Welcome to this month's Mental Health and Wellbeing section of the OIU newsletter. 

This month we are taking a step back to ask a fundamental question: what does "wellness" actually mean? As we have touched on in previous newsletters, small, consistent habits and informed choices can have a meaningful impact on mood, stress, and overall mental health. 

What the Hell is "Wellness"? 

Wellness or wellbeing is a word thrown around constantly, but what does it actually mean? Many people associate it primarily with mental health or mental illness, but it is much broader than that. 

Wellness is best understood as a wholistic, strength-based approach to living. It is not a fixed destination but a continuous and active lifelong process of making individual decisions to live a healthy and fulfilling life. It is shaped by your goals, values, beliefs, culture, personality, and lived experience. Wellness is the active daily pursuit, the movement, the sleep, the social connection, the sense of purpose. Wellbeing is the result: a state of being that allows people to achieve their full potential, encompassing happiness, functioning, fulfilment and satisfaction. 

A useful framework for understanding this is the Wellness Wheel, a model that identifies 8 core dimensions of wellness that together contribute to a well-rounded, healthy life:

• Emotional: understanding our feelings and expressing emotions constructively; managing stress and coping with life's challenges Physical: maintaining a healthy body through movement, nutrition, sleep and rest 
• Intellectual: staying curious, open to new ideas, and committed to lifelong learning 
• Social: developing meaningful connections and a sense of belonging within supportive networks 
• Occupational: finding personal satisfaction and a healthy work-life balance  
• Financial: understanding your finances and feeling secure, both now and into the future 
• Environmental: surrounding yourself with a pleasant, stimulating environment that supports wellbeing 
• Spiritual: having a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection to something larger than yourself 

No two people's wellness wheel looks the same. The model is not about being perfect across all eight dimensions, it is about identifying where you are, noticing where there might be gaps, and making gradual, intentional choices toward a healthier, more balanced life. 

If you are curious about where your own wellness stands, UNH Extension offers a free Wellness Wheel Assessment that generates a personalised report and action plan: Wellness Wheel Assessment