Since the start of the course, my definition of wellness was significantly modified. Before entering the course, I believed that wellness was making rational choices that lead to a state of holistic health. However, after almost completing the course, I understand that wellness is an ACTIVE pursuit of activities and lifestyles that support overall well-being. In other words, rather than being a passive position, wellness is seeking improvement every day. Taking an active position means analyzing wellness issues from different lenses, including social sciences, history, natural sciences, and humanities. Utilization of these four lenses helps to look at issues from different sides and acquire a holistic understanding of a problem’s complexity. For instance, during the course, I analyzed the problem of plastic pollution and realized that there are multiple reasons for the emergence of the problem from the point of view of history, chemistry, economics, politics, and culture.
Analysis of wellness issues is crucial for future generations, as it helps to prevent future development of the problem and find strategies for addressing the problem. For instance, if we look at the problem of plastic pollution from the point of view of chemistry or biology, the answer to the question is to find a way to recycle plastic, create biodegradable plastic, or grow bacteria that will eat plastic. However, the problem will not be solved by simply creating biodegradable plastic, as people may still stick to using traditional plastic, as it is cheaper. Thus, looking at every problem through all four lenses is vital for improving the quality of life of all the people and preserving the Earth for future generations.
Reference
Global Wellness Institute. (n.d.). What is wellness? Web.