Wellness is an encompassing term of many things and means more than being free of disease (which is the medical definition of health). In other words, you can be healthy but not well. Wellness is a dynamic process of change and growth in order to live a higher quality and more meaningful life. It can be viewed as a self-proclaimed state of satisfaction with one's life.
Wellness is often associated with the term "holistic", meaning care of the body, mind, and soul. Well-being or wellness is a state about striking a balance of the above areas and also includes intellectual or cognitive, emotional, social, environmental, cultural, occupational, and financial arenas.
Wellness aims at restoring the power of sustenance for the body, mind, and spirit to add meaning, peace, and contentment to one's life and purpose on earth. Some other associated terms can include wholeness, vigor, robustness, welfare, strength, sanity, serenity, joy, and blessedness. Expressing or acknowledging gratitude on a daily basis is a key component of serenity, wellness, and well-being.
Self-care and making health and our lives a priority is the first step and an essential part of wellness. It all starts with us making the time and the right choices and incorporating them into our lives.
The Nursing Holistic/Wellness/Prevention Connection: Florence Nightengale, the founder of the science and discipline of Nursing was the author and true originator of this concept of holistic care when she cared for Tuberculosis patients and insisted that the dark dingy patient ward throw open the windows permitting sunshine and fresh air to enter. This ultimately decreased TB spread among patients, increased the emotional and spiritual vitality of patients, allowed fresh air and sunshine into the sick ward, uplifted spirits and limited the further spread of TB. It also gave patients the opportunity to physically AND emotionally feel better and truly experience care of the body, mind, and spirit. Nurse Practitioners' have continued in this tradition and have been the true creators and guardians of Holistic and Preventative Health, unlike physicians that typically just treat symptoms and diseases.
There's a proven link between physical, emotional, and spiritual health and the way you feel and function each and every day. Making changes can be difficult as we humans are creatures of habit and comfort. Because of this, we offer life and health coaching and support as part of your well-woman visit as well as a separate service.
Eve can help you prioritize, make decisions and identify your particular goals acknowledging your unique medical, lifestyle, and personal issues and beliefs. We focus on mental health and positive transformational psychology in combination with other modalities such as meditation and mindfulness among others we offer on campus. Positive thinking and willingness to change are the keys to the kingdom of health and wellness. Self-esteem and how we feel about ourselves are an integral part of how we take care of ourselves. Women Wise and Enlightened Women Rising can offer individualized counseling and coaching for all aspects of women’s lives and well-being in order to live our happiest, healthiest, most satisfying lives. We only get one trip around in life. There’s no dress rehearsal; This is it!! Carpe Diem! See more info re: "Ways of Wellness"
WAYS OF WELLNESS:
1. Physical Wellness: "Your body is your temple". Treat it as such (with holy unabashed love and kindness). It is the vessel that houses your soul. Make good choices & "marshal one's self", Think LONGEVITY/healthy aging.
- Eat fresh, healthy foods, limit food additives and toxins, and partake in organic food sources when possible. Eat plant-based meals 3-4x/week and as low to the bottom of the food chain as possible.
- Get 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise preferably daily, but minimally 3-5x/week. (walking briskly works just fine)
- Add resistance/ weight training to keep strength, muscle tone and to keep up activities of daily living.
- Make sleep and good sleep hygiene a priority and regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep/night. Awaken and retire at the same time daily.
- Schedule doctor/dentist and other regular health care providers for routine screening.
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and recreational drugs.
2. Intellectual Wellness: Stimulate and expand your mind and neuroplasticity.
- Read books on topics/interests you want to learn more about.
- Try new hobbies like photography, playing an instrument, learning chess or bridge.
- Play Suduko, do crossword puzzles.
- Attend unmatriculated college classes.
- Join a book club to discuss issues, and share ideas/evaluations regarding the author's message. and themes
3. Social Wellness: Our relationships with the people in our everyday lives.
- Enhance relationships with family, friends, counselors and community members.
- Join a community or special interest group.
- Volunteer
- Attend services at your house of worship physically or virtually.
4. Emotional Wellness: The first step of wellness is acknowledging feelings.
- Share feelings openly with a trusted friend.
