Rest and Relaxation Wellness

Resting is hard for me.  There is always so much to do.  I feel lazy by not working on my to do list.

Do you take time to rest?
Do you take time to rest?

However, God wants us to rest.  He calls for us to rest.

We are told that God created the world in six days and on the seventh day He rested.

God tells us to “Keep the Sabbath day holy.”

Times have changed over the last fifty years, but not that long ago people went for rides in the country after church on Sunday or sat on the front porch and visited with family.  Even task such as cooking and ironing were frowned upon.

Life has definitely changed from the go, go, go world we live in today where life is nonstop and when we’re not working, running the kids everywhere, shopping, or any other numerous task we are connected via social media, cell phones, iPads and numerous other devices.

This includes:

We all need to take time to rest and relax
We all need to take time to rest and relax
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Taking it easy
  • Not over doing
  • Having time to enjoy pursuits we enjoy
  • Savoring the moment
  • Spending time with family
  • Enjoying a hobby
  • Prayer and Meditation
  • Reading a good book
  • Disconnecting from social media for a time
  • Enjoying ME time
  • Enjoying a movie, hike, walk, boat ride or any number of other activities we enjoy

 

As you can see rest does not mean just getting the sleep we need, but also taking a deep breath and enjoying other hobbies we enjoy.

What is Occupational Wellness?

Several years ago, I had a job which just the thought of it kept me tied up in knots.  The atmosphere felt toxic to my soul.   Sadly, things did not end well but God used the experience to teach me lessons and move me to where He would have me serve Him.

Occupational Wellness is contributing your unique talents, gifts and skills to be personally rewarding and have meaning in your life.

Some questions to ask yourself are:

Do you enjoy what you do or are you part of the rat race?
Do you enjoy what you do or are you part of the rat race?
  • Do I enjoy work most days?
  • Do I have a manageable workload?
  • Am I doing what I feel God is calling me to do?
  • Can I talk with my boss and co-workers when problems arise?
  • Am I using my gifts, skills and talents?
  • Am I personally being rewarded? {this does not necessarily mean finically}
  • Do I find meaning in what I do?
  • Am I working towards my goals, dreams and ambitions?
  • Am I satisfied?
  • Do I have a work-life balance?
  • Do I feel inspired and challenged?
  • Do I feel good at the end of the day?

 

Some ways to improve occupational wellness include:

Are you preparing for the future and enjoying your calling?
Are you preparing for the future and enjoying your calling?
  • Avoid overworking
  • Find a work-life balance
  • Enjoy what you do
  • Write out your goals and create a plan
  • Increase your skill set and knowledge
  • Talk with a career counselor if you feel stuck
  • Search for the positive benefits

How do you find occupational or career wellness?

What is Environmental Wellness?

Recently I became very sick and discovered it was my environment.  I had to make changes around the house for my health.

Environmental wellness relates to our environment, whether it is our physical home, our job, those we work with, or those in our family.

Environmental Wellness also relates to our planet and how we care for the natural resources on this earth. This means we strive to care for our planet and protect our world.

Some things to take into consideration about our environment:

Do you help care for your environment?
Do you help care for your environment?
  • Am I aware of my surroundings at all time?
  • Am I safe?
  • Do I recycle?
  • Are there any safety hazards?
  • Do I respect nature?
  • Am I respected by others and do I respect others in return?
  • Is my home or job place environmentally safe?
  • Do I walk or bike instead of using a car?

 

What steps do you take for environmental wellness?

What is Intellectual Wellness?

We live in a changing world.  Understanding what is going on and being able to carry on a communication helps us with not only our social and personal relationships, but also increases our creativity and curiosity.

We do not have to be in school to keep learning.  Life is an ongoing lesson and classroom.

An intellectually well person is open to new ideas and understandings and enjoys learning and being mentally stimulated.

Books is one way to increase intellectual wellness
Books is one way to increase intellectual wellness

Some ways to keep learning and increase our intellectual wellness include:

  • Read for both fun and to learn
  • Keep abreast of current events
  • Improve skills for studying
  • Play a musical instrument
  • Learn a foreign language
  • Learn a new craft or hobby
  • Be creative
  • Journal your thoughts and feelings
  • Travel
  • Keep the mind sharp with crossword puzzles and suduko
  • Take a class for fun—online classes and affordable classes are available on sites such as Udemy or YouTube

How do you keep your mind sharp?

What is Relationship Wellness?

We are in all types of relationships, although the first thing that may come to our mind is a romantic relationship.

