Fundamentals of Wellness by Kareen Aristide
Wellness…what is it? It’s increasingly become a buzz word that has many different meanings. I’d like to share with you what wellness means to me. First, let’s talk definition. I love the definition of wellness that I have featured here:
Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. – The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus
An active process…becoming aware…making choices…healthy and fulfilling life. This truly embodies what wellness means to me on a very practical level. I also love the part about wellness being more than the absence of illness and that the process is a dynamic succession of change and growth. My approach to wellness falls under this definition. I am not a wellness practitioner, nor do I want to be. My passion and area of expertise is personal development and mental health. My idea of wellness encompasses these two disciplines. So in my opinion, talking about wellness means looking at our lives holistically. Being holistic means engaging and developing the whole person: body, soul and spirit. And that’s what I’m all about!
Yes. You are a spirit, you possess a soul and you live in a body.
Have you ever heard this saying? This, my friend, is the composition of every human being. The first component of the human being is the body. We’re talking about the physical envelope, the material part of who we are, the tent. This is what we are able to see with the naked eye. It houses our 5 senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, hearing) so we generally put a lot of emphasis on this part. But the truth is it’s only a small part of who we are. The soul is the next layer, which houses our intellect, will and emotions. We can “see” our soul through our personality, the things we think, say and do. The third component of who we are is our spirit; it’s the innermost part of our being. There lies our conscience, intuition and communion.
Notice there is a layer you can see and two layers you cannot see with your senses. Hence, the soul and the spirit are the parts of us that we pay the least attention to and often we do not even know much about. But these parts of us that we cannot readily see, that are invisible, are actually greater in scope and importance. Especially our spirit. We generally are most familiar with the body, more or less with the soul, but the spirit is really something unknown to the vast majority of people. I find this to be a great tragedy …and that’s why part of my mission in life is to help people develop and grow their soul and spirit by living life from the inside out.
You see, each part influences the other and that’s what ultimately makes us who we are. Our wellness journey thus has to take all three parts into account. When I work with clients, we address the different aspects of who they are and I provide them with personalized strategies, tips and resources that empower them to take charge of their unique wellness journey.
Are you ready to embark on the active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthier and more fulfilled life? Are you ready to position yourself for dynamic change and growth? If you said yes to these questions, congratulations, you’re officially part of my tribe!
I invite you to take part in a FREE 5-Day Wellness Challenge entitled Know Your Worth Challenge to get started. It's powered by She Did It! Elle a osé!, a network for heart-centered women entrepreneurs who come together in community to connect, develop and grow personally and professionally. Join the challenge here: https://knowyourworthchallenge.com/.
About the author
Kareen Aristide stands out as a passionate woman in helping people achieve their full potential professionally, emotionally and spiritually. She combines over 20 years of professional experience in employment counselling, entrepreneurship and wellness. She offers consulting, training, coaching, keynotes and life changing events in personal and professional development with an emphasis on mental health. She's a certified Human Behavior Consultant (Level I and II) with Personality Insights and a certified speaker with Expert Speaker. She holds a B.A. Honours in Psychology, with a minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health from Carleton University. She's the instigator of She Did It! Elle a osé!, a network for women entrepreneurs to help them grow personally and professionally. She and her husband of 22 years own l'espace PME, a co-working space and event venue for entrepreneurs and their families. They are raising 5 wonderful children, some of which are also entrepreneurs!
