Eight Dimensions of Wellness

Introduction

Generations of people have viewed health simply as the absence of disease, and the view largely prevails today. The word health typically refers to the overall condition of a person’s body or mind and to the presence or absence of illness or injury. Wellness is a relatively new concept that expands this idea of health to include our ability to achieve optimal health. Beyond the simple presence or absence of disease, wellness refers to optimal health and vitality – to living life to its fullest. Although we use the terms health and wellness interchangeably, there are two important differences between them:

• Health – or some aspects of it – can be determined or influenced by factors beyond your control, such as your genes, age, and family history. For example, consider a man with a strong family history of prostate cancer. These factors place this man at a higher-than-average risk for developing prostate cancer himself.
• Wellness is largely determined by the decisions you make about how you live. That same man can reduce his risk of cancer by eating sensibly, exercising, and having regular screening tests. Even if he develops the disease, he may still rise above its effects to live a rich, meaningful life. This means choosing not only to care for himself physically, but also to maintain a positive outlook, keep up his relationships with others, challenge himself intellectually, and nurture other aspects of his life.

Enhanced wellness, therefore, involves making conscious decisions to control risk factors that contribute to disease or injury. Age and family history are risk factors you cannot control. Behaviors such as choosing not to smoke, exercising, and eating a healthy diet are well within your control.

The dimensions of wellness

Social scientists have defined eight dimensions of wellness:

• Physical
• Emotional
• Intellectual
• Interpersonal
• Spiritual
• Environmental
• Financial
• Occupational

Each dimension of wellness affects the others. Further, the process of achieving wellness is constant and dynamic, involving change and growth. Ignoring and dimension of wellness can have harmful effects on your life.

Physical wellness

Your physical wellness includes not just your body’s overall condition and the absence of disease, but your fitness level and your ability to care for yourself. The higher your fitness level, the higher your level of physical wellness will be. Similarly, as you become more able to care for your own physical needs, you ensure greater physical wellness. To achieve optimum physical wellness, you need to make choices that help you avoid illnesses and injuries. The decisions you make now – and the habits you develop over your lifetime – will largely determine the length and quality of your life.

Emotional wellness

Your emotional wellness reflects your ability to understand and deal with your feelings. Emotional wellness involves attending to your own thoughts and feelings, monitoring your reactions, and identifying obstacles to emotional stability. Self-acceptance is your personal satisfaction with yourself, which might exclude society’s expectations, whereas self-esteem relates to the way you think others perceive you. Self-confidence can be a part of both acceptance and esteem. Achieving this type of wellness means finding solutions to emotional problems, with professional help if necessary.

Intellectual wellness

Those who enjoy intellectual wellness constantly challenge their minds. An active mind is essential to wellness because it detects problems, finds solutions, and directs behavior. People who enjoy intellectual wellness never stop learning; they continue trying to learn new things throughout their lifetime. They seek out the relish new experiences and challenges.

Interpersonal Wellness

Your interpersonal (or social) wellness is defined by your ability to develop and maintain satisfying and supportive relationships. Such relationships are essential to physical and emotional health. Social wellness requires participating in and contributing to your community and to society.

Spiritual wellness

To enjoy spiritual wellness is to possess a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that give meaning and purpose to your life, especially in difficult times. The spiritually well person focuses on the positive aspects of life and finds spirituality to be an antidote for negative feelings such as cynicism, anger, and pessimism. Organized religions help many people develop spiritual health. Religion, however, is not the only source or form of spiritual wellness. Many people find meaning and purpose in their lives on their own – though nature, art, meditation, or good works – or with their loved ones.

Environmental wellness

Your environmental wellness is defined by the livability of your surroundings. Personal health depends on the health of the planet – from the safety of the food supply to the degree of violence in society. Your physical environment either supports your wellness or diminishes it. To improve your environmental wellness, you can learn about and protect yourself against hazards in your surroundings and work to make your world a cleaner and safer place.

Financial wellness

Financial wellness refers to your ability to live within your means and manage your money in a way that gives you peace of mind. It includes balancing your income and expenses, staying out of debt, saving for the future, and understanding your emotions about money.

Occupational wellness

Occupational wellness refers to the level of happiness and fulfillment you gain through your work. Although high salaries and prestigious titles are nice, they alone generally do not bring about occupational wellness. An occupationally well person truly likes his or her work, feels a connection with others in the workplace, and has opportunities to learn and be challenged. Other aspects of occupational wellness include enjoyable work, job satisfaction, and recognition from managers and colleagues. An ideal job draws on your interests and passions, as well as your vocational or professional skills, and allows you to feel that you are contributing to society in your everyday work.

To achieve occupational wellness, set career goals that reflect your personal values. For example, a career in sales might be a good choice for someone who value financial security, whereas a career in teaching or nursing might be a good choice for someone who values service to others.