Wellness vs Wellbeing

The Physical Body

This for me is the biggest dimension of wellness! The profound effect that eating healthily (I don’t mean salad leaves or dieting – I mean a well balanced & clean menu) alone, has on the body & mind, never mind any of the other aspects like fitness, self-care, pampering & rest.

• Assess your current exercise regime. Are you moving enough? Are you overcompensating in one area of physical activity? i.e cardio without strength training
• Do you eat a healthy, balanced & clean diet? Are you undereating,  overeating, or eating too much unhealthy food?
• Are you getting a good intake of water each day?
• Do you get adequate rest each day/night? With 7-8 hours of unbroken sleep a night, results in about 90% of REM cycle.

Social Interaction

Are you getting enough human interaction? 

With the pandemic of 2020/2021, it’s fair to say that a lot of our social interaction has gone out of the window, so don’t be too hard on yourself here. Instead, find self-compassion for the situation & be honest when we say, probably not!

At present, the best way we can combat this is reaching out to family or friends, or creating a support bubble online. By joining social groups & finding like-minded individuals, we expand our social interaction.

Anxiety has played a huge role in many people’s lives this past year, so try not to be afraid to reach out to your closest friends first & you never know how much they may need to talk too!

• When was the last time you off-loaded to someone? Are you over due a rant?
• Do you regularly engage with neighbours, friends or family?
• Can you or do you engage in light hearted chit chat to anyone? If not, try to. Ring someone for a little catch up. Also, when out walk, smile! Having a smile on your face can make you more approachable & open for interaction.

Intellectual Stimulation

They say “if you don’t use it, you lose it”, so let’s think about how best we can stimulate the mind. My favourite go to choice is to read. I find a good book really helps broaden my vocabulary & re-introduce words that I’ve not used or seen for a while. Books stimulate the imagination & can help you escape any stress. 

Learning something new is also a great way to stimulate the mind, so check out some fun facts or practise a new technique/skill.

• Am I challenging myself enough?
• Over-stretching my boundaries?
• Do I stimulate my intellect?
• Do I take risks and/or challenge my skill set?
• When was the last time I learnt something new or developed an existing skill?

Spiritual Enlightenment

Meditation, meditation, meditation.

I cannot stress this enough! Meditation is about dissolving all of the narratives & roles you’ve created for yourself in this world. Letting go of perspectives & pre-conceptions on how you think life ought to be & how you think it’s going to be.

By focusing entirely on the inhale & exhale of your breath, & acknowledging but releasing any thoughts that may arise, we are eventually left with the self. We are left with our authentic self & no expectations of who we should be, just who we are in that very moment. 

Meditation can have a profound affect if practised regularly, so find a comfy spot when you have a bit of undisturbed quiet time, close off the eyes & practise being still & quiet. Hear your internal voice repeat “Inhale. Exhale”

5 minutes to begin with is more than enough!

Click here to read about unblocking & balancing your chakras as part of your Spiritual Enlightenment journey.

Emotional Awareness

Recognising & understanding our emotions can seem like a daunting task. Generally, we’re not taught how to listen to ourselves or reflect. The first step is to take notice of our triggers. When we’re able to hear our thoughts & feel our emotions, we seem to find more control in our reactions. 

Emotional awareness & intelligence is a big skill to master, so to begin with, start to think about your ‘Why?’. “I feel like… Why?” “What has caused me to become angry?” or, “Why do I feel frustrated?” By retracing internal or external actions, we can begin to notice patterns & triggers. 

• How aware of your emotional responses are you?
• Do you notice your triggers?
• Are there any patterns of behaviour you’d like to address?
• Work through the 5 W’s when reflecting on a experience or situation – Who, what, when, where, why.

Occupational Fulfilment & Financial Stability

As with most of the 8 Dimensions, each element will be different for every single person, based on your individual needs, wants & comfort levels. With our occupation, everyone will have different goals &/or expectations for themselves but the main thought here is to speak your truth – Be completely honest when answering the following questions.

• Are you occupationally & financially content? 
• Does your occupation challenge you & keep your interest?
• Are you satisfied with the time spent working & the financial gain from that work?
• Do you have a long term plan you’re working towards? If not, do you want one? Have you put aside time to plan one?

Environment 

We often deem ‘Environmental’ with our externals; recycling, carbon emissions, waste & compost bins etc. In general, the 8 Dimensions of Wellness refers to our internal & private environment; home, our safe space, our sanctuary.

Our environment is one of the biggest factors with overall wellness.

• Is your home life clean, tidy & comfortable?
• Would you say your space big enough? Is it too big?
• Do you have sufficient facilities to enable you to live essentially, but also room to create & let go?
• Is there an outdoor area for you to connect with nature?
• Are you happy in your environment?
• Do you feel safe & stable where you are?
• Would you like to move? 

All of these questions can make us assess our Environmental Wellness.

Download my free Wellness Wheel, to help you step back & address what needs more or less of your attention.