What is wellness? It’s not about just avoiding getting sick or trying to stay physically healthy although that is one element of it. Wellness is a more holistic approach to life, meaning that you feel as though you are in a good state emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, as well as physically. That’s a general definition, but ultimately, what wellness means is going to be a little bit different for every individual.
Identify What Matters
While everyone generally wants to feel happy in life, what will bring that happiness varies from person to person. Some are happiest when they work at a job that they find fully engaging. They might define their identity to a large extent based on the work they do. Others like nothing more than a job that they can forget about the minute they walk out the door so that they can reduce stress and get on with the things that really matter to them.
This is essentially a question of whether you live to work or work to live. There are many other sets of values and lifestyle choices for which people have very different preferences. For some, having a family is very important. Some want a large circle of friends while others prefer just a few connections. There’s no right or wrong answer to what should matter for you but knowing what you need to be happy is essential.
Get More of What You Need
Once people have identified what really matters to them most in life, they are often surprised to find how little time they spend pursuing that thing. A person might value having artistic outlet but always put off the urge to draw or make music because of other obligations. Your next step after knowing what you need is figure out how to get more of it in your life.
Sometimes, you might need to overcome obstacles. If you’ve decided that you need an elevator in your home, which can make it safer and more comfortable if you or a family member struggles with stairs, you may find that residential elevator costs could be up to $50,000. You might need to take out a loan to cover those costs or shop around to see if that price tag is the same with all vendors.
Go to the Experts
When you’re optimizing your life for maximum wellness, don’t be afraid to go straight to professionals who can help you figure out how to make the most of what you have. A financial professional can help you get your finances in order and make better use of your money, including investing. A dietician is an expert in nutrition who can design a better eating plan for you. If your job is getting you down but you don’t know what else you want to do instead, a career coach might point you in a new direction. There are even coaches who specialize in wellness in general if you’re not sure where to start but you’d like to make some changes.
