JOURNEY TO VIBRANT WELLNESS 🌱

Are you tired of just getting through life day to day, and do you dream of enjoying your life to the fullest with vibrant energy? I certainly do. Living many of my adult years without much energy, not feeling very well & looking for ways to improve my life so I can be healthy, happy & vibrant day to day, I have set out on a journey and I am completely committed to it. It is a journey really. There is no set way. There is no simple definite answer. There will be ups and downs through your life, and we continue to grow and to develop until the day that we die. There is so much learning in life, and this should be welcomed. There will be times when you may feel like you have failed or are failing at your Wellness Journey. Remember that there are no failures. There is only learning & there are only opportunities to grow and develop even more from your difficult times. You may not know the why of a difficult day, event or specific time period in your life, but there is a reason. You have just not uncovered the reason yet or it has not been revealed to you yet. If your Journey to Wellness has stopped abruptly, has reverted or has been difficult for you, do not give up. Reassert your commitment to living a pure, healthy & vibrant life. Reassert your commitment to finding a balance in all areas or dimensions of your life.

The physical, emotional, intellectual, social, occupational, environmental, and spiritual dimensions of your life are inter-connected, and the balance of all of these areas is vital to a positive well-being and the blossoming of a vibrant energy and life.

Credit: ABC Pediatrics of Dunn

I will start with the Physical dimension of Wellness as it is difficult to work at or excel in other areas if you do not have good physical health. There is a basic physical need for oxygen, water, good food, elimination, clothing & shelter for warmth, sleep & physical activity. Good & safe sexual relations is included in this dimension as well as refraining from or limiting any alcohol & drugs or possible toxins. Your body needs a balance of times of relaxation & of times of activity. Get to know your body and your habits & behaviours that impact your physical health. Get to know what your body needs for good health and begin to develop habits that fuel your body to have energy, heal itself and enable you to live a long healthy life.

The Occupational dimension of Wellness includes work or employment using your skills and abilities or preparing for such work or career with schooling or training programs. It is important to have financial security & freedom in the world today. There is a need for a feeling of importance and purpose, and a satisfaction in tasks that you do daily.

The Social dimension of Wellness is also a very important aspect to one’s life. Living one’s life alone and in isolation is not a very healthy way to live. Having healthy relationships and a supportive network of family & friends is so very important. It is also very important to have care & concern for others and to contribute to welfare of others. Healthy relationships with others gives you a feeling of connectivity and can increase your self-esteem.

Our brains need stimulation, but our brains also need periods of rest. It is important to have a good balance of learning & creativity for your active mind. Utilizing resources to improve your knowledge and keeping up with current & world issues are examples of what you can do in the Intellectual dimension of your life.

Emotional wellness does not necessarily mean that you are happy all of the time. The ability to express a range of emotions including happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety and love is important in this Emotional dimension of Wellness. Not only to feel and express these emotions, but to manage or handle your emotions through life and the difficult moments in life. We must be able to adapt in life and the goal of our healthy well-being is to have a positive attitude filled with hope. Your ability to express & share your emotions, and your ability to seek out support when you need it are both important in this dimension of your life & wellness.

The Environmental dimension of Wellness involves the world around you and how it relates to you. Your surroundings affect you & your physical being, and our daily habits affect the world around us as well. We are all connected to our environment & to nature. It is important to cultivate positive daily habits to minimize harm to our environment & to develop a responsibility to improve the world around us.

The last area of your life to balance is the Spiritual dimension of Wellness. There is a need for inner peace & hope, and there is a need for your purpose in life. No matter what your religion is, you need a guiding set of principles, beliefs and values to live your life by. Health in this area is looking beyond yourself to something greater and with a positive, optimistic and loving attitude.

Depending upon your upbringing, your life events and your ability to cope with all of the events in your life, your Wellness wheel and the balance of each dimension of your Wellness will look different to those of others. We are all unique, and aspects of our life can differ from others. The hope, however, is that this Wellness Wheel can be used for self-exploration, to identify areas for improvement and to ultimately find a better balance in your life. It is worth the effort to live your life in better balance of peace & harmony!

Janice M Cybulskie