The start of a new year is the time for healthy New Year Resolutions. Our past issues have covered goal-setting techniques in detail, and while they are certainly relevant here, this time we wanted to take you in a new direction by providing information related to wellness.

As you will see, health and wellness are related. Wellness is considered to be the positive component of health. It is our belief that coaches and physical education teachers are front line health and wellness promotion leaders, in that they are the key advocates for lifetime participation in sport and physical activity.

We hope that you find this collection of links useful and wish you a Happy New Year.

Sandra Short and Martin Short
Coaching & Sports Section Editor

Two or three decades ago "wellness" was an emerging term, but at that time it was probably more associated with "alternative medicine" than with science-based programs. However, this has changed to the point that "wellness" now has widespread acceptance as connoting the positive aspects of health ("well-being" and "quality of life"). Promotion of sport and physical activity as key positive health-promoting behavior has been at the forefront of both cultural and policy change during this time.

For example, the over arching Federal Government goal expressed in Healthy People 2010 is an increase in the span of healthy life with an emphasis on "quality of life, well-being," and "functional capacity." At the same time physical activity has been put at the top of the Healthy People 2010 "Top 10" list of public health indicators, and the promotion of "psychological well-being" is included in the rationale along with the many other health benefits of sport and physical activity.

Although any wellness leader will generally be quick to point out that wellness is multidimensional (we describe these dimensions in a separate section) and not just the same as physical fitness, most will also agree that sport and physical activity is at the core of most contemporary wellness programs, and as such is integral to the promotion of all dimensions of the wellness concept. Perhaps a "barometer" indicator of this acceptance is the extent of the use of the terms.

Our own recent Google search using the terms "sport and wellness" yielded over 10 million hits, and "exercise and wellness" had over 1 million. Clearly, contemporary understanding has sport, physical activity, exercise, and wellness as sharing much common ground of the same concept.

When you think about your New Year Resolutions this year, an important first step should be discovering where you are. Without understanding where you are now, how will you be able to determine when you get where you want to go?

Included here is one link to a Wellness Appraisal Survey.

Once you complete it, you can compare your results with the "official" recommendations made by various agencies. There are several links included in this document.

When we work with good coaches, we say, "my coach is good." When we work with great coaches, we say, "wow, I am good."

"...coaches have long been recognized for their skills in helping athletes, sports teams, and executives perform at their best. Now, professional wellness coaches are helping change the lives of people seeking lasting improvement in their health and well-being..."

If you do a Google search using the words "coaching and wellness" you would likely get about 1.5 million hits. The Wellcoaches Corporation, in strategic alliance with the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine and other partners, offers a program for the training and certification of health, fitness, and wellness coaches, and the delivery of wellness coaching services to physicians, consumers, corporations, and health plans.

We introduce the concept of Wellcoaches for several reasons. First, it is obviously tied with coaching - something that is the focus of this section. Second, it is a new form of coaching that may be of interest to our readers. Think back to when coaches were synonymous with Physical Education teachers, and required to teach both Health and PE. Will there come a time when Health/PE is replaced by "Wellness?"

Our third reason, at this time of year it may help you personally plan and achieve your own goals and resolutions. For example, included in the Wellcoaches white paper were 12 themes Wellcoaches coaching clients cited as the reasons why they invested in working with a wellness coach. Maybe one of these reasons rings true for you?

	Quick Fixes Over – I was done with quick fixes, and now I'm focused on making changes that last.
	Precious Asset – I decided that health is my most precious asset, and now I invest for the long term.
	Get off the Fence - I was fed up with sitting on a fence, and now I have committed to a wellness path.
	It's not about Weight - I realized that it's about wellness and not weight.
	Be the Boss - I want to be the boss of my health and wellness, and quit delegating responsibility to others.
	Health Style - I want to develop my unique health style, rather than use one-size-fits-all approaches.
	Mental Game - I know what to do and decided to master the mental game - turning intention into reality.
	Peak Performance - I recognized that to reach peak performance at home and work, I need peak wellness.
	Big Picture / Small Steps - I knew that an extreme make-over wasn't the answer, and I chose to take small steps which are powerful.
	Confidence - I was finished with self-doubt, and I now focus on building confidence in my ability to master wellness.
	Winning the Wellness Game - I decided to focus on winning the wellness game, and not losing or quitting things.
	Close the Gap - I have closed the gap between where I am, and where I want to be when it comes to my health and well-being.

"Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being."

We encourage you to read this short article, from the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Readers Digest where authors Corbin and Pangrazi, write about wellness. The goal of the article is to provide people with practical and useful information based on sound scientific evidence.

