Eight Dimensions of Wellness: Environmental Wellness

I can hear my mother now, "Always be aware of your surroundings!" It was something I felt like she drilled in my head ever since she found out that I could understand English!! Even with 3,000 miles between us she still tells me the same thing or I overhear her telling my little sister the same thing and I just shake my head and respond "Ok Mother ok I got it I'm not going to pay attention." Without further ado I introduce to you Environmental wellness, the second dimension we will explore.

Environmental wellness inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings. It involves understanding the dynamic relationship between the environment and people and recognizing that we are responsible for the quality of the air, water, and earth that surrounds us and in turn, that social, natural, and built environments affect our health and well-being. Our environment and the way we feel about the environment can play a big role in how we live our lives. Examples of our environment include our social environment (i.e. bullying, fat talk, and racism), our natural environment (i.e. air, nature, and climate), and our built environment (i.e. proximity to resources and living conditions).

For a long time I thought my mother only wanted me to be aware of my surroundings for physical safety purposes especially since we watched Criminal Minds together and I was picking up on how crazy people are but as I got older there were other aspects she wanted me to pay attention to as well. The environments you put yourself in and what you allow to take place around you give some insight to who you are. Being conscious of that will push you to make the necessary changes to create an environment that cultivates your wellness.

We only have one Earth and we should all do our part to protect it. At this point everyone should be recycling and if you're not join the wave, implementing it at both work and home. Donating and reusing items versus always buying something brand new. Conserving energy aka turn off unnecessary lights, the sun does a great job at illuminating the world so I'm positive it can light up that one room in your house plus who doesn't want to lower their electricity bill. Pay attention to your water usage, California is in a drought so we don't have a choice but to be aware of how much water we use. Instead of driving consider a bike, walking, or carpooling. I wish I could walk to work because then I wouldn't have to pay over $3 (yes I said over $3!) for gas. Protecting our Earth grants us the opportunity to enjoy our built environments such as recreational parks, national parks, beaches, etc. Spend time outside (get some Vitamin D), experience nature, and interact with people in your community. Feeling and being apart of something that is bigger than yourself should inspire you to put forth more effort to protect and respect your environment.

Energy is contagious so being mindful of the people you talk to frequently and who you surround yourself with is essential in this dimension of wellness. After I finished undergrad and college basketball was over you learn the difference between teammates and friends. Disclaimer!!! I've never had any issues with any of my teammates but when you're not obligated to see people everyday you're able to easily identify the people in which you will develop a bond and friendship without needing a jersey. When I first moved I knew I had to "put myself out there" in order to meet people and throughout that whole phase you begin to pick up on peoples energy, motives, intentions, morals, and ideologies. As well as having to step back and evaluate the energy I was putting out, my own motives, intentions, morals, ideologies and how or if they aligned with the people I was around. Not everyone has your best interest at heart and you have to be mindful of that when meeting new people. Ensuring that your circle is filled with people that have your best interest at heart and hold similar values and morals will assist in filtering unnecessary and toxic people that don't aid in your wellness.

Ironically I wrote this post sitting in the dark with one candle burning which wasn't in the same room as me and walked a couple trails earlier. I don't have choice but to recycle because my roommate would probably kill me in my sleep. I want to implement at least spending time outside once a week whether it's working out at the park, going to the beach, or walking a trail. I'm still working on protecting my energy and being mindful of who I allow to get close to me.

Don't be afraid to stir up the tea in your own life; explore your own environmental wellness with some of the following questions: What ways do you contribute to protecting the Earth? What ways can you adjust your schedule to spend time outside enjoying the built environments in your community? When was the last time you stepped back to evaluate yourself, the people in your life, and how they effect your social environment?