Comfortable, stress-free living has become so foreign to us these days that we often must immerse ourselves in fantasy books to remind us how to live a great life. J. R. R. Tolkien, in his novel The Hobbit (1951), pictured this life perfectly for us when he opened his tale with a description of living a fulfilled, comfortable and healthy life: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort” (p. 11).
Every one of us wants a comfortable and fulfilled life, free of hardships and stress, a successful life full of joy and worry-free living, just as a hobbit lives. A hobbit enjoys a fulfilled and relaxed life, provided his physical, mental, and spiritual needs are met, which they are in a hobbit hole. Human life, however, throws wrenches at us, regardless of our desire for stress-free living and whether we live inside of a hole like a hobbit does or in an above-ground house as most humans do. How can we not just endure human hardships and stress but tailor our lives so that when tough times come, we are ready for them and can be as comfortable as a hobbit in his hole throughout adversity? As people, we grow from such challenges, and they do not have to be destructive if we prepare ourselves in three main areas of life. This preparedness can be defined in the all-encompassing term “wellness” and is very achievable for anyone willing to take the necessary steps toward living a life of wellness. Wellness is physical, mental, and spiritual healthiness we must develop, maintain, and bolster through healthful living habits.
Physical Health 
Physical healthiness is the most readily visible and definable attribute of our three-pillar wellness and is “categorized along a physical health spectrum ranging from a minimum state defined by the inability to work and/or care for personal needs, to an optimal state expressed by no complaints and a high level of energy” (Belloc et al., 1971, p. 328). This is a rather broad spectrum that is the “from zero to ten” scale, by which most doctors ask us to rate our physical health. If the doctor uses a holistic health approach, getting us up to a ten on the scale will consider our day-to-day life habits, which develop, maintain, and bolster physical healthiness.
The healthful life habits, which contribute to our physical healthiness, are our diet, exercise, and regular doctor checkups. The word “diet” is not a restrictive term with a negative connotation, but encompasses what we eat and drink. I was reminded by my teenage son that the phrase “Everything in moderation” isn’t entirely accurate, as we certainly shouldn’t ingest poisons in moderation. If we are what we eat, we should be very conscientious of inputting the proper nutrition while excluding foods and drinks that are harmful to our bodies. According to a 2019 study by researchers Fanzo and Davis, “Recent data on dietary intake and trends of dietary patterns suggest that what the world eats is no longer static or harmless. Sub-optimal diets, and the downstream metabolic effects, remain a top risk factor for the global burden of disease.” Therefore, it takes great care to maintain a well-balanced intake of foods that support healthful living.
Adhering to adequate nutrition principles aids our ability to exercise our bodies, which leads to strength, endurance, longevity, and overall fullness of
life. A well-balanced fitness regimen will consider strength training, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility of our musculoskeletal system. It is good to seek the advice of a personal trainer when developing and using this personalized program. If a personal trainer is not in the budget, if there aren’t any reputable or available trainers, or if there is not enough time in the day to consult a personal trainer, a local library can provide adequate information related to personalized exercise programs. But it is equally important to stay physically active and maintain our anatomical systems’ strength and mobility. Activities that promote core strength and flexibility of muscles and joints, as well as exercises that promote the body’s cardiovascular endurance and the ability to use oxygen efficiently are key steps toward overall fulfillment and enjoyment of physical life.
However, it is also necessary to have regular checkups with a doctor who understands intricate bodily systems and can come alongside our healthful routines, providing an objective partnership to our overall physical wellbeing. We must select a doctor who can be a partner in our holistic health goals. A doctor, who is well-versed in holistic health and understands our goals of adhering to healthful life habits, can provide significant support in our personal wellness journey.
Mental Health
The second pillar of wellness is mental health. Mental healthiness is the ability to accurately view the individual’s self and capabilities and cope with life’s everyday stressors, due to the “absence of mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety,” according to the 2010 Journal of Adult Development (Westerhof, 2010). If the experts define health as the absence of disease, we must be alert to not fall into illness at any time.
