I work with a lot of individuals who have goals and want to achieve success but seem to stumble and can’t understand why they can’t get to where they want to be. Often when we get to the core of it, they haven’t built a strong foundation from which to work from. If this is you, I would encourage you to look at your well-being.
Some will think well-being is a fluffy word that is all about yoga and meditation. For some it is. For me not so much. As a New Zealand born Māori from the Cook Islands and Papa’a, or New Zealand European, well-being has mostly been about surviving a confused social cultural identity and searching for a place I feel like I belong. It is a story that is not uncommon. If you have goals and want to achieve success you need to check that your foundation is strong enough. The bigger the goals the stronger the foundation you will need. And just to be clear, that foundation is your well-being.
Te Whare Tapa Whā speaks to four walls of the wharenui as, Te taha Wairua, Spiritual. Te Taha Hinengaro, mental and emotional. Te taha Tinana, physical. Te taha Whānau, family and social. How I learned to implement this model was if your walls are strong your house will stand strong. If your walls are too weak then the roof of your house will fall in. That concept was simple enough for me to understand and gave me direction.
It is not lost on me that as you search through the information online some but not all of the graphics of the model will show whenua, land. As a curious person and someone who some idea of the importance of whenua and a people’s connection to it I do wonder why this is not included in the general information that is found. If you are more curious than me, I’m sure you will explore further. I just wanted to point out if you do your own learning, you might see this and think you are missing something. You just might have to dig a little deeper.
I should also point out that the model is being used in many places, health and education to name a few. I am not an expert in the model, more of an individual user when it comes to improving my own well-being. I am unsure if its implementation has been true to it’s original purpose or if over the past few decades it has crept into unintended areas. What I can say with confidence is that this model helped me focus on 4 areas of my life and increased my well-being.
The next important question is how do you know where to start? For me it was taking a hard look in the mirror and being honest with myself. I used a life balance wheel worksheet to identify areas that needed work. And I can tell you they all needed work at some level. NOTE: there is always work to be done, because we can always be better.
Whare Tapa Whā is one health and well-being model. There are similarly other models from the pacific that I am familiar with.
The Fonua model, Tongan framework of health with 5 dimensions Sino, physical. ‘Atamai, mental. Laumalie, Spiritual. Kaingal, Community. And ‘Ataki, environmental.
Fonofale model created as a Pacific Island model of health for the use in a New Zealand Context.
Family being the floor of the fale or the foundation. The roof representing cultural values and beliefs. Four Pou that connect the floor and the roof. Spiritual. Physical. Mental. Other.
The model also includes other dimensions that have direct or indirect influence on one another. Environment, Time and Context.
These models provide a cultural lens to understand what influences wellbeing for Māori and Pasifika. But in fact, they are good for everyone.
We should note that nothing is done in silo. Don’t think that you can focus on the physical side, be fit and strong and everything else will fall into place. You must work at everything. Little by little you will see improvements, you may even recognise that you are in a state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous.
To get you started attached is Ētū Kaveinga - a life balance wheel. Even if you have done one before it is always good to check in and reflect on how you are doing so you can keep moving forward.
Here are 5 things you can try to get you started:
1. Fill in Ētū Kaveinga. Identify the dimensions that could use the most attention.
2. Pick one or two of those and choose one or two things you can do today to start making a difference.
For example. Dimension: Whanaungatanga (Relationships). Make time to reach out to a friend or family member once a week to meet up in person or have a check in call.
For example. Block out one hour per week to work on your Whanaungatanga. Make sure it is on days that nothing else is going to
4. Find a whānau member or friend and do it together.
5. The most important thing…HAVE FUN!