Wellness Wheel Assessment

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Understanding Wellness and Well-Being

Wellness is a wholistic, strength-based approach which builds on individual assets and strengths. It is individually defined based on goals, beliefs, values, culture, personality, and life experiences (Swarbrick, 1997).

Wellness is a continuous and active lifelong process of making individual decisions to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Well-Being is a state of ‘being’ that allows people to achieve their full potential (e.g., happiness, functioning, fulfillment, satisfaction).

To sum it up, wellness is the day-to-day pursuit of attaining a sense of well-being, such as physical movement, social connections, mental stimulation, meditation, sleep and nutrition. To put it simply, the difference can be seen as a process (wellness) versus result (well-being).

The Wellness Wheel describes the integration of 8 important dimensions of wellness: emotional, financial, environmental, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual. A wellness wheel assessment can help individuals identify core health values and goals.

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​A good way to start is by assessing your current level of well-being by taking the Wellness Wheel Assessment. The results will help guide you towards your own personal well-being action plan.

​University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension offers programs and resources to help you target and successfully achieve your individual well-being goals. Many are offered at no cost to you besides your time and interest. Check them out in "Moving Forward."

The Wellness Wheel is a strength-based model building on people's daily habits and routines while shaping new ones.

The Wellness Wheel focuses on 8 important dimensions of wellness: emotional, physical, financial, social, occupational, environmental, intellectual, and spiritual.

Although everyone's needs are unique, there are 8 dimensions of wellness that help us thrive and reach our personal health goals.

Watch this video to learn more about each of the 8 wellness dimensions.

One ingredient of self-care is understanding where you currently are in your wellness journey.

The Wellness Wheel can be used as a tool to check in and discover your overall wellness to better understand what is going well and what may be challenging in the moment. It can also help you assess choices or situations that impact your overall well-being. 

Focusing on all 8 dimensions of wellness aims to improve overall quality of life and healthy habits through personal decision-making. The wellness wheel is a tool and visual representation that assesses an individual's perception of overall wellness.   It is not a diagnostic tool.

Click the assessment button to get your personalized Wellness Assessment Report.

Wellness Wheel AssessmeNT

Action Plan

Now that you've identified areas of wellness you thrive in and those areas that may need greater attention through the Wellness Wheel Assessment, start developing an action plan with realistic steps you can take towards healthier habits and overall well-being. 

Action Guide

The following eBook features is an Action Guide that will walk you thru understanding your assessment results, reflection exercises, getting started ideas and a step-by-step action plan. There are clickable links and videos that are additional resources highlighted in light blue. This Action Guide can be printed as a pdf. Document.

 Wellness Wheel Action Guide (printable pdf)

Please take our quick anonymous survey. Your feedback on this assessment tool will help improve this online program. Thank you for participating!

Wellness Wheel Survey

Moving Forward

Interested in taking charge of your health and well-being? Here is how UNH Extension can help.

Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness is understanding our own feelings and expressing emotions in a constructive way. It is also the ability to manage stress and cope with life's challenges.

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Boost your Brain and Memory
Adult Mental Health First Aid
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Farm Strong NH  


Emotional Wellness Resources
Mental Health Resources - Service Locations in NH  
Mental Health Resources - Carroll County
Mental Health Resources - Grafton County 
Mental Health Resources - Merrimack County 
Mental Health Resources - Sullivan County

Mental Health Resources Crisis Lines
Farm Stress and Mental/Behavioral Health Resources 
REAP ProgramNH Residents 60 years and older and caregivers or family members of an older adult living in NH 
Blog: Mental health and the brain are connected  
Mental Flourishing Toolkit: Meditation and Breathing Exercises 
Insight Timer App 
Labyrinth Locator

 

Spiritual Wellness

Spiritual wellness is establishing and expanding our sense of purpose and meaning in life. It's taking the time to reflect on core values and beliefs.
 

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Adult Mental Health First Aid
Youth Mental Health First Aid    


Resources
The Gratitude Garden App: Cultivate Gratitude 
Mindful Chair Yoga
 

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness is recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills. Being open and curious to new experiences. In a nutshell...lifelong learning. 
 

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Boost your Brain and Memory
Coastal Research Volunteers
Lakes Lay Monitoring Program
Marine Docents
Master Gardeners
Speaking for Wildlife
STEM Docents
4-H Volunteer   

Resources
10 Best Brain Games 
Games for the Brain

 

Financial Wellness

Financial wellness is understanding our finances and being satisfied with current and future financial situations. 

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Farm Strong NH
Rehabilitation Farmer Funding Assistance 
Personal Finance Assessment Tools 
Spending, Saving and Retirement  
Adjusting for Income Loss  
Financial Security for All - Learning Lessons on a Variety of Topics and Finance Calculators  
Web-Based Personal Finance Programs

 

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is maintaining a healthy body by recognizing the need for physical activity, diet, nutrition and sleep.

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Boost your Brain and Memory
Chronic Disease Self-Management
Chronic Pain Self-Management
Nutrition Connections
Trail Finder
Walk with Ease 
Gentle Chair Exercises 
Stronger Seniors Chair Exercises    
Seated Tai Chi for Adults 


Agriculture Resources
AgrAbility Brochure  
AgrAbility - Enhancing quality of life for agriculture workers with disabilities  
Arthritis 
Assistive Technology
Back Health  
Caregivers   

Veterans and Beginning Farmers   
Technical Disabilities Articles

Nutrition Resources  
UNH Extension Recipes  
Blog: Brain Healthy Foods for Older Adults  
MIND Diet  
Omega-3  
MyPlate  
Get Toasty with Healthy Toast


Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness is experiencing personal satisfaction and enrichment from one's work. It is also maintaining a healthy work / life balance. 

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4-H Volunteer
Master Wellness Volunteers
Walk with Ease

 Agriculture Resources
 AgrAbility Brochure  
AgrAbility - Enhancing quality of life for agriculture workers with disabilities  
Arthritis 
Assistive Technology
Back Health  
Caregivers   

Veterans and Beginning Farmers  
Technical Disabilities Articles

 

Environmental Wellness

Environmental wellness is surrounding ourselves in a pleasant, stimulating environment that supports well-being. It's taking care of both the global and personal environment through organizational skills and sustainable practices. 
 

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Coastal Research Volunteers
Lakes Lay Monitoring Program
Natural Resources Stewards
Nature Groupie
NH Big Trees
NH Coverts Project
NH Bio Blitz
Master Gardeners
Marine Docents
Speaking for Wildlife

 

Social Wellness

Social wellness is developing a sense of connection, belonging and being part of supportive social networks. Relating and connecting to others by engaging in community. 

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Boost Your Brain and Memory
Master Wellness Volunteers
Walk with Ease
4-H Volunteer
Blog: Effects of Prolonged Social Isolation
AARP: 8 Ways to Build Social Connections

 

Explore Programs

Get Involved

Health & Well-Being Newsletters - Subscribe to a variety of newsletters that interest you. Delivered directly to your inbox.

Getting Connected to Community - Get connected with over 15 opportunities to volunteer through UNH Extension programs.


 

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