What Are The 8 Dimensions Of Wellness?

Wellness is an active process that involves a constant pursuit of a healthy and fulfilling life. It requires us to be aware of the choices we make every day and align those decisions with our goals. When we think of the word “healthy” we oftentimes assume it simply means eating well, exercising regularly, getting eight hours of sleep, and drinking enough water. However, wellness is not just that. It’s an ongoing process of change and growth.

The 8 Dimensions Of Wellness

The 8 dimensions of wellness include emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. Every dimension is interconnected with the other, and each one is vitally important when pursuing optimal health. When we understand how to maintain and improve each dimension, we will create balance in our lives and can reach our highest potential.

Emotional Wellness

People with healthy emotional wellness have the ability to cope effectively with life. They feel confident and in control of their feelings and behaviors, and build resiliency by working through life’s challenges. They understand that setbacks can be overcome and our emotions don’t define or control us. Emotional health can be maintained or improved by doing activities that care for all of your senses. Listening to music, eating your favorite foods, smelling the scent of your favorite candle, exploring nature, or even watching your favorite movie are all ways we can nurture our emotional health.

By understanding our feelings and expressing them to people we trust, we will be more in touch with our emotions and encourage reflection. When we recognize how we are feeling, it creates an avenue to detect why we are feeling that way. Keeping a positive outlook on life is essential, even in the midst of emotional turmoil. Self-care is vital to emotional wellness because it encourages us to reduce stress and increase relaxation. Both of these things benefit our emotional state. Finding resources or coping mechanisms within yourself will allow you to learn and grow from your emotional experiences.

Environmental 

Our environmental surroundings, both social and natural, actually have a big impact on our mental and emotional health. It’s important to feel safe in your environment. When you are surrounded by positivity, it will have a calming effect. So, it is essential that your home environment and work environment are supporting your overall health and wellness. It can be hard to feel good or reduce stress if your personal environment is disorganized or filled with clutter.

Environmental wellness also ties into environmentalism and sustainability. It encourages us to get outside more and live a lifestyle that is aware and respectful of our surroundings. That includes picking up our trash, reducing our waste as much as possible, conserving energy, recycling, caring for the earth by not polluting our air and water, and, of course, eating a more plant-based diet. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions and when you consider livestock and their byproducts, it accounts for 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most profound connections we can make to the environment is by nourishing our bodies with foods directly from the earth.

Financial Wellness

People often say that money can’t buy happiness. However, this can be very annoying to hear if you don’t have enough money to meet your basic needs. It’s important to understand our finances because money plays a critical role in our lives. If we don’t have enough of it, it will impact our health. Money often increases stress, anxiety, and worry in our lives. None of these things promote wellness. By establishing good financial habits and planning for the future, we will feel in control of our finances instead of overwhelmed by them.

Start by creating a savings account for emergencies. Make a household budget. Avoid credit card debt, plan out your expenses, and determine where you could cut back. It may not seem like much, but having a little bit of a safety net will put your mind at ease in more difficult financial times. And, if you are doing extremely well in the amount of money you bring in, consider donating to a meaningful charity that you care about.

Intellectual

Exercising your brain doesn’t end once you finish school. Being a lifelong learner will stimulate your mind and curiosity. Expanding your knowledge about the world and what interests you in it will lead to fulfillment. It will also keep you open-minded to new ideas and allow you to gain insight and wisdom from many different sources. Acting like a lifelong student will allow you to embrace more cultural and community activities that lead to enrichment.

Participate in activities that cultivate mental growth. Try reading, debating relevant issues, learning a new language, a new hobby, a new musical instrument, or simply sharing your knowledge with others. It will stimulate your brain and improve intellectual wellness. Your brain is a muscle, and you exercise it when you challenge yourself to learn a new skill. Those who pay attention to their intellectual wellness often find that they have better concentration, improved memory, and better critical thinking skills.

Occupational 

It has become the norm for our careers to consume most of our lifespan. And, the even sadder part is that 90% of people I talk to assume that hating your job is the norm. Nobody ever told them to find a job they loved. That was a dream for little kids. However, in the “real world,” it was more important to be realistic and to do what provided stability and structure. Trust me when I say that working a job you hate will not only lead to unfulfillment but often times a deep sense of sadness over the hours your wasting in your day not living the life that you want to be living.

Satisfaction comes from doing things we are passionate about. Occupational wellness can also be accomplished by simply balancing work and leisure time, as well as building relationships with coworkers. The goal is to find work that is meaningful and rewarding. When your values align with your interests and skills, work becomes a passion instead of a burden. Think about your office culture and consider if you feel supported there. If you determine a lack of support, try reaching out to people close to you and work to create a more aligned work-life balance.

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is what most people initially think of when talking about health. Increasing activity levels will reduce your risk of many illnesses. This can be done by combining physical activity with exploring the outdoors, playing sports, doing yoga, or simply going to the gym. You will inevitably reduce stress and increase your energy throughout the day. Physical wellness also involves your diet. It’s crucial to be nourishing your body with healthy plant foods. And, drinking enough water to ensure you stay hydrated and vibrant throughout the day. Getting enough restful sleep at night is also a factor. This also ties into time management and creating a balance between productivity and relaxation. Your physical body can do a lot, especially if you eat well and exercise. But, your body also needs time to rest and heal. Be sure to honor that.

Social

Social wellness involves a sense of belonging and a reliable support system that will help during difficult times. It’s vital that we feel accepted and included by those closest to us. And, when we have people we trust, we are more likely to open up, seek advice, share our vulnerabilities, and feel validated and understood in our emotions. Making new social connections will often lead to healthy friendships.

When I was struggling with social wellness in my life, I found a quote that said ‘you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’ This was pretty profound and it made me realize the importance of having like-minded thinkers around us. For most of my life, my social circle was pretty diverse. And, by that, I mean that I disagreed with almost all of my friends on just about everything. For a long time, I enjoyed hearing other perspectives and was at peace with disagreeing.

However, this can become unhealthy as well when you are always on the defensive. It can be difficult to feel a sense of connectedness and belonging when you always feel like the odd one out. Don’t be afraid to set healthy boundaries in friendships. Learning good communication skills will help when confrontation arises. For optimal social wellness, it is important to feel validated in your emotions. And, it’s helpful to share the same worldview as the ones you’re seeking advice from. There’s a profound sense of peace and comfort that comes from being validated by those around you. Surround yourself with people who see the best in you and share your ideals. Diversity is great, but if we really are shaped by those closest to us, it’s important to find people that inspire us to be better.

Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness is related to your values and beliefs that help you find meaning and purpose in life. Activities such as volunteering, self-reflection, meditation, and spending time in nature will enhance your connections to yourself, others, and the planet. This, in turn, will bring balance and inner peace to your life. Being mindful and having a clear understanding of what is truly important will provide you with a sense of self-confidence.

To improve spiritual health, try finding a quiet place, either in nature or in your home, for solitude and contemplation. Remembering to keep a playful and curious attitude about life can help you create experiences that give you purpose, meaning, and hope.

Maintain And Improve Wellness

Striving to maintain or make small improvements to the 8 dimensions of wellness in your life is the key to your overall health and wellbeing. Continue to pursue growth and balance in all the dimensions of wellness because it will lead to a better overall quality of life. When we are living our best life, it encourages us to be our best selves.