The 8 Dimensions of Wellness

The 8 dimensions of wellness correspond to the 8 areas of your life that contribute to your overall physical, mental, and social well being. When any one of these areas is neglected or falls out of balance for any reason, it is very possible that the quality of your life will suffer as a result. And without any awareness of what these 8 unique dimensions are, it is very easy to feel like your whole life is spinning out of control, when it is more likely that you are simply experiencing a very manageable imbalance in just one.

The goal of awareness is not to make yourself crazy trying to achieve perfect balance in all 8 at once. That would be impossible to do. The goal is to become aware of what each of the 8 dimensions are so that you can identify the one that you may be struggling with the most and begin restoring balance there. More often than not, doing so will have a positive impact that will ripple across them all.

Take a look at the list below. Learn more about the one you think may want to start working on first, or familiarize yourself with 8 and then choose!

Quick links:
Physical
Spiritual
Social
Intellectual
Emotional
Occupational
Environmental
Financial

Physical wellness is achieved when you create and maintain a personal daily routine for yourself that supports your unique lifestyle. This routine should include getting adequate sleep, exercise, and nutrition, being active, feeling productive, and participating in creative or structured activities that relieve stress. It also must include replacing the use of tobacco, drugs, and excessive alcohol consumption as coping mechanics with healthier alternatives.

Do you have a daily routine in place that supports your physical wellness?

Want to talk about ways you can begin to improve your physical health and gain access to resources that will help you do it?

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Spiritually well people have a strong sense of their own personal values, principles, morals, and beliefs, and they use them to guide their daily actions and decisions. They actively seek out involvement in activities and groups that reflect their beliefs and values, and feel their lives have meaning and purpose as a result.

Spiritual wellness provides a framework for balance and peace in your life. It simplifies decision making, grounds you during periods of change and challenge, and helps you face adversity.

Do you feel connected to or guided by something that helps the world make sense to you?

Want to talk about ways you can begin to explore spiritual wellness and gain access to resources that might help you find more meaning and purpose along your path?

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Having a strong support network of positive relationships is essential for feeling a sense of connectedness, belonging, and acceptance in the world. Connecting and communicating with people regularly who care about you is the backbone of social wellness. These connections can include romantic, family, or professional relationships, friendships, or even connections with pets and your community. And the more outside of your comfort zone you are able to go to find these connections, the greater your social perspective will be!

Do you have a social support system in place that helps you feel connected, grounded, supported, and loved?

Want to talk about ways you can begin to invite more positive relationships into your life, and gain access to resources that will help you find your people?

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Intellectual wellness is strengthened when you allow yourself to be creative and engage in activities that stimulate your mind and get you thinking in new ways (that don’t necessarily have anything to do with your work). This dimension urges you make time to pursue your hobbies, explore your passions, discover your talents, and to share your gifts with the world. And, to always be on the lookout for new opportunities to keep learning, improving your skills, and trying new things.

Do you make room in your life to do what you love, and to pursue new opportunities for learning, and being creative?

Want to talk about the things you feel passionate about but that you don’t make time for, and about what you can do to change that?

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Emotional wellness is having the capacity to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult situations. It is having the ability to recognize your feelings and accept difficult emotions, and having the skills to express and work through them in positive and healthy ways. It is also not only about accepting a wide range of feelings and emotions in yourself, but also about being able to recognize and accept a wide range of feelings and emotions in others as well. And last but not least, it is about having an understanding that conflict is not always a bad thing; that under the right circumstances, it does hold the potential for healthy interactions.

Do you feel like you could benefit from some support dealing with life’s challenges? Is there one particular challenge you are having trouble working through?

Want to talk about ways you can begin to improve your emotional health and gain access to resources that can help you do it?

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Finding joy, purpose, and fulfillment in your work is at the heart of occupational wellness. When this dimension is in check, it is a reflection that you are in a job that means something to you, and that you found a balance of work, personal, and leisure time that serves you. Also, it means that you have found ways to maintain good relationships with your peers, and manage everyday stress. Every person has value and a unique set of skills that should be shared for the benefit of others. Occupational wellness calls us to pay attention to this fact, and take the time to make sure that we know what our value is, and that we are putting it to good use.

Do you like what you do, and are you happy doing it, with the people you are doing it with?

Want to talk about your job satisfaction and ways that you may be able to improve it, and put your skills to better use?

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Environmental wellness is directly tied to your ability to connect positively with the world around you. It is about putting yourself in places and spaces that feel good to you, and that allow you to be yourself; to learn, to be creative, to think, to speak up, to relax, to just be. Being in a place that allows you to be and feel physically safe, that is clean, and provides you with ample access to fresh air, nutritious food, and clean water is a basic necessity for well being, not to mention a precursor for any level of personal or professional success. Prioritizing environmental wellness means that you are taking responsibility for both how you maintain the spaces that occupy, and for choosing safe spaces to spend your time in.

Do you live and work in a place that feels good to you?

Want to talk about ways you can make environmental changes in your life, and gain access to the people and resources that can help you do it?

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Personal finances are, not surprisingly, the number one cause of stress nationwide. Many people make the choice to simply ignore them until it is too late. Financially well people however, make a different choice. Those who want to reduce the financial stressors in their life will take the necessary steps to ensure that they have a least a basic understanding of their current and future financial standing. That may include getting a handle on basic financial measures such as income, debt, and savings. It may also include acquiring some basic skills in planning ahead and staying on budget, as well a basic understanding of financial capability, and financial products and services.

Do you have a good sense of your current and future financial circumstance?

Are you ready to let someone help you find people and resources that can help you figure it all out?

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