Eight Dimensions of Wellness

Emotional wellness involves understanding your own feelings, expressing emotions in a constructive way, and having the ability to deal with stress and cope with life challenges.

Ways to work on emotional well-being:

• Make an appointment with a counselor to talk through any emotional challenges
• Make an appointment to explore gender identity and sexuality questions, concerns or thoughts through the office of Gender and Sexuality Programs
• Practice guided mindfulness exercises for anxiety, fear, depression, love, self-esteem, sleep, etc.
• Try meditation to gain more awareness and control over thoughts, emotions and stress triggers
• Begin a gratitude practice to shift your focus toward the positive, rather than the negative, aspects of your life by using this app
• Practice self-compassion by giving yourself the same kindness and care you would give to a good friend
• Find outlets to release emotional tension: laughter, socializing, exercise, reading, or hobbies

Environmental wellness involves recognizing the interactions between yourself and your environment (natural and social), responsibly using available resources, and fostering a safer and healthier environment for others.

Ways to work on environmental well-being:

• Keep your immediate environment (dorm, apartment, suite) clean, organized and free from clutter
• Intentionally choose environments that support your well-being whenever possible
• Improve your immediate environment and your own well-being by engaging in acts of kindness.
• Make an effort to contribute positively to your immediate environment (recycling, conserving energy, tidying up)
• Be conscious about changing your environment; spending time both inside and outside and in new places
• Learn more about how you can improve campus sustainability

Intellectual wellness involves engaging in creative and mentally-stimulating activities, expanding your knowledge through cultural, artistic, or skill-based learning, and sharing knowledge and skills with others.

Ways to work on intellectual well-being:

• Seek academic support when needed
• Build time management skills
• Make time for an established hobby or new hobby
• Increase your understanding and appreciation of different cultures, ethnicities, political views, spiritual beliefs, and gender/sexual identities
  • Study abroad
  • Contact the Office of Intercultural Development
  • Look into information and events offered by Gender and Sexuality Programs
  • Contact the office of Religious and Spiritual Life
  • Participate in an Alternative Spring Break trip
• Conduct research with faculty
• Journal your thoughts and ideas
• Try something new in order to learn something new (visit a museum, see a musical performance, attend a lecture or a play)
• Seek opportunities to achieve the flow state and the 8 characteristics of flow
• Join a club or organization with a mission you are drawn to
• Talk to your adviser and register for courses that seem interesting
• Engage in intellectual and diversified conversations with peers, advisers, staff, faculty, etc.
• Read something every day (novel, news, magazine, published research, etc.)

Professional wellness is receiving personal fulfillment from your academic pursuits/future career path, furthering personal knowledge and skills and maintaining a work-life and academic-life balance.

Ways to work on occupational/professional well-being:

• Engage in the Gateway Career Center program to review your career interests and plans
•  Identify your personal strengths and how they can support your professional future
•  Engage in activities that support your professional interests (interning, volunteering, part-time jobs, hobbies, freelancing, etc.)
•  Create a daily schedule to ensure that you have balance in your academic pursuits, professional pursuits, social time and rest

Physical wellness involves making choices to avoid harmful habits and practicing behaviors that support your physical body, health and safety.

Ways to work on physical well-being:

Fitness and Nutrition

• Find a way to incorporate fitness practices into your daily life
• Go to the gym or attend fitness classes
• Find workouts or stretches to do in your room
• Join a sports club or intramural sport team
• Go for walks, hikes, bike rides, etc. around the Lehigh Valley
• Learn more about the nutritional fuel your body needs to function optimally by working with a nutrition counselor
• Read about the unique, sustainable, and locally grown food initiative through LaFarm at Lafayette

General Health

• Practice personal hygiene (wash hands before eating, sneeze into arm, etc.)
• Visit the health center if you feel ill or want more information about healthy habits
• Reap the benefits of 6-8 hours of sleep most nights

Sexual Health

• Practice open communication with your partner. This includes discussing STI testing as well as sexual likes and dislikes
• Avoid using alcohol or drugs before or during sex. This may decrease the likelihood of practicing safe sex
• Use a condom every time you have sex to reduce the risk of STIs
• Visit the health center for STI testing, gynecological services, emergency contraception, and general sexual health questions/concerns
• Know your sexual and consent rights in the Lafayette College community
• Understand the culture of sexual respect at Lafayette College

Drug and Alcohol Use

• Visit the Alcohol and Other Drugs Services website
• Make healthy choices surrounding drug and alcohol use
• Join the movement of Lafayette students who have decided to choose wellness over hangovers and reap the benefits of abstinence or moderation

Social wellness involves building and maintaining a diverse network of supportive relationships and dealing effectively with interpersonal conflict.

Ways to work on social well-being:

• Self-assess how you can be a better friend, partner, family member or loved one
• Reflect on your social network, evaluating if your relationships support your values, beliefs and general well-being
• Identify faculty/staff who are members of your support network
• Step outside of your comfort zone and get to know new people by engaging in campus activities
• Unplug from social media when in the presence of others

Spiritual wellness is having beliefs, values, and practices that provide you with a sense of purpose and give meaning to your life.

Ways to work on spiritual well-being:

• Check out the Religous and Spiritual Life website to view programs that occur throughout the semester
•  Spend time evaluating and defining your values and beliefs
• Experiment with meditation and/or quiet personal reflection
•  Engage in practices to serve others, such as volunteering through the Landis Center

Financial wellness involves utilizing financial resources appropriately to meet practical wants and needs; having a sense of control and knowledge about personal finances.

Ways to work on financial well-being:

• Start this process by requesting a one-on-one on appointment with Shelby Smith, Assistant Director of Financial Aid (smithsh@lafayette.edu) to begin talking about personal finances
• Visit the Lafayette financial resources website for tools to help build financial knowledge
• Create a budget for your expenses, leaving space for savings and for spending money
• Take control over your personal finances by spending time every month evaluating where your money is going
• Become educated about credit, debt, retirement, long-term savings, investments, etc.

These eight dimensions provide a holistic and comprehensive lens to understanding and supporting the overall student experience.

Bringing awareness to each dimension individually and as an interconnected whole provides students with a more balanced state of well-being, as any changes in one dimension can immediately impact wellness in other dimensions.

The eight dimensions of wellness are incredibly interconnected. The goal is to bring mindful attention to all eight dimensions on a regular basis so that students can notice when they are struggling in one area before it negatively impacts other dimensions.

For example, if students are having roommate issues (social dimension) they might find it difficult to feel comfortable in their personal living space (environmental dimension). This could impact how well they are sleeping at night (physical dimension) and potentially how they begin to function in their classes (intellectual dimension). Finally, this might be causing feelings of stress, loneliness, anger, etc. (emotional dimension). This is an example of how one dimension can impact others and disrupt balance.