Finding Balance
Did you know that wellness is commonly viewed as having 7 dimensions?! Each dimension contributes to our own sense of wellness or quality of life, and each one can impact and overlap with the others. Finding harmony between these dimensions can improve our overall health and wellness.
Everyone’s balance is different. We all have different goals, dreams, and responsibilities. Balance doesn’t necessarily mean every dimension is split evenly; it just means that we have these dimensions of wellness in the right proportions – one that works for us.
Breaking Down the 7 Dimensions
Physical Wellness includes many behaviors to enhance your quality of life.
• Exercise daily, get adequate rest, use protective equipment, get regular medical checkups, eat a variety of healthy foods consistently, control your portions, avoid smoking or vaping, use alcohol in moderation if at all.
• Check out these resources: Upcoming Fitness Classes, MercyCare Match Program, Tobacco Cessation
Emotional Wellness is your ability to feel and express human emotions such as happiness, sadness, love, and anger.
• Tune into your thoughts and feelings, have an optimistic attitude, seek and provide social support, practice stress management techniques.
• Check out Mercy EAP and Family Counseling
Intellectual Wellness encourages creative, stimulating mental activities, explore and step outside of your comfort zone.
• Take a course or workshop, learn a new language, read, appreciate art, create.
Social Wellness is the ability to interact with our community, fulfill personal roles, and respect others and yourself.
• Nourish healthy relationships, get involved, contribute to your community, communicate your thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
• Check out these volunteer and blood donation opportunities.
Spiritual Wellness is having a set of guided beliefs, principles, or values that give you a sense of direction in life.
• Spend time alone to reflect, meditate, or pray. Listen to your heart and live by your principles, allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are, seek opportunities for growth in challenges, spend time in nature.
Environmental Wellness is the awareness of the effects your daily habits have on the Earth and your immediate surroundings.
• Go paperless, conserve resources, clean your space regularly, minimize chemical use, reduce/reuse/recycle, pick up litter.
• Take this environmental literacy quiz to test your Earth Day knowledge.
Occupational Wellness includes making use of your gifts, skills, and talents to gain purpose, happiness, and enrichment in life.
• Explore a variety of career options, create a vision for your future, choose a career in line with your personality/interests/talents, be open to change and learning new skills.
• Try these journaling prompts to help you rediscover your passion.
Photo: ©iStock.com/NataliaDeriabina
