hat is the definition of wellness? More than ever before, we hear this word in the news, on billboards, in conversation and even at work. Interestingly, there is no universally-accepted definition of wellness. There is, however, a set of common characteristics seen in most thoughtful attempts at a definition of wellness. We generally see a reference to a “state of well-being,” which is vague, to say the least. Also frequently seen is a “state of acceptance or satisfaction with our present condition.”
The truth is wellness is a tough word to define. That said, we’ll leave it to Charles B. Corbin of Arizona State University who gives this definition of wellness: “Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being.”
Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.
- Process means that improvement is always possible
- Aware means that we are continuously seeking more information about how we can improve.
- Choices means that we consider a variety of options and select those in our best interest.
- Success is determined by each individual to be their collection of life accomplishments.
