The 8 Pillars of Wellness all stem from every factor of our human lives. We subconsciously work with these pillars every day. Some we are more conscious about and others are neglected. For example, let’s examine the Nutritional and Physical Wellness Pillars. We hear about them on the news, from doctors, and in advertisements all the time. There are a bazillion things out there on how and what we should eat and how we should exercise. Are these two pillars important? Absolutely – but – they are not the only ones we should focus on. With that being said, let’s jump in! What are the 8 Pillars of Wellness and why are they important to you?

The Nutritional Pillar is most commonly placed under the Physical Wellness Pillar. While this makes sense as they go hand in hand, or you could say – two peas in a pod – but nutrition is extremely important to health and is often overlooked so I have separated this into its own pillar.

A healthy and well-thought-out diet not only benefits your overall health but also contributes to your mental, emotional and physical health. Have you ever eaten something that made you feel heavy? Sluggish? Bleck? And what about the flip side, have you ever eaten something that made you feel energized? Awake? Happy? The foods we eat and drink affect more than just a number on the scale but also our mental and emotional well-being as well.

Nutritional Wellness is not all about eating healthy but more so about being b a l a n c e d. It’s not about restricting but about being mindful of what you put in your body and how it affects you. It’s about choosing nutritional powerhouses that nourish, fuel, and strengthen your body all while creating balance and indulging in foods you enjoy. For me? Chocolate. Chocolate with peanut butter? Game over, shove it in my mouth.

Changing your mindset and view on how and what you eat and drink is a necessity for Nutritional Wellness and overall wellness in general. Eating a cookie shouldn’t throw your day into turmoil. Eating a bowl of pasta shouldn’t send you spiraling. Eating these foods is okay. Feeling miserable because you ate them is not preferred but…also okay. Nutritional Wellness and Emotional Wellness need synergy and balance.

The Physical Wellness Pillar is one of the Wellness Pillars we hear about the most. Rightfully so. Moving your body and keeping active is vital to healthy well-being. Not only does it help regulate your energy but it reduces stress and has been shown to help lower your risk of disease.

Being physically active doesn’t mean going to the gym for 5 hours or running a marathon. Though, if that’s your cup of tea, then I’m here rooting you on! According to experts (and here I’m citing the guidelines for the U.S.) participating in about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and having two (or more) of those days focused on muscle-strengthening activities can boost your overall health.

You can see the benefits of being active quite quickly, too. Have you ever been in a foul mood, worked out, and then felt better afterward? That’s right – being active has immediate results on your brain. Moderate activity can improve cognition (especially in children) and has been shown to reduce short-term anxiety in adults. Imagine how you would feel after 30 minutes a day!

In this day and age, finding 3o minutes a day can be hard. There’s so much to do and little time for it. But, if you think about it though, 30 minutes a day is not a big chunk of time. If you can’t spend a full 30 minutes at once, that’s okay. You don’t need to. I enjoy mindful movement. 10 Minute yoga session. Chasing my kids around. Impromptu squats. You don’t have to go to the gym to incorporate physical activity. Being mindful of how much you move and how you are moving is equally important.

The Emotional/Mental Wellness Pillar has been getting a lot of attention in the last couple of years. The movement for mental health has brought so much light onto this overlooked and dismissed wellness pillar. Emotional/Mental health has had such a stigma attached to it that it baffles me. While the stigma still exists, more and more people are coming forward and sharing their struggles. Letting others know they are not alone.

Emotional Wellness is your ability to process your feelings and emotions. Adapting to stressful events and the obstacles that life throws at you. It’s not about being happy all the time. It’s about being mindful of how you are f e e l I n g, how your body is reacting, and then, in return, feeling those emotions and having the ability to redirect and refocus on how you want to feel.

Nurturing your emotions and mental well-being has been shown to reduce stress, improve social interactions, and improve overall well-being. Being emotionally well, you will be able to cope with stress easier, have better quality sleep, naturally be more mindful and be able to break out of that auto-pilot tendency that many have.

Incorporating a mindful practice into your life can feel overwhelming. Some questions may be: Where do I start? Do I have to meditate? I understand that can feel overwhelming, especially with all the information out there. A simple way to start? B r e a t h e. Take deep breaths. Have a hard time with meditation? Try a guided meditation or walking meditation. Even an activity or hobby that calms you can be considered meditative. Reading, painting, music, etc.

When Spiritual Wellness is mentioned, what first comes to mind? Do you hear the terms Woo-Woo or something towards a more structured religion? If so, you are not alone. Many determine spiritual wellness as a way towards enlightenment or of a particular religion. While this can be a part of the Spiritual Wellness Pillar, there is more to it than just a particular belief system. Let’s do a quick unpacking.

Spiritual Wellness is your ability to understand and determine the connection between the world and your purpose in life. Many view this as a journey to enlightenment and often use the Law of Attraction to bring more positivity and vision into their lives. Often, people will delve into their religions to find guidance and clarity into what their purpose in life is. This is also a time to take a hard look into the morals and ethics of your life and determine if these align with your higher self.

