What “Health = Wealth” Is

And What Health = Wealth Is Not.

First — welcome to the place where I share my thoughts, experiences, personal truths, and personal realizations as it relates to the notion that “Health = Wealth”. Now, the reason you might be reading this: What is “Health = Wealth”? The message I personally advocate is, “Health = Wealth” is a notion to reassess our beliefs, experiences, and attachments to wealth by putting the health of our overall wellbeing first.

Lets start by giving a brief definition of key words: health, wealth, wellbeing, and holistic. I encourage you to do a quick dictionary search of each of these words, and do it as often as you need to to remind yourself. Health: a condition where someone or something is thriving or doing well. Wealth: plentiful supplies of a particular resource. Here’s a personal variation/expansion on wellbeing: a measure of the wellness in mind, body, spirit, finances, emotions, and connection to community. Holistic: characterized by treatment of the whole person; understanding that the parts of a whole are intimately interconnected.

So now, lets revisit the above message with these understandings. By reassessing our beliefs, experiences, and attachments to wealth as we know it, we see that our health and wellbeing are not an everlasting supply/resource (unlike money and material things) BUT we can create a holistic depth of abundance in a healthy wellbeing and make it a plentiful, rich, invaluable resource. A resource in which we have the power and entitlement to claim it as our own, on our own terms despite whatever racial, socioeconomic, and environmental designs made against us. It is within reach — always. It is very much within our locus of control. “Health = Wealth” is a pathway to experience freedom!

Q: “Well I’m broke, can I still be healthy?”

A: Health = Wealth is not a limit on what your health can be. If you are not wealthy in this moment, that does not mean you can’t be healthy. This is the reason we must view the health of our wellbeing holistically and work on it holistically. Your wellbeing is more than your physical body and/or your bank account. As someone who’s been out of a job for 3 months, my experience has been that when I work on my mental health, exercise and eat consciously, spend consciously, connect with community at large or local or personal, and give my spirit some attention — I still feel whole and healthy.

Q: I have enough money, I’m slim/muscular, and the doctor says I’m healthy at check-ups. That’s Health = Wealth, right?

A: No, not completely. Again, these are parts of a whole. Physical and financial wellness are not the only aspects of wellbeing. Unless there is an effort or some sense of control and thriving mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually too…no. However, regular exercise and access to adequate finances can dramatically affect the care and quality of the rest of our wellbeing. Just as being unwell mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually at any variation across the board can negatively impact physical health and finances. The aspects of wellbeing are interconnected and as a result interdependent.

In conclusion, some aspects of wellbeing are harder to work on than others depending on the person. Additionally, each person has a unique ratio of each aspect that gives them a healthy sense of wellness. We should also keep in mind that this ratio changes throughout our entire lifespan. But it is the richness in health and freedom that is invaluable.

Ask me your questions on my message of Health = Wealth below in the comments! Or, share with me your thoughts about this post!