Wellness was once believed to be simply the absence of illness or disease, but this perception is changing. The absence of illness does not mean that you are living your life in a balanced state of well being.
Wellness University understands wellness to be a balanced life. One where you are living life to the fullest by investigating each aspect of wellness and making adjustments that are crucial to your overall well being. This includes all 8 of the areas listed below and many, many more. This is a whole body, holistic, approach to wellness.
The physical dimension of wellness encourages cardiovascular flexibility and strength and also encourages regular, physical activity. Physical development encourages knowledge about food and nutrition and discourages the use of substances that are harmful to your body.
Physical wellness is the ability to apply your knowledge, motivation, commitment, behavior, self management, attitude, and skills toward achieving your personal fitness and health goals. A wise person once said, “Those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” Physical wellness can be maintained by applying the knowledge and skills of sound nutrition, exercise, and safety to everyday life.
The emotional dimension of wellness emphasizes an awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings. Emotional wellness includes the degree to which one feels positive and enthusiastic about oneself and life. It includes the capacity to manage one’s feelings and related behaviors including the realistic assessment of one’s limitations, development of autonomy, and ability to cope effectively with stress. The emotionally well person maintains satisfying relationships with others.
As you travel the wellness path, you’ll begin to believe that – emotionally. It’s better to be aware of and accept our feelings than to deny them. It’s better to be optimistic in our approach to life than pessimistic.
The social dimension of wellness encourages contributing to one’s human and physical environment to the common welfare of one’s community. Social Wellness emphasizes the interdependence with others and nature. It includes the pursuit of harmony in one’s family.’ As you travel a wellness path, you’ll become more aware of your importance in society as well as the impact you have on nature and your community. You’ll take an active part in improving our world by encouraging a healthy living environment and initiating better communication with those around you. You’ll actively seek ways to preserve the beauty and balance of nature along the pathway.
Social wellness is having positive interactions with and enjoying being with others. It is having comfort and ease during work and leisure situations and communicating feelings and needs to others. It involves developing and building close friendships and intimacy, practicing empathy and effective listening, caring for others and for the common good, and allowing others to care for you. It is recognizing the need for leisure and recreation and budgeting time for those activities.
It is important to lead a lifestyle that is respectful of our environment. This includes respecting nature and those species living in it. Also, respect for others living in our environment is just as necessary as respect for the physical environment itself. While today’s climate is one of increased environmental awareness, the average person may still be unconcerned or simply uninformed about what he or she can do to help the environment. You don’t have to be a member of an organization to help; an individual can help by simply leading an environmentally conscious life.
The spiritual dimension of wellness involves seeking meaning and purpose in human existence. It includes the development of a deep appreciation for the depth and expanse of life and natural forces that exist in the universe.
As you begin to develop the spiritual wellness dimension of your life, taking the Wellness path, spiritually, you’ll start asking the question, who am I and what is meaningful in my life. You’ll observe the scenery along the path, the world around you with appreciation and wonderment. You’ll ask many questions about the scenery, the world, as well as your everyday experiences, and learn to value that which cannot be completely understood. Growing spiritually, you’ll try to find peaceful harmony between internal personal feelings and emotions and the rough and rugged stretches of your path.
The occupational dimension of wellness is involved in preparing for work in which one will gain personal satisfaction and find enrichment in one’s life through work. Occupational development is related to one’s attitude about one’s work.’ Traveling a path toward your occupational wellness, you’ll contribute your unique gifts, skills and talents to work that is personally meaningful and rewarding. You’ll convey your values through your involvement in both paid and unpaid volunteer activities that are gratifying for you. You’ll know when you’re on the correct path for career wellness, when your work and hobbies become exciting.
On your Occupational Wellness journey you’ll begin to value the importance of not only your own personal gratification, but your contribution to the well-being of the community at large. The choice of profession, job satisfaction, career ambitions, and personal performance are all important components of your path’s terrain. As you travel the wellness path, you’ll begin to believe that – occupationally.
The intellectual dimension of wellness encourages creative, stimulating mental activities. An intellectually well person uses the resources available to expand one’s knowledge in improved skills along with expanding potential for sharing with others. An intellectually well person uses the intellectual and cultural activities in the classroom and beyond the classroom combined with the human resources and learning resources available within the university community and the larger community.
As you travel the wellness path, you’ll begin to believe that – intellectually. It’s better to stretch and challenge our minds with intellectual and creative pursuits than to become self-satisfied and unproductive. It’s better to identify potential problems and choose appropriate courses of action based on available information than to wait, worry and contend with major concerns later.
Financial wellness is an intricate balance of the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of money. This unique combination is an ideal to strive towards in our dealings with money.
Financial wellness is having an understanding of your financial situation and taking care of it in such a way that you are prepared for financial changes. Maintaining that balance consists of being comfortable with where your money comes from and where it is going.
The physical dimension of wellness encourages cardiovascular flexibility and strength and also encourages regular, physical activity. Physical development encourages knowledge about food and nutrition and discourages the use of substances that are harmful to your body. 
The emotional dimension of wellness emphasizes an awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings. Emotional wellness includes the degree to which one feels positive and enthusiastic about oneself and life. It includes the capacity to manage one’s feelings and related behaviors including the realistic assessment of one’s limitations, development of autonomy, and ability to cope effectively with stress. The emotionally well person maintains satisfying relationships with others.
The social dimension of wellness encourages contributing to one’s human and physical environment to the common welfare of one’s community. Social Wellness emphasizes the interdependence with others and nature. It includes the pursuit of harmony in one’s family.’ As you travel a wellness path, you’ll become more aware of your importance in society as well as the impact you have on nature and your community. You’ll take an active part in improving our world by encouraging a healthy living environment and initiating better communication with those around you. You’ll actively seek ways to preserve the beauty and balance of nature along the pathway.
It is important to lead a lifestyle that is respectful of our environment. This includes respecting nature and those species living in it. Also, respect for others living in our environment is just as necessary as respect for the physical environment itself. While today’s climate is one of increased environmental awareness, the average person may still be unconcerned or simply uninformed about what he or she can do to help the environment. You don’t have to be a member of an organization to help; an individual can help by simply leading an environmentally conscious life.
The spiritual dimension of wellness involves seeking meaning and purpose in human existence. It includes the development of a deep appreciation for the depth and expanse of life and natural forces that exist in the universe.
The occupational dimension of wellness is involved in preparing for work in which one will gain personal satisfaction and find enrichment in one’s life through work. Occupational development is related to one’s attitude about one’s work.’ Traveling a path toward your occupational wellness, you’ll contribute your unique gifts, skills and talents to work that is personally meaningful and rewarding. You’ll convey your values through your involvement in both paid and unpaid volunteer activities that are gratifying for you. You’ll know when you’re on the correct path for career wellness, when your work and hobbies become exciting.
The intellectual dimension of wellness encourages creative, stimulating mental activities. An intellectually well person uses the resources available to expand one’s knowledge in improved skills along with expanding potential for sharing with others. An intellectually well person uses the intellectual and cultural activities in the classroom and beyond the classroom combined with the human resources and learning resources available within the university community and the larger community.
Financial wellness is an intricate balance of the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of money. This unique combination is an ideal to strive towards in our dealings with money.