- Acknowledge our own feelings without judgment.
- Journal to decrease overwhelm and clarify feelings, needs and wants.
- Practice Yoga, Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing, Tai Chi
- Spend time walking outdoors. Research has proven that walking outdoors increases feelings of wellness and decreases anxiety and overwhelm, versus indoor exercise.
- Join a support group in person or online.
- De-stress with meditation and practice mindfulness.
- Spend time with pets.
5. Spiritual Wellness: Connect with the Universe and our place and purpose in life to find peace, contentment and happiness.
- Practice Gratitude. It is the key to happiness and health. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Spend free time without distraction allows our brains to freely associate and acknowledge and question our purpose in life, our beliefs, principles, values and priorities. This gives us time to daydream which allows for creativity, lofty, profound, esoteric thoughts and "ah ha" inspirational, peaceful and gratitude moments.
- Have discussions with those with whom you can share beliefs without judgment.
- Spend time, engaging in moving and non-moving meditation and reflection.
- Spending time alone reflecting, allows our brains to freely associate and tap into creative thoughts.
- Attend your house of worship.
- Spend as much time as possible outside. Nature puts our place on earth and our life in perspective.
- Spend time with pets.
- Engage in meaningful organizations and activities.
6. Vocational Wellness: Try to find meaning and purpose in our work and work environment.
- Find a mentor at work or in life, someone that you want to pattern, or emulate in your own way; Someone that inspires you.
- Communicate with colleagues to strengthen relationships.
- Verbalize disappointments and needs at work and bring them to the attention of supervisors.
- Demonstrate your talents, share your self worth with your company. Ask for coaching and mentorship and raises.
7. Financial Wellness: Saving for a rainy day, retirement and life goals.
- PAY YOURSELF FIRST
- Make saving a priority and aim to save 10% of your net income.
- Delay immediate gratification and impulse buys.
- Learn to spend less on groceries by place and store brands. Don't over buy and waste. Buy what you need only. Make a grocery list and meal plan for the week. Buy grocery warehouse prices and split the purchases with family, neighbors and friends to save money and reap benefits.
- Make a budget and stick to it.
- Balance your checkbook or add up credit card receipts so you are aware of monthly spending.
- Try to pay your credit card balances off each month to not incur interest and further debt.
- Wait 24 hours before you make any app or online purchase.
- Declare certain days for NO spending- Make it a full day.
- Review recurring bills and memberships twice yearly and call vendors to ask for discounts and deals. Get rid of what you truly don't need or use to save money.
- Pay down debt.
- Actively save for retirement.
- Have 6 months of emergency savings set aside.
8. Environmental Wellness: Creating a peaceful home environment and leaving the world a little better than we found it by reducing our carbon footprint. Mother Earth needs our help more than ever for her and future generations' survival.
- Reduce, declutter reuse, repurpose and recycle when possible.
- Donate unwanted items to habit for humanity, salvation army and homeless shelters. Someone else can use them. Someone's trash may be someone's treasure. Keep things out of the trash/landfills when possible.
- Use safe glass and plastic containers. Limit plastic baggies, plastic wrap etc.
- Recycle glass, plastic and paper sorted with your local city/township trash rules.
- Spend time/ appreciate nature in your community. It's free! Pick up litter if you see it.
- Decorate your space in ways you enjoy. Get rid of anything that doesn't bring you joy NOW and discard things you'll "use in the future".
- If you haven't worn or used something in 2 years, get rid of it.
- Have a rule, if you bring something new into the house, you must get rid of another item.
- Buy energy star appliances and geothermal heat pumps and solar roofing when possible.
- Limit water, lower electricity use with LED lighting, lower thermostat and dress in layers. Do cold wash, use a rain barrel for outside watering, compost food, grass and leaf waste.
- Buy used, repurposed furniture and clothing. They are often better quality and cost less.
- Take public transportation when possible. Buy a hybrid or electric vehicle.
- Limit your throwaways and carbon footprint. Get creative. Repurpose!!
- Be mindful that Mother Earth's resources are NOT limitless!!!. Treat her with love and care. She's all we've got!!.