Wellness is one of those buzzwords that you hear all the time now. But what does it actually mean?
For some, the word ‘wellness’ conjures images of extreme health regimes, IV vitamin therapy, ice baths, and colonic irrigation. For others, it simply means time in nature, eating well, or a relaxing massage or spa treatment.
The simple fact is that ‘wellness’ means different things to different people.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the world’s leading global research and educational resource for the wellness industry, defines wellness as follows;
WELLNESS
Global Wellness Institute
‘The active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.’
They highlight that there are two important aspects to this definition. First, that wellness is an ‘active’ pursuit, associated with an individual’s intention, choices, and actions. And second, that wellness is about ‘holistic health’ which means that it extends beyond just our physical health and incorporates many different dimensions of our being that should all work in harmony.
This last part is important. As a society, we tend to focus much of our attention on ‘physical health’, and more recently ‘mental health’, whereas true wellness is about striving for a balance between all aspects of our being including our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social & environmental health.
The wellness tsunami
One of the reasons why the word ‘wellness’ is so misunderstood is that a whole ‘wellness industry’ has been spawned over the last decade or so. The GWI estimates this to be worth over US$4 trillion dollars each year promoting everything from healthy food and supplements to real estate and holidays, and from gym memberships and healthcare plans to meditation apps and DNA testing kits.
While many of these ‘wellness services’ are very worthwhile and in line with the GWI definition of ‘wellness’, there are definitely exceptions. For example, there are high-end clinics popping up all over the world that charge tens of thousands of dollars for extreme medical interventions and anti-ageing therapies that are selling their services as ‘wellness’, which definitely muddies the water and makes it difficult to determine what is genuine ‘wellness’ and what is not.
Thankfully, if you look past the fancy marketing claims, it’s generally pretty easy to decide what is true wellness and what is simply a scam. If someone is offering a ‘quick fix’ that will make you healthier or younger after just a few treatments, you’re probably going to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you’re learning new, healthy practices that you can integrate into your day-to-day life, then you’re more likely to achieve your wellness goals in the long term.
At View Retreats, we believe wellness is about finding the perfect balance between enjoyable activities, immersion in nature, and meaningful connections. It’s not about extreme measures or deprivation but creating space for relaxation and reconnection.
You don’t have to rely on expensive clinics, experts, or programs to experience wellness in your own life. You can go for a walk in nature, spend quality time with good friends, take a relaxing soak in a bath, practice some meditation, or any number of practices that help you to rest, relax, and reconnect. After all, wellness is an approach to life to be experienced daily rather than something that you schedule in a few times a week.
Finding Your Balance
Wellness isn’t just physical health or mental health. True wellness is about striking a balance between all aspects of our being. It could be immersing yourself in nature, connecting with loved ones, or just kicking back and taking in an exceptional view… whatever helps you rest, relax, and reconnect.
That’s why at View Retreats, we focus on travel experiences and destinations that help you find your own version of wellness in a variety of exceptional and enjoyable ways. Whether it’s a luxury spa cruise through Halong Bay or a sunset paddle off the Gili Islands, wellness is about finding the right balance for you. And we hope you’ll find it with View Retreats.
