7 Dimensions of Wellness

The Health & Wellness Unit at The University of North Dakota is committed to its holistic approach to wellness. This means incorporating all 7 Dimensions of Wellness (emotional, environmental, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual) into your daily life. We’re not just concerned with how you’re doing in one or two dimensions, but we want to support your growth in all areas of wellness.

The 7 Dimensions of Wellness are incorporated into many components of the Wellness Center: the pillars in the atrium, the design and layout of the facility, and all program areas and activities.

Physical

Physical wellness encompasses a variety of healthy behaviors including adequate exercise, proper nutrition and abstaining from harmful habits such as drugs and alcohol. It means learning about and being able to identify symptoms of disease, get regular medical checkups, and protect yourself from injuries and harm. Once these behaviors are satisfied, you will be well on your way to achieving favorable physical wellness. Developing such healthy habits today will not only add years to your life, but will enhance the enjoyment and quality of those years.

Social

Social wellness refers to your ability to meet the expectations and demands of our personal roles without harming others. This means learning good communication skills, developing intimacy with others and creating a support network of friends and family members who care about and love you for who you are. Social wellness includes showing respect for others. By joining a group or organization, you create a sense of belonging in which you can contribute to the group, your community, and to the world. In this way, you are not only respecting others, but you are respecting yourself as well.

Emotional

Emotional wellness encompasses optimism, self-esteem, self-acceptance, and the ability to share feelings. It also includes the ability to manage stress. People who manage stress well and have a high level of emotional wellness have more time to enjoy life. Techniques for managing stress include: surrounding yourself with a positive support network, eating well, managing your time appropriately, and practicing relaxation techniques and exercising. 

Environmental

Environmental wellness is an awareness of the state of the earth and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment. It consists of maintaining a way of life that maximizes harmony with the earth and minimizes harm to the environment. It includes being involved in socially responsible activities to protect the environment. Although you may feel a bit overwhelmed with the numerous environmental issues, every little change you make does count. If everyone made individual adjustments in their life, the impact on the environment would be great.

Spiritual

Spiritual wellness is a personal dimension that involves possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that help give direction to one’s life. It involves a high level of faith, hope, and commitment to your individual beliefs that provides a sense of meaning and purpose. People can express their meaning and purpose in life through nature, art, music, religion, meditation, or good deeds performed towards others. Spiritual wellness may or may not involve religion. Although religion is an integral part of spirituality for some, one does not need to be involved in organized religion to be spiritual.

Intellectual

Our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. The intellectual dimension encourages openness to new ideas, motivation to master new skills, a sense of humor, creativity, and curiosity. People who possess a high level of intellectual wellness have an active mind and never stop learning. Striving for personal growth and a willingness to seek out and use new information are also characteristics of an intellectually-well individual.

Occupational

Occupational wellness is a journey that involves preparing and making use of your gifts, skills, and talents in order to gain purpose, happiness, and enrichment in your life. As you travel towards occupational wellness, choose a career that is consistent with your personal values, interests, and beliefs. On your journey, you will begin to value the importance of not only your own personal gratification, but also your contribution to the well-being of your co-workers. The choice of profession, job satisfaction, career ambitions, and job performance are all-important components to your path. By following your chosen course and developing the skills that will make you valuable, you are working towards total occupational wellness.

http://und.edu/health-wellness/wellness/7dimensions.cfm