Holistic Development of the Whole Person Series- What it Means to be Whole
Being a whole person means that all of your wellness dimensions are balanced and contribute to each of the others. When your dimensions are well-rounded and healthy, they help you manage the craziness and unexpectedness of life. And when one or more of your dimensions is out of sync, you are no longer living a whole life but instead living to compensate for those areas that are in jeopardy. Being a whole, well person means your mind, body, spirit, and soul are working together to bring you happiness and help you find your true joy and passion in life. Being a whole person means a full integration of all dimensions of your person, so that each component can successfully support the others in reaching their potential.
While some may look at the seven dimensions and see discrete, compartmentalized functions, this is not the case at all. It is that kind of thinking that can lead to imbalance and feeling less than whole. When you are focusing on one aspect of your life because it is unhealthy, you make sacrifices in other dimensions of your life, and you lose peace, joy, love, and freedom. But, when other aspects of your life are full and in balance, it actually becomes easier to pay special attention to one dimension that may need more focus and care, because you have the support system necessary to do the important work.
As an example, let’s consider that your occupational dimension is being tested by a new project, as you are spending many hours learning something new and focusing on accomplishing a new professional goal. This may mean, though, that you are less focused on maintaining your social relationships or attending to your physical well-being. While your intellectual dimension is healthy, your spiritual and environmental dimensions are taking a hit.
Instead of tallying up each day how each part of your life is doing, though, consider a holistic look at this situation. Are you feeling joy about your work, regardless of the stress and effort you are expending? Are you content with this temporary unsettledness, or does it bring you stress? Are your social relationships supportive of this challenge, or do you find yourself feeling isolated? What have you learned about yourself from this trying time, and how could you apply this to all aspects of your life?
By looking holistically at all of these aspects, which make you a whole person, you can better determine where adjustments need to be made, what parts of your life are helpful and supportive and what parts need attention, and where you are feeling the most vulnerable. It’s this intentional focus on all parts of your life, not just a few, that makes you a whole person that is well and healthy.
Finding overall wellness means discovering all the aspects of your whole self, which places you in the position to be in charge of your life and thrive in all aspects. By finding wellness across all dimensions, you can achieve a balance and harmony between your soul, spirit, mind, and body.
When you become a whole person, you experience less stress. You are able to cope with the challenges of life, and you recognize that feeling stressed is a sign of imbalance in one or more of your dimensions. Returning to your intentional study of all aspects of your life will help you relieve that stress and find the peace you desire.
Being a whole person allows you to enjoy improved health and well-being. Not only will your body be healthier and able to do more and withstand more, but you will have an arsenal of healthy habits to fall back on when things become difficult or life tests you in new ways.
Becoming a whole person provides you with personal esteem, a healthier outlook on life, and a sense of purpose that leads to better mental health. Wellness across all dimensions leads to less depression and anxiety and improved abilities to overcome mental challenges that throw us off balance now and then.
When you have wellness in all dimensions, you’ll experience more energy. When you have healthy habits that include diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction, you’ll notice less fatigue and more pep to your step, overall.
Staying social, keeping your mind active, and connecting with a purpose all improve your mood and mental state, as well. All dimensions are responsible for being a whole person, as they all contribute to happiness and joy in life.
In addition to all of these, becoming a whole, well person means you live your life in freedom. By embracing the multi-dimensional aspects of your wellness and finding balance with them all, you are able to avoid struggle, negative thinking, and emotional turmoil that plague so many in our world today. You become free from feeling stuck and free to enjoy the life you truly want to live. Finding balance and becoming a whole person can help you find all of these, and so much more.
