Wellness is more than doing the right things. Complete wellness encompasses all dimensions in our lives—this includes emotional wellness. We can do the right things and still suffer with debilitating anxiety or depression. Science continues to discover tightly woven connections between our physical well-being, feelings and thoughts. Each of these aspects contribute to overall wellness. Over the past couple decades I immersed myself in the literature regarding the psychology of wellness. While my research continues, I am beginning to get a grasp on the foundational concepts of wellness. Explore the many pages, detailing my discoveries.
When our lives feel out of whack, we must not only examine single causes but multiple causes that interact in unhealthy ways. T. Franklin Murphy wrote, “our conscious involvement in living demands much more. We want to live and live well. We want to flourish, experiencing aliveness, and meaning. This aliveness–wellbeing—demands more than food in our bellies, a protective roof over our head, and sex” (Murphy, 2018).
”Wellness is the compete integration of body, mind, and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of well-being.”
~Greg Anderson
Vast Libraries of Research on Wellness
A vast field of research examines countless theories. As lay investigators, hoping to just feel well, we can only grasp a few of the topics included in the psychology of wellness. We don’t need to know it all. But we do need to understand some of the science behind happiness, wellness and flourishing if we desire change.
A large section of wellness psychology measures wellness through Subjective wellbeing (SWB). The term “subjective wellbeing…refers to the levels of positive affect, low levels of negative affect, and a high degree of overall life satisfaction” (2015). However, wellness is a broad topic, refusing to be defined so easily. Philosophers, religious leaders, and the guy in the cube next to ours at work all have their opinion on how to live happier and better.
Our immense task is to sift through the mass of information and individually discover what works best for us.
Wellness is a Skill, Focusing on Key Areas
As we expand our knowledge and practices, we grow. We experience flourishing. We move from simple existence to the fullness of life. A well-rounded approach lifts us above the pettiness and we transcend our current state of being.
At Psychology Fanatic, we have spent thousands of hours exploring the psychological theories of wellness, writing hundreds of articles expanding on the topics. While we don’t believe in a step-by-step approach for wellness, we do believe that wellness proceeds from attending to key areas in our lives.
- Physical health
- Emotional stability
- Healthy Relationships
- Sufficient Material Resources
Many psychologists list eight domains of wellness. Our wellness, then, comes from integrating many areas of life, finding life balance. These eight domains are:
- Emotional,
- Physical,
- Spiritual,
- Social,
- Intellectual,
- Occupational,
- Financial,
- and Environmental.
Balance and Compensation
When our lives lag in any of these areas, our wellness suffers. Sometimes, we have no choice but to compensate when any single area falls short. We can work through these imbalance and still enjoy wellness. Compensatory skills can make up for areas where we lack. However, they also may confuse mastering new skills. We can find balance. We can find joy. And we can flourish.
”The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”
~Abraham Maslow
Please explore our wide selection of articles as you journey towards a better life.
References:
Lambert, Louise; Passmore, Holli-Anne; Holder, Mark D. (2015). Foundational Frameworks of Positive Psychology: Mapping Well-Being Orientations. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 56(3), 311-321. DOI: 10.1037/cap0000033
Murphy, T. Franklin (2018). Nine Pillars of Wellbeing. Psychology Fanatic. Published 3-20-2018. Accessed 10-19-2023.
Ramprasad, Gayathri (2014). The Eight Dimensions of Wellness. Psychology Today. Published 11-19-2014. Accessed 10-19-2023.
