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Assessing One’s State of Wellness

Oliviah Shaffer

Department of Health and Wellness, Purdue University Global

HW 420: Creating Wellness - Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

Dr. D

February 14th, 2022

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Introduction

Wellness encompasses eight interdependent dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional,

social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental (Stoewen, 2017). In order for one to

feel healthy and satisfied in life, each of these dimensions needs to be given attention (Stoewen,

2017). If any one of these dimensions are neglected, it will adversely affect the others, and

ultimately one’s health, well-being, and quality of life (Stoewen, 2017). According to an article

written by Debbie Stoewen, “we should aim, instead, to strive for a “personal harmony” that

feels most authentic to us” (Stoewen, 2017). This means that the dimensions of focus will change

and look different among everyone. In the following inventory, 14 questions will be used to

determine someone’s current state of wellness.

14-Question Psychological and Spiritual Inventory

1. How would you describe the relationship that you have with your body? Do you feel that

you take care of your body and give it what it needs to thrive?

i. This question helps to reveal how you view your body and if you take care

of it properly. How someone views their body tells a lot about their

feelings of self-worth and body-image, two essential factors in the

physical dimension of overall wellness.

2. How often do you engage in some form of movement each week?

i. Moving our body is necessary for overall wellness. Exercise has been seen

to improve mood, self-confidence, circulation, and muscle strength,

among many others. There are several reasons why someone may not

partake in some form of movement, and getting to the bottom of that is

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key. This question not only helps to assess someone’s physical health, but

mental health as well.

3. Do you find that you feel better or worse after moving your body?

i. Often, people are not aware that movement/exercise can be fun! For

example, dancing is a great way to reap all the benefits of exercise while

having fun too. This question might uncover the beliefs holding people

back from taking care of their body through movement. This question will

shed light on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as their

mindset about movement.

4. Is there an area of your life where you are expanding your knowledge? Also, do you find

yourself interested in learning new things?

i. This question focuses on the intellectual dimension of wellness.

Continuing to learn new things, and staying curious about life, are both

essential parts of wellbeing. This question will shed light on a person’s

perspective in life as well as their level of optimism and spirituality.

5. Do you feel that you effectively manage your emotions?

i. This question focuses on the emotional dimension of wellness. Having the

ability to manage your emotions is what sets one up for a thriving life.

This will also reveal if the person is confident in their own abilities, and

feels safe being alone.

6. Are you enthusiastic about the life that you live?

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i. This question addresses the emotional dimension of wellness as it shows

how someone feels about the life that they live. Given the nature of this

question, mental health is surely reflected by this question. Both

psychological and spiritual health will be revealed with this question.

7. Are you involved in your community? If yes, how so?

i. Community involvement shows the level of connection that a person feels

with those around them. If someone is not involved in their community, a

sense of isolation, and feelings of disconnection may ensue. Feeling as if

you are contributing to society, and are a part of something greater than

yourself, make up a large part of spiritual development (D’Souza & Gurin,

2016). Discovering this about a person will indicate how they view their

community and their own ability to be a part of it. Therefore, this question

addresses the social dimension of well-being.

8. How often do you spend time with friends or family that make you feel good?

i. Spending time with people that make you feel good is a sign of good

social health and overall wellbeing. Friends and family have the ability to

enrich life. This question will help to determine if a person feels that they

are supported in life and have people to turn to.

9. Do you feel that your needs are met in your relationships?

i. This question also reflects the social dimension of wellness. Knowing

whether a person feels that their needs are met in relationships or not is

important when considering the emotional state of the person. When one
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feels that their energy is being drained in relationships, the tendency is to

isolate. This may lead to both mental and physical health problems.

10. Do you feel that you have a purpose in life? If so, what would that be?

i. Having a purpose in life is innate, however, being aware of it is not. Once

someone feels confident in their purpose, they can thrive in their life. On

the other hand, when one feels purposeless, their mental health and

physical health may be negatively affected. This question addresses the

spiritual dimension of wellness as it reveals what a person believes they

were meant to do or share with the world.

