Sometimes, we live our lives without knowing our purpose or reaching our potential. This creates a feeling of emptiness, which leads to an unhappy life. This thought is often overlooked, but now is the time to explore the process of reaching our true selves.
 
Do you know your potential? If so, are you trying to reach it?
 
First, understand we are human. We were created for a purpose, which means we have a significant amount of worth and value; not only to the people around us, but to God, our creator. Many of us believe we can’t achieve our purpose and potential due to our flaws and lack of abilities, but we have the potential to be much greater through God’s mercy, grace and love, despite our flaws, weaknesses and brokenness.
 
What is potential?
 
Potential is having or showing the capacity to develop into someone great in the future. When we understand our capacity to develop, cultivate and achieve in each of “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness,” we are going to feel satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness.
 
What exactly are these dimensions and what can we do to blossom into our best selves?
 
“The 8 Dimensions of Wellness” are the main aspects or features of a person’s life, as stated below:
Emotional: Feelings, Attitude and Coping Abilities
Emotions are a byproduct of our intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions. When we control our thoughts, we regulate our emotions, which ultimately shapes other dimensions. To cultivate our emotions, we should surround ourselves with positive people and grow in our faith. But remember, it’s apart of the human experience to have positive and negative emotions, but it’s how we handle them that matters.
 
Environmental: Surroundings, Places of Interaction
Our environment plays an important role in who we are. It’s important to surround ourselves with positive places because just like people, they influence our dimensions. We should seek an environment that enhances our growth and provides safety and comfort.
 
Financial: Current and Future Monetary/Economic Circumstances
Our financial dimension is crucial. Creating a budget, saving money, spending it wisely and investing are all ways to generate income and build wealth. While money is essential, it’s important to never let it consume our heart. When God blesses us, we shouldn’t raise our standard of living, but our standard of giving instead, by using it as an instrument to help others.
 
Intellectual: Mind, Knowledge and Mental Abilities
The mind is one of the most powerful things we possess. It controls our thoughts, perspectives, beliefs, emotions and actions. The knowledge and entertainment we digest affects our dimensions, especially our spiritual one. In the Information Age, social media is a given, but it’s important to balance it out with positive habits, knowledgeable entertainment and goal planning for growth. “The mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
 
Occupational: Career, Profession, Vocation and Working Abilities
Our occupation is what we are going to do for the remainder of our lives and will be a big aspect of our identity. It’s important to figure out what we’re passionate about and equally important to impact the world with that passion. When that passion is found, it can always be innovated and enhanced.
 
Physical: Body, Health, Natural Activity and Function
Health and wellness is essential to survival and performance, from practicing good hygiene, being knowledgeable about food intake, to exercising. Our bodies are sacred, so it’s imperative to maintain and preserve it. Harming our bodies for temporary feelings is dangerous and unnecessary, but we must change the mental first in order to change the physical.
 
Social: Relationships, Support System, Networks and Interactive Engagements
Our social dimension consists of every person we’ve interacted with. We should always reflect on the circle we keep because forming and cultivating relationships is key to our support system and the contribution to our dimensions. Whether it’s our family members, friends, mentors, co-workers, bosses or strangers, they all influence and shape us into the person we are now. They reflect who you want to be in life and have an affect on our thoughts, actions and decisions we make.
 
Spiritual: Faith/Religion and Sense of Divine Purpose
Spirituality has a huge affect on our lives, specifically thoughts and actions. Faith is the foundation of our divine purpose and without purpose, we can’t realize and believe our potential. Involvement in a church or faith community, while being active and applying the Bible to our daily lives enhances the spiritual dimension. When we do this, we begin to view the world through a spiritual lense. When we begin to desire a better life spiritually and do so by pleasing God, that’s when we know faith is real.
 
What potential can you reach while following the principles in “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness?” We all have room to improve and following these steps will help to fulfill our potential. All of the dimensions are connected, so it’s important that we work on all of them equally. What dimension will you focus on first?