The Ten Wellness Dimensions: Explained

Your wellness journey is as unique and special as you are. Therefore, it is imperative that you have all the tools you need in order to thrive - including a firm grasp on the dimensions of wellness that exist. Having been in the wellness field for quite some time now, I have come to the realization that our profession uses a lot of "common" words to make sense of some pretty tough concepts. However, we often neglect to actually explain what those seemingly simple words mean to us in wellness - and to you! I want to eliminate some of that overwhelming confusion.

In this post, we will work to make sense of wellness and all of its dimensions! There's even a little surprise waiting for you at the end.

What is Wellness?

The Ten Wellness Dimensions

Now What?

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What is Wellness?

There is often this misconception that wellness is simply the absence of illness. Most will say that if you are not sick, then you must be well. You may be "healthy", but that does automatically make you well. We will talk more about health vs wellness in a future blog, so stay tuned!

For now, please note that wellness is actually an active and intentional pursuit of individual discovery.

• Wellness is a continuous, self-directed process in which individuals strive towards achieving their full potentials.

• Wellness is a journey aimed at obtaining a positive, satisfactory, and affirming life that is filled with met expectations.

• Wellness is one of the many cornerstones within our human experience.

The Ten Wellness Dimensions

These ten dimensions of wellness are mutually interdependent – meaning that they are influenced by and have influence on each other – concepts that provide a holistic framework to improving your overall wellbeing. In order to maximize your wellness potential, it is imperative that you appropriately tend to each dimension so as to create sustainable balance and fortify a standard of success in your life.

Physical Wellness

This dimension of wellness is all about adequately caring for the needs of your physical body as a means to assist with its overall functionality and performance. Some believe that physical wellness is limited to physical activities such as lifting weights or going for a run. But, there's so much more to it! This wellness dimension caters to all aspects related to the body's physical makeup and structure. Physical wellness includes:

• Physical activities such as walking, running, dancing, gardening, and just about anything else that allows you to move your body

• Quantity and quality of foods and other substances (i.e., drugs and alcohol) that you consume

• Quality and frequency of sleep and rest that you are engaged in on a regular basis

• Hygenic practices such as bathing, brushing your teeth; regular grooming, and the like

• Health promotion and prevention behaviors that you display to prevent disease, minimize your susceptibility to illness, and treat ailments

Mental Wellness

Mental wellness is a state of wellbeing in which the person recognizes their own capabilities; can cope with their emotions and the conventional stresses of life; can work productively and contribute to their community. Adequately managing stress while staying mindful and accepting of your thoughts and feelings will generate satisfying relationships intended to fortify your emotional wellbeing and mental state.

Social Wellness

This wellness dimension is focused on an individual's ability to effectively communicate with others so as to develop meaningful relationships and maintain a support network of people committed to forward progression. Social wellness also entails becoming an active participant within one's community by volunteering for a worthy cause. It is vital that we challenge ourselves to grow within all of our relationships as a means to improve our overall wellbeing.

Environmental Wellness

As you can imagine, environmental wellness pertains to our awareness of the world and the impact that our habits, behaviors, and practices have on the physical environment. This dimension of wellness not only speaks to our connection to the planet but to our personal spaces as well and how the state or condition of those spaces plays a role in our wellbeing. It's called reciprocal determinism. You influence your environment, and your environment influences you. Tending to our environmental wellness entails leading a life that is respectful of our surroundings and in harmony with the planet by protecting and preserving its treasures.

Sexual Wellness

Sexual wellness pertains to our ability to have safe, pleasurable experiences based on making informed choices in regard to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity – all of which vary based on social contexts. Whether you are engaging in sexual intercourse or not, everyone has a sex life. The act of abstaining is practicing sexual wellness because it is a choice that you made that allows you to have a safe and pleasurable experience. The same applies for those that choose to engage. There is a common misunderstanding that sexual wellness only relates to the intimate act of sex. Sexual wellness has more to do with the power that we all hold to be satisfied with who we are and how we are treated which includes how we choose to protect ourselves during sexual activities and intimate partnerships.

Occupational Wellness

This wellness dimension is focused on the exploration of career options that bring fulfillment and satisfaction into your life. Occupational wellness pertains to engaging in work that we deem meaningful and in alignment with our personal values. Taking care of this dimension of wellness involves properly managing work-related stress while balancing the demands of work responsibilities with the need for leisure.

Financial Wellness

This dimension of wellness incorporates the steps necessary for individuals to comfortably live, learn, and engage within their means while planning for their financial futures. Financial wellness involves gaining awareness about the implications of various financial concepts such as loans, leases, investments, and the like. By maintaining organized records, prioritizing expenses, and budgeting appropriately, you can improve your overall wellbeing practicing this form of stress management.

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness is a measurement for the extent to which a person engages in activities that provoke creative thoughts. Practicing this dimension involves prioritizing learning opportunities for new as well as matured skills by dedicating the time necessary to challenge and stimulate the mind. Feel free to utilize creative outlets of expression as these will boost your wellbeing holistically.

Spiritual Wellness

This wellness dimension focuses on your moral compass. Spiritual wellness prompts individuals to increase their awareness and comprehension of their values, beliefs, morals, and ethics so as to provide guidance in their day-to-day lives. Strengthening this dimension of wellness allows you to readily explain why you believe what you believe as well as assists you in finding purpose and reason for your actions.

Cultural Wellness

Cultural wellness integrates the awareness that an individual holds for their own culture with the need to expand their knowledge of, accept, respect, and value cultures different from their own. It is imperative that you recognize and develop your own cultural identity so that you may also deepen your appreciation for the rich diversity present in other cultural backgrounds.

Now What?

Now that you have learned more about the ten dimensions of wellness, you are ready to begin your wellness journey in earnest, because you have acquired a steady foundation for which to continually grow. And I want to be there with you along the way, so be sure to stay connected to the Wellness Made Simple Facebook Page and Instagram for more wellness tips and resources - like the one down below!

Be sure to grab my FREE PDF Guide: Ten Wellness Dimensions for Beginners!