medicinal condition. This is not all the way of thinking. To be healthy does not imply the absence of the disease only but to have a healthy mental background, an effective emotional state, and an active social life. Wellness as A STATE OF COMPLETE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH is also the position held by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Life has become stressful, very competitive, and full of rush today. It is stress caused by any one of the following; job pressure, family responsibility, or social expectations and so everybody is under some type of mental, emotional or physical pressure. When nothing is taken care of in terms of wellness then gradually the person may become the victim of depression, fatigue, frustration and sickness.
That is why today the entire wellness is no longer a requirement but the way of must-have life. It not only helps us to escape illnesses, but also adds energy, purpose and jouy to our life.
1. Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is the process of taking care of one body in order to keep it active, powerful and resist diseases. It is the most essential and outwardly clearly defined level of wellness that is rested on our everyday routine.
To begin with, we should speak about a balanced diet. Our organism requires vitamins, proteins, minerals, etc. When we eat fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses and drink plenty of water the body immunity automatically goes up. Unnecessary sugar/fried foods or junk food are bad to the health and they raise the risks of chronic diseases.
Brisk walking, running, yoga/stretching not only keeps the body fit but also helps build the muscles, balances the hormones and the mind also becomes less stressed. A very beautiful method is Yoga and Pranayama, to stay in balance in body and mind.
Another factor is sleep. By having deep sleep of about 7-8 hours per day, the body heals itself, gets energy back up and mind becomes calm.
The few basic everyday practices including getting up early in the morning, drinking warm water, following a regular schedule, exposure to the sun at the same time and going to bed at the regular time in the night have a profound effect on physical well being.
Careful tending to the physical aspect equips with the natural force to fight against illness, and this allows living energetically.
2. Mental wellness
Mental or intellectual wellness refers to having a harmful or rousing spirit and mind. As we know that physical exercise helps in building the body then mind exercise helps in building the mind sharp, steady and composed.
When the brain learns something new, e.g. a new language, an art or a technology, it stimulates the brain and develops it. When reading books, particularly those on self-development, motivation and on issues that are informative, the thinking power gets stronger and thoughts become well rounded.
Nothing is more habitual to an aware man than this habit of thinking: he endeavours to see how and why things happen as they do. Such type of thinking assists an individual to overcome issues by dictating the solutions to problems rather than being emotional towards a specific situation.
The next point of mental health is to view problems as opportunities. When there is balance of the minds of a person then he does not get shattered by the failures, but he becomes wiser and goes ahead.
To this effect, we have to incorporate practices such as meditation, positive thinking as well as self-reflection every now and then.
The fact is that a mentally healthy individual is not only able to resolve his issues in a better way, but also make a positive impact to the society. Hence, to ensure self-development in this modern and competitive environment, the mental aspect has to be strengthened.
3. Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness is the ability to know and understand emotions, accept them and express your feelings in a positive manner. It is profound and a very critical factor in the sphere of mental health and that it actively entails our relationships, our decisions and our effects on the quality of life.
Each human being is associated with lots of feelings; they are happy, angry, sad, frightened, loving, discontented. Emotional wellness does not involve repressing these emotions but rather articulating those feelings in a well-balanced way. Such as when we express anger, it should rather be done peacefully through discourse although anger should not be done aggressively.
The modern life is characterized by stress and anxiety. However, when we employ such methods as meditation, breathing, writing, listening to music or talking to people close to us, we are able to deal with stress.
Self-Acceptance refers to the willingness to accept yourself the way that you are with both strength and weaknesses. It also makes us secure and leaves out the expectations of other people. Self-compassion is treating oneself in a nice manner during moments of failure or shortcomings, and not judging oneself.
Emotional well-being allows us to relate better in relationships, to have better choices and to hold off adversities in life with patience. Formation of this dimension enables us to be internally strong and stable.
4. Social Wellness
Social wellness is being friendly with those around you and having good relations, that are supportive and respectful. All humans are social and their mental and emotional well-being are significantly tied to how well their relationships go.
A relationship is what enhances life, especially when it is good and maintained. Whether it is family, friends or colleagues at work place, relating with all of them will give an individual a feeling of support, security and love. Spending time to communicate with family, to visit them, and be with them during their adversities, these minor lives enhance our social life.
Family provides us with a sense of security, value system, friends provide us with a sense of belongingness and alleviating of stress. Meanwhile, coworkers turn into the body of support and inspiration that we have in the workplace. In every kind of relationships, positive communication is very significant.
