As the year draws to a close, and we begin to think about the 12 brand new months ahead of us, we are often drawn to New Year resolutions that re-boot our efforts to exercise, eat better, take care of ourselves, and even offer a renewed sense of well-being. The start of a new year can be filled with fresh momentum and a desire for change in one form or another.
So what do we really mean when we use the words wellness or well-being? Most of us use these terms interchangeably, however, these powerful words are evolving to mean different things and they are even impacting how we think.
If you go by the dictionary, Merriam-Webster makes the distinction this way:
Wellness: The quality or state of being healthy
Well-being: the state of being happy, healthy or successful
In this context, wellness is often about health and prevention, while well-being is a measure of happiness. According to Susie Ellis, Chairman and CEO of the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) language evolves to reflect our culture. “Today we stand at the threshold of another term entering the conversation that could once again have a major impact on global thinking. That term is “well-being.” And according to Global Wellness Institute research, the worldwide wellness industry is valued at over USD $3.4 trillion.
So let’s make a distinction between the two terms for ourselves. Up until the last decade, wellness was often associated with medical treatments for an ailment, disease or a condition and often included cosmetic or dental procedures or enhancements. More recently, wellness has evolved to include and integrated approach to health and prevention. Newer approaches to wellness include a focus on improving an individual’s overall heath and quality of life. In this definition, individuals pursue activities or therapies that enhance their personal health and well-being.
So how does “well-being” fit into the picture? According to GWI, the term well-being” is beginning to set itself apart from wellness. “The reason for this, says Ellis, “is the increasing momentum in measuring “happiness” around the world and the importance happiness is being given in many of the well-being indexes and scores that are being referenced.” While happiness is not the same thing as wellness, there is new focus on the idea of well-being and what this means to our overall wellness.
How do you define wellness and well-being? In the months ahead, I plan to explore the elements of both terms and how they are impacting our culture, our daily lives, and even our perception of the future for each of us.
We’ll explore the new science of well-being, the brain chemistry of growth, as well as the biology of mind, body, spirit and emotion—the four key areas where we can take charge of our lives. So stay tuned for more. And in the meantime, be thinking about how you define well-being for yourself and what you would like that to look like in 2017!
Happy New Year—
Warmly,
Dawn