By Haley Lam, Wellness Coordinator

Wellness is an ongoing journey, and taking care of your wellness is an important part of your experience at Douglas College and beyond.  Part 1 of this blog explored physical, emotional, social and academic wellness. But what about the stress that can come with managing money, feeling a lack of connection with your values and spiritual beliefs, climate change anxiety or difficulties connecting your academic skills to career goals? Part 2 will explore the financial, spiritual, environmental and occupational dimensions of wellness. As you read each dimension, I invite you to reflect on what areas of wellness you want to improve in and recognize the areas you are already taking care of. 

Financial wellness 

Financial wellness means living within your budget, saving for the future and being in control of your finances.  

Here are some ways you can practise financial wellness:  

• Use a budgeting app or write down your expenses so you are aware of where your money is going and where you can save. 

• Seek support from on-campus food programs, such as the Douglas Students’ Union Food Bank and take advantage of student discounts and Enrolment & Advising Services’ financial aid resources to help stretch your budget.  

• Have a look at the Library’s financial literacy guide to help build a financial plan. 

Spiritual wellness 

Spiritual wellness is about finding inner peace and balance by aligning your actions with your core values and beliefs.  

Here are some ways you can practise spiritual wellness:  

• Identify your top 5 values and write them down. 

• Create space to ground yourself in your values and beliefs through mindful activities such as journalling, colouring or taking a walk.  

• Find meditation tools or groups to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and others, or to practise compassion to relieve undue pressure you may be putting on yourself and others. 

Environmental wellness 

Environmental wellness means balancing your time between the physical and digital worlds and maintaining safe and healthy communal spaces for everyone. 

Here are some ways you can practise environmental wellness: 

• Take a break from technology and go outside to walk or sit in nature. 

• Clean up after yourself when you use a communal space, whether it’s the cafeteria or an on-campus study space. 

• Take part in community initiatives such as neighbourhood clean-ups, community gardening or attending art and cultural festivals. 

Occupational wellness 

Occupational wellness involves setting career goals, building connections, developing new skills and seeking opportunities that bring growth and fulfilment to your career. 

Here are some ways you can practise occupational wellness can be practiced:  

• Book an appointment with the Career Centre to get help clarifying your career goals and translating your academic skills and knowledge onto your resumé, cover letter, and/or portfolio. 

• Attend networking events to connect with employers you might be interested in working for. 

• Get experience through volunteer and work opportunities that are aligned with your career goals (in moderation – make sure you have enough time for your studies). 

It’s important to remember that all the dimensions of wellness are connected. If your financial wellness is being disrupted, your emotional wellness will be affected, as money problems can cause anxiety and stress. This can also affect your environmental wellness, as you may not be motivated to participate in community initiativesbecause you are instead doom scrolling to avoid having to sit with your feelings of insecurity and anxiety over money. Likewise, if you do not get a good night’s sleep, you may disrupt your social wellness by lashing out at your friends and family, or you may disrupt your emotional wellness by becoming more easily overwhelmed.  

Every step of your wellness journey is complex and will look different day to day. So be gentle with yourself, recognize when you need support, and know where to find it.  

Douglas College offers many services to support your wellness:  

• Athletics & Recreation Intramurals and Fitness Classes 

• Counselling Services 

• Accessibility Services 

• Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) 

• Enrolment Services 

• Indigenous Student Services 

• Library & Learning Centre 

• DC International 

For more information on how Douglas College supports Wellness in the college community visit the Mental Wellness Strategy webpage