The Six Facets of Wellness

 Technically “WELLNESS” is defined as the absence of disease. While this is a bit ambiguous (at least for me) there are really six facets that define our complete wellness. I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I harp on exercise and proper nutrition. While I feel these two factors are the cornerstones of overall wellness, it’s important to have a balance in all six areas.

1. Physical (includes nutrition) – adequate amount and types of activity and a healthy, balanced and varied diet

2. Social – supportive family and friends, a feeling of belonging (i.e. an integral part of a group or community)

3. Environmental – comfortable shelter, sufficient food, safety (in your home, community, school, work), adequate medical care

4. Spiritual –personal religion, beliefs, faith, values that provide a sense of purpose, give meaning to life

5. Intellectual – opportunity and ability to flex your brain muscles (for stay at home parents this could be as simple as regular adult interaction)

6. Psychological – ability and opportunity to express emotions, this can include access to counseling or similar emotional support systems

The best way to take care of you is to come as close to a balanced life or equilibrium as is realistically possible. If you consider these six aspects of wellness as pieces of a wheel, ideally each piece should be about the same size of the wheel for you to function optimally. Similarly, these facets are not independent of each other; they flow in and out of all the others and can affect other areas of the wheel (or you). When the balance is off, so too, is our wellness (the wheel will not roll smoothly). Take a good look at your wellness wheel and determine if/where your wheel is off balance and take steps to address this.

I recently held a 30-Day Focus on Fitness Challenge that had Wellness challenges sprinkled into it. Sometimes these things are often overlooked or even ignored and considered frivolous – but they’re not. They may save your life.

Here are three wellness challenges to try:

Challenge 1 – Get up to date on ALL your medical checkups (yearly medicals, gyne, prostate, mammogram, dermatologist, eye doctor, dentist, psychologist or any other specialist you’ve been putting off). Try to book at least one of these this week and I suggest it be the one you’ve left the longest.

Challenge 2 – Spend 5-10 minutes three days this week in quiet meditation. Ensure you will not be disturbed, have a quiet, dim place and focus on deep breathing or guided mediation, CDs, or muscle relaxation. Recharge, rejuvenate distress and decompress.

Challenge 3 – Something special for you. A special “looking forward to me time”. At least once a month schedule anything from an appointment at the spa, a movie, a show, a day trip or friends night out.