Embrace The Eight Dimensions of Wellness
- Alexis Renae
- Jun 15, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: May 6, 2024
Learn more about wellness, its importance, and suggested activities to kickstart your journey toward living well!
Summer is the perfect time to start incorporating wellness practices into your daily life. Learning more about wellness, its importance, and suggested activities is a great way to kickstart your journey toward living well!
What is Wellness?
Wellness requires awareness, attention, and reflection in multiple areas of your life.
Sometimes it may feel like wellness is a state of being or something to achieve. In reality, wellness is an ongoing process.
"The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health." --Global Wellness Institute, "What is Wellness?"
The Eight Dimensions of Wellness
These interconnected dimensions make up the big picture of your health. If one of these areas is unbalanced, it can eventually impact your whole life.
Physical: Attaining the body’s needs like physical activity, sleep, and nutrition
Intellectual: Completing activities that sharpen the mind, build skills, and increase knowledge
Financial: Understanding, planning for, and maintaining an ideal financial situation
Environmental: Accessing quality natural resources and living sustainably
Spiritual: Exploring a sense of purpose in the universe and living according to a value system
Social: Maintaining connections with the community and communicating effectively
Occupational: Pursuing engaging work opportunities that align with personal values and provide a sense of accomplishment
Emotional: Developing healthy coping mechanisms, healing from stressors, expressing emotions, and maintaining a positive self-image
Creating space and time for wellness activities can help you to recharge your energy. How you recharge can take different forms, but ultimately, you should revitalize your energy in each of the dimensions through healthy habits that work best for your mind, body, and soul.
"As you set goals to achieve holistic personal wellness, incorporate your own priorities, approaches, and aspirations. Additionally, you should consider your view of what it means to live life to its fullest." -- Dr. Li Ping Su-Kubricht, “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness”
Wellness Beyond Physical Fitness
You can’t perform at your best if part of your life is out of balance.
Olympians talk about the importance of mental health in this USA Today YouTube video.
Prioritizing wellness was a major theme during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
Olympic athletes’ candid discussions on their mental health struggles highlight that maintaining mental health is just as vital as physical health when it comes to performing at one’s best.
“I think mental health is huge. I believe that mental health translates into physical health and performance.” --April Ross, three-time Olympic medalist in beach volleyball, "Mental Health is Front and Center at Tokyo Olympics"
Although they are in top physical condition, Olympic athletes can face mental wellness concerns that impact their physical well-being.
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in the world, withdrew from several Olympic event finals because the mental health issues she experienced behind the scenes affected her physical performance and put her at risk for bodily harm.
"I have to put my pride aside. I have to do what's right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being." --Simone Biles, "Mental health is front and center at Tokyo Olympics"
Stepping away from the Olympics’ demands on her health gave Biles the opportunity to recover. Instead of pushing through her demands and potentially getting injured, she received help from her support system, healed, and returned for the balance beam final where she won a bronze medal.
I became more committed to daily wellness after learning about its importance from Olympic athletes.
Healthy Habits for the Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Seek to improve your health through a variety of wellness activities.
Take a step back to consider the stressors in your life impacting your overall well-being. Think about how these stressors can be addressed through the wellness dimensions.
In their handbook, “Creating a Healthier Life: A Step-By-Step Guide to Wellness,” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) suggests ways to improve each wellness area:
Join an organization, support group, or club
Research available resources
Seek professional help
Utilize community resources
Participate in activities, events, classes, and workshops
Talk with friends and family
Practice reflection and relaxation
In Summary
Prioritize wellness to enhance the big picture of your health.
Wellness is an ongoing process that requires awareness, attention, and reflection in multiple areas of your life.
There are eight dimensions of wellness: Physical, Intellectual, Financial, Environmental, Spiritual, Social, Occupational, and Emotional
Create space and time for wellness activities to recharge your energy.
Make wellness an adventure!
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