5 DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS TO EXPLORE

With so much going on in the world, it is more important than ever to care for our wellness.

As great as Sunday afternoons filled with sheet masks, candles, bath bombs, and cute robes are, taking a holistic approach to caring for my wellbeing has been life-changing.

At the beginning of the year, I sat down to redefine and visualize what caring for myself truly meant. I came across the work of Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute, who came up with a wellness model with many dimensions. These dimensions have been identified as physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, and social wellbeing – which represent a balanced approach to achieving healthy lives.  

I am by no means an expert on this topic, but I want to create a space for us to talk about this and share our experiences. I want to encourage you to be gracious and remain patient with yourself.  This topic is deeply personal to each of us and there is no right or wrong way to do this.  

I am sharing my dimensions today with the hope that it can be useful as you go through your own journey. Taking this multidimensional approach to managing my wellbeing has brought balance and harmony in many areas of my life. Each dimension is interconnected, thus improving one area has a ripple effect on the others.

Here are the 5 dimensions of wellness I am exploring:

Physical Wellbeing

Care for your body. Our physical health plays a big role in our overall well-being. Physical activity and balanced nutrition are the main ways to improve body function. However, it doesn’t mean you have to commit to routines and meals you dread. Find a quick workout routine that works for you, it could be a quick walk in your neighborhood or a Zumba class online (POPSUGAR Fitness has a good one!). Incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet- I love carbs so I struggle with this part daily. Try to get at least six hours of sleep each night or take a short nap during the day.

Social Wellbeing

By nature, we are social beings. There are variations of this depending on your personality trait. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, social connections are important. We are all in some way or another mutually dependent on each other. Create and nurture positive relationships. Call your friends, family members, and loved ones, it is especially important now more than ever.

Financial Wellbeing

Money could be a great source of stress and anxiety. Although each financial situation is unique, there are certain steps we each can take to manage our financial stressors. The first step is to understand where your money is coming from and where it’s going. This includes creating a detailed budget with your list of expenses, thoroughly writing your bill due dates so there are no surprises, prioritizing your debt payments, and creating a savings plan.

Spiritual Wellbeing

Our journey to explore the purpose and deeper meaning of life is very personal to each of us. Spiritual wellbeing can have many definitions. To some, it could be but not limited to- religious faith, a set of values, morals, or ethics. Regardless of our individual definitions of spirituality, it plays a part in our overall wellbeing.

For me, actively working on this part of my well being has positively affected my relationship with myself as well as the relationship I have with the outside world. Some ideas to care for your spiritual well-being are, setting aside time to pray and/or meditate during the day, reading books that are focused on the subject- I’m currently reading The Power of Now but The Alchemist is my all-time favorite.

Mental Wellbeing

Our mental health includes our behavioral, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing. It affects how we feel, how we think, manage stress, and build relationships. It is a vital part of our overall wellbeing thus it’s important to find ways to promote it. Unplugging from technology, pursuing new hobbies, paying attention to emotions, and practicing deep breathing are a few ways to promote and improve mental wellbeing.

The current times affect us in different ways but we are all fighting to maintain our health. Some of our normal wellness routines may not apply and support options may be harder to access but always remember to take it day by day. I will be expanding on some of the dimensions in the months to come. I hope you find the information above helpful as you go through your journey and find a path forward.

I would love to know how your wellbeing journey has been. Comment below if you are willing to share.

Thank you for reading.