Most of us became familiar with the concept of health back in grade school when we discovered how the body works, and what happens when it doesn't. When we think of health, we often think of health care and what our doctor recommends to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. This is because the majority of modern healthcare follows a pathogenic approach, one that focuses on factors that cause disease and defines good health as being free from physical disease or pain.

Wellness, on the other hand, follows a salutogenic model: one that addresses all factors that promote and sustain health and well-being. When we are well, we are not only free from disease, we are at our best. When we are well, all areas of our life work in harmony and we feel happy. When we are well, we can truly thrive.

Physical Well-Being. Our physical well-being is most closely associated with the concept of health. When addressing physical well-being, we look at what and how we eat, how we move our body, how we sleep, as well as our physical and emotional stress.

· When we eat well, our body has energy to support daily functions and lead an active lifestyle. Through good nutrition, we can also prevent disease and experience optimal health by promoting the body's natural ability to heal itself.

· When we move our body intentionally through physical activity, we experience improved flexibility, strength, and endurance. Exercise has the power to improve mental health, boost immunity and energy levels, and help prevent injury.

· Quality sleep is the cheapest form of medicine and is key to having a healthy body and a sound mind. When we sleep, we are able to truly rest and restore the systems of the body. In fact, we can experience the most restorative sleep between 10 pm - 2 am every night when our liver is most active and our body secretes 80% of its human growth hormone.

· Physical and emotional stress can be caused or exacerbated by unhealthy habits and relationships, by environmental factors, or by trauma or injury. When we don't effectively deal with our stress and we let it accumulate overtime, it can creep into different areas of our lives. According to Albert Einstein, that energy has to go somewhere, "energy can neither be created or destroyed; rather it can only be transformed from one form to another." Evidence that suggests that when we suppress and repress negative emotions it can manifest as physical dis-ease. Likewise, when we are well we can experience greater resilience to physical and emotional stress.

Spirituality and Purpose. Spirituality is a concept separate from religion and can be defined as: beliefs and values regarding one's place in the universe or a connection with a higher power or greater purpose. Some of us find purpose in being a parent or grandparent; some of us gain a sense of purpose through our roles and responsibilities in the workplace or in our local community. When we experience a strong sense of purpose we feel at peace with ourselves and with the world. We feel a greater sense of connection to the people and places around us, and can experience increased gratitude and joy especially in times of struggle and strife.

Financial Wellness. Financial wellness has to do with how we view and manage our money, specifically our spending and saving habits. It should come to no surprise that our financial well-being is often influenced by other areas of our well-being, most notably our career and social well-being. If you have ever been unable to work or have spent time in the hospital due to illness, you know how your physical health can impact your finances. The good news is regardless of how much money we make there are many ways to rethink our finances and adopt habits that can help us gain financial peace.

Environmental Wellness. Environmental wellness is about creating spaces that support quality of life by empowering us to practice healthy thought patterns and behaviors. Environmental well-being also means having access to fresh air, clean water, and shelter. These are basic needs that often need to be met before we can experience other areas of well-being.

Social Wellness. Social well-being is characterized by having strong relationships and love in your life in addition to feeling a sense of connection and belonging where you live, work and play. When we are in right relationship with others we know we are worthy of love; we feel understood and celebrated; and we feel empowered to be our best selves.

Wellness is about being balanced in all of these areas: physical, spiritual, financial, environmental, and social. It may seem overwhelming to have to manage all of these areas but because all facets of our well-being are interconnected, when you begin to work on one area of your well-being, it will naturally carry over into other areas. And as you begin to make positive changes, you may find that life becomes a little smoother and you will gain momentum, not to mention a healthy dose of confidence as you take the driver seat in your life.