By: Stephanie Wagner, RDN, LDN
Most people assume that eating right and moving more is their ticket to wellness. If you eat all your fruits and veggies, maintain a healthy weight, and build up your fitness, you will be well. All these things provide the structure we need to build our wellness.
Self Care and Wellness
But what about the foundation? Where are we to build this structure without a stable foundation. Without a foundation, how long before we sink? Often times, we overlook self care when it comes to our wellness. Sure, by definition good food, moving more, and a healthy weight can all support our overall wellness. But wellness is multi-dimensional. Many of these healthy behaviors we mention, only cover one dimension, the physical. Self care takes all aspects of wellness into consideration.
Overall wellness generally encompasses seven dimensions. Think of these dimensions as your cup. Self care ensures you are filling all your cups, not just one or two. Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup. The best part of all, filling your cup doesn’t have to be expensive or out of reach. You can begin filling your cups by incorporating a few intentions throughout your day. By sprinkling these intentions throughout your day, and the task won’t feel so daunting.
The Seven Dimensions of Wellness
Before you can assess where you are at, you need an understanding of the different dimensions. While you read through the seven dimensions, I hope you take a little time to look inside yourself. Where are you doing well? What cups or dimensions leave you feeling empty?
1. Physical Wellness
This is what we most commonly associate with wellness as it is more tangible than the rest. Think healthy behaviors like we talked about before: eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep. These physical behaviors help support our bodily health. Thus, filling our physical wellness cup.
2. Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness encompasses caring for our mental state. An empty emotional cup can lead to emotional imbalance. Whether that means inability to express happiness or overwhelming feelings of sadness and anger. Often, stress and poor self care can deplete our cup. Eventually, provoking a depression, self-consciousness, and hopelessness.
3. Spiritual Wellness
I like to think of this as having a set of values or ethics. Not just having them, but adhering to those principles. Staying true to your beliefs and integrating them into your everyday life.
4. Environmental Wellness
This is the relationship between you and the world around you. How do you feel with the physical world around you. Is the environment around you harmonious? Are you caring for the world around you? Environmental wellness pertains to the quality of our environment, both indoors and outdoors.
5. Social Wellness
Social wellness can best be described as a sense of closeness or connection with others. A life filled with meaningful relationships cultivates an additional support system. This support system can help fill your cup when you are unable to do so yourself.
6. Intellectual Wellness
The term “lifelong learning” most accurately depicts intellectual wellness. Taking time to explore our world and learn new things provides a sense of fulfillment. Just as your body needs exercise, so does your mind.
7. Occupational Wellness
While easier said than done, choosing a vocation (or calling) over a job offers a sense of fulfillment. Your vocation doesn’t necessarily mean punching a time clock. A vocation can include your volunteer work, hobbies, or being a parent. Either way, how does your work utilize your skills, passions, or gifts? Occupations with room for growth may also promote a sense of occupational wellness.
STAY TUNED
Stay tuned as we dive deeper into wellness and self care. In the week ahead, we hope to provide strategies to fill your cups and invoke total wellness. Do you have more questions? Share your thoughts and questions. Send then my way and I will do my best to address your concerns! In the mean time, be sure to connect with the SLN family on Instagram, handle @stephanieleenutrition.
