Wellness Week: A gift to you

VALLEY — What is all of this “wellness” about? Is it another one of those taboo words, or is it something to pay attention to? People continually hear this word from health professionals, mental health counselors, nutritionists, coaches, magazines and that yoga teacher from ASU that keeps putting on these Wellness Weeks. What is it all about?

Well Jessica Chacon just happens to be a yoga teacher, the one referenced above. She is the coordinator for Fitness and Wellness at Adams State University. She has been working on a program called Wellness Week and has partnered with other community partners, to share wellness with the community. 

To Jessica, the word wellness has many meanings. As she put it, “I wish I could give you an absolute definition of wellness, but unfortunately, I don’t believe it exists. Wellness usually consists of an overarching belief that one is balanced physically, mentally and spiritually, which looks different universally. So, truth be told, wellness is hard to define, due to it being multi-dimensional and personal to the way one defines their quality of life and sense of well-being.”

However in her role as a mother, wellness professional, yoga teacher, and counselor, she strives to bring about awareness of the continual and active process it takes to making positive choices for well-being. When individuals make conscious choices in their lives to benefit their well-being, the results usually allow their day to be a little brighter and the longevity of their life to be more abundant. There are many dimensions of wellness that one can find, but the function from the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, that can be found from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) can be extremely poignant.  It covers many of the dimensions of oneself that are so intricately linked; when one area is out of balance or lacking attention, it can cause issues for us in many other areas-not just one. According to SAMHSA’s model the eight dimensions are as follows:

1. Emotional-Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships

2. Environmental-Good healthy by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being

3. Financial-Satisfaction with current and future financial situations

4. Intellectual-Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills

5. Occupational-Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work

6. Physical-Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods and sleep

7. Social-Developing a sense of connection, belonging and a well-developed support system

8. Spiritual-Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life

When individuals can learn about what each one of these dimensions means to them personally, they can begin to understand how to help themselves make more productive decisions, develop healthier habits and where to best place their energy. Please join ASU and La Puente organization this Wellness and Hunger Education Week. Learn, relax, and explore how you can take care of YOU, because YOU ARE IMPORTANT and you are all you have in every single moment.

To learn more about Hunger Education/Wellness Week please contact La Puente’s Office of Community Education, 719-587-3499

Wednesday Highlights:

Denim Day: raise awareness about sexual assault to promote safety, justice, and healing for survivors while working toward the elimination of sexual violence. Wear denim on Wednesday.

• Monte Vista Community Garden Groundbreaking 5–7 p.m. • Meet @ corner of Huxley & Stallo St in Monte Vista

• Self-Compassion Workshop Suggested Donation: $8–$11 6–7 p.m. • Body Tune-Up (420 State Ave)