International Mind-Body Wellness Day Date in the current year: January 3, 2024

Wellness is a state of being in good health that goes beyond simple absence of illness. The term “wellness” originated sometime in the mid-20th century and became widely accepted in the 1990s. Today, it is used by healthcare professionals, as well as by practitioners of alternative medicine systems such as Ayurveda and followers of various religious and spiritual movements (Christian Science, Lebensreform, New Thought, etc.).

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are eight dimensions of wellness that are interconnected and affect the overall quality of life: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, occupational, financial, and environmental. The first six dimensions were originally formulated by Dr. Bill Hettler of the University of Wisconsin in the 1970s, while the last two have been added to the original six by SAMSHA.

The expression “a healthy mind in a healthy body” exists for a reason: the physical and mental (emotional, intellectual, spiritual) aspects of wellness are two sides of the same coin. The connection between our mind, body and soul is crucial for our overall well-being; if one of those elements is off, the others will be negatively affected too.

The concept of mind-body wellness is all about finding the balance between the mind and the body; once you strike this balance and learn to maintain it, you will be able to pay more attention to the remaining aspects of wellness. There are plenty of methods you can use to achieve mind-body wellness and a state of harmony, ranging from yoga and meditation to lifestyle changes.

There’s no universal recipe of wellness that works for everyone because everyone is unique; what you need is to take a closer look at your needs. International Mind-Body Wellness Day was created to help people do just that and find their way to harmony.

International Mind-Body Wellness Day was launched by Jaya Jaya Mira, a mind-body wellness expert, TEDx and motivational speaker, and best-selling author who is best known for developing The WELL Method. WELL stands for work-life harmony, expect/enable excellence, live your purpose, and love, not fear; the method is meant to help people create a healthy, positive mindset based on their own unique lifestyle, beliefs, and needs.

Given the creator of International Mind-Body Wellness Day, trying The WELL Method is an obvious way to celebrate the holiday. However, it is not the only one. You can observe International Mind-Body Wellness Day by reading about various mindfulness practices and choosing the one that suits you the best, be it yoga, meditation, or random acts of kindness, making a resolution to take better care of your physical and mental health, creating a daily self-care routine, and telling other people about the holiday.