The Wellness Wheel: What You Need to Know

Most people think of health and well-being primarily in terms of physical health. However, being in good physical shape is only a tiny piece of the puzzle. While nutrition and exercise are important, there are other aspects of wellness to consider. Mental health professionals have identified eight essential dimensions of wellness: emotional, physical, intellectual, social, environmental, occupational, financial, and spiritual.¹

While each dimension requires attention to function correctly, it’s natural to balance them differently based on individual needs. It’s most beneficial to determine a personal harmony between dimensions that work best for you—as long as each aspect is incorporated into your life to some degree. The Wellness Wheel is a tool commonly used in therapy or counseling to outline these elements of overall well-being.

If you are struggling with mental health, learning more about the dimensions of wellness that contribute to your overall well-being is essential. While it can be a challenge for those with mental health disorders, understanding how the integral dimensions affect one’s wellness is crucial to developing a framework for a balanced and fulfilling life.

What is the Wellness Wheel?

The Wellness Wheel is a tool that outlines the eight different dimensions of wellness that contribute to overall well-being and good health. The elements of the wheel—emotional, physical, intellectual, social, environmental, occupational, financial, and spiritual—interconnect and affect each other. An imbalance in one or more areas can quickly lead to a negative impact on the others. Similarly, caring for one or more elements can vastly improve the others.²

At Clearview, we use tools like the Wellness Wheel to provide a simple overview of the complex dynamics of health and wellness. Using a visual aid makes it easier to see what parts of life are unbalanced instead of trying to sort through a million complex and overlapping thoughts. As such, you can point directly to the elements on the Wellness Wheel that need the most work and focus on strengthening those areas.

The Eight Dimensions of Wellness

The eight dimensions of the Wellness Wheel are emotional, physical, intellectual, social, environmental, occupational, financial, and spiritual well-being. What does each of these elements involve?

Emotional

Emotional wellness refers to your feelings, values, and attitudes. It includes self-esteem, self-acceptance, optimism, and the ability to experience and work through your feelings. You can improve your emotional wellness by:

• Practicing self-care
• Developing coping skills
• Learning to deal with stressors
• Creating and fostering healthy relationships
• Cultivating a sense of empathy
• Being realistic with expectations
• Knowing when to ask for help

Physical

Physical wellness focuses on good physical health and living a fulfilling lifestyle. It incorporates daily healthy habits such as:

• Eating a balanced diet
• Getting regular exercise and adequate sleep
• Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs

Other crucial elements of maintaining good physical wellness include:

• Keeping up with regular medical exams
• Following a proper immunization schedule
• Getting regular screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

The best way to develop and maintain physical wellness is to discover the healthy habits that make you feel better and enhance your lifestyle, fitness, and level of mobility.

Intellectual

Intellectual wellness refers to the ability to:

• Think critically
• Make responsible decisions
• Reason objectively
• Explore new ideas and various points of view

For example, school is not required to bolster intellectual wellness—you simply need to spend time trying to learn and taking part in mentally stimulating hobbies and activities. Improving intellectual wellness defines a commitment to lifelong learning and remaining curious through every stage of life.

Social

Social wellness involves connecting with people around you—from friends and family to colleagues and members of your community. Improving social wellness can be accomplished by:

• Actively participating in your community
• Intentionally connecting with others
• Establishing a supportive social network
• Building meaningful relationships
• Creating safe and inclusive spaces for others

It also includes cultivating and expanding an awareness of your social and cultural background so you can better understand the diversity and depths of others’ backgrounds.

Environmental

Environmental wellness considers how social, natural, and built environments influence health and well-being. There is a dynamic relationship between you and your environment. The state of the world also affects your daily habits. 

Working on your environmental wellness means establishing a pleasant, stimulating, and supportive environment in your immediate life and recognizing your part in contributing to a healthy environment for the greater good. Environmental wellness may look like:

• Spending time in nature
• Working to reduce your environmental impact (reducing, reusing, and recycling)
• Walking, biking, using public transportation, or carpooling (when possible)
• Living and working in spaces that are free of abuse and hostility
• Keeping your home and workspaces clean, organized, and free of clutter

Occupational

Occupational wellness refers to preparing for and participating in work that satisfies and fulfills you. After all, your work should help you live an enriched life and be consistent with your values, goals, and lifestyle. Addressing your occupational wellness looks like:

• Taking a thoughtful and proactive approach to career planning
• Assessing your performance and satisfaction with your work
• Reevaluating your career path (if necessary)

Financial

Financial wellness involves your relationship with money. Some elements that help align your financial wellness are:

• Learning practical money management skills
• Living within your means
• Making informed financial decisions and investments
• Setting realistic and achievable financial goals
• Preparing for short-term and long-term needs and possible emergencies

Another important aspect of financial wellness is the awareness of the diversity in each individual’s economic values, needs, and circumstances.

Spiritual

Spiritual wellness means seeking and having a greater meaning and purpose in life. Although some find this sense of purpose and direction in religion, religious beliefs are unnecessary for fulfillment. Spiritual wellness can be cultivated by:

• Expressing compassion towards others
• Participating in activities consistent with your values and beliefs
• Practicing gratitude and self-reflection
• Seeking harmony with the world and those around you

Mental Health in Recovery

Addressing each of the dimensions of the Wellness Wheel is a critical way to improve your mental health and wellness. However, when you live with a mental health disorder, it isn’t as simple as picking which element of wellness to work on. Mental health disorders affect every aspect of the Wellness Wheel. Treatment programs can help address mental health symptoms in you or your loved one.

Seeking treatment from a facility like Clearview Treatment Programs is a great place to start. We provide a comprehensive approach to care that addresses each aspect of your well-being. We understand the complexities of recovery and provide the tools and skills you need to build and maintain a fulfilling life. If you’re interested in a treatment program for yourself or a loved one, call or submit the form online to speak with an admissions specialist and start your path to wellness today.

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References

1. Stoewen, D. L. (2017). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 58(8), 861–862.
2. University of Maryland. (2015, August 17). 8 Dimensions of Wellness. Live Well @ UMD; Live Well @ UMD.