Wellbeing is a term that is used a lot, however despite it being the very thing we all desire, wellbeing is not well understood. Perhaps this is the reason why so few of us report experiencing it as often as we would like.
The dictionary definition of wellbeing is ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.’ This however, is more of a description of wellbeing rather than a definition. Feeling comfortable, happy and healthy are the outcomes of wellbeing, but they don’t actually define what it is.
1 Giant Mind proposes a new definition of wellbeing based on the work of Rachel Dodge and her academic paper ‘The Challenge of Defining Wellbeing’ published in the International Journal of Wellbeing, 2012.
‘Resources’ are your essential needs in order to thrive. These include:
- Self-awareness
- Food, water and shelter
- Health and vitality
- Sense of purpose
- Motivation and enthusiasm
- Social support and community.
‘Skills’ are your capabilities that enable you to successfully meet life’s challenges. These include:
- Life experience
- Ability to communicate with yourself and others
- Emotional intelligence and stability
- Adaptability to change
- Creativity and innovation
- Any vocational or academic skills
‘Challenges’ are situations you are faced with on a daily basis that demand you respond. These include:
- Everything that is happening inside of you and outside of you
- Relationship with yourself
- Relationship with your partner, friends, family, colleagues and community
- Any event that is planned or unplanned
- Any event that is favourable or unfavourable.
In this definition, wellbeing is experienced when you are able to meet the challenges of life whilst sustaining or increasing your resources and your skills.
The opposite of wellbeing is distress
Distress happens when life’s challenges outweigh your resources and skills to meet the demand. The most common trigger for distress is high levels of stress and fatigue. When you are overwhelmed with stress and fatigue you rapidly burn through your essential resources. If you don’t have a strategy for replenishing these resources, your skills rapidly decreases.
The reality is, life’s challenges are constant coming at you thick and fast. If you are unable to build on your resources and skills, life will be overwhelming and wellbeing only ever a nice idea.
Meditation is the gateway to wellbeing
Meditation is a one stop shop that not only dissolves stress and fatigue, but increases your essential resources and skills too. A daily practice of meditation grows your brain and cognitive ability that increases self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
When you are able to meet life’s challenges with increasing capability, something extraordinary happens. You shift from living reactively and start living life creatively. Driven by a strong sense of purpose, you are confident in your decision making of what to do next.
Fulfilment in life isn’t about just about surviving, it’s about thriving. We can only expect to thrive when we are experiencing wellbeing. The foundation of wellbeing is the ability to balance resources and skills with life’s challenges and is entirely dependent on self-awareness. Meditation is a technique that naturally awakens self-awareness and therefore is the gateway to wellbeing.
The 1 Giant Mind ‘Learn to Meditate’ App is free, easy to use and facilitates expansion of the mind and deep bodily rest. If you haven’t already and want to get started right away you can download our app now for free. This program has been created by experienced meditation teachers who know exactly how to get you on the meditation horse and riding like a pro in no time.