11. How would you describe your connection to something greater? Is spirituality, religion,

or faith, a source of comfort and inspiration for you?

i. This question also addresses the spiritual dimension of wellness. Feeling

connected to something greater than yourself is known to improve health

and wellness. For example, prayer has been shown to bolster one’s

immune system as it lowers their fight or flight response and activates the

rest and digest response; this helps the body guard against illness

(Kettering Health, 2018). Knowing this about a person will shed light on

their spirituality and views about human existence.

12. How do you feel your financial situation is? Is this a source of stress in your life?

i. This question addresses the financial dimension of wellness. Managing

your resources and maintaining a life that you can afford is important to

feel financially stable and secure. Once someone feels more secure

financially, it will be easier to work on the other areas of wellness.

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13. How often do you dedicate time for yourself to do things that you enjoy, or are good at?

i. Dedicating time for self-care, or for vocational work that is enjoyed, is a

must. It’s important to set aside time each day for activities that bring fun,

a sense of wonder, creativity, and joy. These outlets can be anything from

playing sports, to painting, exercising, meditating, or hiking. Having time

to express one’s self and enjoy life is essential in developing spiritually

and reaching one’s highest potential.

14. Do you enjoy being in your space at home? Also, do you respect the earth as your home?

i. This question addresses the environmental dimension of wellness. Feeling

connected to nature and being respectful of the earth and all that it

provides for us, is a huge indicator of one’s spirituality and overall health.

This question will reveal if someone is committed to making this planet a

safe and healthy place to live. Finally, feeling comfortable and safe in the

home environment is essential as it effects one’s health and wellbeing.

Interview with Grace

In the following section, I have documented the interview with my sister, to assess her

current state of wellness. All 14 questions were asked and responses are shared without editing.

Question 1: How would you describe the relationship that you have with your body? Do you

feel that you take care of your body and give it what it needs to thrive?

Grace: “I think that I have a good relationship with my body. But I know that I don’t

take care of it in the ways that I should. I know that I need to eat more fruits and

vegetables and exercise more, and I do want to, but I have a really hard time doing it.”
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Question 2: How often do you engage in some form of movement each week?

Grace: “I’m a waitress and so I walk a lot at work. But I don’t currently dedicate time to

movement. I used to play field hockey and lacrosse in high school and loved staying

active through sports, however without something structured like that, it’s hard for me to

stay motivated.”

Question 3: Do you find that you feel better or worse after moving your body?

Grace: “I feel better. 100% better. My mind is clearer, I’m in a better mood, and my

body feels less tense. I know I feel better after, and that I should do it more, but I think

my mind gets in the way. Like where do I go? What exercises do I do? What if I’m weak

and people judge me?”

Question 4: Is there an area of your life where you are expanding your knowledge? Also, do you

find yourself interested in learning new things?

Grace: “Yes, I’m in college right now and learn about business, marketing, and

accounting, every day. I am interested in learning new things and also enjoy the structure

that college provides me with.”

Question 5: Do you feel that you effectively manage your emotions?

Grace: “No, I don’t. I can manage emotions up until a certain point where I feel I will

explode. And I do- but with anger. It’s something I’m working on but yes, it’s very hard

for me. My mood goes up and down a lot too so that doesn’t help.”

Question 6: Are you enthusiastic about the life that you live?

Grace: “Yes and no. I love my family and boyfriend, and visions for the future, but I

don’t love where I live and what I’m doing on a day to day basis. I live in a cold climate

where the sun comes out for only a few months a year which is super depressing. I’m also
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in college and don’t have a clear idea of what I’m doing with my life. I’m hopeful that it

will get better, but currently I’m not especially enthusiastic.”

Question 7: Are you involved in your community? If yes, how so?

Grace: “No, I use to play sports, volunteer on the holidays by delivering meals, and in

high school, I ran food and clothing drives. But I don’t feel involved in my community

anymore. It doesn’t feel like a community in general.”

