"Wellness is not a destination, but a journey. It's about making daily choices that lead to a healthier, happier life."
Long before I even knew wellness—or perimenopause, for that matter—was a real thing, I was slowly weaving it into my life. Things felt chaotic, and I was overwhelmed, not really understanding why I felt so different.
So, I started focusing on myself, even though I didn’t fully grasp how much of a difference it makes. That’s why I get frustrated when “wellness” becomes just another buzzword. No amount of water or meditation is going to magically fill your wellness cup, no matter what the marketing says.
There are 8 pillars of wellness, and as a peri or post-menopausal woman, it’s important for you to understand and incorporate them into your life. These pillars—emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual—didn't come to me overnight. As I went through life’s ups and downs, it became clear that something was missing.
Here are the things I had to realize was a crucial part of life that needed my attention, care, and respect. If you ignore one, the others will definitely start to feel the impact.
The 8 Pillars of Wellness (Menopause Edition)
Emotional Wellness: Suppressing feelings and allowing stress to build up without seeking support, leading to emotional disconnection.
Environmental Wellness: Letting clutter accumulate, neglecting the order of your space, which disrupts your peace and creates a toxic environment.
Financial Wellness: Impulse buying and overspending on non-essentials, undermining financial goals and long-term security.
Intellectual Wellness: Choosing passive entertainment over engaging activities like reading or puzzles, limiting cognitive stimulation.
Occupational Wellness: Staying in unfulfilling jobs or those that don’t align with your values, draining your spirit and hindering professional growth.
Physical Wellness: Opting for convenience in diet and neglecting exercise, compromising your physical health.
Social Wellness: Overusing digital communication at the expense of face-to-face connections, weakening personal relationships.
Spiritual Wellness: Getting caught up in daily busyness and neglecting spiritual practices, leading to a lack of purpose and connection.
For example, emotional wellness meant giving myself permission to feel—to cry, to laugh, to rage even. Instead of denying what I felt, I became honest with the people around me about what I was feeling. It created an environment of supportive people. This was particularly important when the pandemic happened. As an outlet, I started to garden which was a surprise as I could kill a fake plant. But it was what I needed and over the years, it has become an area of life I take pride in.
You know the time spend reading or learning a new skill? That feeds into your intellectual wellness which keeps your mind sharp.
Occupational wellness drove me to find purpose in business. Literally closing a very profitable one to serve the greater community of menopausal women who desired a holistic approach.
Physical wellness became especially vital as the menopausal "body" started to replace my once strong body. Now reclaiming that strong body and redefining my menopausal body are one of the most important things to me.
Social wellness meant getting out of a rut and get social. I had developed a touch of social anxiety due to pandemic isolation among other craziness of the world. Now, I am part of a book club that meets every week...virtually.
Incorporating spiritual wellness was and is important to my emotional health. For everyone that looks different but for me it meant being faithful with my journaling and meditation. Most off all, not putting rules on myself with either. One day journaling may be answering a question or emptying my brain...day or night. Meditation could be 30 secs of breathing or 10 minutes of laying in bed listening to music.
On a Sidenote, Try One of These:
For any woman looking to incorporate these pillars, start small. Write your thoughts on a sticky note. Declutter an area in your house. Create a monthly budget or sit down and read.
Share this with a friend and y'all can start working on your social wellness. Also, if you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for our free newsletter to get new, insightful blogs like this delivered to your inbox every week.
Remember, wellness isn't a destination—it's a journey. It's about listening to your body, mind, and spirit and responding with kindness and action. Embrace the 8 Pillars of Wellness not because it's trendy, but because you deserve to live a life that is balanced, fulfilling, and authentically yours.
xoxoxox-V
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