Mehmet K.Wellness encompasses our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental health. It is a holistic and preventive picture of all that makes us healthy. Dedicating adequate time and effort to our wellness can have great benefits across a number of areas. Personally, I like to incorporate mindfulness, exercise, and proper diet to ensure I have hit all six components of wellness; this is what wellness looks like for me right now.
Utilizing Mindfulness Techniques
Mindfulness is often described as the act of focusing on the present moment, while coming to grips with our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, mindful pauses, and the practice of accepting who you are and treating yourself as you would a friend, can help us achieve both emotional and spiritual wellness. Emotional wellness consists of understanding, accepting, and being able to express our feelings. Think of it as being in touch with your empathetic side, and being able to communicate your feelings in a healthy and palatable way. Spiritual wellness, on the other hand, refers to our search for meaning and purpose in our life. After all, without a goal, without a reason for being, our existence can feel rather empty and unsatisfying.
Personally, I like to practice mindfulness meditation at least once a day. I find a comfortable spot to sit, plant my feet on the floor, and place my hands in my lap. Then, I focus on my breath. I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. I tune out all outside noise and do my best not to be distracted. When my concentration breaks, I simply try again. I do that for about 10-15 minutes at a time, and it truly makes me feel better.
Doing Some Evening Stretching
Getting some exercise before bedtime can actually help you get to sleep more easily. While it may sound like the opposite would be true, tiring yourself out with a nice stretching routine can be of great benefit both to your sleep schedule and your physical fitness. Stretching helps improve your range of motion, burn calories, and keep your muscles active and ready when you need them. Best of all, you can do it for as little or long as you want: the benefits will only improve with time!
Eating Well Without Self-Sabotaging
Taking care of our diet does not mean we have to suffer through eating plates of nothing but raw vegetables and grilled chicken breast for the rest of our lives. However, in addition to the occasional guilty pleasure, we are going to want to make sure we are getting our nutritional needs (such as vitamins and minerals) through our diet. This is a key component of physical wellness, and one we definitely should not neglect.
Strengthening Connections with Family and Friends
Strengthening your social wellness is vitally important. Connecting with others, and building new and existing connections alike, is key to rounding out our overall wellness. Without friends and family to rely on, life’s challenges can seem even more daunting and insurmountable than they otherwise could be. You want a support system in your life, and to be part of that support system for others. Having people to help you, and others to help yourself, will keep you in-tuned with the best of human experience. Make a friend. Keep that friend. Live life to the fullest.
Best of all, when we are surrounded by those we love, our environmental wellness benefits as well. Our positive relationships, both with each other and the planet we live on, give our life meaning and our choices weight. There is no reason to go it alone. Packing along some connections that truly inspire and brighten your lived experience is the way to go.
Conclusion
It is important we take care of ourselves; our personal wellness, which is spread across six disparate but interconnected categories, is a great way of doing just that. If you spend some time each and every day committed to making yourself better, than your life is only going to go uphill from here. If you are interested in other mindfulness, wellness, or lifestyle topics, please check out our other articles on our blog!