Question 8: How often do you spend time with friends or family that make you feel good?

Grace: “Every day. I have a great relationship with my boyfriend and we spend a lot of

time together. I also spend a ton of time with my dog, Ellie, friends, and family as well.

They all make me feel good- for the most part haha.”

Question 9: Do you feel that your needs are met in your relationships?

Grace: “In most of them, yes. But my mom just moved to Florida and so I’ve had to do

everything on my own. I guess I wish I was closer to her and felt more supported. I wish

the same from my dad. Sometimes it feels like I pick up their slack and can’t just be their

daughter.”

Question 10: Do you feel that you have a purpose in life? If so, what would that be?

Grace: “I believe my purpose is to help people to start their own business and live

fulfilling, exciting lives. I can see myself helping entrepreneurs in the beginning steps of

creating their brand. I guess that means that I have to be one first, so I’m starting there.”

Question 11: How would you describe your connection to something greater? Is spirituality,

religion, or faith, a source of comfort and inspiration for you?

Grace: “I am not religious. Sometimes I feel guided and connected to family members

that have passed on though. Like I always feel my grandma is watching over me.”
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Question 12: How do you feel your financial situation is? Is this a source of stress in your life?

Grace: “Yes, sometimes it does stress me out. I’m a student, living at home- which saves

me rent money. And I work as a waitress. I do have enough money and never feel like

I’m going without, but it worries me to not have a clear path of how to get a stable

income in the future.”

Question 13: How often do you dedicate time for yourself to do things that you enjoy, or are

good at?

Grace: “I don’t really have any hobbies, people tell me I need to find things that I enjoy

doing because I really don’t have anything outside work and school. I enjoy being with

my friends and family though, so I guess that counts. Oh and I love to get my nails done,

which I do every few months.”

Question 14: Do you enjoy being in your space at home? Also, do you respect the earth as your

home?

Grace: “I do, but sometimes I doesn’t feel like home because my brothers and mom

moved to Florida, so it feels empty. I have found that lighting candles helps it feel

warmer and home-like. Being with my boyfriend makes it better too. And yes, I do

respect the earth but know I can do better. I don’t take much time to think about how my

actions are affecting the earth and I know that I should learn more about that.”

Reflection

If I was a practitioner in the field of health and wellness, I would first start with delving

deeper into what prevents Grace from exercise and moving her body. It seems as though she is

having “all or nothing” thoughts which prevent her from partaking in light forms of movement,

or other actives that are more enjoyable. This is common with people who were athletes as they
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feel that running 5 miles or lifting heavy weights are the only worthwhile forms of exercise. I

would encourage Grace to try out things like dance workouts, Zumba, group fitness classes,

yoga, or nightly walks. It also seems that she is the type of person who would benefit from

having the structure of group classes. Given this, I might help her to find a gym or fitness center

that offers these types of classes. One thing that I would also be sure to tell Grace is that it’s okay

to not know where to start, and that she’s not alone in feeling overwhelmed with knowing she

needs to take care of herself, but not having the motivation to do so. I believe that discovering a

person’s barriers to motivation, is the key to their success. Overall, in order for Grace to feel

better in her body, and to reap the benefits of exercise, the physical dimension of wellness

definitely needs to be addressed.

From Grace’s response to question 4, it is clear that she feels intellectually stimulated and

that this is not an area of her life that needs the most attention. However, question 5, which sheds

light on her emotional health, reveals that she has some work to do around managing emotions.

From her response, it seems that she bottles them up and explodes with rage and anger when it

becomes too much for her to contain. Given this, I would help Grace to find ways to express her

emotions and take care of her emotional health, that do not end up hurting her, or others, in the

end. This might look like starting to journal on a daily basis, hiring a therapist, using meditation

or breathing techniques to calm down, or relying on her support system more for emotional

support. Learning to manage emotions will undoubtedly improve Grace’s emotional health and

thus, how she shows up in her life and in relationships.

