Wheel of Wellness:
A Visual Guide for Cultivating a Balanced Life
Exploring the Dimensions of the Wellness Wheel
The wellness wheel is an insightful tool designed to guide individuals towards holistic well-being. It identifies eight dimensions of wellness and offers insight as to which areas of our lives may need some extra attention and care.
Each dimension of the wellness wheel is interconnected, meaning that an imbalance in one aspect can affect overall well-being.
How to Set Wellness Goals & Create a Plan
Setting wellness goals involves assessing all eight dimensions of wellness in your life and identifying areas that require improvement. Reflect on your current imbalances and ask yourself why they may exist. By understanding the root causes, you can develop a practical action plan. It's essential to start small, making gradual adjustments in each category to achieve balance and enhance your overall well-being.
Physical Wellness
Physical wellness pertains to the state of your body's health, encompassing aspects like physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and medical care. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and routine check-ups are essential components of physical wellness.
Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness focuses on understanding and managing our emotions effectively. It empowers us to adapt to life's challenges and stress. Prioritizing emotional wellness can involve practices like self-care, reaching out to a support network, speaking to a therapist when needed, managing stress, and setting boundaries/saying no when necessary.
Intellectual Wellness
Intellectual wellness revolves around lifelong learning and expanding your knowledge. It encourages curiosity, creativity, and mental agility. Engaging in activities like reading, staying informed about current issues, learning, or working on problem solving can fall into this category.
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness delves into your beliefs, values, and ethical compass that guide your actions. It invites introspection, explores your life's purpose, and seeks peace through spiritual practices or mindfulness. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC, a Talkspace therapist, suggests these tips for prioritizing your spiritual wellness:
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness involves the impact of your surroundings on your overall well-being. From your home environment to the global scale, your physical/external surroundings affect your mood and lifestyle. Environmental wellness involves aspects such as safe and secure housing, and actions like decluttering, recycling, and creating spaces conducive to positive emotions.
Social Wellness
Social wellness pertains to the quality of your relationships with others and the strength of your support network. Healthy social wellness helps combat feelings of isolation, stress, and depression. Nurturing relationships, being open to new connections, setting boundaries, and even limiting exposure to news/social media are essential for social well-being.
Occupational Wellness
Occupational (and/or educational) wellness focuses on work satisfaction and its impact on your life. Aligning your career with your goals are key aspects of this dimension. Maintaining work/life balance, fostering social connections with coworkers, seeking feedback from mentors/supervisors, and burnout prevention (such as the ability to take mental health days) are all aspects of this dimension.
Financial Wellness
Financial wellbeing is an essential dimension that considers financial health and stability. It involves various aspects of your financial life, such as income, budgeting, savings, and debt management. Maintenance can include making informed decisions, budgeting effectively, having an emergency fund, consulting with a financial advisor, and planning for short and long-term financial goals.