What is your indicator to measure your health? According to the Gallup health index there are five elements to measure individual wellness and that is Purpose/ Career well-being, Social well-being, Financial well-being, Community well-being, and Physical well-being.
Unfortunately, those who strive for the fulfillment of health of individuals at different level focuses mostly on the physical element of health. Similarly, we as an individual define our healthiness from physical and financial point of view. That is why it is very common to say to our friends and families that we are fine and great. Which is probably not true
In 2010 Gallup conducted a study in 150 countries and get the chance to see the well-being status of 98 % of the world population. Guess what? According to the finding, it is only 7% of the population thriving in all the five well-being elements. And unless we are living effectively in all the five elements we can’t say we are well, in short we are sick.
Are you confident enough to say you are among the few … the 7% of the population? If so, congrats but if not sorry to say it, but you are sick!
So now the time is not to quantify your health rather to quantify your sickness. The question it to ask yourself, your friends, your neighbors, your country … how sick you and how sick they are.
According to the study there are many ways to create thriving all the five well-being elements because, they are within our control. I will say “Yes” and “No” for this statement. It will say “Yes” because I believe it is an individual’s effort that can bring any change in every aspect of life at the micro and macro level. So in that sense, I will say “Yes” we as an individual can play a major role to bring the needed change.
However, I can’t say everything is in our control because simply it is not. It goes beyond one’s ability. The issue of control is the issue of power. And power is highly connected with history, opportunity, social justice, social system, good governance …
As a conclusion, I would like to say you are sick and so do I. Or I can say at least most of us are not well. And we as an individual will take the lion’s share to bring the needed well-being status in our life and in our environment. After all being well is not about us only rather it is about our society and our community. Our society and community will expand as we expand our circle, as we get the opportunity to meet people from different part of the world. So let’s explore more, let’s know our friends and neighbors, and let’s keep making more. Together let’s heal each other and lets heal the world.