Wellness is absolutely priceless and a commodity you need to cherish and protect. This is especially true during times of great adversity and uncertainty, as we are facing today.
Wellness is a holistic term, encompassing various aspects of life. It is generally accepted that there are seven dimensions of wellness:
- Physical wellness
- Emotional wellness
- Intellectual wellness
- Spiritual wellness
- Social wellness
- Psychometric wellness
- Environmental wellness
These dimensions interact and influence one another. You can take control of the factors influencing your wellness and actively take part in the process of gaining optimal health and wellness in all dimensions.
Do remember: Wellness is a life-long process, but even a small adjustment today can make an immediate difference … So, make that commitment today – you will not regret it!
Emotional health is a key dimension of wellness as it will help you cope better with your circumstances and overcome difficult situations within the other dimensions. The old Proverb rightly states: “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom
and doom leave you bone-tired.”
In this article the focus will be on Emotional Health and Wellness. The British Mental Health Foundation explains Emotional or Mental wellness
as follows: “A positive sense of wellbeing which enables an individual to be able to function in society and meet the demands of everyday life; people in good mental health have the ability to recover effectively from
illness, change or misfortune.” (www.mentalhealthfoundation.org.uk).
What does Emotional Wellness Look Like?
There are many signs that indicate Emotional Wellness. The following are qualities you can identify and choose to cultivate in your own life, to grow in Emotional Health and Wellness:
- Thankfulness – Looking at your life with appreciation for what you have, and not focusing too much on what you do not have. An emotionally healthy person celebrate and enjoy, with gratitude, what they have and experience.
- Flexibility – Being able to adapt to all situations and events in your life. You are not so set on your own ideas and plans that you are not able to adapt should the need arise. Because of your emotional wellness, you are able to consciously (mindfully) assess the situations that arise in your day and base your actions and choices on your values.
- Enjoying who you are – You know who you are and generally feel good about yourself – with all of your strengths and weaknesses. You are also free to be real with yourself and others, not hiding behind masks. This leads to consistent behaviour and choices that ultimately lead to greater wellness in all dimensions of life.
- Treating others well – Treating others with compassion and kindness, shows that you are sensitive to their needs and feelings. Being able to focus on others, and not be too selfabsorbed, is a sign of emotional health. It’s evident in simple acts such as smiling at the cashier in a shop or returning a lost item to the information desk in a shopping mall.
Practical ideas to increase Emotional Wellness
Make Emotional Health and Wellness a priority in your life, just as you would take care of your physical body through exercise, eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep. There are many ways to increase Emotional Wellness, and you can do some more research as well. Try the following to get you started:
- Practice Mindfulness / Living in the Moment – Make a conscious effort to live in the moment, enjoying all of the little (and big) things of everyday life.
- Keep a gratitude diary – Writing down what you are grateful for every day/week, becomes a steppingstone to greater emotional wellness. It is a great record to have when feeling discouraged. Start by writing down three things that you are thankful for every day and see where it leads you.
- Clean up your thinking – Research has shown that everything that goes on in your thought-life translates into your physical body. This means that what you think affects you emotionally, intellectually and physically. Every system in your body is directly affected by the thoughts you meditate on in the long term. Negative thought patterns could literally make you ill. Discard negative thoughts as soon as you become aware of them and replace them with positive ones.
- Set clear boundaries – Personal boundaries are essential to healthy relationships and emotional wellness. By setting clear boundaries, you protect your self-worth, self-esteem and selfrespect, making it possible for you to also respect others. With healthy boundaries you take responsibility for who you are, your own wholeness and wellness and you take control of your own life.
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