1.6 Summary
Key Takeaways
- Wellness is a term and concept that is misused and poorly understood by many.
- Wellness is a complex process of making deliberate choices toward optimal being.
- Though formally conceptualized in the 1950s, wellness has roots in cultures and traditions spanning thousands of years.
- There are eight dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational, and financial) that contribute to optimal being.
- There are many terms used that relate closely to wellness; each has its own distinct focus.
Key Terms
- Wellness: A complex process of making choices toward optimal being.
- Process: A series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular outcome.
- Personal Agency: The ability of an individual to make their own choices and take control of their actions, decisions, and direction in life.
- Physical Wellness: A process of making choices towards the proactive and continual care for your physical body.
- Emotional Wellness: A process of making choices involving identifying, processing, understanding, and constructively expressing emotions.
- Intellectual Wellness: A process of making choices towards learning and broadening one’s worldview.
- Spiritual Wellness: Seeking and cultivating inner peace, harmony, and truth.
- Social Wellness: A process of making choices towards connecting and interacting with people.
- Environmental Wellness: A process of making choices involving the optimization of one’s external surroundings.
- Occupational Wellness: A process of making choices towards finding fulfillment from work.
- Financial Wellness: A process of making choices towards financial freedom and stability in the present and future.
