What is wellness? In their Wellness Workbook, Travis and Ryan (2004) stated that:
Wellness is a choice—a decision you make to move toward optimal heath. Wellness is a way of life—a lifestyle you design to achieve your highest potential for well-being.
All of us are in a constant state of wellness, regardless of our current state of health. We can be living well in a challenged body, or we can be very unwell even though we may appear healthy.
Many people think of wellness and health as synonymous—that is, if one is healthy, one is therefore well. This is not the case. An individual may appear physically healthy, may work out every day, eat fruits and vegetables and decry anything artificial and yet be emotionally and spiritually drained, bored with life, or unhappy in relationships. That is not wellness.
Wellness is dynamic. It is always in process. As our body changes each day through the process of living, so does our state of wellness. Just as there are various levels of illness and disease (dis-ease), so too there are various levels of wellness and well-being. Wellness is the integration, balance, and harmony of one’s mind, body, spirit, and emotions in which all parts of the individual are working in balance and harmony.
I believe that in coaching in the arena of Wellness, terms life well-being and optimal living are more useful for the lifestyle changes and choices one can make.
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