Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you’re thriving. 

Several key areas of your lifestyle are considered dimensions of overall Wellness. They include: social connectedness, exercise, nutrition, sleep and meditation. Each one has an impact on your physical, mental and emotional health. By making simple and healthy choices on a daily basis, you will be well on your way towards reducing stress, having positive social interactions and achieving optimal wellness.

Start with small changes within each dimension and take it one day at a time – you don’t have to run a marathon or go on a restrictive diet to implement wellness into your everyday life! We’ve listed a few examples for each dimension:

Nutrition by adding wholesome ingredients to your plate, you’ll be taking steps towards becoming a healthier you. Some food for thought: pack an apple and some raw veggies in your bag to keep as a handy snack. This may help you avoid vending machines or fast food when you’re on the go. 

Daily habits you can adopt to make wellness a way of life:

Write down something you are grateful for:
While all of us face problems in our daily lives, we also have a lot to be thankful for that gets lost amid all our troubles. Reflecting on the positive things in your life everyday will help you take on the troubles better, motivating you to keep pushing ahead while spreading the joy of positivity to those around you.

Drink 3 liters of water:
Water is the fuel your body runs on. It is necessary to keep your body functioning well. Drinking enough water can help you with detoxification, digestion, better skin and hair, helping you feel balanced and ready to face the day’s challenges. Let three liters be your absolute minimum intake of water, but aim for more depending on your lifestyle conditions.

Commit to breaking a bad habit:
All of us have some habits we are not proud of, and have been meaning to break for some time. While that negative habit itself impacts your wellness, not being able to break it also takes a toll on your mind. Take a small step every day towards getting rid of it, whether it is overusing your phone, snacking on junk food, or anything else you’ve been planning to stop, and see your body and mind become healthier.

Take 15 minutes out to reflect on your day:
In our busy lives, it is often easy to get caught up in day-to-day activities such that we do not allot any time for reflection. Taking a moment to stop and reflect on the day will help you take on the challenges of the day better. Just 15 minutes of quiet reflection, whether through meditation or even just looking out the window and taking a moment for yourself will help you take a step towards achieving mental wellness and relaxation.

Sleep for 7-8 hours:
The function of sleep is to not only relax the body, but also rest and restore the mind. Commit to sleeping a minimum of seven hours a day while aiming for eight, and you will feel yourself getting healthier and happier in a short span of time. This will help you achieve both mental and physical wellness, and your mind and body will be more at ease.

Include an herb in your daily diet:
Consuming herbs is a great way to practice long-term wellness and prepare your body for the challenges of life. For example, as per Ayurveda texts and modern research, Guduchi/Giloy can significantly help in preventive care, as it is a great promoter of immunity, aids in fighting against infections, and helps you stay fit and healthy. Depending on your need, you can find an herb to help you achieve your goals, whether Tulsi for respiratory wellness or Brahmi to improve cognitive abilities or boost your memory.

Take a big step towards achieving wellness in your life by adopting some of these simple methods, just one a day, for an entire week of wellness.

Exercise:
Even 20 or 30 minutes of daily exercise can have a positive impact on your overall sense of well-being and help improve your mood. Don’t know where to start? Try a brisk walk on your lunch break or opt for the stairs instead of the elevator when you can.

By Connecting socially with friends or loved ones:
is a great way to help improve your physical and mental health. Take 10 minutes out of your day to call someone you’ve been thinking about. This is a great way to connect and catch up with the people that matter the most to you.

Holism:
your health and well-being are the outcomes of the constant interaction between the several natural dimensions of life and wellness. Each dimension is interrelated with the others. The aim is to be conscious of yourself as a whole and complete person, living life as fully as possible.

Balance:
while acknowledging the constantly changing nature of your life, you look to balance it by giving significant attention to each of the dimensions. Lack of sufficient attention to any one dimension will result in less-than-optimal development as a person, and may possibly lead to chronic unhappiness.

Self-Responsibility:
a judicious person owns up to his or her responsibility for health and happiness and does not allow others to take control over decisions he/she needs to make for him/herself. Self-responsibility presupposes self-awareness, including the process by which one becomes increasingly more aware of both the causes and consequences of his/her behaviour.

Positive and Proactive:
wellness requires primarily positive perspectives and values by which to live. It also requires a strong sense of purpose and conscious, deliberate action. These are our starting assumptions, and they have stood well through time. However, they provide merely a simple framework. What you put inside that framework is totally up to you.

Dissolve The Habit of Struggle – Frustration Is
Draining Your Vitality
Struggle is a mindset that can often be the road block that keeps us from living a more fruitful life. Instead of reacting in the same frustrating way over and over, take a step back and try something new. If you’re exhausted, let yourself rest and get the sleep you need. As you cultivate a more relaxed attitude, you prepare yourself for success and a more conscious lifestyle. Many of us were taught that we can only fulfill our dreams through relentless effort and an epic battle against obstacles- this could not be more untrue. Has someone in your life ever told you, “You have to work hard to be successful.”? While determination and focus are valuable qualities, struggle is a sign that you’re expending needless energy and keeping yourself stuck. When you’re exhausted and stressed, you miss opportunities because your attention is scattered or focused on negative outcomes and you end up making decisions from a desperate space. If you feel yourself reacting from a desperate or uninspired place, add more mindfulness into your daily routine, slow down, stop overcommitting and leave space for emptiness. This will help you to start reacting from a loving space that focuses on solutions that serve you and people around you.

