Wellness has been defined as
1. the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.

2. the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. (The Global Wellness Institute)

Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth…to live a higher quality life. Wellness takes into account your mind, body, & soul.

Wellness encompasses 8 dimensions

1. 1.  physical,

1. 1. intellectual,

1. 1. emotional,

1. 1. social,

1. 1. spiritual,

1. 1. vocational,

1. 1. financial,

1. 1. environmental

All 8 must be given appropriate attention as neglecting 1 portion will adversely affect another and ultimately one’s health, well-being, and quality of life. They will usually not be equally balanced, but we should aim, to have them in harmony as is suits us individually.  Our priorities, approaches, and aspirations, including our own views of what it means to live life fully will dictate which are most important.

How to Improve Your Present Wellness State

There are 3 things to look at when assessing and improving your current state of wellbeing. 

1. 1. Self-regulation – its our ability to direct our behavior and control our impulses so that we meet certain standards, achieve certain goals, or reach certain ideals

1. 1. Habits – what we do daily that is a part of routine that happens automatically. Its does not require that we think about it.  Habits shape our existence and out future. Habits are the KEY TO WELLNESS.   For better or worse, habits very much influence health, well-being, and quality of life. If you are striving to improve these, you need to think about habits, because if you change your habits for the better, you change your life for the better.  Habits are coded into out brain and thus to change a habit, we need to create a new routine/stronger habit.  Yes, habits are hard to change but can be with self-awareness and strategies.

1. 1. Becoming Self Aware – In order to change we must first pay attention to what we are doing and why.  We must also take advantages of our strengths and tendencies when changing a routine.  Being aware and conscious of what you are doing and why, will allow you to make appropriate changes.  Knowing who you are and what you like and dislike will allow the changes to be either easy or hard. 

1. 1. Strategies – You must choose a strategy that will enhance your chance for success.  This includes monitoring your schedule, accountability systems, abstaining, increasing/decreasing convenience, planning for safeguards, detecting rationalizations and false assumptions” using distractions, rewards and treats, and choosing habits that strengthen self-control. Most successful habit change requires the coordination of multiple strategies to establish a single new behavior, and new habits, on average, take 66 days to form so the more strategies used, the better.

Changing your habits will change your life.

Yes, change can take a long time, and it requires repeated accomplishments and failures. But the failures will help you identify on what to correct and thus lead to success after success.  If you do not give up. 

When thinking about habits, wellness, and the health, well-being, and quality of life to which you aspire, consider the following: “Are you going to accept yourself or expect more from yourself?” “Are you going to embrace the present or consider the future?” and “Are you going to care about yourself or overlook yourself?”

Wellness is a dynamic, ever-changing, process. It is not easy to achieve but something we should be striving towards. It is a lifestyle, your personalized approach to living life in a way that allows you to become the best kind of person that your potentials, circumstances, and fate will allow. The past is history; the present and future lie in the choices you make today. Don’t worry about getting it perfect; just get it going and become the best kind of person you can be.

Sources Dimensions of Wellness: Change your habits/Change your life. Debbie Stoewen