8 Key Areas of Optimal Wellbeing.
So many aspects of our day, play a part towards optimal wellbeing. Some are not as obvious as others, but with an increased awareness, we can identify the areas to enhance, striving for optimal wellbeing.
I believe there are 8 key areas interacting to produce optimal wellbeing. After researching various models around the world, the 8 areas offer a vast insight into how our body works.
Let’s unpack each to see how we can foster great overall wellbeing in our lives.
1. Social – the relationships we maintain with others hold a significant key to our overall health. Interacting with people, fostering an attitude of care and concern for each other, enhances our sense of purpose and connectedness to society and to ourselves.
2. Emotional – recognition for the way we feel and regulating our emotions, can offer insight into situations and experiences we encounter. Children require support to regulate their emotions which best suit to the situations they experience. When children show emotions that are not usual for them, they are trying to communicate concern. The best role models for emotional awareness are the adults who support children.
3. Physical – maintaining physical health is so important in supporting all other areas. Physical health can include exercise but may not need to be of the extreme level. Your level of fitness is suited to you. Do you need to just be active by walking for 30 minutes a day or do you need to go to the gym and lifting weights? What feels right to you? All forms of movement allow for the circulatory system to be active supporting blood flow through the major organs in the body.
4. Nutritional – eating fresh food often supports a nutritionally balance diet. This allows our body to recharge, reinvigorate and function effectively. When possible, avoid processed foods. The chemicals and preservatives which are present in these foods, do not support optimal wellbeing.
5. Technological – the amount of time spent on technological devices will depend of many factors. Which device you use can play a part in the balance of wellbeing too. When on social media platforms, a conscious awareness towards the type of articles you are reading, the time spent being absorbed in the application and the time of day can all affect our overall wellbeing. It is strongly suggested we turn off devices 1 hour before bed for a great night’s sleep.
6. Environmental – impacts can be felts through our surroundings. Enjoying sunlight, fresh air, and ergonomic spaces can all support our environmental wellbeing. Included in the environmental aspect is the WiFi, 5D phone signals and electrical waves surrounding us. It’s important to get outside and walk in bare feet, take a walk on grass or on sand. Allow your feet to connect with the earth as often as possible. It will help negate the negative electrical fields which are now a part of our day.
7. Psychological – how is your sense of self? Do you perceive yourself to be a positive person who is self-aware? Do you have an awareness towards your specific traits, different behaviors and the emotions displayed or felt in different situations?
8. Mental – our brains play such an important role towards our perception and sense of reality. Our subconscious brain can dictate our thoughts and patterns of belief from a very young age. Are all your thoughts positive? It is not expected that we only display positive thoughts, but an awareness to our reality and how we are perceiving it can play an enormous part of our day. Are our thoughts supporting us to achieve our overall wellbeing?
Now we know the 8 key areas, how can we ensure overall wellbeing?
It’s important to note how each of these areas operate in your life. Do you have one area that is more or a priority than another? I suggest you take the time to identify which activities of your day make up each area. Make a list of all the activities you carry out today. Is there one area that needs a greater focus? Can one area become less of a focus allowing for time and effort in another area? This is a great activity to do by yourself or with the family.
Increasing the focus on wellbeing with others around you, allows the conversation to continue, which we can all benefit from.
Written by Bron Gowty
For more information about grief and loss, send Bron an email.
Bron Gowty is an end of life guide, kinesiologist and pastoral & spiritual carer.