What I like about the New Year is that I’m under the illusion that all things are new again.
I never give up on making a list of things I’d like to do in the upcoming year. My approach to New Year’s resolutions was inspired by a presenter I heard a number of years ago. She suggested dividing your life into thirds, one third for your family and friends, one third for your career and one third for yourself. To further define creating balance in your life she suggested getting mentors for four areas of your life. The four areas were physical, intellectual, spiritual and social.
I’ve since learned that these four areas are considered elements of the dimensions of wellness. Wellness is a concept first mentioned by Dr. Halbert L. Dunn a little over 50 years ago. A prestigious award is presented in his honor by the National Wellness Institute. Over the years various experts have added elements they believe add balance to our lives. One example can be found in the great book about businesses achieving greater success by helping employees find personal success, “The Dream Manager” by Matthew Kelly.
Below are elements that go into my New Year’s resolutions along with examples of related books that you can find at your library.
Physical
- “Prescriptive Stretching” by Kristian Berg
- “Good Night” by Michael Breus
- “Just Tell Me What to Eat” by Timothy S. Harlan
Intellectual
- “Don’t Know Much About History” by Kenneth C. Davis
- “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” by Thomas C. Foster
- “Creating Your Best Life” by Caroline Adams Miller
Spiritual
- “The 50 Funniest American Writers“
- “Meditation” by Ian Gawler
- “Mindfulness” by Mark Williams
Social
- “Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together” by Larissa Golden Brown
- “Frommer’s 500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference“
- “The Good Neighbor Cookbook” by Sara Quessenberry
Occupational
- “The Third Alternative” by Stephen R. Covey
- “Innovation You” by Jeffrey Thomas DeGraff
- “Disciplined Dreaming” by Josh Linkner
Financial
- “Budget Friendly Meals“
- “The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Own Food” by Monte Burch
- “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Stretching Your Dollar” by Shannon M. Medisky
Environmental
- “Earth: The Operator’s Manual” by Richard B. Alley
- “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv
- “David Suzuki’s Green Guide” by David T. Suzuki
Read more posts by Karen on DBRL Next.
Nice. I like seeing humor included under the spiritual heading. I firmly believe it’s part of a balanced life.