Taking the time to dive into your spirituality has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, achieve better coping skills, and a better sense of peace and belonging in life. It helps build integrity as it helps you align with your morals.

As I grow older, I’ve come to realize how intertwined I am with the Intellectual Pillar. As someone who is constantly on a learning quest, knowledge is important. Engaging my brain and mind is something I thoroughly enjoy. I never once considered it was beneficial to wellness but – it is – and here’s why.

Simply put, Intellectual Wellness is when you give space to gaining knowledge, whether that is personally through hobbies, or professionally through professional skill development. It’s when you challenge and train your brain while also giving it rest. It builds mindfulness and encourages open-mindedness. The more you open yourself up to new skills, hobbies, and cultures, your curiosity will blossom. When something tickles your curiosity, you will be more motivated to pursue that said topic. Therefore, engaging your brain!

Engaging your brain and learning new things will spark something deep inside. It will not only change your perspective on things that you normally wouldn’t think about but it will also keep your brain sharp by developing your ability for critical thinking.

Critical thinking is defined as disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded and informed by evidence. Clear and rational thinking is beneficial in day-to-day interactions as it helps keep you grounded and not reactive to everyday situations. Also, on the other end, keeps you open to learning new ideas, skills, and perspectives.

Social Wellness is defined as our ability to build healthy and supportive relationships and how we interact in social situations. It’s about building meaningful connections within your family, friends, and community.

When we have a strong sense of Social Wellness we tend to be more communicative, authentic, assertive, and supportive in our relationships. You can ask for or offer help when needed. When conflict happens, you are more capable of being assertive, respectful, and able to clearly communicate. Respecting others’ boundaries? Check. Sticking to your boundaries? Check.

Working to build your Social Wellness is something everyone should focus on. Most social skills are taught as a child but unfortunately, not all children are surrounded by healthy and respectful relationships. Boundaries are neglected, and passive-aggressive arguments happen. In these cases, as adults, our Social Wellness needs a little extra TLC.

As an introvert with social anxiety, the Social Wellness Pillar is one I tend to neglect. For me, it’s utterly exhausting. However, even though I find social situations tiring I still have relationships that are supportive and meaningful. Why? Because humans are social beings that need these supportive relationships.

What is Environmental Wellness? Hugging trees and forest bathing? No, not necessarily (studies are showing the benefits of these two actions, though). However, it is all connected. Environmental Wellness is being aware and actively promoting wellness in your surroundings.

For example, we all should be familiar with the 3 R’s. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. This was taught to us at such a young age, why? Because being mindful and taking steps to protect nature and reduce our environmental footprint is important. We only have one planet, right? But…that’s pretty broad – let’s break this down even further. The planet and nature is a pretty big environmental footprint. But, what else do we consider our environment?

We have our home environment and our work environment to consider as well. When we take steps to ensure our home and work environments promote wellness we are calmer, more productive, safe, and overall happier. When we align our surroundings with who we are and what we support we are bringing in a sense of safety, authenticity, and fulfillment.

Like many of the other pillars, The Environmental Wellness Pillar ties together the other pillars. When you start promoting Environmental Wellness, you naturally start targeting other pillars. For example, you may start going to farmer’s markets for fresh produce or even starting gardening. You may adapt to a more minimalistic lifestyle or focus on more environmentally friendly products.

The Financial Wellness Pillar is the last of the Wellness Pillars on my list. While Financial Wellness is absolutely important, it is something that I lack knowledge of. Something my husband can contest to. I still find finances confusing even with his loving and very nerdy guidance. With that being said, I found what I’ve learned thus far fascinating.

Financial Wellness is about your ability to manage your current finances (bills and expenses) while planning for the future. It’s about getting to a point of financial freedom so you have financial security and freedom of choice for the present and future. I’m not saying to achieve Financial Wellness is to penny-pinch and not do anything you enjoy but rather to be mindful.

Being mindful of the present and the future is important. It sounds a little exhausting if I’m being honest but it is necessary. Planning for the here and now (spending within your means), preparing for an emergency, and making a plan for the future is Financial Wellness. Being prepared reduces stress, promotes happiness, and gives a sense of accomplishment.

Finding balance. To me, that’s the definition of Wellness. There are 8 Pillars of Wellness and you may find that overwhelming. With many things in life, starting small, choosing a topic, and starting it leads to more success. Learning more about each Pillar and then deciding which one is the most important to you is a start. Diving more into that Pillar often leads to other Pillars, as many are so intertwined.

For me, it started with the Nutrition Pillar and snowballed from there. I am still learning and incorporating the other Pillars into my life. It’s a journey. Some journeys go quickly. Some are meant to go slowly. Being open to the process, doing the work, and giving yourself grace when you backtrack is equally important. Take the time to find what works best for you.

What Pillar started your wellness journey? Do you associate with a particular Pillar? Let me know below!