What is Wellness?

The word “wellness” can mean many different things to different people. After all, it’s not a word that’s easily defined. Wellness is multidimensional and multifaceted. When we think of wellness in modern times, we might conjure up the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow, using crystals and drinking green juice. While this may be wellness for some, for others it might not. Wellness is extremely subjective, and it varies person to person.

While it may come as a surprise to some, wellness is not simply related to health and exercise. In fact, physical health is a small factor of wellness. Wellness encompasses expression of creativity, finances, relationships, emotions and environment (and the list doesn’t end there).

What does wellness mean to you?

Think back to a time when you felt your healthiest. What did your lifestyle look like? How did you spend your free time? How often were you spending time with family and friends? What were you eating? This might be what wellness is for you. If you felt your healthiest when you were a child, it might be due to lots of time spent outdoors. If you felt your healthiest in college, possibly it’s because you were constantly learning and socializing. Consider the habits that you once had, and see if you can incorporate them into your life today.

Your life doesn’t have to transform over night—In fact it’s probably best if you take small steps toward a big goal. Try interrupting your work day to take a quick walk around the block and see how that impacts your mood. Or you could try meeting a friend for dinner instead of ordering delivery for yourself. Sometimes the seemingly smallest changes are the ones that create the most lasting impact.