Health is a condition of emotional, mental and physical well-being where infirmity and disease are either absent or regulated to the status quo. The pursuit of happiness and fulfillment through health is a gradual process, often influenced by culture and society, as well as individual needs. There are different ways we define, support and pursue the pursuit of health. The American Heritage Dictionary defines health as the ability to live well, an attitude of fair dealing with others, ability to cope, self-respect, well-balanced, and a sense of humor among others. In this article, I will discuss the emotional aspects and various components of the pursuit of health.

Emotional wellness encompasses our ability to enjoy life, managing anger and anxiety effectively, managing stress, building and maintaining relationships, managing disappointment, improving our sense of well-being, accepting and tolerating difference, and having a sense of humor, just to mention some of the key components of emotional health. Emotionally healthy individuals have positive attitudes, are self-confident, and have realistic high hopes for their lives, while those who are lacking in emotional well-being are usually pessimistic, have low self-confidence, have unrealistic high hopes for their lives, have negative beliefs about themselves, and are self-critical. People who are emotionally unhealthy are usually suffering from one or more of these conditions; however, there can be a combination of any of them present at the same time. The focus of this article is on the emotional well-being rather than the physical health.

The pursuit of well-being also includes having a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking vitamins, consuming a balanced diet, and getting sufficient sleep, and eliminating potential health threats including stress, depression, and obesity. Achieving a healthy lifestyle includes having regular physical exercise, eating a balanced diet, consuming the right amount of calories, eliminating potential threats to your health, and having good communication with your health care provider. Each of these components is interdependent and interconnected and the entire process requires ongoing dedication and ongoing effort. When a person takes up a healthy lifestyle, they become committed to maintaining it through appropriate diet and regular exercise and by learning to communicate effectively and with their doctors about any health issues. In addition, they make good use of their personal finances by investing in a home gym, a riding lawn mower, a treadmill, a bicycle, and a stairlift. These steps allow the individual to get the physical exercise they need along with building their self-confidence and ability to manage their resources effectively