Ah, February, the month of love and romance. Traditionally, it’s the time of year when we focus on our external relationships – but it’s equally important to give ourselves some TLC, too.
Our wellness tends to take a back seat over the holiday period, but now that we’re well and truly settled into the New Year, it’s time to make our own wellness a priority again.
The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.
It’s about aligning our body, mind and spirit across a range of dimensions – mental, physical, social, financial, spiritual, environmental and occupational – so that we can thrive, not just survive.
To help you increase your overall wellness, we’ve broken down the seven dimensions of wellness and provided some actionable examples of how you can incorporate them into your life – starting today.
The seven dimensions of wellness
Mental wellness
Looking after our minds is just as important as looking after our bodies. When we choose mental wellness, we commit to understanding and respecting our feelings, values and attitudes, while managing our emotions in a productive and constructive way.
We open ourselves up to new ideas and knowledge, and engage with the world through a learning and problem-solving lens.
When we are mentally well, we are more receptive to the feelings of others. We have the ability to adapt to change and difficult times, while remaining positive about the future.
Top tip: To build your mental wellness, integrate a mindfulness activity or exercise into your daily routine. We regularly share mindfulness tips on our Instagram account, @elysiawellnessretreat – take a look for inspiration.
Physical wellness
When we think of physical wellness, it’s easy to picture hours dedicated to working out in a gym, but it’s about so much more than that.
Physical wellness is about the care we give to our bodies that leads to good health, both now and in the future – which also means seeking out medical attention when required, and making sure we don’t ignore our bodies’ needs.
Top tip: To properly nourish your body, you need to use a combination of: Exercise (20-30 minutes per day), nutrition (start by adding whole foods to your diet), habits (sitting ergonomically, cutting out tobacco products, taking the stairs and so on) and sleep (practising good sleep hygiene).
Social wellness
Humans are naturally social creatures, making social connections integral to overall wellness. In other words, we need to connect and engage with others in meaningful ways to fill up our social cups.
These relationships need to be healthy and span across family, friendship, intimate and professional connections.
Being socially well also means performing social roles effectively and comfortably, creating a supportive network, and contributing to your community.
Top tip: A 10-minute phone call with a loved one is a great way to connect with people if you are time-poor or feeling overwhelmed by the task.
Financial wellness
Financial stress can have a massive impact on well-being, and with the rising costs of living, having financial security is as important as it’s ever been.
Everyone’s financial stories, values, needs and circumstances are different. We all need to manage our resources to live within our means. That means making informed financial decisions, setting realistic goals and preparing for short-term and long-term wants, needs and emergencies.
Top tip: Dedicate some time to gaining knowledge and skills of financial planning and managing expenses. You can start by simply learning how to budget and save.
Spiritual wellness
Spiritual wellness is not synonymous with organised religion, but instead focuses on finding purpose, value and meaning in life. This might be something we already know or something we need to take some time to search for, but once we’ve found it, it will make us happier and more at ease as we navigate the world.
While this may include believing in a higher power, this is not necessary for developing our own spiritual wellness. A feeling of spiritual wellness will ensure we live with inner peace and a sense of fulfilment.
Top tip: Start by participating in activities that are aligned with your fundamental set of morals, beliefs and values. Again, it’s not about religion – it’s about finding what’s important and meaningful to you, and moving towards that.
Environmental wellness
We don’t have to become one with nature (although at Elysia Wellness Retreat, we are very pro-nature). Environmental wellness simply encapsulates respect for the environment and how it impacts our health as humans.
This includes an awareness of the state of planet Earth (which involves making eco-friendly choices, actively committing to a healthy world and using sustainable products). But it also extends to how our social, natural and built environments affect our well-being and daily habits.
Top tip: Review your immediate environment and make small changes to foster a positive relationship between you and your everyday space.
Occupational wellness
As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
That’s certainly the aim when it comes to occupational wellness. We want to be able to enjoy our professional ventures and feel like we are contributing to society in a meaningful and rewarding way that aligns with our skills, values, goals and lifestyle.
Being personally satisfied with our job or career while still being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance helps us to manage stress and increase our quality of life both inside and outside of work hours.
Ideally, the choices we make to benefit our occupational wellness will also contribute to our financial well-being.
Top tip: While a career change won’t happen instantly, you can take little steps like researching different careers, volunteering with an organisation that inspires you, or enrolling for further education.
Understanding the significance of wellness is essential to optimising your health, but it’s important to accept that these changes won’t happen overnight.
An overhaul of your lifestyle will start with small steps. Try focusing on one dimension at a time – and watch as your mind, body and soul thanks you.
