Wellness

Wellness is a concept that will be different for each person and it is not simply the absence of ill health. It is the pursuit of optimal holistic health and an awareness of yourself and the world around you. This equips you to live a fruitful life, positively impacting people with whom you interact and the environment in which you live.

I do not believe wellness only applies to “healthy” people or those free from ill health. I have friends with chronic illnesses and for them the pursuit of wellness is incredibly important, even with the knowledge that they may never be released from their illness. As a good friend of mine, living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, beautifully put it:

“A picture of what wellness looks like will be different for everyone. I think it is important to do what we can to work towards the best version of health in our own lives. We need to adjust our expectations and not try to meet someone else’s vision of health and wellness”.

There are many aspects of wellness including physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, environmental, occupational, financial, medical, intellectual and social.

Physical Wellness

Healthful lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, a balanced diet and sufficient sleep* will help you to achieve physical wellness.

*Much of this website is aimed at new parents so the majority of the audience will not have the luxury of having as much sleep as they desire or even feel like they need. I think it is important to explore ways that you can improve your vitality during seasons of sleep deprivation. We will do this here…

Emotional Wellness

If you are attentive to your thoughts, feelings and behaviours you will be able to enjoy life more and cope better with any challenges that may come your way. Learning to recognise, accept and share your feelings will help you to achieve emotional wellness.

Social Wellness

Healthy human interaction nurtures the soul and is associated with better physical health and improved response to stress. If you are able to recognise and share your own needs while investing in your relationships with friends, family and colleagues, you will build authentic nurturing and supportive relationships which will contribute to your social wellness. Having the ability to share information about yourself with another person while creating the opportunity for them to do the same is how deep, meaningful and trusting relationships are built.