Furthermore, Grace stated that she isn’t in love with the place that she lives. I know that

as a young person in college, it’s difficult in that you have less freedom over where you live. I

think the only way to combat the gloomy feelings associated with bad weather and little sunlight,
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is to discover activities that make her excited to wake up each day. For some, this may be things

like one’s morning routine, attending group exercise classes, meeting up with a friend for coffee

every Saturday, planned movie nights with a friend, or in the winter, activities like skiing or ice

skating. Improving Grace’s perspective on life and where she lives, will help to alleviate her

depressed feelings and thus improve wellbeing.

Next, in addressing the social dimension of wellness, one aspect that seems to be missing

is community involvement. Feeling connected to the community will definitely help Grace to

feel a sense of belonging and purpose in her life. It would also provide her with opportunities to

meet like-minded people. Discovering groups in the community that Grace would be interested

in, would be the first step. Moreover, it seems that there’s tension between Grace and her mom.

In my opinion, reaching out to her mom and having a conversation about the resentment and

other feelings that come up, is important in reviving the relationship and making Grace feel that

her needs are being met. Given that relationships are an essential part of life, this will help to

improve Grace’s overall sense of wellness.

The next dimension that seems to require attention is Grace’s spiritual dimension. In

question 13, she said that she doesn’t have any hobbies or things that align with her talents and

values. Discovering personal values and activities that are consistent with them, is an important

part of developing spiritually and feeling fulfilled in life.

Finally, Grace’s living situation seems to affect her wellbeing in that it reminds her of

being alone. Not having a home that you can go back to and feel a sense of comfort and peace,

can be damaging to one’s environmental dimension of wellness. Discovering ways to make the

house feel more home-like needs to be a priority so that she can feel safe and comfortable in her

own space. In addition, Grace expressed that she doesn’t spend much time thinking about how
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her actions affect the environment and natural world that she lives in. I think that learning about

these topics would encourage her to appreciate the earth that she lives on and will thus motivate

her to take actions to protect it. This may then promote feelings of contribution, purpose, and

meaning, all of which support one’s spiritual growth as well as their psychological wellbeing.

In summary, I believe that in order to improve Grace’s sense of wellbeing, her physical,

emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental dimensions of wellness need to be addressed. Of

course, choosing one or two to focus on first would be best, in effort to avoid feelings of

overwhelm and defeat. Grace’s psychological and spiritual health would definitely benefit from

having guidance from a spiritual health coach, or practitioner of a similar nature.

When reflecting on the 14-question psychological and spiritual inventory, it is clear that

there needs to be additional questions about Grace’s physical dimension of wellbeing. It would

be helpful to explore what barriers (whether internal or external) she has to exercising. For

example, the question of: “If you imagined yourself in a gym right now, what would you be

feeling? What thoughts would be coming to mind?”, could be added to gain more insight into her

thought processes; perhaps a component like self-image or body-image is being overlooked.

Moreover, in order to gain insight into Grace’s values, spirituality, and beliefs, it would be

helpful to add a question along the lines of: “If you were to list your top 5 values in life, what

would they be?”. Then, if it is determined that Grace is not acting in accordance to her values, it

would be important to explore what gets in the way of her doing so. I think that additional

important questions would seek to identify what Grace sees as potential solutions to these

barriers and voids in her life. For example, a good question would be, “What types of hobbies

can you imagine yourself enjoying?”. This would not only shed light onto Grace’s values and
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interests, but would also foster a sense of confidence and self-efficacy, given that she found the

solution within herself.

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References

D’Souza, J., & Gurin, M. (2016). The universal significance of Maslow’s concept of self-

actualization. The Humanistic Psychologist, 44(2), 210–214. https://doi-

org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1037/hum0000027 .

Kettering Health. (2018). 3 Ways Spirituality Helps Health.

https://ketteringhealth.org/3-ways-spirituality-helps-health/

Stoewen, D. L. (2017). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life. The

Canadian Veterinary Journal, 58(8), 861–862.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/