Photo by Kayten Schmidt
Wellness. It is a word we see and hear incessantly from advertising to daily conversation, but its meaning is a bit more elusive. Tasnim Ahmed wrote a profoundly accurate article on the subject for Allure that really struck close to home and made me want to define this concept of wellness for myself. Within this article, Tasnim reinforces that wellness is simply just being well, no powders or tinctures or supplements. Health and wellness expert Daphne Javitch is a figure in the wellness industry that also abides by this philosophy. After succumbing to the marketing ploys of the industry several times, I was hungry to answer to this question of wellness by something other than a commodity.
The National Wellness Institute believes that wellness has six dimensions — occupational, physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional. Within each dimension, we are striving to reach our full potential. The NWI believes that “by applying the Six Dimensional Model, a person becomes aware of the interconnectedness of each dimension and how they contribute to healthy living”. I like this interpretation because it relies on little else than the self to achieve the ultimate goal. It also does not use the word content or contentedness anywhere within its explanation, proving that wellness is a process just like anything else. There is no end goal, at least not in the traditional sense. True wellness is a continual process, one we spend the entirety of our lives learning and exploring, and certainly not a fix-all that can be purchased.
Photo via Sansceuticals
Wellness has become an industry in and of itself, but being aware of the mechanisms that function to make us feel like we aren't whole is important in maintaining sanity in this wellness-crazed society we live in. As Tasnim stated in her article, “if wellness is indeed about being well, it can only begin from within, and not dependent on one’s ability to afford it”. This isn’t to discredit the many joys of self-care and allowing oneself the occasional indulgence, but rather choosing very carefully the physical objects and products you introduce to your life and your routine. I continually swear by and recommend my jade roller (especially in the summer, when I keep it in my freezer) but is this device absolutely essential to my beauty, health, and happiness? Replace my jade roller with any beauty, health, or wellness product and ask yourself the same question. Chances are, it is not something that is absolutely essential to your well-being. Naturally there will be some exceptions, but this exercise is a helpful tool you can use to sift through what the mind and body actually need and what is merely perpetuating this wellness commodity fetishism. Indulgences are okay as long as you aren't spreading yourself too thin or going broke for them. It is also important to recognize that no one object or thing is going to instantly cure you of your physical, emotional, or mental ailments — that comes entirely from yourself.
Yvonne Rainer, Trio A
The more I research this topic, the more the concept of wellness seems to be a balancing act. Wellness to me has become a harmonious relationship between what I want and what I actually need. So much of the beauty, health and wellness industry is rooted in consumption, but there are more factors that effect the outcome of the equation. Wellness as a concept, a philosophy, will take you further than your jade roller, your fancy hairbrush, your activated charcoal supplements. Consuming foods that are whole and healthy that target the areas you are striving to improve, that is wellness. Acknowledging that you have faults is wellness. Checking in with yourself daily is wellness. Falling off the wagon and getting back on again is wellness. Mistakes are wellness. Being entirely and unequivocally human is wellness. Not fully relying on any physical object other than your own body, to me, is wellness.
Wellness differs from person to person, but at its core it is the active pursuit of good health — physical, emotional, and mental. Retraining ourselves to see wellness in this way, as its original definition, is the first step in regaining traction in your wellness goals. Too many commodities weigh you down, clog your thought process, drain your income. It is impossible to escape capitalism entirely because we are too far along in the process to turn around; however, continually checking in with yourself, questioning whether or not something is worth including in your day-to-day, and being educated about your health goals are great ways to maintain the balance between what we want and what we really need.
