What's the standard for well-being? The truth is, it's always evolving. The literal dictionary definition of health is "the condition of being sound in body, mind, and spirit." As a health coach for Health Solutions, I'm proud to help participants understand that all aspects of their health and wellbeing are important to reaching goals and anticipating obstacles.
At a basic level, we all know what to do - we know healthy living involves eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly, so why don't we do it? Are you too busy? Do you hate working out alone? Maybe family responsibilities are getting in the way? These justifications are actually decisions that reflect your current priorities.
Instead of justifying why you're not focusing attention where it should be, ask yourself this question: what, right now, is screaming for your attention and how do you focus your energy on making it a priority?
Consider the Wellness Wheel:
Let me start by giving you permission to focus on what's most important - and it may not be diet and exercise ...at least not initially. This Wellness Wheel is an exercise designed to help you visualize and determine where your emotional energy is currently being used and help you seek balance and set realistic expectations moving forward:
Start by separating your life into seven equal parts of a full circle, each individual line representing an aspect of your wellbeing: social, mental, physical, financial, family, career, and spiritual. Start in the center of the circle and rate your current focus level with a dot; the closer you place your dot to the circle's edge, the more satisfied you are in that area.
The Wellness Wheel
Complete this helpful exercise for a comprehensive understanding of your health.
Social Health
This is Your ability to form satisfying relationships and comfortably adapt to a variety of social settings. When gauging this section of your life, ask yourself the following:
- Do you make an effort to get together with friends regularly?
- Do you have difficulty maintaining long-term friendships?
- Do you feel heightened anxiety or stress in social situations?
Mental Health
This is your level of psychological and emotional well-being. When gauging this section, as yourself how often you're:
- open to new ideas and seeking new experiences and/or skills.
- pursuing quality information and/or entertainment that sparks creativity.
- assessing your overall mood and have a general feeling of happiness and contentment.
Physical Health
This is the most visible aspect of your health and wellbeing. When rating this section, consider the following:
- Your current physical condition (i.e., good nutrition, hydrating, etc.).
- How often you are getting regular exercise.
- Your weight in relation to your height.
Financial Health
Consult the following with regard to your personal finances. To determine your rating, ask yourself the following:
- Are you living within your means and properly insured?
- If you have debt, is it within manageable limits?
- Do you make charitable contributions and are you saving for your future?
Family Health
This is your contribution and commitment to your family members. Consider your immediate family and reflect on the following:
- Do you have a loving relationship with a shared sense of values?
- Are you giving your family sufficient time and attention?
- Do you have a close connection with your spouse? Children? Parents?
Career Health
This section refers to your professional life and aspirations. Reflect on your current job and ask yourself the following:
- Do you like what you do for a living?
- Does your career reflect and advance your sense of values?
- Is your work meaningful and suit your skills and interests?
Spiritual Health
In this section, take stock of your religious faith, values, beliefs, principals and/or morals. Rate your sense of wellbeing in this section by considering:
- Your sense of purpose.
- Your level of peace.
- How often you study, meditate, or pray.
Once you've rated each section, connect the dots - does your circle feel skewed in any particular direction? If so, it's perfectly normal and the intent of this exercise. Start focusing on the areas that need your attention most - at Health Solutions, we'll assist you on this journey, providing the education and insight you need to feel inspired and achieve lasting results. Interested in learning more? Check us out at the link below.
