Reprinted from: In Touch Life Coaching
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Most of us know that healthy eating, regular exercise, and freedom from stress are necessary to feel and do your best on a regular basis, whether at work or home. We are bombarded regularly with advertising promoting fitness clubs, yoga programs, organic foods, grocery chains, and natural and synthetic medications that enable us to achieve a higher level of health and implied happiness. Each of these advertising efforts gives us a false representation of wellness. While healthy eating, exercise, relaxation, and freedom from anxiety are all important, they represent only a piece of the picture.
Wellness, the overall feeling of health and well being, is made up of many dimensions all of which need to be addressed. Dr. John Travis, one of the founders of the American wellness movement, maintains that there are twelve dimensions of wellness which are interrelated. A change in the status of one dimension, positively or negatively, affects change in other dimensions. Consciously or unconsciously, you probably give some of the dimensions your attention and neglect or are unaware of others.
For example, good nutrition yields sustained energy. Sustained energy enables and initiates more and better movement (exercise). Better movement not only relieves tension, stress, and anxiety, but creates a sense of peace. Peace in turn helps to enable better rest, clarity, and problem resolution. Clarity can also yield better communication and intimacy. Thus, all of the twelve dimensions are interrelated in some way, shape, or form.
So, while it seems that wellness is a very hot, contemporary topic, it remains largely misunderstood. Consequently, many attempts at self improvement, seem to fall short, never bringing the sense of wellness they are “supposed” to bring.
The 12 dimensions of; self responsibility and love, breathing, sensing, eating, moving, feeling, thinking, playing & working, communicating, intimacy, finding meaning, and transcending are all important. The nice thing about properly understanding wellness is that once you begin to make improvements in one area, you will open yourself up to more awareness in other dimensions! You will no doubt recognize needs in the other dimensions also.
Barbara and I are in the process of finalizing our facilitation certification in using The Wellness Inventory. We are licensed to use this wonderful tool and resource to help our clients discover a true sense of wellness and balance in their lives. Take a free tour of The Wellness Inventory by going to http://www.intouchlifecoaching.com (our home page) and clicking on “wellness inventory”. We are happy to discuss this resource with you free of charge. We can also introduce you to a cost effective way of qualifying for our wellness coaching that accompanies the inventory. You will be amazed at how many options you discover to living a happier and healthier, life.
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![Hard at it ... "[t]he long-term benefits of vigorous exercise, be it for weight loss or mental health, can be overstated."](http://images.smh.com.au/2012/02/02/2933383/ipad-art-wide-a11-20fitness-420x0.jpg)

