By: Brittany Austin, National Director of Health and Wellness, Functional Pathways
It’s a new year! It’s a time for resolutions, goals, and changes. With the new year upon us, it’s the perfect opportunity to look at your life and make sure you are capturing all the dimensions of wellness – did you know there was more to it than just the physical aspect? The key to embracing your greatest potential is through SEVEN different dimensions of wellness!
The International Council on Active Aging defines wellness as being derived from the ability to understand, accept, and act upon the capacity to lead purpose-filled and engaged lives. By doing this, we can embrace our potential to pursue and optimize life’s possibilities. Our potential lives in seven different dimensions of wellness: physical, social, spiritual, vocational, emotional, environmental, and intellectual.
Physical: Strengthening and caring for the body to stay as independent as possible
Examples: proper nutrition, regular exercise, stress management, and regular doctor’s appointments
Social: Emphasizes the importance of social interactions
Examples: spending time with family and friends, joining clubs, group activities, traveling
Spiritual: Finding purpose and meaning in life
Examples: meditation, faith-based activity, Yoga, Tai Chi, experiencing nature
Vocational: Utilizing your skills, passions, and strengths to help others
Examples: Tutoring, mentoring, volunteering, caregiving
Emotional: The ability to cope with challenges and deal with feelings in a positive way
Examples: peer counseling, stress management, humor/laughter, support groups
Environmental: Respect for natural resources and/or a strong connection to the environment
Examples: recycling, reusing goods, taking walks outdoors, meditation, gardening
Intellectual: Activities that stimulate and challenge the brain
Examples: painting, journaling, solving puzzles, enrolling in a college course
Look at how you spend a day, week, or month. Are you hitting all the dimensions listed above? Some of your activities, like group exercise classes, may hit a few dimensions at once (physical and social). If there is an area that is being neglected, think about how you might start incorporating an activity or hobby into your routine to stay balanced. On the flipside, if you are lopsided and very heavy in one dimension, think about whether that is negatively impacting you or not. If it is, is there an activity or two you could cut out of your schedule to be better balanced?
Aim for balance when it comes to these dimensions. Prepare to embrace your potential this year! The key to living long is living well!
