We usually associate beginnings and new resolutions with the New Year. Maybe a more appropriate time for new beginnings is early Spring. We see all the trees beginning to bud and the daffodils, tulips and hyacinth starting to peek out of the ground. It is an invigorating time of year and a good time to connect with the positive energy of renewal.
In the spirit of spring and renewal I’ve decided to devote a series of blogs to Wellness. I will be discussing the elements of wellness, and taking you on a journey through something we call the dimensions of wellness.
The foundation of what I will be sharing with you in the next weeks is based on the landmark work of John W. Travis, MD, MPH who created the first wellness center in the USA in 1975. Dr. Travis was the first to conceive of a whole-person assessment which has evolved into the Wellness Program based on the Wellness Inventory.
He was also one of the first to recognize that wellness is more than our physical health, eating right and exercising enough and that our mental and emotional state also play significantly into our overall well-being.
Bon Voyage!
I hope that you will find this journey through the concepts of Wellness (we’ll cover 12 of them) and the wellness dimensions motivating. Will they spur you to create wellness in your own life?
You know, wellness in many ways has become a catch phrase in our world. Unfortunately for many years wellness was identified as being the absence of disease. As our culture moves towards a better understanding of wellness and well-being we are coming to understand that wellness is much more than that.
Wellness is now synonymous with energy, vitality and our quality of life. It means waking up with joy in your heart and sense of purpose.
The new wellness movement tells us that health and well-being exist on a continuum and that Wellness is not so much where you are on the continuum but really which direction you are facing.
What that means is that you can take control of your journey into wellness by being willing to look at the elements that compose the complete spectrum of well-being.
To start, where do you see yourself on this continuum?
As you see , the wellness journey on the continuum is a horizontal journey towards well-being. The idea that Dr. Travis introduced was the understanding that wellness is more than a horizontal journey on the continuum of wellness but also a vertical journey to understanding what is below the surface.
Health may only be what you see on the surface but true wellness encompasses the elements that we don’t see and, just like an iceberg, supports what is above the water.
In my upcoming blogs I will be talking about the energy system that supports the whole person wellness, and also each of the 12 dimensions of wellness.
Need more help? If you feel limited by your life, or like you just can’t get out of your own way, please contact me for additional one-on-one life coaching sessions. Together, we’ll explore what’s blocking you from living the life you’ve always wanted.
Dr. Ines K. Roe has been helping people in transition rediscover themselves for nearly 30 years. If you’ve been feeling unfulfilled, are frustrated with your sense of accomplishment in life, or simply need guidance on your path to holistic well-being, work with her today.
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[…] with the series of blogs on Wellness, this post will begin the focus on the 12 dimensions of wellness and the idea that everything is […]
This is great food for thought. i took the tour and I am intrigued. Certainly we could all look at our wellness and do better. Thanks so much!
I like the graphic of the iceberg. That’s informative and persuasive. I like the pie chart on the inventory page. What a great, holistic view of wellness. You are doing good work.
This makes so much sense. Thank you. It’s sometimes fairly easy to look healthy on the surface, despite what’s happening below. You never really know about others… and sometimes not even ourselves. Time to take better stock of my wellness.
looking forward to the journey
The continuum concept really resonated for me, so thanks for this.