Wellness is more than physical health—it’s your whole life. Multidimensional wellness means different parts of your well-being are connected. Our campus focuses on 8 Dimensions of Wellness to help you find balance and feel your best. The 8 dimensions are Social, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Financial, Occupational, Environmental, and Spiritual.
Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Wellness is more than just the absence of illness; it is the constant pursuit of optimal living. To truly be at your best – thriving not just surviving – you will discover new skills and opportunities in each of the different dimensions. You don’t have to master them all, just start where you are.
Let's put these elements of wellness into practice
Take the Personal Wellness Inventory
Get personalized feedback and scores for each dimension of wellness that will help identify your strengths and opportunities for growth.
Sign up for Health and Wellness Coaching
Through this free service, your certified coach will work with you to set goals, track progress, and make changes that last related to any of the dimensions you’d like to focus on.
Social Wellness
Find your people and build your own community. College can be a great opportunity to meet people who may become lifelong friends. It may not always happen easily, so try joining clubs, organizations, or social groups that align with your interests. Surround yourself with people who understand and support who you are and what you want from your college experience.
Physical Wellness
Taking care of your physical health means paying attention to what your body needs. It can be as simple as getting more sleep, eating healthier, moving your body, or taking time to destress. Your overall health is more than avoiding illness. Pay attention to the signs your body gives you and give yourself permission to take care of yourself.
Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness means understanding your feelings and giving yourself space to process them. College can bring stress, pressure, excitement, and uncertainty all at once. It is okay to ask for help, take a break, set boundaries, or talk to someone you trust. Taking care of your emotional health is not a weakness, it is an important part of self-care.
Intellectual Wellness
College is more than earning a degree. It is also a time to learn, explore new ideas, challenge your assumptions, and discover new interests. Growth can happen through your classes, conversations, books, creativity, or trying something you have never done before. Ask yourself, “What am I learning about myself, and who do I want to become?”
Financial Wellness
Financial wellness is about understanding where your money is going and making decisions that support your future. You do not need a perfect budget. Start somewhere by tracking your spending, saving when you can, and setting a small financial goal. Ask yourself, “What is one financial decision I can make today that will help me in the future?”
Occupational Wellness
The way you plan your future matters, but you do not need to have everything figured out right now. College is a time to discover your interests, recognize your strengths, set goals, and think about what kind of work is meaningful to you. This could mean applying for internships, building your resume, exploring careers, or simply asking yourself, “Is this what I really want?” It is okay if your plans change. Make room for both ambition and balance.
Environmental Wellness
The spaces around you can affect how you feel. Your home, classroom, workplace, and community should be places where you feel safe, comfortable, and supported. Creating a healthier environment could mean keeping your space organized, spending time outside, finding safe and inclusive spaces, or choosing activities that improve your mood and reduce stress. Pay attention to the environments you spend the most time in and how they affect your well-being.
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness can mean different things to everyone. It can involve religion, personal beliefs, a sense of purpose, or feeling connected to the world around you. Take time to reflect on what matters to you and what gives your life meaning. You do not have to have all the answers. Sometimes spiritual wellness is simply making space to slow down and reconnect with yourself.
A unified approach to holistic wellness
IU Indianapolis’s Wellness Coalition promotes all dimensions of wellness to enhance the quality of life for all students, faculty, and staff and make our campus community a healthy place to work, learn, and grow. It’s overseen by staff in Student Affairs and Healthy IU, and members are from schools and units across the university.
Meetings are open to all IU Indianapolis students and employees. Student organizations with an interest in or mission related to wellness are also welcome to attend upcoming meetings.
Get involved with the Wellness Coalition
Contact the co-chairs:
Eric Teske, Health and Wellness Promotion
Betty Klein, Healthy IU
Join the Coalition’s mailing list.