Wellbeing has seeped into public awareness, reflecting a more positive and useful way of thinking about our physical and mental health.

Emerging from many research studies into wellbeing, seven ways (or ‘pillars’) of maintaining and improving our health are now widely agreed upon. They are:

• Learning
• Managing stress
• Spirituality
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Environment
• Connectedness

Each of these will mean different things to different people. If you were to draw each of these as circles on a piece of paper, how large or small would they appear on a scale of importance? For example, your ‘exercise’ circle may appear very small compared to your ‘connectedness’ circle. What’s this really about? Perhaps talk to friends or partners as a way of understanding your relationships with these aspects of wellbeing. This might throw up things you could do to enhance an area that needs attention. It might reveal ways of making your life and outlook more whole and complete.