Wellness... What is it?

The word "wellness" is often used without much explanation, yet it represents a broad and multifaceted concept that is unique to each person.

Is wellness simply the state of being happy?
Is it the feeling of being calm?

Consider what occurred just before those feelings of happiness or calmness—what specific actions or circumstances contributed to that sense of well-being?

Individuality plays a crucial role in wellness. What brings happiness and calm to one person may not have the same effect on another. When someone is encouraged to try something that works for someone else, the unfamiliarity alone can create discomfort or anxiety, moving them further from a state of happiness or calm. Recognizing these differences is essential when exploring personal wellness.

Sliding scale:
A sliding scale is a way to measure how close or far we are from a certain boundary, with the goal of staying centered and balanced. In terms of wellness, these boundaries represent the things we react to or ignore while working toward specific goals. The center of the scale is where balance and maintenance occur. However, daily life often disrupts this balance, and the more these imbalances are overlooked, the further we drift from the center. Over time, this can lead to moodiness, irritability, difficulty sleeping, trouble thinking clearly or making decisions, challenges with socializing, decreased focus at work, and even strained relationships. Self-care becomes harder to maintain. When balance is lost, the body’s optimal functioning is affected—organs, circulation, vision, hearing, digestion, appetite, and sleep can all suffer. Even the skin may begin to show visible signs of distress.

Holistic:
This term is also often thrown around but it is almost never totally understood. 
Holistic technically means the end result of connecting parts. It's like a puzzle! What pieces are needed to complete that puzzle?

A human requires 5 basic inherent needs to survive...

• Food
• Water
• Shelter
• Clothing
• Sleep

But what if within those 5 inherent needs, there is an imbalance of the additional factors that help a person to feel well in their individual self? Each of the 5 categories is not one size fits all. We obtain stimuli from each of the following…

• Scents
• Visuals
• Textures
• Lighting
• Temperature
• Sounds
• Tones
• Time
• Social  
• Flavours
• Composition
• Exposure
• Emotions
• Mood
• Security 
• Location 
• Religion/Beliefs
• Spirituality
• Hygiene
• Digestion 
• Sleep 
• Economic status 

When the stimuli from those categories pair together, but are not complimentary to one another, we end up in a rut. Lets look a little further by using a case study scenario

Kelly is a 45 year old woman who is on her journey to Wellness, she has given some information about herself: 

• Chemical- takes medication for her thyroid
• Composition- bedding must be soft
• Digestion- has a fussy stomach
• Economic- works as a receptionist, low income
• Emotion- she is easily anxious with new feelings so avoids the unfamiliar
• Environmental Exposure- does not like wind in her face or hair
• Flavours- prefers sweet foods
• Hygiene- must be showered daily including washing hair to feel clean
• Lighting- cant focus well with dim lighting
• Location- does not like to venture too far away from home
• Mood- usually low mood
• Physical- has lower back pain
• Religion/Beliefs- no religion, does not follow
• Scent- overly sensitive to all smells
• Security- needs to be in her own home to feel secure
• Sleep- needs minimum 6 hours sleep
• Social- does not like crowds
• Sounds- sensitive to loud sounds
• Spirituality- believes in the union of mind and body
• Temperature- hates the cold
• Textures – requires all her clothing to be cotton, sensitive skin
• Time- prefers the day to the night if interacting with people
• Tones- she is triggered by shouting or yelling
• Visuals-  cant stand items out of place or clutter

So if I wanted to help Kelly and suggested that in the middle of winter she get out more, attend an RnB concert straight after work in the city, there’s a $100 entry fee, she gets to socialise with people her age at a local pub that has cheese stuffed chicken schnitzels and beer on tap…. I highly doubt I will be doing Kelly any good and she certainly won’t be achieving wellness. Funny though, she said most of the people at her work would love to go.

Perhaps it isn’t the suggestion that’s the issue, it may very well be the ASSUMPTION that a suggestion is warranted. Did anyone think to ask Janet what SHE WANTS? If these are all the things we know about her, why are we not adjusting to it to make her feel in control of what she needs to feel well?

Now I ask YOU questions….Of the categories I wrote above,

·       What are YOUR needs as per each?

·       Do you feel the people around you or even yourself acknowledges them all?

·       Do you feel one of more of those categories is almost never addressed properly?

·       Do you feel perhaps one category misaligns with another intermittently during the week and by Friday you’re mentally drained?

·       Do you feel your needs are similar to someone you know or completely different?

It is impossible to assume that fixing only one of those categories is going to help! The mental exhaustion that comes at the end of the week stems from several factors where dismissal of those imbalances occurred more than once and likely, multiple at one time, ignored entirely.
We don’t dismiss on purpose of course, it is a way of life, we must get things done and get on with the day but at some point in your life you must observe and acknowledge that you as the individual have needs that must be met too. Ever heard the saying ‘if you look after yourself you can look after others better’. I’m a nurse and I rarely practice this until I feel the burnout coming- but the way to fix it is to be AWARE that you may be feeling off, emotional, tired, grumpy, sad, flat and even resentment toward your daily duties (I’m a mum too and this part hit close to home for me) you’re a human and humans are a complex creature.

Don’t wait for others to align your categories.
Take action with little bits here and there everyday and give yourself the opportunity to thrive in wellness like you deserve! 

Diversity is so important because it allows opportunity for everyone to access the little things they need to feel well. Wellness is and always will be Holistic !!

Resources
Have you heard of Maslow?  ----> https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html