"Well-being"
What is meant by the term, well-being?
Japanese zen garden
When I think of well-being, I think of the phrase, 'health, wealth and happiness'.
It is associated with toasts to a good life at weddings and other celebrations. The three go hand in hand to describe a holistic
sense of being at peace with oneself and with all around us. It is a state of mind in which the body is in harmony with
its surroundings. Well-being cannot be bought or manipulated through material things, for the rich do not, by virtue of their
wealth, possess well-being. However, this is not to say that it cannot be enhanced by a person's not having to toil in order
to achieve a state of well-being! It does however suggest that a modicum of moderation be employed in order to
help one achieve this balanced state. For well-being to flourish, balance needs
be maintained between mind, body and spirit, in other words, there needs to be a good relationship between mental
health, the physical body and one's emotional state.
Well-being is nurtured by supportive people who may or may not possess well-being, but who show
love, understanding and compassion for those in whom well-being is lacking.
Health, wealth and happiness
I think that my own well-being is in pretty a good order. In terms of my health, I have never
taken ill in hospital, I have never had broken bones or defective organs, or wounds that wouldn't heal. In fact, I have never
even had so much as a stitch to heal broken skin. I have never had a lot of money, but I do have money sense which enables
me to make the most of that which I do have. In the past I have merely worked harder in order to be able to afford something
that I felt I needed or wanted. My happiness is associated with those around me, people I can trust. I believe that well-being
is reflected in and enhanced by
the people you choose to surround yourself with. Furthermore,
being able to appreciate the simple things in life enables me to enjoy a good sense of well-being.
The simple things in life
Balance
Trust
Times in my life when my well-being has been compromised have always been times when the factors
that contribute to my well-being have been out of my control. Things like the physical health of family members and friends
have influenced my life negatively. My sense of well-being is diminished by an inability to positively influence the well-being
of others. For instance, I have experienced it as a sense of loss when those close to me have moved to other parts of the
world, regardless of the fact that their own well-being improved because of the move. Because I was powerless to
control their lives, and fearful of the change that was the result of circumstances beyond my control, my own well-being suffered.
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