Holistic Wellness. What is it? Why is it important?
Introduction by Host: Dr. Gee
Today we are beginning a new series on holistic wellness. I love holistic wellness so much. It defines who we are and how we live our lives. We may be thriving in one or two area, but without holistic wellness, we are limiting ourselves. In this series, we will dive into what it looks like to dwell in holistic wellness.
Point 1: What is Holistic Wellness?
When you hear the term “holistic wellness,” it may sound intimidating and overwhelming. It is actually very simple. It consists of balancing the major areas of wellness: Emotional, Spiritual, Occupational, Physical, Financial, Intellectual, Environmental, and Social Wellness. (There are variations of this list, but this is the one that I use.) A balanced, thriving life demands paying attention to several aspects of a person’s life.
Point 2: Why is Holistic Wellness Important?
You may thrive in social wellness. You may love your family, have you noticed that, if you are constantly struggling with money, you become frustrated with them easily? The various aspects of our lives are connected. When one area of wellness is weak, it brings down the strong ones and puts unnecessary stress on your life.
Point 3: 8 Dimensions of Holistic Wellness
Physical Wellness - This is an area that most people are able to work on. The negative effects are obvious to see, and the progress of success is easy to track. It is encouraging to see your weight going down or the number of weights you can life going up. This area also includes diet and nutrition.
Intellectual Wellness - This area has to do with the brain and what you know. The most common way of improving intellectual wellness is through schooling. However, this is not just formal education. Learning in any field improves this area of wellness.
Financial Wellness - We all need money, but this area is not just about gaining more money. What is more important is managing the money you have. Knowing where to invest your money and tight budgeting is vital to financial wellness.
Environmental Wellness - This is an important area these days, with all the talk about climate change and pollution. This area covers everything that makes where we live safe and livable. It doesn’t matter how nice your house looks; your environment will affect your life.
Spiritual Wellness - This is much more than joining a religious group or going to a religious service once a week. It is your personal beliefs and values and what give you meaning and peace in life. How you see the world and what give you motivation is your spiritual wellness.
Social Wellness - This area comprises of our relationships. The people we live with, the people we work with, our families, and people we happen to run into is social wellness. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are by yourself, it does not improve your wellbeing.
Occupational Wellness - When you participate in events that improve your personal values, most notably in employment, you are tapping into occupational wellness. It may not be traditional employment, but how you spend the majority of your day is your occupation. If you are miserable at work, you may need to improve your occupational wellness.
Emotional Wellness - This area is perhaps the most important area in recent times. There has been a flux of mental health challenges in recent years, and this area of wellness is where we are hit. How we handle our emotions and how we cope with stress is emotional wellness.
Summary
It is easy to focus on one area of life and think that is our thing in life. However, in order to truly live well, we need to live well in every area of life. When we learn to live with holistic wellness, we will thrive in life!
By Dr. Gee, Success and Holistic Wellness Advocate