Not falling into mental illness takes conscious effort and continual maintenance of our often-neglected cognition. Maintaining mental health is accomplished by recognizing and being in touch with our feelings, embracing our strengths and weaknesses, and taking breaks from work and stressors to refresh our minds. Ignoring and pushing aside our emotions, even for a brief time, can lead to unresolved inner conflict and manifest itself in unhealthy outbursts or chronic inward turmoil. On the other hand, when we recognize our feelings and deal with them in a timely and proper manner, they can add balance to our lives and help us sort out life’s struggles. Additionally, we must evaluate our mental strengths and weaknesses to lean on our strengths, recognize and develop where we are weak, and ultimately help accomplish our life goals. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, mental health is bolstered by refreshing our minds through breaks from work and life’s stressors. Breaks are not just periods of mindlessness but are purposeful times dedicated to the enjoyment of hobbies and leisure activities, prayer and meditation, and the joy of social time with friends and loved ones. The extroverted person may be more refreshed by social engagements, while the introverted person may be more energized by getting away with time alone in meditation, prayer, and solitude. In either case, mental health is supported by self-reflection of feelings, recognizing and embracing our strengths and weaknesses, and well-timed breaks from life stresses.
Spiritual Health
The third, final, and equal pillar of wellness, spiritual healthiness, recognizes that one’s life has a meaning and subsequently acting on the desire to find and complete its purpose. Bensley (1991) stated in the Journal of Health Education, “It has been suggested that the spiritual dimension is the least obvious and measurable of the known dimensions of health” (p. 278). If spiritual health is the most obscure facet of wellness, it is most likely the least defined. There is undoubtedly a shortage of consistent, expert direction on bolstering and incorporating spiritual health into life. The most abundant advice seems to come from faith-based teachers, who can’t seem to agree on a one-size-fits-all approach that exemplifies spiritual health. However, spiritual health is indeed essential and attainable if kept simple in its endeavors and definition.
Spiritual health can be incorporated through self-reflection, finding meaning and purpose in life, and recognizing opportunities to support causes more
significant than oneself or own agenda. Self-reflection is highly integral to spiritual health because we must find where we fit into the big picture of humanity and our part in history. In a self-reflective mindset, we can ask ourselves questions such as “What will my legacy be, and how will I be remembered? How do I fit into and add to the human purpose on Earth?” And “How do I live this life well and prepare for a possible life to come?” Once I start to answer questions such as these, I can pinpoint my purpose in life and find opportunities to support causes more prominent than myself, therefore adding meaning to life and enhancing my spiritual health. This self-actualization and desire to become the most that one can be is the pinnacle, or transcendent need, of what Maslow (1943) described in the human hierarchy of needs, yet appears to be an equal pillar in a well-balanced life of wellness.
Focusing on and practicing healthful habits in just these three areas of life, physical, emotional, and spiritual, will provide wellness. If we strive to achieve proper diet and exercise while in tandem with a supportive health professional, if we recognize our strengths while growing in our areas of weakness, and if we seek to find our life purpose and work toward fulfilling it, we find the keys to wellness. Each of these areas is equally important and supports the other two pillars. The resulting wellness allows fulfillment in life, which is what we are all seeking. After all, ensuring better health for tomorrow means making healthier choices than we did yesterday!
References
Belloc, N. B., Breslow, L., Hochstim, J. R. (May 1971). Measurement of physical health in a
General population survey. American Journal of Epidemiology, 93(5), 328-336.
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121265
Bensley, R. J. (1991). Defining spiritual health: A review of the literature. Journal of Health
Education, 22(5), 287-290. https://doi.org/10.1080/10556699.1991.10614636
Fanzo, J., & Davis, C. (2019). Can diets be healthy, sustainable, and equitable? Current
obesity reports, 8(4), 495–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-019-00362-0
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-96.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1951). The Hobbit. Second Edition (Revised), 5th Printing. Houghton Mifflin Company
Westerhof, G. J., Keyes, C. L. (2010). Mental illness and mental health: The two continua model
across the lifespan. Journal of adult development, 17(2), 110-119.