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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 1 September 2017

There are no short cuts to optimal well-being. Holistic Self-Care requires that we focus on all five aspects of our life.   

To achieve lasting happiness and optimal well-being – towards personal fulfillment, transformation and self-realiszation, one needs to devote time on a regular basis (preferably daily) to engage in the renewal of all aspects of our lives – physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual. It means taking care of ourselves, holistically, exercising all dimensions of our well-being, regularly and
consistently in a wise and balanced way:

1. Physical: listening to your body; getting sufficient sleep, ample exercise, good nutrition, healthy dose of sunshine, daily meditation;
2. Intellectual: maintaining a sense of curiosity, and a healthy appetite for learning new things, staying hungry and foolish;
3. Emotional: letting go of toxic emotions, cultivating positive emotions of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, equanimity, appreciation, forgiveness, gratitude, generosity, contentment, and inner peace;
4. Social: making time for family and friends, giving support to and accepting support from others, contributing to the community, volunteering for a cause you believe in; and
5. Spiritually: living authentically – acting from your Deepest Truth, connecting to your Highest Self – knowing that we’re all connected – finding purpose, meaning, fulfillment.

So what does each component stand for?
Physical: This would mean taking care of the body by:
- Practising good nutrition and healthy eating
- Getting sufficient rest and relaxation
- Exercising on a regular basis
- Engaging in daily meditation to create that inner space
- Getting a dose of sunlight every day
- Limiting alcohol and avoiding cigarettes and other drugs

Intellectual
- Keeping an active mind
- Engaging in continuing education and learning
- Finding time to do a hobby which engages our mind
- Picking up new skills
- Reading broadly for  exposure to great minds, good literature and to a variety of subjects
- Travelling to distant lands to expand our cultural awareness and our sense of self
- Writing a journal to reflect on one’s daily experience
- Organizing and planning out purposeful activities for the week

Emotional
- Identifying and dealing constructively with one’s changing moods
- Recognising and managing your own emotions
- Cultivating a sense of contentment and a positive outlook in life
- Being proactive in dealing with life’s challenges, focusing on the circle of influence of which you have control
- Relinquishing the need for external approval
- Don’t judge others, and don’t judge yourself
- Removing toxins from daily life: food, thoughts, emotions, environment, relationships
- Keeping your promises
- Smiling often, radiating positive energy
- Engaging in meaningful, creative work

Social
- Making time for family and friends; communicating with empathy
- Sharing your problem with others who have had similar experiences
- Giving support to others and accepting support from others
- Always looking for a point of agreement rather than differences
- Treating others with respect
- Exercising patience with others
- Always saying please and thank you
- Be friendly and caring
- Assuming the best of others
- Seeing others not as they are, but as they can be
- To listen more than speak; be a world-class listener
- To give more than to take
- Do volunteer work

Spiritual
- Embracing silence and spending time on daily meditations
- Practising mindful awareness by living in the present moment
- Knowing yourself and your values by engaging in daily self-reflection
- Finding a role model; discovering the heroes and heroines within you, creating your own heroic story of life and participating consciously in the writing of that next chapter
- Taking time out every day to express appreciation and gratitude for what you have 
- Immersing oneself  in great literature, art or music
- Frequent communion with nature
- Reading and reflecting on spiritual scriptures and inspirational work
- Developing a personal life mission statement and regularly renewing your commitment to it
- Performing anonymous service
- Replacing fear-based thinking with love-based thinking
- Commit to the spiritual life by practising loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, with the integrity of thought, word, and action
- Live a life of mindful awareness and expanded consciousness, by shifting the internal reference of the self from skin-encapsulated ego to the expanded spirit, elevating our awareness of the relationship between ourselves, our world, and the Universe
- Strive for your highest purpose by listening to your inner voice, following your heart, pursuing your most cherished dreams, and finding fulfillment of your deepest aspirations.

Over-The-Rainbow, Singapore is a one-stop hub for mental wellness. Their mission is to transform mental wellness for the 21st century - with holistic self-care and a supportive community.