In our opinion, one of the most important pieces of this article is the definition of wellness (quoted above). Wellness is multidimensional, although the number of dimensions varies from two (physical and mental) to seven or more (five to seven are the most common). As a side note, those readers interested in definitions for health, fitness, and physical activity should read this publication. The sub-dimensions popularly used include: physical, social, intellectual, emotional (mental), and spiritual. Other dimensions include vocational and environmental, but for some people these are not dimensions per se, but rather factors that influence personal wellness.

DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS

As an example of the dimensions of wellness, this is how they are defined by The University of North Dakota. The website emphasizes that wellness is more than physical health or exercise. It is considered to be an ongoing process to reach for our full potential as human beings, personally and in relation to our families, our community, and the world around us. Links to each dimension are included below. Each webpage includes tips and strategies for promoting each dimension. Check out our new 19.7 million dollar Wellness Center (picture one) (picture two).

Physical Wellness encompasses a variety of healthy behaviors including adequate exercise, proper nutrition, and abstaining from harmful habits such as drug use and alcohol abuse. It means learning about, and identifying symptoms of disease, getting regular medical checkups, and protecting yourself from injuries and harm. Developing such healthy habits today will not only add years to your life, but will enhance the enjoyment and quality of those years.

Emotional Wellness is a dynamic state. Being emotionally well is typically defined as possessing the ability to feel and express human emotions such as happiness, sadness, and anger. It means having the ability to love and be loved, and achieving a sense of fulfillment in life. Identifying the obstacles that prevent us from achieving emotional wellness, and taking appropriate steps to cope with such problems, is also important. Emotional wellness encompasses optimism, self-esteem, self-acceptance, and the ability to share feelings.

Environmental Wellness is an awareness of the unstable state of the earth, and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment. It consists of maintaining a way of life that maximizes harmony with the earth and minimizes harm to the environment. It includes being involved in socially responsible activities to protect the environment. Examples of environmental threats include ultraviolet radiation in the sunlight, air, chemical, noise, water pollution, and second-hand smoke. Although some environmental concerns are beyond our control, there are things that can be done to promote a healthier earth.

Spiritual Wellness involves possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that help give direction to one's life. It encompasses a high level of faith, hope, and commitment to your individual beliefs that provide a sense of meaning and purpose. People derive meaning and purpose through nature, art, music, religion, meditation, or good deeds performed for others. Spirituality transcends the individual to create a common bond with humanity.

Social Wellness refers to our ability to interact successfully in our global community, and to live up to the expectations and demands of our personal roles. This means learning good communication skills, developing intimacy with others, and creating a support network of friends and family members. Social wellness includes showing respect for others and yourself. Contributing to your community and to the world builds a sense of belonging.

Intellectual Wellness is characterized by the ability to make sound decisions and to think critically. It includes openness to new ideas; motivation to master new skills; and a sense of humor, creativity, and curiosity. Striving for personal growth and a willingness to seek out and use new information in an effective manner for personal and social development are also part of intellectual wellness.

The intellectual dimension encourages creative, stimulating mental activities. Our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. People who possess a high level of intellectual wellness have an active mind and continue to learn. An intellectually well person uses the resources available to expand one's knowledge and improve skills. Keeping up-to-date on current events, and participating in activities that arouse our minds are also important.

Occupational and Vocational Wellness involves preparing and making use of your gifts, skills, and talents in order to gain purpose, happiness, and enrichment in your life. The development of occupational satisfaction and wellness is related to your attitude about your work. Achieving optimal occupational wellness allows you to maintain a positive attitude and experience satisfaction/pleasure in your employment.

The occupationally well individual contributes her/his unique skills/talents to work that is meaningful and rewarding. Values are expressed through involvement in activities that are personally rewarding for you and make a contribution to the well being of the community at large. Occupational wellness means successfully integrating a commitment to your occupation into a total lifestyle that is satisfying and rewarding.

Wellness results from healthy behaviors do not constitute wellness. Wellness is a state of being rather than a way of living. That is, wellness is possessed by an individual.

In this section, we include links that are mostly related to the physical dimension of wellness. These links were selected because they offer tips and strategies that may be useful for you when incorporating wellness into your coaching.

	Active and Healthy Schools - The Active & Healthy Schools program is designed to improve the overall health and increase the activity levels of your students by making changes to the "whole school" environment.
	10 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity.
	Compendium of physical activities
	Making sense of multiple physical activity recommendations
	Motivating kids in physical activity
	More resources from health and fitness organizations