Good health is much more than being free of physical weakness and pain symptoms. It embraces conscious, natural choices that contribute to a healthy, harmonious and contented life. It means listening to your inner guidance and making lifestyle changes before you reach a stage of depleted vitality that may impact relationships and lifestyle. There are a number of health-promoting areas to be aware of in order to live a balanced and joyful life:
- Physical health involves good nutrition, regular exercise and preventive care. When out of balance, it is best regained by looking for a root cause rather than how to suppress any one symptom.
- Emotional health is feeling good about yourself and your life. It includes awareness and acknowledgement of our feelings, how we express, our relationships and causes of stress….enabling us to make adjustments at early onset
- Mental health entails noticing where your thoughts are and how they make you feel. It includes how you feel about your responses which are the only thing you can rely on controlling
- Spiritual health is seeking a meaning to our life and all life that is part of the web of existence. It includes finding the philosophy that resonates to your understanding of a higher purpose in life. It is not necessarily linked to a religious affiliation. Spiritual wellness leads to tolerance of self and of others, to respect of all life and its right to be.
- Intellectual wellness involves learning, creativity and finding solutions or options to cope with various circumstances. This is a life-long process that inspires us to explore new horizons within our interests and is part of why life need never become a stagnant experience
- Social wellness involves taking part in our community, exploring different situations and skills, feeling comfortable in social situations and permitting yourself options for new experiences
- Occupational wellness is our attitude to work and our work relationships. It includes finding balance between work and leisure
The wide range of preventive care available today allows more personal influence over our health. While our parents often considered self-care as a luxury, it is recognized today as an empowering practise to maintain well-being. Various therapies and workshops may expand our receptivity to use of nurturing forms of natural care, expand recognition of stress and options for early management, or help us learn more appropriate responses to de-fuse distressful reactions. In short, there’s much to experience in making the journey fun!
