We all want it. Or more of it. And we even have a fair idea of what it is and how we might attain it. We really do. The reality is that folks understand health and wellness quite well – better than you might imagine. [Of course, understanding and taking action are not the same, but that is another story.] Even so, every now and again, it really does help to review things. To recap. To confirm or maybe augment understandings. That sort of thing is what this article is about: we think that most of you know most of this. But we’d bet that few of you know all of this, and very few have considered and or optimised all of what follows (in fairness, such an ambitious goal is probably impossible). So, let’s take a look at the most important dimension of wellness…..

Physical. Looking after your body. This is the stuff we tend to focus on, quite a lot. Even if results are mixed.

Intellectual. Asking questions. Learning. Building and sharing knowledge. Getting smarter. Getting wiser.

Emotional. Understanding and managing feelings. In ourselves and in others. Being positive.

Social. Engaging with and enjoying others like family, friends, neighbours, etc. Getting involved in community.

Spiritual. Having a sense of purpose or deeper meaning in life. May involve religion or not.

Vocational. Finding and maintaining work that is satisfying and adequately rewarding.

Financial. Understanding money and having a sound financial plan. Finding balance between discipline and gratification. Being able to honestly and personally answer questions like “How much will you sacrifice for money?” and “How much money is enough money?”.

Environmental. Appreciating your immediate and wider surroundings. Looking after the environment you live in as best you can. Trying to promote and build a healthier planet where you can.

Some of these may be more important than others. For you. And this may well change and evolve over time as you grow and age and (hopefully) learn. The goal here is not really to master each area. That’s very ambitious. Overly ambitious really. Better to consider each area and be honest with yourself about how important it is. To you. And then: what you are willing and able to change or improve?…..there begins an excellent internal conversation you should have…..and once you have done that you might think about writing down a few priorities or goals….now you are on a path to wellness…..now, try measuring your progress in some sensible way…..then, repeat, for life…..

Written by Dr Colin Burns