August is National Wellness Month! As someone born in August, I cannot think of a better month for me personally to celebrate wellness! As I approach another birthday, I am reminded how fortunate I am to be healthy and to be able to do the things I enjoy without much effort. Even though August is half over, there’s still time to celebrate wellness, not just for the remainder of the month, but throughout the entire year!
If you ask a dozen people what wellness means, you might get just as many different answers. Let’s look at a few definitions so we have a shared understanding. Miriam Webster defines wellness as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” Dictionary.com defines wellness as”1. The quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort. 2. An approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.” And the Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” Notice they all mention actively seeking or pursuing activities to achieve the goal of wellness, which is largely a result of the choices and decisions we intentionally make.
You might be thinking, that’s easier said than done, and you aren’t necessarily wrong. There are situations that can impact our ability to make healthy choices like the physical, social, and cultural environments in which we live. If you live in an area with access to fresh food, it’s easier to make healthier diet/nutrition choices. When you socialize in areas that are safe and accessible, you are more likely to be active. If your culture values mental health, spirituality, and/or emotional health, it is easier to make choices that support wellness. While some situations often beyond our control make it more difficult, YOU can make choices and decisions that improve your overall wellness.
Depending on the source, the number of wellness dimensions can range from 6 to 12. I will use SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) eight dimensions of wellness. SAMHSA notes “more than the absence of disease or stress, wellness involves having: purpose in life; active involvement in satisfying work and play; joyful relationships; a healthy body and living environment; and happiness. Wellness incorporates many dimensions of health, each of which is interconnected within an individual’s total well-being.” SAMHSA’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness are: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.
As you think about the different dimensions of wellness, determine which ones you are satisfied with and ones you are not. Continue doing the things that have helped you. For the ones you would like to improve, look at suggestions you might be willing and able to do to help improve those areas. Start with one or two that you would like to improve most or first and think about choices and decisions you are willing to change in order to improve those areas. As you see improvements, maybe consider adding things in other areas you want to improve. Don’t forget to celebrate your strong areas! Too often we focus on deficits and forget to celebrate strengths! If you feel like you can benefit from expert help, consider reaching out to someone who specializes in the area you want to improve.
What do you do to achieve wellness?
Sources:
Creating a healthier life. (n.d.-a). https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma16-4958.pdf
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Wellness definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/wellness
Harmon, M. (2024a, May 16). Moving mindfully. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/02/18/moving-mindfully-2/
Harmon, M. (2024b, May 17). Spring cleaning, it does The mind good. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2023/05/05/spring-cleaning-it-does-the-mind-good/
Heer, W. B. C. J., Marrison, W. B. E., WRITTEN BY: Dr. Roseanne E. Scammahorn, Jones, W. B. L., & Scammahorn, W. B. Dr. R. (2021, November 5). Home. Live Smart Ohio. https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/category/money/page/3/
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Wellness definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wellness
Promoting wellness guide. (n.d.-b). https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma16-4957.pdf
Stoewen, D. L. (2017, August). Dimensions of Wellness: Change Your Habits, change your life. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022, August 8). Emotional wellness toolkit. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, January 4). Environmental wellness toolkit. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/environmental-wellness-toolkit
What is wellness?. Global Wellness Institute. (2023, August 21). https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/what-is-wellness/
Writer: Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.416@osu.edu
Reviewer: Ryan Kline, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development and Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County, kline.375@osu.edu