The 6 dimensions of psychological well-being

When you think that someone “is healthy” or “is in good health” it may come to mind that they are physically well. But, The concept of health encompasses: physical health, but also mental and emotional health, including dimensions such as self-acceptance, social skills or the perception of control over what happens around us. For all this, today we are going to see what psychological well-being is all about.

So, Psychological well-being encompasses a set of sensations that refer to how we judge our lives on a global level.. Furthermore, it is not necessarily related to experiencing pleasurable situations or satisfying our personal desires, because this would be something temporary, but rather to a set of broader dimensions.

Psychologist Carol Ryff has dedicated herself to study which factors or dimensions have a significant contribution to our quality of life. The researcher has developed a questionnaire to measure people’s psychological well-being, and has extracted six criteria that are essential to achieve self-realization and people’s own potential.

The studies carried out by this psychologist, using the emotional well-being questionnaire, show that Psychological well-being is related to age, sex, socio-economic status and ethnicity (Ryff and Singer 2008).

The 6 dimensions of psychological well-being

The six dimensions that show us this psychological well-being are the following. We will see that, surely, there are many of them that we should develop to achieve it.

1. Self-acceptance

This dimension speaks of the acceptance of all aspects of oneself and the past as it was, without falling into the clutches of helplessness for wanting to modify or intervene in what has already happened.

think that yes If you accept your body, your emotions and your thoughts, you will have a more positive view of yourself. On the other hand, if you have low self-esteem and find it difficult to accept who you are, it is possible that due to this dissatisfaction you feel so overwhelmed that you do not know where to start to change those aspects on which you can intervene.

2. Mastery of the environment

This dimension refers to the ability to manage oneself in a difficult environment, having the ability to adapt to adverse circumstances. If you have a high perception of mastery over what surrounds you, you will feel capable of influencing the environment and handling complicated situations.

On the other hand, if you have a low command of your environment, according to the psychological well-being questionnaire, you will have more difficulties in overcoming the adversities that arise in your daily life.

3. Positive relationships with others

This dimension measures the ability of people to relate to others in an open and sincere way. If you are able to have satisfactory relationships with others, you will foster bonds that will bring you greater emotional quality.

This implies having a greater capacity for empathy and openness towards people. If you have a lower score on this scale, you may have difficulty relating, have difficulties opening up and trusting, as well as difficulties maintaining relationships.

4. Autonomy

This dimension evaluates the independence of people in different aspects of their life. The feeling of being able to choose and be able to make your own decisions, of maintaining your own criteria and personal and emotional independence even if others do not agree.

A high degree of autonomy implies that you are capable of deploying greater strength to resist social pressure and your own impulses. If, on the other hand, you have low autonomy, it may be that you let yourself be guided more by the opinions of others, pay attention to what others say or think about you, and let yourself be carried away more by group pressure.

5. Personal growth

This dimension measures the ability of people to learn about themselves, being open to new and challenging experiences. If you encourage your personal growth, it is possible that you feel that you are constantly learning, you have the ability to learn from what you are receiving and you know that you have the resources to improve.

6. Purpose of life

It measures people’s need to find a purpose that gives meaning to their lives. People need to set clear and attainable goals, as well as realistic objectives. Think that performing this task well will depend on whether or not we obtain most of our reinforcements.

If you score high in this dimension it means that you find meaning in your life, you give meaning and meaning to your past, present and future. If, on the other hand, you don’t find a clear purpose, you may feel like you lack direction or feel disoriented.

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How does emotional intelligence influence people’s psychological well-being?

Emotionally intelligent people are more optimistic, have higher self-esteem and have a greater capacity for empathy, which contributes to improving our psychological well-being. lPeople who know how to identify their emotions feel more satisfied with themselves and therefore, they feel greater well-being on a general level.

How can you improve your psychological well-being and have a fulfilling life?

There are a few ways you can improve your psychological well-being. Next, we are going to give you some keys so that you can start to feel better.

Find your passion

It could be at work, since here you may spend many hours, and it is better to spend them with something that motivates us. But you can also find what you like in a hobby that fulfills you. For example, music, a sport or a craft.

Don’t try to change yourself

Accept yourself in those dimensions that you cannot change. Trying to change yourself will cause discomfort and rejection. You will gain in well-being if you give your naturalness a chance. In this way, everything positive you achieve will serve to improve your self-esteem because you will feel it as your own; The same will happen with the negative to learn.

Surround yourself with people with good energy

Positive relationships, being with people who please you and fulfill you, will be an important factor that directly influences your physical and emotional well-being. Toxic people take away your psychological well-being and add stress to your life.

Learn of your mistakes

Not everything in life goes as you planned. Knowing how to adapt to circumstances and manage your frustration will be essential to have a happier life with fewer expectations that are far from reality. Note that You are imperfect just like the rest of people and you will not be able to change it.: It is in your hands to exploit all the positive side that your own imperfection has.

Take the risk of doing new things

Leaving your comfort zone and exploring unknown areas will keep you active and motivated. No matter how old you are, there are always new places to visit, people to meet, and things to learn. For example, trying new activities, meeting new people, taking new routes to work, etc.

Believe in your potential

You have incredible potential to explore, many internal resources, and a wonderful opportunity to grow as a person. Believe in yourself, and in your possibilities. Visualize your goals and start taking small steps to achieve them.

Psychological well-being, therefore, can give you greater maturity, stability and capacity for self-knowledge. It’s just about starting with some small action. Think that It is never too late to start cultivating your physical, psychological, emotional and social well-being.

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