Intellectual wellness

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Did you know that there are actually many dimensions of wellness? Some researchers from the Australian based organisation Stride* propose eight such dimensions. While mental wellness and physical wellness are the ones people seem to be most familiar with, the other domains should not be forgotten, as by interacting together, they maintain your day-to-day well-being. Indeed, emotional wellness, physical wellness, environmental wellness, financial wellness, spiritual wellness, social wellness, occupational wellness, and intellectual wellness are definitely interconnected and when you progress towards fulfilling your goals in each dimension, you experience an increasing sense of achievement and mental well-being in all areas of your life.

So today, let’s focus primarily on intellectual wellness. According to Randy McCoy**, vice president of product and curriculum for The Little Gym, an enrichment and physical development center for children in Arizona, "Intellectual wellness is much about the desire and ability to expand one's knowledge and skills through continued learning, productive curiosity, creativity thinking and exploration." To get a better understanding of this definition, the University of West Hampshire has listed the signs of  intellectual wellness as follows:

• Ability to develop good study skills and time management.
• Ability to challenge yourself to see all sides of an issue.
• Ability to become a critical thinker.
• Ability to develop your own ideas, views, and opinions.
• Ability to expose yourself to new ideas, people, and beliefs that are different from your own.
• Ability to become aware of who you are and what you value.

This list is certainly not exhaustive and as you move forwards to a feeling of overall well-being, you might find yourself adding elements to this list like for instance: ‘Ability to participate in hobbies or connect to the arts.’

Moreover, as you learn and grow, you will discover and implement diverse ways to improve your intellectual wellness. For example, intellectual wellness and physical wellness are highly interconnected as Randy McCoy explains: "The same areas of the brain responsible for cognitive thinking tasks are activated and developed during physical activity and exercise," meaning "when the body is in motion, the brain comes to life." The brain shifts into a "higher gear" and is "ready for action" during physical activity and stays in this higher gear for a good amount of time even after we stop the activity. This effect on the brain is not temporary. "It has a lasting, positive impact on brain function and neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to change and adapt from experience," McCoy added. Yet, physical activity is not the only means to expand your intellectual wellness. Engaging your imagination, reading, maintaining social connections, trying new activities, eating well, or sleeping well are also renowned to contribute to your intellectual wellness.

Even though trying to achieve some intellectual wellness goals may feel overwhelming at first, you need to remember that it is the journey you are embarking on that also counts. You might want to set small, achievable goals, and celebrate every step forward with your family and friends who are supporting you all along. As you progress towards your goals, the benefits will become clearer and undeniable. In particular, you may notice that your ability to concentrate improves or you can acquire knowledge and skills with better ease. Finally, you will reach a place where you feel a sense of achievement and overall well-being.  Why don’t you give it a go? 🙂

* https://stride.com.au/dimensions-of-wellness/intellectual-wellness/ 

** https://www.newsweek.com/what-intellectual-wellness-definition-mind-brain-1690899