As a kid, did you ever play the game Barrel of Monkeys? If you did, then you might remember how difficult it was to keep the monkeys all connected. Especially if the grip each monkey had on one another was not as secure as it could be. Now, think of all those monkeys as aspects of your wellness in the mind-body connection.
Wellness consists of emotional, physical, social, spiritual, intellectual and environmental health. Each of these areas are the linked monkeys in the barrel that is your body. Check out some small steps forward to improving each area of wellness:
Emotional. Emotional wellness consists of your personal thoughts and feelings and how you connect with this aspect is what gives you your mental balance. Here are a few tips to improve your emotional well-being:
- Journal your thoughts and feelings
- Talk with a friend
- Take advantage of the things that make you smile, laugh, feel good
- Take a moment to count your blessings
Physical. Food and fitness is a part of physical wellness, but it’s also much more than that – sleep, stress management strategies, and drugs & alcohol, to name a few. Physical health refers to having habits that support healthy bodily functions and longevity. Some tips to get started:
- Get more sleep
- Find enjoyable (sports, weightlifting, dance, walking/jogging with your dog)
- Take a bath put on a face mask, or find other forms of self care
- Eat more fruits and veggies
- Drink less alcohol
Social. Social wellness is just like it might sound, which is maintaining healthy relationships for yourself and with others. Get started with some of these ideas:
- Sign up for school activities or sports
- Volunteer
- Get festive and carve pumpkins or have a scary movie night with friends
Spiritual. Spiritual wellness revolves around the meaning and purpose that we seek in our life. Enhance your spiritual wellness by picking one of these:
- Pray
- Meditate
- Look for the deeper meanings in things
- Right down daily affirmations for yourself
Intellectual. Your intellectual health consists of the discovery, exploration and wonder you find in life for the sake of learning. Address your intellectual health by trying one of these:
- Listen to podcasts
- Watch a documentary
- Read the news
- Read a book that catches your interest
- Draw/paint
- Do your homework 🙂
- Take a class to improve your knowledge on a certain subject
- Find a new task/skill to learn
Environmental. Lastly, environmental wellness is what encompasses the people, places, and things that give a sense of balance and self-care. Consider improving your environment with one of these small changes:
- Go to the farmers market
- Do your homework out in nature
- Use reusable water bottles and shopping bags
- Keep your room clean
Do a self check. How many of these pieces of wellness pie do you have? Which ones are missing?
While it may seem a bit overwhelming with so many parts that complete the wellness hexagon, just start with one small step forward.
The Web of Wellness
These 6 areas of wellness are all connected (just like the monkeys). Physical wellness will impact the link to emotional, social and spiritual wellness.
Physical wellness begins with the healthy habits you possess in order to take care of your body. Your body will respond regarding how you think and feel with expressing emotions like stress, happiness or sadness, for instance.
Feeling nurtured and loved will contribute to social wellness when building those friendships and relationships in your life.
That can lead to your feeling of belonging and purpose that impacts your spiritual wellness, whether that be finding a connection with the universe, to a higher power or finding your purpose in life.
Spiritual health can link to environmental health as we express gratitude for the amazing outdoors, or consider how our individual environments support the other elements of wellness.
If you’re reading this blog, then you’re filling up your intellectual wellness tank, in an effort to learn and grow.
See how it’s all connected?
Now, take a good hard look at yourself and just pick one area of wellness you’d like to improve. Name one teeny-tiny change and get started. Meet with a UCAN health coach, if you’d like a little help along the way.
Lyndsay Bottoms, Health Coach