26 WAYS TO ENJOY WELL-ROUNDED WELLNESS
What jumps to mind when you think about being healthy? For most people, something about their physical health comes to mind, like eating nutritious foods or getting regular exercise. A close second might be financial health—having enough money to meet your needs.
There’s no question that both physical and financial wellness are important. However, life is about more than just your body weight or your checkbook balance! Have you taken a look at the fitness of your family life, your social life, or your own inner self lately? These areas deserve your attention too. For example, if you’re so consumed with your job that you miss out on the simple joys of spending time with your family, you’re not completely well. Or if you’re consistently skipping time out with your friends to slave away at the gym, you’re not totally well either.
With this in mind, take some time to look over these ideas to help you focus a bit more on your family, social, and inner wellness.
FAMILY WELLNESS
Your relationship with family members is crucial. Spending quality time with your spouse, children, brothers, sisters, and parents goes a long way toward strengthening family closeness. Closer families enjoy more peace and love in the home. And they form unbreakable bonds that will pass from this generation to the next.
1. Make family time a priority. Give each family member the opportunity to decide on a weekly family activity— it will keep everyone involved and help build togetherness.
2. Cook together. Decide on a “Treat of the Week” and let each family member help prepare it.
3. Play cards or board games. Have a regular family “Game Night.”
4. Garden together. Plant and nurture a family garden and grow everyone’s favorite fruit or vegetable.
5. Help others. Spend some family time doing charity work through your community service organization or church.
6. Get involved in school. Join the parent-teacher organization at your child’s school or volunteer to help out at your local school.
7. Read together. Read to your young children every night before they go to bed.
8. Limit television, video game, and computer time and get outside. Turn off, log off, and go wash the car or play in the yard.
9. Keep in touch. Make a home movie and send it to family members who are away from home.
10. Adopt a pet. Bring home a new family friend.
SOCIAL WELLNESS
You are socially well when you have friends, when your name is spoken with trust, when your home is a welcome stop, and when you are respected for your willingness to help others. Improving your social well-being often means placing others’ needs above your own. As you increase your respect for people—including coworkers and family members—others will naturally become more concerned about you in return.
1. Reconnect. Locate an old friend from high school or someone you’ve lost contact with and catch up.
2. Volunteer. Make time for community service or church committees to expand your social circle.
3. Reach beyond your current contacts. Get to know the parents of your children’s friends and meet the spouses of your coworkers.
4. Switch roles. Organize a revolving monthly dinner with your friends where you take turns playing host and guest.
5. Take to the streets. Have an old-fashioned block party with your neighbors.
6. Introduce people. Host a party where each guest brings a person no one else knows.
7. Take classes. Enroll in classes to meet others who share the same interests as you.
8. Do your civic duty. Get involved in local politics— perhaps even run for an office.
9. Be a team player. If you can’t join a team, sign up as a substitute player for community sports teams.
10. Keep an eye out for others. Organize a neighborhood Community Watch committee through your local police station.
INNER WELLNESS
You are most at peace with others and yourself when you live your life with integrity. Inner wellness—or living a life consistent with your values—brings you peace, helps keep you centered, and enables you to accomplish what you want most out of life.
1. Spend time alone. Devote some time every day to breathe deeply and focus on yourself.
2. Believe in yourself. Stay true to your values and beliefs—especially when they’re challenged.
3. Keep a clear conscience. Be honest and ethical in all your dealings.
4. Stay positive. Try to maintain a good attitude and outlook on life—especially during stressful times.
5. Expand your viewpoint. Have an open mind and listen to other points of view.
6. Own up. Take responsibility for your actions.
TOTAL WELLNESS IS WITHIN YOUR CONTROL
Living a healthy, happy life is a day-to-day balancing act. And no one of us are perfect at it! However, these tips and ideas show that you can do small things every day that can have a big impact in the quality of your overall health. Try some of them and come up with a few of your own— you’ll enjoy your life more and be on the road to “well-rounded” wellness.
