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Facets of Well-being

The well-being dimension reinforces and connects to the other three dimensions of the 4D Experience while elevating five additional facets.

• Emotional Well-being

  Emotional well-being: experiencing awareness of positive and negative thoughts, feelings, behaviors; regulating emotions; responding to life’s challenges with resiliency

  • Taking time for reflection
  • Sharing thoughts and feelings with trusted others
  • Attending counseling appointments when needed
  • Making time for relaxation and activities that relieve stress
  • Setting boundaries and saying “no”
  • Learning time management strategies
  • Practicing emotional expression (e.g., writing, crafting, moving, making music)
  • Engaging in self-directed and self-selected play to fuel creativity, joy, and imagination
  • Enacting coping mechanisms for anxiety and other mental health challenges
  • Resting and setting boundaries
• Foundational Well-being

  Foundational well-being: basic needs being met to provide a firm foundation for thriving. Encompasses food/housing/safety as well as environmental and financial well-being.

  Food, Housing, Safety

  • Accessing food in times of scarcity
  • Accessing safe and consistent housing
  • Testing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
  • Keeping physical spaces and technology secure
  • Accessing reporting structures for crime, discrimination, and assault that are trustworthy, safe, and survivor-centered
  • Asking for and giving consent before engaging in sexual activity

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  Environmental

  • Engaging in mindful consumption (e.g., eliminating single-use plastics, limiting want-based consumption, considering "needs vs. wants")
  • Recycling, composting, donating and purchasing second-hand items
  • Dining sustainably (e.g., eating plant-based and locally sourced foods, limiting take-out, opting out of single-use plasticware, bringing your own containers to restaurants)
  • Reducing pollution
  • Creating peaceful and pleasant home and work environments
  • Reducing allergens and toxins
  • Spending time outdoors (connecting with nature in a meaningful and nonharmful way)

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  Financial

  • Accessing financial support
  • Balancing a budget
  • Tracking expenses
  • Saving for short- and long-term expenses
  • Setting short- and long-term financial goals
  • Applying for scholarships and loans
  • Accessing benefits (e.g., military)
  • Selecting and understanding insurance benefits, loans, taxes
  • Finding and retaining employment
  • Negotiating salary and benefits
• Physical Well-being

  Physical well-being: experiencing strength and energy in the body/mind; caring for the body in ways that contribute to health and thriving

  • Attending appointments for check-ups, illness, injuries, and vaccinations
  • Accessing insurance and resources for maintenance and emergent physical, dental, and mental health needs
  • Engaging in behaviors that support the immune system and prevent illness
  • Accessing resources to make informed, values-based decisions about one’s sexual and reproductive health
  • Limiting or abstaining from using alcohol, tobacco, or drugs
  • Maintaining a consistent and adequate sleep schedule
  • Developing and maintaining a movement or exercise routine
  • Eating foods that fuel and nourish the body
  • Practicing stress reduction techniques (e.g., muscle relaxation, breathing techniques)
• Relational Well-being

  Relational well-being: experiencing acceptance, support, and belonging through interactions and connections with others; feeling positive about one’s cultural and social identities

  • Joining a student alliance, organization, fraternity/sorority, community, club, affinity group
  • Communicating needs to romantic partners, family, friends, and coworkers
  • Engaging in learning opportunities to explore individual biases, act as an ally, and engage in restorative practices
  • Spending time with friends
  • Meeting regularly with mentors
  • Staying connected with friends and family
  • Learning conflict resolution strategies
  • Extending social support and compassion to those experiencing difficulties
• Spiritual Well-being

  Spiritual well-being: experiencing a sense of meaning and connection within the self; connecting to something greater than oneself; includes one’s values, beliefs, ethics, morals

  • Developing a creative practice
  • Meditating
  • Attending religious services or spiritual gatherings
  • Establishing rituals
  • Exploring nature
  • Facing day-to-day challenges with a sense of curiosity
  • Engaging in experiences that allow for a sense of connection to self, others, and the world
  • Volunteering or participating in community engaged learning
  • Learning about different spiritual practices and religions to develop one’s own sense of spirituality
  • Practicing rest and stillness