For a variety of reasons, the worldwide rates of physical and mental illness and disease continue to increase . This is despite advances in science, medicine, technology and research. It has also been suggested that due to the effect of obesity on longevity, the steady rise in life expectancy during the past two centuries may soon come to an end . With the populations of the world at extreme ends of health crises, what can be done to reverse these devastating health issues, to create and support a population that is not just ‘not sick’, but is actually healthy, happy, and thriving?

                                                                          My suggestion is that we start with ourselves.

My suggestion is that we start taking responsibility for, and developing and creating our own wellness. We can generally control what we expose ourselves to and what we do with our time. Once we ourselves are ‘well’, we can then start to influence those around us – our families, friends and communities.

But how to be ‘well’, and move ourselves into a space where we are genuinely thriving? A model developed in New Zealand, called Te Whare Tapa Wha  provides a useful framework which helps to explain well-being.

Te Whare Tapa Wha suggests that well-being can be viewed like a house. The strength and integrity of the foundations and the walls contribute overall to the strength and integrity of the overall structure. This suggests that a focus on just one area of our well-being is not enough to help us thrive. Each area of well-being overlaps and is intertwined with the others, and contributes overall to our health and total well-being. If we are lacking in one area of well-being, our overall health and well-being will be compromised. It is therefore important to focus on ourselves in our entirety, and spend time and effort to develop wellness across all areas of our lives.

Let’s have a look at the different components of the model that contribute to well-being.

Whenua – A Sense of Belonging


This aspect of well-being relates in general to our upbringing, and the foundations that are laid when we are young. These foundations include things like the development of values, which determine what is important to us later in our lives. These foundations, if healthy, also provide us with a sense of belonging to both a place and a group of people, and make us feel that we hold value and worth, and contribute meaningfully to the world. 

Taha Tinana – Physical Well-being

This aspect relates to more than just the physical absence of disease and illness. It relates to the creation and maintenance of a well body that is physically capable of completing the things and activities that we want to do. This involves not just fitness, but also strength, mobility and flexibility. What we eat contributes significantly to this aspect of wellness, so diet and nutrition also contribute notably to this aspect of wellness.

Taha Hinengaro – Mental and Emotional Well-being
Again, this relates to more than just the absence of mental illness and disease, and largely depicts the presence of joy and happiness in our lives, and the ability to find meaning in the things that we choose to do. This aspect is closely linked to our values and foundations, and can be enhanced through the development of things such as mental skills, mindfulness, and having a growth mindset.

Taha Whanau – Family and Social Well-being


The concept of ‘whanau’ relates to being socially connected to our worlds, and gaining pleasure and satisfaction from these relationships. These social relationships consist of family, whatever that may look like, our friends, both local and afar, and the relationships we have with others within the wider community, such as our workmates and colleagues, the people who work in the store where we buy our daily coffee or bread, and the people that we see regularly during our usual daily activities. These relationships provide us with a feeling of connectedness and a sense of belonging in the world, both of which enhance of feelings of value and self-worth, thus contributing significantly to our overall well-being.

Taha Wairua – Spiritual Well-being


Although the components of well-being includes religion, it is not limited to only this aspect of spirituality. Wairua means being in touch with the spiritual side of life. It is the capacity to have faith, and to understand the links between people, culture and the environment. It doesn’t necessarily mean having a religious belief, although for many people this is an important part of their spirituality . Wairua involves being aware of the rituals we complete as a part of our beliefs, culture, or religion, and looking after this aspect of our identity. Understanding what is spiritually important to us is an important aspect of our well-being.

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Summary:

All of these pillars are important to the development of our wellness, although obviously different pillars are going to be more or less important to different individuals and groups of people. What is important is to identify that all pillars are important to our overall health and well-being, but that it is ok to focus more on specific pillars, as we get more joy and happiness from activities associated with those specific areas of wellness. However, it is important to maintain a healthful level of wellness across all pillars, so that our health in those areas does not undermine our ability to thrive overall.

Have a think about your own levels of wellness, and where you could put some attention and concentration to increase your overall wellbeing. After all, creating your own optimum well-being can only be of benefit to those around you. We only have one life, shouldn’t we try to make to make it through as well as we possibly can?

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Don’t we all deserve to thrive?

 

 

 

About the Author:

Mariane Wray is a Registered Psychologist in the Royal New Zealand Navy, currently working in developing high performance within elite military units. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. In a previous life, Mariane was a Warrior Bootcamp Coach, and remains a keen runner. Most importantly, Mariane is a mother of two, who are the main recipients of her psychological coaching.

 

 

References:

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Remington, P.L., & Brownson, R.C. (2011) Fifty Years of Progress in Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Control. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hafner, H (1985). Are mental disorders increasing over time? Psychopathology, 18 (2-3):66-81.    

[1] S. Jay Olshansky, S.J., et. al. (2005). A Potential Decline in Life Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century. The New England Journal of Medicine, 352, 1138-1145.

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M.H.Durie, (1994), Whaiora: Ma?ori Health Development, Oxford University Press, Auckland.

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