Wellness is a unique, lifelong process that involves a conscious effort of making choices to prevent stress and illness. It is a commitment to striving to possess a positive outlook on life no matter what challenges and hardships come our way. The info below will get you started thinking about wellness and from there it’s all about you figuring out what wellness (a.k.a. wehlness) means to you.

One definition of wellness that we like:

Wellness is...

• a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential
• multidimensional and holistic, encompassing lifestyle, mental and spiritual well-being, and the environment
• positive and affirming

Source: National Wellness Institute

Wellness is made up of multiple components (or kinds of wehlness) that are interrelated, everyone can agree on that. Some theories and models may just split them up differently. No matter how you slice it, we need to nourish all of our components in order to enhance our quality of life and reach our full potential. At Wehl, we define wehlness using 6 components and we encourage you to develop habits in each to live at your very best.

Below, you can find examples of what each Wehlness component includes:

physical activity  •  healthy eating  •  maintaining a healthy body weight  •  proper hydration •  improving gut health  •  getting quality sleep  •  reducing sedentary behaviour  •  personal safety  •  seeking professional care as needed  •  avoiding harmful behaviours such as smoking, drug use, and excessive alcohol intake

mental well-being  •  emotional well-being  •  stress reduction and prevention  •  coping with challenges and setbacks  •  work-life balance  •  vacation time  •  self-awareness  •  self-reflection  •  self-worth  •  self-esteem  •  creativity  •  expanding knowledge  •  keeping an open mind  •  intellectual growth  •  problem-solving  •  evaluating information  •  challenging your mind  •  setting goals  •  meditation  •  mindfulness  •  awareness and acceptance of feelings and emotions  •  happiness  •  positive self-talk  •  respect  •  forgiveness  •  trust

living to fulfill one’s purpose  •  identifying and acting according to the values and beliefs that direct one’s life  •  making decisions that align with your personal moral compass  •  experiencing and showing love  •  feeling inward peace  •  working to create peace in the world  •  finding meaning in life  •  believing you are here for a reason  •  connecting with God  •  being in relationship with a higher being  •  practicing faith and religion  •  focusing on the needs of others  •  living in harmony with others  •  practicing daily gratitude  •  belonging to a community

participating in paid and unpaid work that is meaningful and rewarding  •  working at a job that is consistent with our personal values  •  self-evaluation  •  challenging ourselves to learn new skills  •  being a lifelong learner  •  upgrading skills  •  using and sharing talents  •  working well with others  •  contributing to group goals  •  making informed decisions  •  feeling enjoyment and satisfaction in work  •  mastering mundane tasks  •  making decisions to promote financial wellness  •  achieving good work-life balance

caring for our planet  •  respecting the relationship between the health of our planet and our own health  •  improving our indoor environments (e.g. homes  •  offices  •  schools  •  churches)  •  avoiding toxic chemicals  •  avoiding second-hand smoke  •  minimizing exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMFs)  •  making sustainable and eco-friendly decisions  •  spending time in nature  •  gardening  •  growing our own food  •  buying local and seasonal  •  using non-toxic cleaning and personal care products  •  reducing waste  •  upcycling  •  cleaning up litter  •  conserving water and energy

positively contributing to society and improving our world  •  helping others  •  creating community  •  giving back  •  volunteering  •  fundraising  •  maintaining relationships  •  enhancing friendships  •  spending quality time with family  •  being a good colleague and neighbour  •  caring for pets  •  travelling  •  experiencing other cultures  •  togetherness  •  kindness  •  harmony  •  peace  •  interacting in meaningful social networks

Remember, the ideas above are only examples. You determine for yourself how to interpret the different components of wellness and incorporate them into your life. There will always be overlap between the components because that’s the way we’re built.

Wellness means different things to different people and everyone is on a different journey – unique to them! It’s all about figuring out where you are and what your goals are and moving forward with your wehlness habits one day at a time!