The 5 Pillars of Wellness
Photography by Sabrina Hill
The term “wellness” is a pretty broad term for what someone’s personal wellbeing looks like. It gets thrown around a lot and I think that in general, most people immediately think of physical fitness and a healthy diet when they hear the word “wellness”. As a Certified Health Coach, I can tell you that there is so much more to a person’s wellness than just their workout routine and diet!
It’s the beginning of a new year, which means a lot of us are taking a good, hard look at our habits and setting goals and resolutions to “clean up our acts”. I personally am not a huge fan of resolutions because I believe that they tend to set us up for failure, and often encourage us to focus on where we believe we’re lacking as opposed to where we want to make improvements in our lives.
The most popular resolutions center around health and fitness - which is great, but the approach often doesn’t work because it can be so all or nothing (i.e. I’m going to lose 20 pounds or I’m going to go to the gym 5 times a week)… and the moment we “fail” we throw in the towel.
In my Health Coaching practice, I like to focus on the 5 Pillars of Wellness when it comes to addressing the areas of your life where you feel like you could use an “upgrade”. If you’ve set resolutions, goals, or intentions to improve your health or overall wellness this year, I recommend taking a look at the 5 areas of your life that the 5 Pillars of Wellness encompass, and making adjustments accordingly (and not all at the same time).
Let’s dive into the 5 Pillars of Wellness!
1. PHYSICAL: The first pillar, Physical Wellness, refers to all aspects of your physical health. Things such as having a balanced and well-functioning body, healthy energy levels and sleep patterns, a non-restrictive, balanced diet full of whole, unprocessed foods, and a fitness routine that works for you and your body, and makes your feel good.
2. MENTAL: The second pillar, Mental Wellness, is going to be where you focus on creating a positive mindset, learning to be present, developing your confidence and self-worth, learning to manage difficult emotions, and finding practices that keep your mental state balanced.
3. EMOTIONAL: The third pillar is Emotional Wellness. Emotional Wellness is all about your ability to accept, own, and express your emotions, practice self-love, and manage your emotions without letting them get the best of you.
4. SPIRITUAL: The fourth pillar, Spiritual Wellness, might be my favorite. Spiritual Wellness is all about finding meaning and purpose in your life through a connection to a higher power (God, the Universe, etc.). I really see this as the foundation for all other aspects of your wellness, because if you don’t feel like you have meaning or a purpose in your life, in your body… how can you truly connect to all other aspects of your wellbeing?
5. SOCIAL: Last but not least, the fifth pillar, Social Wellness. The social pillar is all about your relationships (both romantic and platonic) and how you interact with others. Do you have healthy boundaries you’re able to communicate and enforce? Do all of your relationships have mutual respect? Do you have a feeling of belonging and a sense of community?
To start making improvements in your overall wellness using the 5 Pillars, I recommend taking an inventory of these areas of your life - writing down what you’re doing to maintain or build your wellness in each area, what you’re doing well, what you want to improve, and what you can do to start making improvements. Then, ask yourself what area requires the most energy and focus right now… and work on that first. It’s important to start with just one pillar and build upon the changes you’re making little by little so that you don’t overwhelm yourself - remember, lasting change happens in small, manageable steps.
As you’re thinking about actionable ways to improve your wellness in each pillar: REMOVE anything that is not contributing to your wellbeing, REBUILD systems, habits, and rituals to help enhance your wellbeing, and RESTORE the foundations to help get you there.
What pillar do you feel is your strongest… and what pillar do you need to focus on improving first? Share in the comments below and I’ll give you some more specific tips!
xo,
Kelsey
P.S. I’m now offering in-home and distance reiki sessions, private soundbaths, private, corporate, and small group yoga classes, and Anxiety Management coaching! Check out my Work With Me page if you’re interested in learning more about my offerings.