Invest Your Time in The People Who Inspire You – Feeling Connected and Understood Is Key to A Healthy Life
Human beings by nature are very social. Since the beginning, we have gathered together in groups and communities- our survival and productivity depend largely on our ability to live and work as one. Because of this, connectedness is deeply etched into our genetics, psychology and behavior. Social isolation can lead to physical and mental disharmony. On the other hand, feeling connected does wonders for your emotions and outlook on life. Surrounding yourself with a circle of love will enhance your ability to cope with stress and illness. So, focus on establishing positive relationships that bring you growth where you can express yourself freely and authentically. Be aware of people who drain your energy: energetic vampires or narcissists. Don’t feed them with your attention- set strong boundaries and disconnect completely if needed. If you are not able to do that, seek help and support.

Have A Reason to Live – Do What Brings You Joy and The Sense of Effortless Flow: Dance, Write, Paint, Get Creative!
Add activities that fill you with joy and the sense of effortless flow. You should feel as though you are your own creator! Dance, write, paint, read a book, workout… your soul wants to grow and create. When you’re feeling centered and calm, you’re open to creativity, inspiration and serendipity. Instead of trying to force things to happen, realize that everything you need comes naturally to you. The world’s great innovators, athletes and other high-achievers have described this state as “being in the flow.” It is a state of expanded awareness that allows you to move effortlessly in the direction of your highest purpose. Adequate exercise is one of the most important tools in enhancing mental and physical health. When you find yourself caught up in mental struggle, often the best thing you can do is take a break and refresh your mind, body and spirit by moving! Leave your desk and go for a walk outdoors. Even just ten minutes of brisk walking can reinvigorate you and open the doors to fresh insight.

Eight signs of Emotional Wellness
1. You treat others really well
Showcasing qualities of kindness and compassion towards others is a prominent sign of your own emotional stability. In psychology, this is known as prosociality. If you have the empathy and are sensitive to others, you’re certainly someone with emotional wellness.

Be it returning the lost wallet of someone or helping someone cross the road, lending a hand to someone in need of help is a strong sign of a healthy emotional mindset.

2. You’re comfortable in your skin
You know who you are and you like who you are! If this sounds like you then the good news is that you are quite emotionally healthy!

It is imperative to be comfortable in your own skin, know your strengths, your weaknesses, and be absolutely okay about all of it!

The moment you make peace with your own identity, you will feel like a lot of emotional baggage has just gone away!

3. You don’t feel the need to pretend
Psychologists refer to this as being congruent. It simply means that whatever you’re on the inside, reflects on the outside, to others. You aren’t a completely different person when you’re alone in a room and the exact opposite when you’re out with people.

Yes, certain differences are natural, such as, being more reserved in a board meeting vs. being all carefree in a family picnic.

However, you don’t feel the need to pretend that you’re someone else when you’re in front of others. This denotes you have really strong emotional wellness.

4. You’re flexible with what comes your way
You are prepared for whatever challenge life throws at you and are flexible enough to take the required course of action.

Be it relationships, friendships, family, or career– you’re open to adjustments and understand that you should do what will be in everyone’s best interest. You don’t hesitate to speak for yourself but would also allow someone else to have the last word.

You wouldn’t be impulsive and would rather let the situation cool off or sometimes let the power of silence speak! If this sounds like you then congratulations! You indeed have great emotional wellness.

5. You show gratitude
For everything that you have and keep getting, you always show your gratitude. Being appreciative of what you have instead of sulking over what you don’t have is a very important sign of good emotional health.

6. You don’t get overwhelmed by emotions
It’s not like an emotionally healthy person never gets angry or sad. All emotions be it happiness, sorrow, anger, guilt, jealousy, are a part of life, and we all face it!

However, an emotionally stable person would never let these emotions overwhelm him. He would instead embrace them, accept them, and know that it’s absolutely normal to feel a certain way.

If he feels sad, he would opt to do what gives him happiness. If he feels lost and lonely, he would opt to go speak to a near and dear one. Being emotional isn’t indicative of poor emotional health but how you deal with those emotions certainly is!

7. You have a purposeful life
You can’t just live life for the sake of it! An emotionally healthy person would always find a purpose in life and work towards it. It doesn’t mean it has to be something big and out of the box.

Even the simplest of things like helping at a dog shelter, playing music, contributing to an old-age-home, etc. can become short-term and long-term purposes of your life.

Every day, you should feel at peace and satisfied when you’re off to bed. If this, is you, then you’re most certainly emotionally healthy!

8. You cherish experiences more than possessions
In the end, your experiences are what make you! Materialistic possessions can only give you temporary happiness but it is self-fulfillment that will always make you have a healthy mind! People who tend to value possessions like wealth, attractiveness, fame, are often seen to be emotionally vulnerable, whereas those with the thirst for knowledge, self-fulfillment, are seen to be more content with life and themselves.