By Ashley Olsen
Well Being
“the state of being healthy, comfortable, and/or happy.”
Well-being is a broad concept including many aspects of our day to day life. It is interconnected with physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. We all experience life differently and have different needs in order to achieve optimal well-being. It is more than just a state of mind, it’s a complex web of factors that affects our physical health and life satisfaction. Many do not have access to adequate mental health and health care which can make maintaining one’s overall well-being a challenge. With the hustle and bustle of daily life there are a lot of demands on us that can lead to burn out alongside economic hardships. This has been highlighted throughout the pandemic due to lack of adequate health care, economic insecurity, and social isolation. It can be disheartening to want to improve your overall well-being but not be able to afford the “trends” or feel disheartened by time fleeting. Changing our mindset and habits is a lot easier said than done but we must keep our priorities close and our intentions even closer.
Wellness trends are frequently advertised and sold to us but they are out of reach for a lot of people. Capitalism creates barriers to wellness because this system widens social inequality by creating: unfair distribution of wealth, social alienation, and economic inequality. These barriers can limit how we achieve well-being but fear not! There are free and simple ways to care for your-well being. For many of us we have to unpack this conditioning that wealth=worth. Seeking wellness rebels against the many constraints of capitalism.
For me wellness can mean going out for a nature walk, stretching, being able to spend time with friends and family. I love photography because I can use my phone or cheap film cameras. Even the photos you see here are all originally taken and cost less than 15 dollars to develop. I use photography as a way to reconnect with my creative self and hope it inspires my friends to do the same.
For others wellness can mean something completely different. Society and well-being is interconnected but capitalism tries to manufacture and sell wellness to us despite the lack of money, time, and social outlets many of us experience.
In the 1990s the Positive Psychology Movement began. This alternative movement to mainstream Psychology theorizes that the concept of growth is a lifelong process and focuses on recognizing what truly makes life worth living. Taking care of your physical and mental health is crucial to achieving optimal well-being. Movements like this offer solutions to combat the increase of mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
So how do we achieve well-being and improve our health when life is hectic or we don’t know where to start? What kind of little daily changes can have a rippling impact on our overall wellness?
Below are some budget friendly tips for improving overall well-being. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start, or for everything to be just right, and don’t overthink it. Create a new day for yourself everyday and remember that you are in control of your health.
- Wake up in the morning and drink a nice big glass of water before you do anything else. Nourish your body and it will nourish you. Try to do that 8 more times per day.
- Spend a few minutes a day stretching up up up to the sun. Stretch your whole body. Slow down and breathe.
- Tell yourself three nice things about yourself. Be kind to yourself.
- Go on a walk, even better if it’s in nature! Movement is important and improves your physical health. Disconnect from the constant stream of information and just be. Unplug.
- Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Maintain important social connections.
- Let yourself rest.
Here is a recipe for tea I’ve always made to relax and unwind. The ingredients are affordable and can be adjusted for your pleasure. Even just sitting down for a bit and enjoying a cup of tea can increase your well-being. I hope you enjoy!
Honey Apple iced tea:
- 4 black tea bags
- ⅓ cup of honey
- 3 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 3 cups boiling water
- Lemon slices
Makes 6 to 8 servings
In a 2 quart pot, brew tea bags in boiling water. Remove bags, add
honey and apple juice. Stir well. Pour over ice
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