Wellness & Life Balance

Wellness & Life Balance Creating a stress-resistant student experience

Wheel of Wellness

SOURCE: “The Wheel of Wellness Counseling for Wellness: A Holistic Model for Treatment Planning” by Jane E. Myers, Thomas J. Sweeney, and J. Melvin Witmer from the JOURNAL OF COUNSELING & DEVELOPMENT • SUMMER 2000 • VOLUME 78

Spirituality Personal and private beliefs that transcend the material aspects of life and give a deep sense of wholeness, connectedness and

openness to something beyond self.

Spirituality

�  Belief  in  a  power  beyond  oneself  �  Hope  and  op2mism,  believing  that  things  will  work  out  for  the  best  

�  Meaning  and  purpose  that  are  a  part  of  one’s  philosophy  of  life    

�  Worship,  prayer,  medita2on,  or  self-­‐reflec2on  in  rela2onship  to  something  larger  than  self  

�  Love,  compassion,  and  service  to  others    �  Moral  and  ethical  values  for  guiding  everyday  life  �  Transcendence,  going  beyond  the  ra2onal  limits  for  insights  or  mys2cal  experiences;  frequently  accompanied  by  a  sense  of  2melessness,  inner  peace,  harmony,  or  oneness  with  nature  or  universe  

Self Direction The process that enables one to regulate and direct daily activities as well as pursue

long range goals through personal attributes.

Self Direction: Sense of Worth

� Acceptance of self with one’s imperfections and shortcomings

�  Feelings of adequacy � Recognition of positive qualities

Self Direction: Sense of Control �  Beliefs  about  mastery,  competence,  self-­‐confidence  

�  Believing  that  certain  desired  outcomes  are  possible    

�  Ability  to  be  direct  in  expressing  one’s  needs  (asser2veness)    

Self Direction: Realistic Beliefs �  Ability  to  perceive  truth  and  reality  as  they  are  rather  than  as  one  might  wish  it  to  be;  recognizing  the  difference  between  realis2c  goals  and  ideals  

�  Minimizing  irra2onal  beliefs  such  as  having  to  always  be  perfect  and  having  to  be  liked  and  loved  by  everyone    

�  Being  aware  of,  able  to  challenge,  and  to  revise  irra2onal  thoughts,  images,  and  self-­‐talk  that  are  self  defea2ng  

Self Direction: Emotional Awareness & Coping

�  Being  able  to  experience  a  full  range  of  emo2ons  and  being  able  to  express  them  appropriately,  both  posi2ve  and  nega2ve  

�  Able  to  recognize  the  emo2ons  in  others  �  Enjoying  posi2ve  emo2ons  and  managing  nega2ve  emo2ons  

Self Direction: Problem Solving & Creativity

�  Being  mentally  ac2ve,  open-­‐minded;  curiosity,  need  to  know,  desire  to  learn  

�  Effec2ve  problem-­‐solving  and  conflict-­‐resolu2on  skills  for  everyday  events  

�  Desire  and  willingness  to  express  one’s  crea2vity  

Self Direction: Sense of Humour �  Ability  to  laugh  appropriately  at  oneself  �  Having  the  capacity  to  see  the  humor  in  the  contradic2ons  and  predicaments  in  life,  thus  gaining  a  more  objec2ve  or  different  perspec2ve  

�  Using  humor  to  cope  with  one’s  own  difficul2es  or  mistakes  

Self Direction: Nutrition �  Ea2ng  meals  regularly  and  including  a  variety  of  healthful  foods  for  a  balanced  diet  

Self Direction: Exercise �  Leading  an  ac2ve  rather  than  sedentary  lifestyle  �  Engaging  in  regular  physical  ac2vi2es  (at  least  three  2mes  a  week)  that  develop  endurance,  flexibility  and  strength    

�  Seeking  opportuni2es  at  home,  at  work,  and  in  leisure  ac2vi2es  to  be  physically  ac2ve  

Self Direction: Self-Care �  Prac2cing  good  health  habits  such  as  adequate  sleep  and  preven2ve  medical  and  dental  care    

�  Using  your  emo2ons  as  informa2on  for  what  you  need  �  Maintain  a  life  balance  

Self Direction: Stress Management �  Ongoing  awareness  and  monitoring  of  the  stressors  in  one’s  life    

�  Perceiving  events  and  change  as  a  challenge  rather  than  a  threat  to  one’s  well-­‐being;  believing  that  life  is  manageable  and  meaningful  

�  Using  mental,  emo2onal,  physical,  and  behavioral  methods  to  cope  with  stress  

Self Direction: Gender Identity �  Sa2sfac2on  with  one’s  own  gender  orienta2on  �  Feeling  supported  in  one’s  gender  �  Valuing  rela2onships  with  both  genders  

Self Direction: Cultural Identity �  Sa2sfac2on  with  one’s  cultural  background  �  Feeling  supported  in  one’s  culture    �  Valuing  rela2onships  with  persons  of  different  cultures  

Work & Leisure Work serves economic, psychological, and social purposes; leisure activities, whether

physical, social, intellectual, creative, or volunteer, provide opportunity for

intrinsic satisfaction.

Work & School �  Percep2on  of  adequate  financial  reward  for  your  work  and  effort  

�  Sa2sfactory  challenges,  coworker/classmate  rela2ons,  and  working/studying  condi2ons  

�  Sa2sfac2on  comes  primarily  from  the  rela2onship  between  the  goals  of  the  person  and  the  rewards  and  opportuni2es  available  in  the  seWng.  

Leisure �  Self-­‐determined  ac2vi2es  and  experiences  �  Posi2ve  feelings  are  associated  with  the  physical,  social,  intellectual,  crea2ve,  or  volunteer  ac2vi2es  chosen    

�  By  their  very  nature,  leisure  ac2vi2es  absorb  the  person  in  the  flow  of  the  ac2vity  so  that  the  individual  loses  consciousness  of  2me  and  self  

Friendship All those social relationships that involve connection with others either individually

or in community, but do not have a marital, intimate or familial commitment.

Friendship �  Having  social  support  when  needed  or  desired  material,  emo2onal,  and  informa2onal    

�  Being  able  to  give  social  support  to  others  through  friendships  and  volunteer  ac2vi2es  

�  Having  the  basic  social  skills  that  give  a  sense  of  comfort  when  in  social  seWngs  and  while  interac2ng  with  others,  one  on  one  or  in  small  groups  

�  A  sense  of  connectedness  to  something  beyond  oneself  and  that  one  is  not  alone  in  sharing  and  facing  life  events  

Love Includes those relationships that are

intimate, trusting, self-disclosing, cooperative, compassionate, and usually long-term in commitment; usually few in

number from family and significant others

Love �  Trust,  in2macy,  caring,  and  companionship  in  a  rela2onship  that  is  reciprocal  

�  Having  at  least  one  person  who  has  a  con2nuing  interest  in  one’s  growth  and  well-­‐being    

�  Healthy  love  rela2onships  have  the  ingredients  of  commitment,  shared  interests  and  values,  2me  together,  mutual  apprecia2on  and  affec2on,  good  communica2on,  and  problem-­‐solving,  conflict-­‐resolu2on  skills  

“THE ABILITY TO BE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT IS A

MAJOR COMPONENT OF MENTAL WELLNESS” ABRAHAM MASLOW