Wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” – The World Health Organization.
Wellness is the conscious development of the whole self
Irrespective of a person’s age, size, shape or status, it is wellness that is the cornerstone of one’s quality of life. It determines how we ultimately look, feel, interact with others and thrive in life and work.
Embarking on a wellness journey is a process of searching for the appropriate “tools” to make you a healthier and happier human being, plus discovering your own effective methods to use these “tools” for continued growth and development.
Global Wellness Day
With the slogan “One day can change your whole life,” we celebrate Global Wellness Day on the second Saturday of June every year as an International day.
Global Wellness Day is an entirely not-for-profit day, a social project dedicated to living well. The purpose of Global Wellness Day is to ask the question, even if for just one day, “How can I live a healthier and better life?”, to direct the thoughts of both individuals and society towards “living well” and to raise awareness.
The main aims of the day are:
• ↓To recognize the value of our lives
• ↓To pause and think, even if for just one day of the year
• ↓To be free from the stress of everyday city life and bad habits
• ↓To make peace with ourselves
• ↓To raise awareness about living well and increase motivation, not just for today, but for the remaining 364 days of the year
COVID-19 impacted Wellbeing
During the pandemic, opportunities to be social were diminished impacting negatively on our wellbeing. Anxieties were amplified and depression became the most debilitating health problem in the world. This problem is often manifested in the form of insomnia, stress, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, and heart disease.
In this edition of Health Plus we join the Global Community in placing the spotlight on WELLNESS. We share proven tools and tips to navigate your Social Wellness, reduce stress and optimize your Selfcare and Wellbeing. We also look at checkpoints to improve the social connections within your family and your community, creating long lasting, positive healthy habits. (Page 2)
Financial Distress
The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes financial stress as the leading cause of unhealthy behaviours like smoking, weight gain, and alcohol and drug abuse. Other behaviours linked to financial stress are gambling and overextending credit balances. Each time an individual turns to these temporary stress relievers, the APA concludes that the stress returns and often at even greater intensity. This special edition of Health Plus also looks at strategies to nurture your Financial Wellness. (Page 7)
Take Stock of
Where You Are
– Oprah Winfrey
Before you can get to where you want to be, it helps to understand where you are. Just as you check your bank balance to know where your finances stand, you should assess aspects of your health.
To help you take stock of the various parts of your health and life that add up to overall wellness, Oprah Winfrey, a known Wellness Advocate have created a set of questions to ask yourself about your body, mind, and spirit. Answer truthfully about where you actually now are, not where you wish you could be, she emphasizes.
Nutrition:
Are you eating a lot of vegetables and fruits, and avoiding prepackaged fare as much as possible? Are your portion sizes moderate? Are you drinking sufficient water throughout the day?
Movement:
Do you incorporate movement into your daily actions, such as by taking the stairs and getting up from your desk chair if you’re sitting too long? Are you exercising for at least two and a half hours each week? When you wake up in the morning, do you feel rested?
Emotions and stress:
Are you managing stressful situations in a healthy way, rather than by drinking, smoking, overeating, or using other compensating behaviours? Can you process difficult feelings or do you run from them? Are you sensitive enough to notice how other people in your life are feeling?
Learning:
Are you curious to discover new things, people, and places? Are you engaged in activities that challenge your mind? And when new information comes to you, are you able to change your mind or do you remain obstinate?
Work:
Does the work you do line up with your values? Do you still care about the quality of your output, or is your job simply about the paycheck?
Relationships:
Do you spend enough time with other people, especially those who bring out your best qualities? Are your relationships satisfying to you? And — a big one for women — are you not ruled by your need to please?
Purpose:
Are your life choices giving you meaning? Do you feel connected to something larger than you? Are you excited about each new day?
Positive and Proactive Framework
Wellness requires primarily positive perspectives and values by which to live. It also requires a strong sense of purpose and conscious, deliberate action. These are our starting assumptions, and they have stood well through time. However, they provide merely a simple framework. What you put inside that framework is totally up to you.