Many use the terms wellness and wellbeing interchangeably. At first glance, the words do not appear very different; indeed they both allude to a healthier life! That said, each word represents a different approach to healthy habits.
Despite the undoubtable relationship between these two concepts, it’s essential to understand the difference – each concept discusses a different aspect of peoples’ lives.
Wellbeing refers to a more holistic and wholesome life experience, while wellness refers to the physical aspect of health. Wellbeing is centered around one’s condition of existence, and feeling good. When it comes to living a full and healthy lifestyle, it is important to consider how both wellbeing and wellness play into your daily habits.
What Is Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a concept that embraces much more than just physical health; wellbeing considers the entire person, both body and mind, and is not determined merely by the absence of illness.
The approach to health through a lens of wellbeing includes the presence of positive mental states, emotions, moods, and identifies the state of inner-happiness to achieve a healthy life.
One way to understand this approach to health is to observe the practice of Chinese traditional medicine. This practice entails creating a wholeness and harmony within one person, promoting the mind, body, and spirit to connect and work together as one powerful system to heal a person.
When you are approaching the idea of wellbeing, it is important to remember that being in good health does not mean just how you look on the outside – consider how your mind and body are fairing on the inside.
Are you sleeping well? Are you eating enough greens and veggies? Are you taking time for yourself every day?
These questions will tell you what shifts you need to make in order to move towards a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
What Is Wellness
Wellness is the practice of healthy habits on a daily basis to achieve better physical health. Wellness is a concept that is closely related to what the traditional western medical community deems good health. Which is to say, the idea of wellness, is a less wholesome approach to healthy living.
While physical wellness is still extremely important to incorporate in your daily practice, it’s imperative that you remember that you are a whole being; mind, body, and soul.
If all of these parts are not working together in harmony, your lived experience will be disjunct and you’ll always feel like there’s just something missing.
Why Choose Wellbeing?
We want to encourage you to choose the path of wellbeing for a more satisfying and sustainable set of healthy practices. You will find that focusing on giving your entire being the attention and care it deserves will be entirely more fulfilling than simply working out.
Think about what you can gain from a great work out, and then add in peace of mind, a great night of sleep, and 3 healthy meals in one day – all of these things combined create a practice of wellbeing.
That being said, wellness and wellbeing do not have to exist exclusively! We truly believe that physical wellness is a significant aspect of seeking out a more full sense of wellbeing.
However, physical wellness should be viewed as just one piece of the puzzle, and not the whole puzzle itself.
Finding wellbeing in our lives involves a set of specific experiences, and these experiences add up to a transformation of self. It is difficult to make positive changes in self without seeking out the opportunities to find experiences that foster growth and positive learning.
Take a look at this article by The Wellbeing Messenger, to learn more about choosing a wholesome healthy lifestyle.
What Can I Do?
If you are feeling overwhelmed with adding in new areas of attention to your healthy practices, never fear! It’s okay to not know where to start. Keep in mind that you want to choose actions that best benefit your mind and body; start with things that you know will bring you happiness and calmness. It’s all about being self-serving!
Here are some ideas you can employ in order to start down the road to a more wholesome version of yourself:
- Prioritize seeking peace of mind and mental health
- Take time for yourself every day
- Eat and drink well – lots of greens and water, water, water!
- Adopt a fulfilling physical practice like yoga, dancing, running or stretching
- Seek happiness
- Share love with others
- Grow a garden
Start your Journey
We truly believe that it is never too late to introduce healthy lifestyle practices into your daily routine. A wonderful place to start this journey is by getting out and into the garden.
Gardening provides you with a meditative practice, the chance to get your hands dirty, and get outside, as well as providing you with the most fantastic gift of all – fresh veggies and herbs! The practice of gardening encompasses the ideas of serving the body as an entire being, and gives back to you ten-fold. Start your own garden kit journey today!
