The Wellness Wheel
What does it mean to be well? One way of looking at it, is when different aspects of life are working in harmony with one another. Just like travelling with a flat tire, if one area of life is off balance then it becomes difficult to steer, makes the ride bumpy and even causes chaos to others who are making their journey.
I best understood this when I came across the 'Wellness Wheel' - a model developed in 2012 at the University of Michigan, which depicted different aspects of human need.
The Wellness Wheel is about maintaining a balance between different aspects of life. If one spoke (i.e. one aspect of life) is underdeveloped or neglected, the wheel (i.e. overall wellness) becomes skewed or warped. It makes sense, doesn't it?
Each dimension of life needs to be nourished and cared for, in fairly equal measure. If one aspect of our lives is not going so well, it can cause a great deal of stress and ultimately affect other areas of our lives. When one aspect of our life is underdeveloped or neglected, it can make us feel as though something is missing or life is incomplete.
What tends to happen is that people focus largely on the financial aspects of living, pushing their work, home and personal lives out of shape. Since each dimension is connected, this can't be healthy. We can only earn well, if we are physically free of illness and disease. We can only enjoy the money we accumulate, if we have good mental health and loved ones to spend it with. And so, these connections role on. Each dimension of our being, needs to function in togetherness, not separately.
Life today is full of 'stuff'. Many people are caught in the rat race. I often wonder whether more money will really make me happier. Economic growth in any country of the world doesn’t seem to be commensurate with a rise in wellbeing. Social Scientists report that everyone seems to need a little more than they have already! The bar keeps shifting, and contentment remains elusive.
It is worth pausing and reflecting on what we actually need? Is it helpful to consider our holistic stability and balance? I am not advocating bringing all activities to a stand still. Rather, just keep aware of the wholeness of things.
I have found that prosperity flows when we respect and take care of our family, whilst also fulfilling our social needs, and at the same time being a responsible citizen in the state and country within which we reside. This all becomes more possible when we have spiritual and emotional health on our side. Have you ever contemplated what you do, to strengthen these often neglected areas of your Wellness Wheel?
Rajvir Raheja
Senior Business Consultant and Marketing Director
Rajvir is a Senior Fortune 500 business consultant with a primary focus in business operations, marketing, and leadership coaching. She is also the Marketing Director for Chick Tech, an organization dedicated to women and young girls in technology based careers. Rajvir specialised in Marketing Strategy from Cornell University and holds a Master's from the University of Victoria in M&A strategy. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Organizational Management and Executive Leadership studies.
