Laidene Cunningham oeyeofjupitero
Well being is something that we all talk about, yet it is not something we really consider in great depth. During the holidays and special times, we wish others well and luck, using general statements that basically refer to well being, but what is it? Is it a state of mind, or a certain type of mentality? Does it only relate to health, and if so, is it only encompassing the physical aspects of our life, or is there other parts that contribute to one's well being? The answers to these quarries could take a little more than the assigned 300 words, but I will try my best to tackle this issue within this page.
First, I believe that well being does refer to an overall state of a person (or group of people). When we see a friend that is feeling emotionally low, we immediately do things to try and make them feel better, like getting them to smile or laugh, or to stop thinking to deeply about the situation. This concern is for the well being of that person. It is the same kind of response we have when those friends are physically ill. We want to help them get better, and visit them and help out in whatever way we can.
So now that we can say that a person's well being deals with more than physical, we can now look at what specifically affects a persons well being. This is important because if we know what has influence over our well being, we can get closer to a solid definition of what well being is. The first main subject that falls into well being is health. Mentally and physically, we wish ourselves and others (hopefully) to be given a good bill of health. We have systems set in place, such as hospitals and doctor's practices to give us access to tools that will improve our health and overall well being. However, this is not granted to everyone. Merely based on ones birth place, a person can be denied the very basics of a healthy life, and therefore refused of any hope for a complete well being. We are fortunate enough to have the ability to receive care, but this is not even guaranteed to everyone in this country either. So right away, we can say that a large part of the world's population does not have the makings of a complete well being.
Since emotions and other intangible things affect our well being, then we should look at these subjects as well. For mental health, hobbies, work, and ones social and home life play major roles as well. We all have to work, and we may not always like our job. Some people stop there and think this reason is enough to claim they are not in good health. What we forget is that we let things get to us and make them the reasons for our misery. The reason for hobbies and friends is to uplift ourselves and to help deal with the things in life that aren't exactly the greatest. We keep these positive things around us to bring our spirits, to bring us to an easier mood, and to basically ensure a greater well being for ourselves (and for the friends and family involved).
I have had many personal experiences when my well being has been good, and times where it has been bad. When I feel healthy and happy, among friends, and when I have accomplished a lot for that day (or whatever length of time), I feel as though I have a very good and stable level of well being. These times happen when there is no (or very little) stress. A time when my well being was an overall high would be now. I am back in school after a medical withdrawal, and I live on my own with my dog, Mary. I have some very dear and supportive friends that are moving close to me, and I finally have a graduation date set. I have a few frustrations, but their only temporary, and dissolving with every second. My well being is low when I am sick, or upset, or sad. When I have been involved in a very heated argument, even if I "win", sometimes I feel physically and emotionally drained. I think the times my wellbeing is low is when I spend a lot of energy, and accomplish very little. Waste is a very good adjective for this one. I feel as though I have wasted precious time and energy, and have an outcome that isn't even close to the one I had envisioned. An example of a time when my well being was low would be last spring semester. I had to take a medical withdrawal because of my chronic illnesses (rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, and fibromyalgia). Also, my mother was going through some serious medical issues, and when I felt decent, I had to go to my parents' home and help take care of her. I was also working on some issues that I had with myself (but when aren't we?).
With all this, I shall say that well being is a valuable asset that we all strive for, but rarely do we accomplish this completely. On average, we feel fine, but we always have worries and doubts and thoughts running through our head. We are constantly interacting with people and our environment, which affect us with every breath. We need peace of mind, and a clean bill of health in order to achieve a high level of well being, and with any luck, we all will reach this goal.
I agree with Laidene’s assessment that well-being is not a term that we tend to look at in great depth. I myself have been guilty of using general terms that refer to well-being without really considering what I am actually saying. I think that often people use these general sayings to confer a wish for good health, but, as Laidene points out, well-being encompasses so much more than just the physical aspect.
I like the fact that Laidene included the emotional state of a person in her concept of well-being. As a person who has struggled with emotional and psychological issues (both of my own and belonging to others), I often find that many people discount this aspect of well-being. Many people tend to think that emotional or psychological issues can be “managed” into oblivion, but often that is not the case. Getting to a point where these issues do not negatively impact your well-being is a process that is difficult and may further impact a person in a negative way in regards to other aspects of their well-being. For example, being unable to work because of these issues affects your well-being in the physical and environmental aspects.
Although we often consider the well-beings of our friends and family members, as Laidene says, we do not always consider the well-being of others with whom we do not have a close relationship. We may even do and say things that impact their well-being without conscious intent. Although it is difficult sometimes to think beyond your own world, it is important to remember that other people have worlds of their own that your actions might impact negatively.
Laidene’s assessment of the need for equal access to health care really impacted me. The fact that many Americans (citizens of what is often called the “richest” country on Earth) do not have access to health care is a sad one. But, especially when you consider the health-care situation in Africa, you can see that Laidene’s assessment is correct: a large percentage of the world’s population does not have access to a complete, positive well-being due simply to the fact of where they were born. This is quite a sobering conclusion.
Laidene has pointed out that in certain situations, we let situations impact us and make them reasons to be unhappy. While this may be true, especially in regards to situations revolving around our work and home lives, there are some situations that are outside of a person’s control. We do need to have hobbies and friends to generate a sense of positive well-being; as Laidene points out, these activities and relationships help us to ensure happiness and a feeling of peace and harmony.
Laidene was very honest about the times when her well-being was low and I admire her honesty. I think that dealing with chronic illnesses is a huge barrier to a sense of positive well-being. Although these barriers can eventually be overcome, when you are in the middle of this situation, it is not easy to handle. It is draining, frustrating and at times completely overwhelming. The inability to function as you want can be devastating to your personal sense of well-being.
Laidene’s essay also illustrates the point that when our well-being is high, frustrations can be viewed as only temporary. It is much easier to confront frustrations and difficulties if you have a positive sense of well-being. I agree with her point that a sense of positive well-being tends to develop when there is little or no stress involved. I share her hope that we will all reach the goal of a high level of well-being.
