Wellness allows you to stay on a well-rounded path and move toward a life that’s filled with a higher level of life satisfaction
Because wellness shapes many aspects of your life, it is deserving of our attention. For instance, physical wellness allows you to perform daily tasks such as house chores, work duties, or leisure activities with maximum benefit and a minimum of pain or discomfort. In comparison, poor physical fitness will limit your ability to enjoy such activities. Instead, you incur the risk of experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, pain, or dizziness.[11]
Similarly, as you grow into emotional wellness, you’re better able to process a myriad of feelings, such as sadness, frustration, anger, and life’s unexpected losses. You’ll enjoy the ups and downs yet better manage the lows in life. Likewise, social wellness serves to broaden and strengthen your social support system, giving you more shoulders to lean on and enjoyment in social situations.[6]
In essence, wellness allows you to stay on a well-rounded path and move toward a life that’s filled with a higher level of life satisfaction. By working on wellness, you contribute to your overall well-being in a way that will be palpable in all areas of life.[1]
Focusing on wellness in one domain will support wellness in other domains. For example, if your physical fitness is affected due to an injury or accident, you may not be able to participate in your favorite hobby. Having a high level of emotional wellness will help you stay positive despite the situation while your intellectual wellness will help you plan and take the right steps toward your recovery.[11]
How do you achieve wellness? What method do you follow or what steps do you take? There are several ways to start your wellness journey. Before choosing one, you need to find an effective strategy that makes you understand the “why” behind your goals. At times, setting a goal and achieving it can be complicated, so it is important to identify the underlying values behind your goal as this can help ensure that your own intrinsic motivation is at its highest.
Here are a few recommendations for your journey:
1) Self-study: By analyzing yourself, self-realization and actualization become the means by which you undertake your wellness journey. A sincere desire for personal growth will help you stay motivated to begin and then continue your journey. Begin by asking a few questions:
- Do I have any emotional triggers that influence my diet and eating habits?
- What are the top three sources of my stress?
- How will I feel when I overcome these?
- Do I like my career?
- Do I feel the need to switch to a different employer or job role?
If you’re going through any type of chronic disease, ask yourself: What is a step I can take towards better health within the next day? What are the first five steps I can take by the end of this week?
Assessing the root cause of your stress or current problems will help you create an effective wellness plan and personal practice to move beyond those barriers.[12]
2) Collaborate with friends and family: Your health and well-being is immensely connected with the quality of relationships you have with those around you. You may be stressed, overwhelmed by your daily routine, or simply feel sick and these can have an impact on your relationships – or vice versa.[13]
By reconnecting or strengthening that bond with loved ones, you’ll strengthen a connection that will boost your mood and other psychological markers, which will in turn affect other wellness domains that are discussed in this article. You’ll also get a sense of belonging which is an affirmation critical to personal satisfaction and happiness.[14]
3) Listening: Every healthy relationship goes two ways. Listen carefully to what others say and maintain empathy at all times.[13] Listen to understand, not to reply.
4) Sharing: Open up to a friend or family member and let them know what you’re going through. You never know – you may find a solution to a problem impacting your wellness or learn of another’s struggle which you could help with, making a positive impact in their life (and yours).[15]
5) Pick up the phone: During times when you can’t see friends or family, make a phone call instead! Having that connection will often make you feel better – instantly.[13]
6) Get active: Go on a walk or take a fitness class with a friend or family member. Including your social network in your goals is a great way to see them, which impacts and improves your physical, emotional, and social wellness all at once.[16]
Conclusion
Your goal should be thriving instead of surviving – and a journey toward wellness is a wonderful start. By using your resources, creating and following a wellness plan, and harnessing the support of others, your journey to wellness can bring palpable changes to your life.