However, there are relationships we have with all kinds of people:

We have all kinds of relationships with various people in our lives
We have all kinds of relationships with various people in our lives
  • Our spouse
  • Our parents
  • Our siblings
  • Our children
  • Our co-workers
  • Our neighbors
  • Our friends
  • The people at church
  • The people at a club we are part of
  • Friends that share an interest
  • And so forth…

We all want to have a healthy relationship, regardless of what type of relationship that might be.  None of us wants to be around people that drain us or bring the worse out of us.

Some aspects of relationship wellness include:

Relationships are about building a trust and a bond
Relationships are about building a trust and a bond
  • Treating one another with respect
  • Trusting one another
  • Resolving conflicts satisfactorily
  • Supporting one another
  • Clear and open communication
  • Encouraging one another
  • Making healthy decisions
  • Understanding when to say no or back away

 

Is there a relationship in which you struggle with any of these relationship aspects?

What is Social Wellness?

Being a natural introvert, means it’s more difficult to push myself out of my comfort zone to meet new people or hang out with friends.  For extroverts, it’s much easier to get out and mingle with friends.

Social wellness is the ability we have to interact with the people around us.

How do you get along with others when not online?
How do you get along with others when not online?

This includes:

  • Understanding if we are an introvert or extrovert
  • Communication skills
  • Building meaningful relationships
  • Creating a support system
  • Learning to read people
  • Watching out for people that drain us
  • Blooming where we are planted
  • Stepping out of our comfort zone
  • Respecting yourself and others

 

Where do you shine or struggle with social wellness?

What is Creative Wellness?

We are all creative in some way, although some people are more Intune to their creative side.

Creative wellness is understanding what and how to use our creative side.

Do you embrace your creativity?
Do you embrace your creativity?

This includes:

  • How to be creative
  • Utilizing our creative side
  • Discovering how to learn to be creative
  • Daydreaming, Brainstorming and visualizing
  • Making the most of our creativity
  • Turning our creativity into a hobby
  • Turning our creative hobby into a sideline business
  • To not censor ourselves
  • Do not be too critical
  • To reach for our dreams
  • To collaborate with others

 

What is your greatest struggle with creative wellness?

What is Financial Wellness?

We all must deal with finances, whether they are in good shape or need to get in shape.

Personally, I struggle with paying off my student loan.  This is an issue many adults deal with.

How is your finances?
How is your finances?

Financial wellness is the state of our finances.  This includes:

  • Working towards becoming debt free
  • Paying our bills
  • Learning where to cut costs
  • Preparing and planning for the future
  • Building a nest egg

Where do you struggle with financial wellness?

What is Spiritual Wellness?

My relationship with God is important to me.  However, it’s not always been that way.  I had to go through some very difficult times and discover I had no where else to turn before I rededicated my life to Christ.

How is your relationship with God?
How is your relationship with God?

However, there are still times when life gets in the way and I become so busy that I realize I am neglecting our time together.

Spiritual wellness is “a matter of values and beliefs that provide a purpose in our lives.”  For me, this means a relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

For me this means:

  • Discovering how to be quiet and listen
  • Studying Scripture
  • Resting in God and not worrying
  • Praying, Meditating and worshipping
  • Living a life that honors God
  • Showing Forgiveness
  • Being willing to share Christ with others
  • Growing my faith and relationship with Christ

What does spiritual wellness mean to you?

What is Mental Wellness?

When I was in an abusive relationship my mental wellness was in a very dangerous place.  There was so

Some situations are so intense it is difficult to process it in the mind
Some situations are so intense it is difficult to process it in the mind

much stress and emotional upheaval that my mind had a difficult time processing the rate at which events and situations changed.  This enhanced other disorders such as binge eating, anxiety attacks, and depression.

Since leaving this situation I’ve worked hard to find and maintain mental wellness and am thankful that I am a much stronger person today.  However, that does not mean that there are not still moments when I struggle with PTSD or not being in control.

Even though I was unaware of it at the time all of this was part of my mental well-being.

Mental Health is important to how we deal with and process life situations
Mental Health is important to how we deal with and process life situations

Mental wellness is classified as “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.”  Wikipedia added the following to the definition, “the absence of mental illness.”

According to the Mental Health Organization, “mental health includes “subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, inter-generational dependence, and self-actualization of one’s intellectual and emotional potential, among others.”

