Time and again, wellness has been attributed to our physical and mental wellbeing. However, there are many components that make their way to you for your overall wellness. Being in sync with them helps you live a happy and fulfilling life. This is where the concept of a Wellness Wheel comes in. Are you intrigued? Well, read on to know more.
What Is Wellness Wheel?
The Wellness Wheel is a self-exploration tool that can assist you in surveying choices or situations that have an impact on your overall wellness. There are a total of eight aspects of your wellness. Each of the eight dimensions is interrelated and vital in its own right. Let’s see how.
1. Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness means having a strong sense of self that allows you to notice, share, and treat yourself with kindness as you go through a variety of emotions. The signs of emotional wellness include:
• Being able to talk to someone about your emotional difficulties and express your sentiments with others
• When you need to say 'no' and you can do it without feeling guilty
• Most of the time, I'm happy
• Feeling that you have a solid support system in place, i.e. people who care about you
• The ability to unwind
• Being confident in your own skin
2. Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness means being mindful of how the environment, your community, and you interact. And how you behave in a responsible manner toward each of these. The signs of environmental wellness are:
• Being mindful of the earth's natural resource restrictions
• Using less energy (i.e. shutting off unused lights)
• As much as possible, recycle paper, cans, and glass
• Taking advantage of and appreciating time spent outside in natural settings
• Pollution of the air, water, and land is minimised through your actions
• Creating loving and supporting environments at home and at work
3. Financial Wellness
Simply put, financial wellness requires you to live within your means and learn to budget for both the short and long term. The signs of financial wellness to watch out for are:
• Developing a personal budget and learning how to handle your money
• You should not live beyond your means
• Making a repayment strategy for your loans, if any
• Understanding debt and how to manage it
• Increasing your credit score
• Considering the long term, such as opening a savings account or making investments
• Learning to live your life without letting money be the driving force
• Donating portion of your money to a cause you believe in, if possible
4. Intellectual Wellness
Intellectual wellness includes the willingness to try new things, be innovative, think critically, and take on new challenges. The signs to note are:
• Time management and the development of effective study skills
• Ability to push yourself to see all aspects of a situation
• Developing critical thinking skills
• Developing your own thoughts, points of view, and opinions
• Experiencing new ideas, people, and values that are not your own helps you to become more conscious of who you are and what you value
5. Occupational Wellness
Making an effort to have a job that is fascinating, fun, and significant, as well as one that contributes to society. The following are points to consider for occupational wellness:
• Working on projects that are both stimulating and fascinating to you
• Understanding how to strike a balance between work and play
• Working in a way that suits your learning style
• Collaboration and communication with others
• Working both solo and collaboratively
• Feeling both challenged and motivated
• Satisfaction about the work you did at the end of the day
6. Physical Wellness
Needless to say, physical wellness includes taking good care of your body for optimum health and performance. Signs of physical wellness involve asking yourself the following questions:
• Do you consume meals you enjoy, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and pay attention to your hunger cues?
• Is it possible for you to maintain a constant sleep routine and receive seven hours of sleep per night?
• Do you make an effort to move your body on a daily basis?
• Do you practice safe sex?
• Are you making decisions about alcohol, nicotine, and other substances that are consistent with your values?
• Are you regularly indulging in hygienic habits to keep yourself safe from infections?
7. Social Wellness
Social wellness includes the use of skills to develop personal relationships with people, effectively handle disagreement, and join a constructive social network. The following are signs of social wellness:
• Assertiveness skills, not passive or aggressive ones, should be developed
• Getting a good balance of social and personal time
• The ability to be yourself in any circumstance
• Getting involved with others in your community
• Embracing variety and treating others with dignity
• Maintaining and expanding connections and social networks on a regular basis
• The ability to set limits within relationships that promote communication, trust, and dispute resolution
• It's important to remember to have fun
• Having a strong support system of family and friends
8. Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness entails finding significance in life events, show that you have a personal mission, and live a life that represents your values and beliefs. Signs of spiritual wellness are:
• Creating a sense of purpose in life
• Having the ability to spend quiet time alone for reflection
• Taking time to ponder the significance of life's events
• Having a strong sense of what is right and wrong and acting on it
• Being able to explain why you think what you believe is a valuable skill
• Taking responsibility for the well-being of others and the environment
• Being able to live a life of forgiveness and compassion