The Different Aspects of Wellness and How They Affect our Way of Life

Improving one’s way of life in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment has always been the goal of most people, even if they don’t know it. This is why we try our best to land a decent paying job and strive for success in whatever endeavors we face in our day-to-day lives; whether it’s about money, love, or spirituality.

Now, I am not a self-help guru nor am I claiming to be an expert on the social sciences. I don’t give lectures on how people should live their lives nor do I presume to know the secret to happiness and success. I am merely someone who has been in many places – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – someone who has experienced the highs and lows of life, and has learned a thing or two about finding success and happiness with what you have.

 It is said that the first step towards true happiness is self-acceptance. You must first be comfortable in your own skin, know your limitations, and embrace your capabilities before you can begin chasing your goals and aspirations. On the other hand, people also say that you have to try hard to better yourself in every aspect—mentally, spiritually, and physically. This is what wellness is all about, the struggle to make yourself better as you live life to the fullest.

But wellness is much more than just the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects. Through the years, I have learned that there are several other dimensions of wellness in addition to the three most common. And these “other dimensions” are the following:

Social Wellness is the ability of a person to interact or connect with the people around him/her. The efforts that we make in order to maintain positive and healthy relationships with our family members, friends, and the people we work with can be a significant factor to our social well-being. Staying connected with the community and participating in various activities also contribute to our social wellness. Our social well-being is developed through establishing a strong and supportive social network comprised of meaningful relationships with the people in our lives.

Environmental Wellness is an individual’s ability to recognize his responsibility toward the environment he lives in. Our ability to promote positive solutions to improve the environment around us—be it our homes, neighborhoods, cities, or the planet—has a significant impact to our environmental well-being. Our awareness of the current state of the environment and the efforts we take to minimize the effects of our everyday habits says a lot about who we are as a society. And our ability to support measures that impact our way of life and the health of the environment in a positive light also contributes to our environmental wellness.

Occupational Wellness is a person’s ability to recognize personal satisfaction and fulfillment in whatever work he does. Your appreciation and love for your chosen career, as well as your ability to maintain a healthy balance between your professional and personal life contributes to your occupational well-being. It’s no secret that people who are happy with their jobs are more productive and make significant positive impact on the organizations they are working in. And your ability to make good money doing what you love certainly makes a huge difference on your well-being.

Financial Wellness is one’s ability to be prudent when it comes to spending. Living within your means is a major contributor to your financial well-being. It allows you to be prepared for any financial emergencies.

A healthy balance of these four elements will greatly contribute to your quest for happiness, fulfillment, overall wellness, and a good life.