Some of the conditions that are recognized as mental illnesses include:

  • Anxiety or Panic Disorders

    Anxiety Disorders is one condition considered a mental disorder
    Anxiety Disorders is one condition considered a mental disorder
  • Mood Disorders such as depression
  • Psychotic disorders such as hallucinations or schizophrenia
  • Eating Disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating
  • Personality Disorders such as split personality, paranoid personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder
  • Impulse Control disorders
  • Addiction disorders such as drugs and alcohol, shopping, or relationships
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
  • Obsessive Control Disorders

    How do you calm yourself to have a healthy balance?
    How do you calm yourself to have a healthy balance?

So why is mental health important?   Because as described by the author at Wikipedia, “mental health may include an individual’s ability to enjoy life, and create a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.”

Do you have a balance between life’s activities and the efforts to mentally process situations life throws your way?

What is Emotional Wellness?

Emotional wellness is a part of wellness that previous generations used to “push under the rug”.

Understanding our emotions leads us to emotional wellness
Understanding our emotions leads us to emotional wellness

Often it is difficult to understand why we feel the way we do about something.  This often means we have to dig deep and keep digging to get to the root of an issue or problem.

There are can both positive and negative feelings, but understanding our triggers or why we feel that way helps us to better understand ourselves and needs.

For those struggling to lose weight, longing for a healthy relationship or struggling to get out of debt understanding our triggers can be very beneficial.

Emotional wellness is learning how to deal with our emotions or feelings in a positive light and not to allow situations depress us or sabotage our goals.

What is your greatest struggle with emotional wellness?

 

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

What is Physical Wellness?

Exercise is part of the plan for physical wellness...
Exercise is part of the plan for physical wellness…

Physical wellness is one of the most talked about aspects we discuss in our society.

Every one wants to look like the super models on the cover of magazines.

Here at The Wellness Life, we are not concerned with looking like a supermodel.  However, we are concerned with being physically fit.  The goal is to have a healthy body from the inside out.

healthy foods and nutrition is another important component to being physically healthy
healthy foods and nutrition is another important component to being physically healthy

This means learning to exercise and gain strength, eating nutritionally rich foods, being in comparitively good health and being at a relatively healthy BMI.

I’ll admit that I struggle with physical wellness and if you followed my journey on my main site at DianaLeaghMatthews you will have seen that struggle.  I’ll share more with you dear readers as we move forward.

What is your greatest struggle with physical wellness?

Welcome to the Wellness Life

Welcome to The Wellness Life.  This is a new series I am excited to begin on Tuesday’s.

Eight years ago, I was in the middle of an abusive situation.  I had been completely stripped down from the self-confident woman I’d been years earlier to an emotional and physical wreck.

In January 2009, I returned to my family and began the process of rebuilding my life.  This was a long process and in some areas I still have many miles to go.

That is why living a life of Wellness is so important to me.  Not just in one area of our lives, but in all areas of our lives.  Often you will see six or seven areas of life wellness, but while thinking about it I came up with 12 different areas for us to focus on.

I have some of these areas in which I’ve made much progress, but many others in which I have struggled, stumbled and failed more than I’ve succeeded.  However, I refuse to give up believing that one day with God’s help I will reach that area of wellness.

So what are those areas in The Wellness Life:

  1. Physical

    The WellnessLife
    We all need a life of wellness
  2. Emotional
  3. Mental
  4. Spiritual
  5. Financial
  6. Creative
  7. Social
  8. Relationships
  9. Intellectual
  10. Occupational
  11. Environmental
  12. Rest and Relaxation

Over the coming weeks we will take an in-depth look and definition of each of these areas for a life of wellness.

Where do you struggle the most in your wellness life?

Transitional Friday: 7 Lessons from Starting Over

starting over 2

 

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve had to start over.   The reasons for this are varied, but include moving, divorce, starting a new job, returning to college, etc.

With the new year here, we are all making new resolutions.   Often this includes losing weight.  Yet, two weeks later we’ve given up.   New resolutions are all part of starting over and learning new ways and techniques to improve ourselves.

Starting over can be exciting when thinking about the new possibilities.  Each change brings new hopes and dreams. starting over

  1. Adjustment takes time
  2. Embrace the experience
  3. Be thankful for the opportunity
  4. Look forward—what hopes and dreams does this experience open up
  5. Remember God has you here for a reason
  6. What lessons can you learn from this experience
  7. This is a new beginning

What have you learned from starting over?

