For it to be considered well, it is imperative that none of these areas be neglected. Spiritual well-being is about connecting to something greater than yourself and following a set of values, moral values, and beliefs to guide your actions and help form meaningful habits. Habits can also provide a sense of purpose and meaning.
Physical well-being involves making choices to satisfy our bodies in a meaningful way that aligns with our values related to our physical health.
.Physical well-being balances all aspects of the physical self, including sleep, movement, nutrition, hygiene, relaxation, sexual health, disease and injury management, and drug and alcohol use. Intellectual well-being is the creativity and mental growth that we develop at school, but when it comes to topics, we choose. In order to expand our knowledge and skills, cultivating intellectual well-being may seem like a school, but overcoming these feelings and keeping in mind that you are in control of what you learn can keep those feelings at bay. Intellectual well-being also helps stimulate creativity and curiosity, which helps us to continue to interact more with the world around us.
Curiosity helps us to be open to new things and new experiences. Social well-being refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others. This dimension involves building healthy, enriching and supportive relationships, as well as encouraging a genuine connection with yourself and with those around you. Social well-being is important for maintaining harmony in all relationships, from acquaintances to close friends and immediate family.
This dimension is essential for developing resilience in other dimensions, such as emotional well-being. Emotional well-being is the process of recognizing, understanding and accepting our emotions. It involves the ability to stay in the present moment and effectively manage the changes and challenges that come our way. Before you can determine a wellness destination, you need to have a good understanding of the starting point and the desired direction.
This requires defining and evaluating within each different and interconnected dimension of well-being. At Brewster Place, we focus on the five dimensions of intellectual, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being. As you read the characteristics of each dimension, consider rating your current level of well-being in that dimension on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means “very well.”. Think about the barriers you encounter in your wellness searches, what would help you increase your score by one or two points and what strengths you already have to help you achieve it.
Intellectual well-being involves the ability to expand and use knowledge. This includes learning new things, having clarity of thought, being alert, using expressive language that allows you to make your needs known and understood, being aware of what is happening around you and focusing on the things that matter most to you. Emotional well-being involves the ability to experience and regulate diverse emotions and moods. This includes being able to manage stress, finding joy, being aware of the moment, believing in who you are and what you are worth wholeheartedly, experiencing and identifying a wide range of emotions, and responding to these emotions in a healthy way.
Physical well-being involves the ability to move and act. This includes aspects such as movement and mobility, regular exercise, pain management, the ability to navigate the environment and surrounding terrain, and nutrition. The eight dimensions are described below and are accompanied by examples and ideas for improving each area. There are many examples of physical activity that vary in intensity levels, from light to vigorous.
In this blog, Addressing the Dimensions of Wellness, you'll learn the dimensions you should also focus on. Maintaining your physical health can include yoga, biking, jumping rope, playing sports, running, walking, jogging, skiing, dancing, playing tennis, and working in the garden. Unfortunately, this coping method can cause a number of physical health problems, such as heart disease and cancer, and can increase the chances of premature death. The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Administration (SAMHSA) has identified eight dimensions of well-being to focus on to optimize health.
Regardless of what wellness means to you, there are ways you can practice healthy habits on a daily basis to achieve better physical, mental and overall well-being. .
