When you think someone is “fit” or “healthy,” you may automatically think about physical health. The concept of health encompasses not only physical health but also mental and emotional health, including dimensions such as self-acceptance, social skills, or the perception of control over what is happening around us.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as: “a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease”.
Thus, psychological well-being brings together a set of sensations that refer to the way we judge our life at the general level. Moreover, it is not necessarily related to living pleasant situations or to satisfy our personal desires because this would be something fleeting. It concerns a set of larger dimensions.
” Who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe”
-Marc Aurèle-
Psychologist Carol Ryff has studied the factors or dimensions that play a significant role in our quality of life. She created a questionnaire to measure people’s psychological well-being and concluded that six criteria were essential to achieve self-realization and personal potential.
The studies conducted by this psychologist, using this questionnaire on emotional well-being, show that psychological well-being is related to age, sex, socio-economic status and ethnicity (Ryff et al. Singer, 2008).
The six dimensions that show us this psychological well-being are:
1. Self-Acceptance
This dimension speaks of acceptance of all aspects of our person and of the past as it has been, without falling into the clutches of powerlessness because of our willingness to alter or intervene in something that’s is already produced. Tell yourself that if you accept your body, your emotions and your thoughts, you will have a much more positive vision of yourself.
On the other hand, if you have low self-esteem and have trouble accepting you, it is possible that this dissatisfaction will make you feel so lost that you do not know where to start to change those aspects about which you can do something.
2. Control of Our Surroundings
This dimension refers to the ability to cope in a difficult environment, with the ability to adapt to different circumstances. If you have a great sense of control over what’s around you, you’ll feel able to play a role in that environment and handle complicated situations. If you have a hard time controlling your surroundings, according to the psychological well-being questionnaire, you will have more difficulty coping with the hardships that will occur on a daily basis.
” Life is a journey ; if you fall in love with the journey, you will be eternally in love. ”
– Peter Hargerty –
3. Positive Relationships With Others
This dimension measures the ability of people to relate to others in an open and sincere way.
If you are able to maintain good relationships with others, you will create links that will provide you with greater emotional quality. This implies having a greater capacity for empathy and openness towards people. If you are lower down this ladder, you may find it difficult to connect with people, open up and confide in, and have difficulty maintaining these relationships over time.
4. Autonomy
This dimension assesses the independence of people in different aspects of their lives. It is the feeling of being able to choose and make your own decisions, to have your own criteria and a personal and emotional independence even if others do not agree.
A high degree of autonomy means that you are able to show greater strength to resist social pressure and your own impulses. If, on the other hand, you are not very autonomous, you may be guided more by the opinions of others, be careful of what others say or think of you, and let yourself be carried away by the pressure of the group. .
5. Personal Growth
This aspect measures people’s self-learning ability, whether they are open to new experiences and new challenges or not. If you develop your personal growth, you may feel that you are learning continuously, that you have the ability to learn from all that you live and that you know that you have the ability to improve yourself further. If you do not have this feeling of personal growth, you may feel blocked, unmotivated and weary, without the desire or ability to learn or develop new growth patterns.
6. Life project
This point measures the need for people to find a purpose in their lives. People need to set clear and possible goals, as well as being realistic.
If you recognize yourself in this dimension, it means that your life has meaning, that you have given meaning to your past, present, and future. If you can not find a clear goal, you probably must feel that you can not find the right direction or feel lost.
What role does emotional intelligence play in the psychological well-being of people?
Emotionally intelligent people are more optimistic, they have higher self-esteem and have a greater capacity for empathy, which helps to improve psychological well-being. People who know how to identify their emotions feel more satisfied with themselves and, as a result, feel greater well-being at a general level.
“If you develop your personal growth, you may feel that you are learning continuously, that you have the ability to learn from all that you live and that you know that you have the ability to improve yourself further. “
How can you improve your psychological well-being and have a life that fills you?
Find Your Passion
It can be your job, since you can spend hours there, and it’s better if this time is spent with something that motivates us. You can also find your passion in a field that you love: music, sports, a manual activity …
Do Not Try to Change Yourself
Accept in all your dimensions because you can not change. Trying to do this will only bring you discomfort and a rejection of yourself. You will gain in well-being if you give a chance to your natural. In this way, all the positive things that you manage to do will serve to improve your self-esteem, and the same thing will happen with the negative things.
Surround Yourself with People Who Emit Good Energy
Positive relationships, being with people you love and fulfilling will be an important factor that will play a vital role in your physical and emotional well-being. Toxic people harm your psychological well-being and add stress to your life.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Everything does not always happen the way we want it. Knowing how to adapt to circumstances and managing your frustration will be essential to being happy and having fewer expectations in life. Keep in mind that you are not perfect, that no one is, and that you will not be able to change that: you only have the power to exploit the positive side of your own imperfection.
Dare To Do New Things
Getting out of your comfort zone and exploring unknown areas will keep you active and motivated. No matter how old you are, there are always new places to visit, new people to meet, new things to learn. For example, trying out new activities, meeting people, changing paths to work, etc.
Believe In Yourself
You have incredible potential to explore, lots of inner capacity, and a wonderful opportunity to grow as a person. Believe in yourself and in your possibilities. Visualize your goals and start working slowly to reach them. Psychological well-being, therefore, can bring you greater maturity, stability, and a capacity for personal knowledge. You just have to start with a small action. It’s never too late to cultivate your physical, psychological, emotional and social well-being.