In conjunction with the latter is the idea that empathy, or in other words the capacity to feel and comprehend others, is the source of social wellness. A form of co-existence is created when a society is understandably accepting towards subject concerning the situation of another person in society, therefore, showing respect, and cooperation with other people within society.
Having a sound social network plays its role to safeguard an individual against those issues of loneliness, stress and depression and renders the life meaningful. Therefore, social wellness will be a major requirement of the present era.
5. Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness refers to the knowledge of the ultimate meaning of life, realization of the course that is being taken by your life, and communicating with the soul. This aspect brings us into touch not only with the external world, but also with our inside world.
It is when we begin to understand why we live, what purpose we have in life, and what are our fundamental values that we can go on to live with much more clarity, calmness and a balanced life. Spiritual wellness does not or does not have to be connected to religion or religious beliefs necessarily but it is something that comes to the core of truth, love, compassion and knowledge of the self.
Meditation is also very helpful tool which gives the mind immense peace and creates a path to connect to the soul. When we watch our thoughts and breathe in calm after a period of time everyday, we become strong inside.
The kind of prayer makes one realize that he/she belongs to the higher power and it allows one to look hopeful in his/her problems in life. It creates the feeling of thankfulness, patience and acceptance in the mind.
The self knowledge and spiritual peace are possible when the individual starts to know himself that is to comprehend the truth about his emotions, thoughts and actions.
This dimension development will keep an individual composed, in balance and in a positive state even against challenges in life- therefore a better connection with himself as well as this creation.
6. Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness is the aspect of maintaining a clean, safe and balanced natural and social environment around the occupants of a certain space. In which case when we are in a healthy, green and quiet atmosphere we have peace of mind as well as freshness in the mind.
Cleanliness is a social responsibility, as well as, a personal responsibility. Not only does cleanliness of home, workplace as well as in the public places prevent diseases, but it also sends a good vibe.
An affiliation with greenery and nature is also very useful when it comes to mental and physical health. Time in woods, gardening, strolling in the fresh morning air makes one get out of stress and be energetic.
Environmental protection has obligations such as water conservation, efficient consumption of electric power, less consumption of plastics and proper disposal of garbage. Not only does this have to be done to the earth but it will have to be done to our future generations as well.
In the area of nature, hearing birds or looking at the blue sky, these are such trivial things that also bring the peace of mind and harmony. Thus, peace, balance and contentment in our lives necessitate environmental well being.
7. Financial Wellness
Financial wellness is about taking the middle ground on money as part of life and they attain their financial independence. Not only does it satisfy our needs, it does give us mental tranquility and self esteem.
Being self-reliant in finances gives an individual confidence. We are free to make our choices when we can take care of our duties and needs by ourselves and we are not reliant on other people to do this.
It is primarily based on good money managing practices - accumulating a budget, establishing a savings regime and long-term investing. Parity of money and money income, lack of control of unjustified amounts of money, and also saving of money to use in case of unforeseen circumstances must be in the person who thinks that this is the habit of being under financial security.
Besides, we should also have a good and moderate relationship with money. Money is not bad, but when one indulges or gets too worry about money, it stresses the mind. So, money should be regarded as a resource but not the point of life.
Financial wellness is guaranteed by stability in the economy, well thought and well planned decisions, and long term planning ensuring that the overall life will be secured and balanced.
Conclusion:
Wellness is a multi faceted creature and as such all the seven aspects have to be catered; physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental and economic. With all these aspects, the only way to attain genuine and overall health is by having balance in all of them. When we only look at the body and discard the mind which is unrestful, or rich but something wrong with the relationships, or rich but have poor relationships then this would not be defined as a holistic health.
It is essential to know that wellness will never be a goal but a way of life and process since it is not a one-time goal. It is based on our daily minor choices, patterns and ideas. The more we begin to focus our attention on every aspect of our being, the more we are able to have the experience of energy, joy and balance in our lives.
It is time to take a look inside.
What is the easiest question to ask yourself?
Is there a check done to all the aspects of my life?
When the response is 'no', make one little step today, resolve a new habit or a positive thought or work to improve an old relationship. Since it is at this point that the walk to wellness starts.
Are you truly living a balanced life?
Take some time to consider every aspect of your health: physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, and financial.
Start your journey toward holistic health today.
👉 Share this blog, leave your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe for more information on transforming your health and life one step at a time.
✍ Author Introduction
Dhruv Sharma
Clinical Hypnotherapist | NLP Master Trainer | Mind Power Coach
