Last update: April 05, 2018
Wellness is a complex ecosystem. This means that there are many factors that affect well-being, each with a different weight. It is a term that is often used in everyday life. However, we don't always know what “feeling good” means. Consequently, we have no idea how to achieve this state.
What is called well-being includes at least six variables. These are: the emotional, intellectual, professional, physical, social and spiritual aspects. Each of them constitutes a factor that improves or worsens our life. That is why they are all factors that affect well-being.
Even if we do not realize it, in our daily life we ​​challenge ourselves all these variables. In this sense, you have to be careful! We might think that well-being focuses only on one of these variables, because it is the one that most worries us or gratifies us. Instead they all work at the same time. Taken together, they facilitate or hinder us in being able to have a full life. Let's analyze each variable in more detail.
"Being happy means realizing that you have what you are looking for."
-Alan Cohen-
Factors affecting well-being
Emotional aspect
It's about recognizing and accepting one's own feelings and emotions. This implies the ability to reason coherently about oneself. Also to be aware of one's limitations and strengths.
Emotional well-being manifests itself as the ability to to express feelings and to understand those of others. And also as the ability to make reasonable self-assessments. Likewise, it is expressed as assertiveness and proactivity.
Intellectual aspect
Intellectual well-being is related to the ability to perform creative mental actions. Using what has been learned and what has been experienced to solve everyday problems or major problems. It also implies the ability to detect contradictions and methods of dealing with them.
There is well-being in the intellectual aspect when they are present there curiosity and the desire to learn. And also an interest in trying new solutions. In research and in the ability to evaluate different intellectual positions.
Employment factor
We speak of professional well-being when satisfaction is achieved through the work we do. In other words, when there is a good attitude towards work. It involves the ability to find a job that is in line with our interests.
Professional well-being manifests itself as the ability to develop new professional skills that are carried out on a daily basis and also to associate work with personal values ​​and with the desire to improve.
Physical well-being
Among the factors that affect well-being there is also the care of health and appearance. It supposes the ability to recognize nutritional and physical needs, as well as to adopt or abandon habits that respectively favor or harm the body.
Physical well-being is expressed as concern for and care for one's body. Healthy hygiene habits and adequate personal presentation. It is physically comfortable when the actions are aimed at preserving life.
Social factor
The social is linked to the ability to create harmonious and cooperative environments. Ability to establish constructive connections with others and also to abandon relationships, of any kind, that cause harm or discomfort.
Social well-being manifests itself through solid and stable support networks. These must be based on mutual help and understanding. Even the respect it is an expression of social well-being. As is the ability to define limits with others.
Spiritual well-being
It concerns the transcendental component given to life. It is closely related to the meaning given to personal existence. Spirituality develops when one is able to see the facts in a long-term perspective. Even when you are interested in adopting a model of values ​​and are able to be consistent with it.
It involves the ability to identify values universal and stick to the same. And also for the ability to join and actively participate in just causes. Spiritual well-being would therefore be the sum of all other ways of being well.
As you can see, well-being is a small word that includes many realities. As we stated at the beginning, all the factors that affect well-being are permanently at stake. Sometimes we lose sight of it because we are particularly sensitive to only one of these dimensions.
It is always important to remember that human beings have multiple facets. For this reason, our wellness ecosystem is complex. It is important not to lose sight of any of the facets that make it up. They are interrelated and when one does not go well, it can be balanced by another.