Transitional Friday: 7 More Workplace Lessons

Last week, I discussed lessons from starting a new job.  A few more lessons, whether the position is new or you’ve been there for thirty years:give thanks2

  1. Be Thankful
  2. Remember no job is perfect
  3. Don’t be pulled into office gossip
  4. Do the very best job possible
  5. Keep unhappiness to yourself
  6. If it’s time to leave, search for another position before resigning
  7. Count your blessings

What lessons have you learned in the workplace?

Caregiving Monday–7 Ways to Help Senior Adults Deal with Loneliness

Last week we discussed loneliness in senior adults.  This week I would like to explore suggestions on how to help senior adults deal with their loneliness.

Schedule regular outings if possible for your senior adult
Schedule regular outings if possible for your senior adult
  1. Visits—schedule regular visits with family, friends, church {or society/community} members, etc.   Ask friends to visit your senior adult on a regular visit, but remind them your loved one tire easily.  Ask them to not stay for more than an hour or two. If you have a large family nearby, maybe everyone could take a day each week for a short visit.
  2. Schedule outings—schedule regular outings for your loved one {if they are mobile and able to go}.   Find friends already going, ask a neighbor or search for a senior transport company for transportation.  This could be a community {especially if they are in a retirement community} outing, to church, to the theatre or movies, to concerts, or to other activities s/he enjoys.
  3. Senior Action—this is a great resource for senior adults with numerous activities and often you can arrange for transportation through your local senior action center.
  4. Adopt a Pet—if your senior adult loves pets, adopting a dog or cat might be a great idea for companionship.
  5. Music—lifts spirits and helps combat the loneliness.   Find or make CDs of his/her favorite songs that can be played.  Also, inquire at church or in the community about an individual/group that can come sing for your loved one {if homebound}.

    Pets are great companions for senior adults
    Pets are great companions for senior adults
  6. Discover a passion your senior adult loves and have them teach someone else—this could be a neighbor, grandchild, caregiver, etc.  However, it makes them feel useful and needed.  Along with the fact that they are doing something they love.  It doesn’t matter if it’s gardening, cooking, sewing, putting together puzzles, working on model cars, etc.  If your senior adult is physically unable to do the task themselves {not able to bend or stand for long periods} they could sit in a chair and give directions.
  7. Teach technology—if your senior adult is still mentally able, teach him/her how to Skype, email, text, etc.  this is a great way to maintain contact with children, grandchildren, siblings and friends.   If your loved one is mentally unable to understand the setup, possibly you or a caregiver could set things up for regular visits.  This is a great way to maintain contact for family members that do not live nearby.

Caregiving Monday: Loneliness in Senior Adults

loneliness in elderlyOne of the greatest complaints in senior adults is loneliness.   Particularly as they grow older, are limited in their abilities and/or stamina, become home bound and experience the loss of the majority of their friends.  I’ve heard GG*, Mrs. H, Mrs. B, Mrs. T, and Mrs. W {all women I worked for} all make these same statements.

As family and friends it is important to understand the limitations the senior adults in our lives face and to be understanding to their plight.  Often this loneliness leads to depression in our loved ones.  They often feel cut off and possibly abandoned by the outside world.

Often they just want someone to listen as they talk.  Some senior adults have no one to visit, while others may have a steady stream of visitors.   There are numerous factors that lead to this such as size of family, how long they’ve lived in the area, involvement in their church, community, society, etc.; amount of friends still living, age, etc.

What ways can you help your senior adult not feel so lonely?

*Name altered

 

Next week: Ways to Help Senior Adults Deal with Loneliness

Caregiving Monday–Musical Ear Syndrome

music in earAfter GG* broke her neck four years ago, she began complaining about noises that were not there.   Often she hears people talking, songs that are not being played, etc.

A visit to the doctor and some research showed that she has a condition called musical ear syndrome.  This is most common in individuals with severe hearing loss.  After breaking her neck, GG developed severe hearing loss.

GG often tells us that we think she is crazy, but we actually believe her.  We understand what she’s dealing with but have a difficult time making her understand what she’s hearing.MES

Musical ear syndrome is classified as phantom sounds in the ear and brain that are considered “auditory hallucinations.”  More women than men are willing to admit that they suffer from musical ear syndrome.

Some enjoy the sounds or music they hear and others wish they would go away.

GG will sit in her chair and carry on a full conversation with these voices that are talking to them.  I’ve watched GG carry on a 20-30 min conversation with these individuals.  However, this is typical for individuals that struggle with musical ear syndrome {MES}.

Even though GG wears hearing aids and they help to an extent, they are not a catch all.

Do you know of anyone that struggles with MES?

*Name altered