The 4 Pillars: Unlocking the Secrets of Well-Being

 "For everyone, well-being is a journey. The secret is committing to that journey and taking those first steps with hope and belief in yourself". By Deepak Chopra  

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, well-being is defined as "the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous".  

The key word here is “being”. When you are able to become present and give yourself the gift of just "being" in the present moment, then wellness is available to you in all the ways imaginable. However, once we know and are comfortable with the being-ness, we also need to take action. 

The model of the 4 Pillars of Well-being that I work with contemplates the mindset, the behaviors, the states of feeling, and the connection to our soul or spirit as they support us in our lives.  They reflect the ways we are “Being” and showing up to ourselves and the world, and also our behaviors or actions - the “Doing-ness”. These pillars are intertwined and together create an integrated whole. Rather than argue whether one pillar is more important than another, consider that to lead an optimally thriving life, we need to have balance in these pillars and create a firm foundation from which to go forth. 

So, let's go back to the definition of well-being. You can choose to feel happy - purely and simply happy despite what is going on around you. You also can choose to attend to your physical health which is another aspect of well-being. When you care about what your body needs - water, sleep, nurturing foods, movement, your 'being' is well. (And the key here is progress along a continuum, not perfection). 

This might lead you to wonder how the word prosperous fits into well-being. Further, Merriam-Webster defines prosperous in two ways; firstly as "auspicious, favorable", and also marked by "a) success or economic well-being and b) enjoying vigorous and healthy growth," and in another word "Flourishing". By reading the words with discernment you can come to a place of assessment for yourself. Success and economic well-being are relative to your own definition, meaning you get to assess it for yourself. Likewise, vigorous and healthy growth and flourishing are subjective words that are also part of our mental and spiritual domains – the sense of self we are holding. Upon reflection, these pillars are also strongly connected to being self-responsible and sovereign. In other words, you get to choose your mindset and the belief you have in yourself! 

You are here to move towards well-being, thriving intentionally in your life, figuring out your path, your purpose, your values, and all the things. Ultimately, by focusing in on the 4 pillars, you can flourish in all dimensions - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Btw, you may be thinking that focusing specifically on yourself sounds selfish and so you may be hesitating on giving yourself permission to focus on you. Another way to look at it is, when we look after ourselves well, with a spirit of reverence and well-being, we are so much better able to look after others from a thriving, strong, and resilient place. 

Things to ponder:  

• Where are you on your journey of well-being?
• What one or two things can you take toward well-being today?
• What would well-being feel like and mean for you? How would you know you have arrived?
• What does being self-responsible for your well-being mean to you?

I invite you to reflect on these questions and then build a few actions steps from here forward. This doesn't need to be fancy or overly ambitious, but it will create some momentum from which to move towards the life you envision for yourself. 

Blessings to you all.