What is a healthy life for you?

The definition of health is a good physical and mental condition, and wellness is the way to achieve it. Wellness is an essential element in life because it affects one’s emotions, behaviors, thinking ability, and physical health.

There are eight dimensions of wellness that include:

• Emotional – coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships.
• Spiritual – expanding our sense of purpose and meaning in life.
• Intellectual – recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.
• Physical – recognizing the need for physical activity, diet, sleep, and nutrition.
• Environmental – good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being.
• Financial – satisfaction with current and future financial situations.
• Occupational – personal satisfaction and enrichment derived from one’s work.
• Social – developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.

Credit: SAMHSA

All the eight dimensions of wellness are linked, problems in one area can impact the other. For example, if a person has serious physical problems, it may have a negative impact on financial, emotional, or social dimensions of wellness even though the other dimensions are in balance.

In other words, improving your physical health can benefit mental, financial, and social wellness.

It is important to make healthy lifestyle choices to improve the overall quality of life.

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How to Improve Each Wellness?

Creating a wellness lifestyle can be challenging, but finding the right information, supports, and resources can help us get there. These are some examples of wellness tips for each wellness dimension.

#1 Physical

• Develop healthy eating habits.
• MyPlate plan (it’s free) helps you to create a personalized meal plan based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.
• Exercise daily.
• Sleep 7 to 8 hours a day.
• Avoid exercise before going to bed.
• Avoid large meals before going to bed.
• Visit the dentist or other health care provider occasionally for maintenance.

#2 Intellectual

• Sign up for an online class to learn something new!
• Learn a new language.
• Teach something to others.
• Read books, blogs, and magazines.
• Travel abroad.

#3 Financial

• Develop healthy financial habits.
• Set a budget.
• Learn personal finance.
• Learn how to make money online.
• Pay off your credit card completely every month.
• Check your credit score.

#4 Environmental

• Figure out what outdoor activities make you feel good.
• Take a break to walk around during work hours. Drink some coffee or water.
• If you work from home, exercise in your room.
• Make a schedule to clean up your living space.
• Make your workspace work for you.
• Tap into technology.

#5 Spiritual

• Read about other types of beliefs to help you become more understanding, accepting, and open-minded.
• Start morning meditation.
• Stay positive.

#6 Social

• Look online or in the local paper for groups that share your interests.
• Meet new people.
• Make time for family.
• Join social media community.

#7 Occupational

• Research careers and/or employment that involve the activities you enjoy most yet provide the flexibility for a balanced life (use sites like https://www.careerbuilder.com/ or https://www.monster.com/)
• Take the time to think of what you enjoy most.

#8 Emotional

• Develop regular habits that help you process and deal with your feelings effectively so you move forward in fulfilling your emotional needs.
• Find a place where you feel the most comfortable.
• Discover what you like to do best! (to me, it’s travel)
• Take responsibility for your actions.
• Take some time to yourself regularly.
• Develop a positive statement to repeat to yourself daily.

Balancing work and life is never easy, but everyone can make it better little by little (: