Journaling: W = Wellness Wheel

The Wellness Wheel is not a new concept.

The idea is to review the various components of our lives - the roles we play and the work we do - and align them in perfect harmony. Everything is moderation would be the motto of the Wellness Wheel.

To quickly review, the five key areas of the wellness wheel include:

• Emotional well-being: our mental health is optimum. We are not excessively agitated or anxious; we are comfortable in our own skin. We enjoy a healthy self-esteem, and we also exhibit appropriate feelings of compassion and empathy for others.
• Physical well-being: our bodies are healthy. We eat right and exercise regularly to maintain good heart health and body strength.
• Vocational well-being: we are content in our jobs. We are doing what we are skilled and called to do. We work hard, but we also know when to stop and take a necessary break. We avoid workaholism as much as we avoid boredom.
• Intellectual well-being: we intentionally engage our brains on a daily basis. Just as we exercise our bodies, we also recognize the need to exercise our minds. We embrace the concept of life-long learning.
• Social well-being: we are created to be relational. We purposefully engage with others for whom we care deeply. We make time to spend time with others face-to-face and cultivate bonds of friendship. We are quick to forgive and slow to criticize.

The large outer circle represents our Spiritual Well-being. To the degree that these five components of life are working well together determines the extent of our spiritual health.

While it is difficult to maintain an equilibrium on a daily basis (the job sometimes demands overtime or a wave of the flu causes a breakdown in our physical health), the idea is to try to keep these various components in balance over the long-term.

If you feel yourself out-of-sorts, considering journaling from the Wellness Wheel perspective.

Ask yourself: where is my Wellness Wheel out of balance?

Once that is identified, then ask, what one thing can I do today that would have the greatest impact towards bringing balance back into my life? 

Just one thing. Don’t think big. Think small, baby steps. 

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Up Next - Journaling: X is for eXercise