Happy senior couple enjoys time together outdoors

Wellness is most likely a word you’ve heard time and time again throughout your lifetime, but what exactly is it? As defined by The Global Wellness Institute, “wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” Wellness is seen as an individual pursuit, meaning it’s up to you to live a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle.

The question is, how do you actually live well? Wellness is multidimensional with 7 different elements that, when practiced equally, are meant to give you an optimal state of wellbeing.

What are the 7 Dimensions of Wellness?

Each of the 7 dimensions of wellness work together to help improve your quality of life. These dimensions of wellness are:

  1. Physical. This dimension of wellness is focused on keeping your physical body healthy. It puts an emphasis on getting an adequate amount of exercise, consuming a nutritious diet and adopting healthy habits. Some ways you can practice this dimension include getting regular medical checkups, exercising daily, and protecting yourself from harm by wearing your seat belt and avoiding dangerous habits like smoking.
  2. Emotional. This dimension is all about being in tune with yourself. When you are emotionally well, you are able to feel, process and express your emotions in a healthy manner. You should be able to love and be loved, feel fulfilled in life and have a strong sense of self-acceptance. One way to achieve optimal emotional wellness is to develop and maintain an optimistic outlook on life. You can try adopting yoga or meditation into your everyday routine to start your day off on a positive note and be in tune with your inner self.
  3. Social. Being socially active is a large part of achieving an overall state of wellbeing. It’s imperative that you interact with others, contribute to your community and actively show respect for yourself and others. Two great ways to become more socially active are to join volunteer opportunities within your community participate in group events or clubs that align with your interests and passions.
  4. Intellectual. It’s important to continue exercising your mind as you age by engaging in activities that are creative and mentally stimulating. In order to achieve a higher level of intellectual wellness, you should actively work to expand your knowledge. You can do this by reading every day, participating in puzzle making or by enrolling a new course to learn something new.
  5. Environmental. A large part of your overall wellness includes the environment you live in. Ask yourself how your behaviors impact the world around you and look for positive changes you can make. For example, do you recycle regularly? If not, this is a small change that can go a long way. Does your diet include a lot of red meat? Look up vegan or vegetarian recipes you can gradually work into your daily meals to help improve the environment and aid your physical wellness.
  6. Spiritual. Everyone has different beliefs, principles and values that they rely on to help direct their life decisions and give them a sense of purpose. You should aim to develop a higher level of faith and commitment to your own unique beliefs that gives your life a sense of meaning. Obtaining spiritual wellness can be done by spending time alone in prayer or meditation to connect with your inner self.
  7. Vocational. This dimension is mainly focused on how you utilize your unique gifts, talents and skills to fulfill a sense of purpose in your life. When you have a higher level of vocational wellness, you are able to maintain a positive attitude about your work and occupation that helps you to feel satisfied with your lifestyle in its entirety. A great way to improve your vocational wellness is to ensure you’re open to change and learning new skills.

Wellness at Fellowship Senior Living

At Fellowship Senior Living, we help you incorporate the 7 dimensions of wellness into your everyday life through our BRAVO Wellness Program. We understand that true wellness goes beyond just your physical self and that’s why the 7 dimensions of wellness are exemplified throughout the various activities, classes and events we offer residents.

Our BRAVO Wellness program is proactive and multidimensional and provides you with a personalized program designed with your unique wellness needs in mind. A personal coach will help you engage in every dimension of wellness at a pace that’s appropriate for you. To get involved with our BRAVO Wellness programming, you will simply start by meeting with your personal wellness coach and taking a BRAVO Wellness assessment. From there, your coach will design a wellness plan that is customized to your lifestyle and goals.

Contact us today to learn more about our BRAVO Wellness program and all of the different opportunities we provide to help incorporate the 7 dimensions of wellness into your daily life.