As this site is all about wellness, I’d be neglectful if I didn’t include at least one post with some advice on how you can help gauge where you are currently at in each of the wellness vectors. As part of my Fundamentals of Wellness class at ASU, we were required to complete several self-assessments and submit write-ups on what we learned from each. At first I felt like these assignments seemed like busy work, after all, how much can a questionnaire tell me about myself that I don’t already know? As it turns out what I learned is that assessments don’t have earth shattering insightful questions designed to teach us all sorts of things about wellness or even ourselves but they do indeed serve a very valuable purpose. They force us to take time to think about things we otherwise wouldn’t. And since they are in the form of questions that “thinking” is really an internal conversation, you ask yourself a question and then you answer it. The natural progression from there is to ask yourself “OK, why did I answer like that?” and “Wow, maybe I should look at changing this area of my life/behavior/outlook.”

I think there are multiple pros and cons for the use of self-assessments, both in general and specifically for health risks and health behaviors. I think one of the major advantages has to do with the ultimate goal – to improve oneself in some way. Before any issue or problem can be addressed it must first be identified. Its human nature to react to input about one’s personal behaviors in a defensive manner making it challenging for someone else to point out things like poor eating habits or lack of sufficient exercise. This is an area where a self-assessment can help. When an individual can recognize, with the help of a tool or instrument like a self-assessment, an area for improvement in his or her own mind, it becomes much easier to accept. That’s the necessary first step in taking action to address it. Self assessments are great tools for steering people in that direction so that they can recognize for themselves where they are in need of improvement. Additionally, the process itself encourages more self-awareness by having the individual think not only about the questions being asked but about tangential aspects as well. With self-awareness comes data that helps us make more responsible choices both on our own and when interacting with others.

They aren’t the end all solution however, self-assessments are 100% subjective so they’re only part of the puzzle. If an individual is in true denial about a particular topic or simply can’t see it in a responsible perspective, their subjectivity may easily prevent them having that “aha” moment that a self-assessment can otherwise offer. Also, self assessments provide no means of accountability once the issue is identified whereas having that same conversation with, for example a dietician or personal trainer, carries some implied accountability to that other individual that there is indeed a problem and no someone else sees it to. Due to the nature of the relevant topics around leading a healthy lifestyle, they tend to be personal, the advantages I list are also the reasons why I believe wellness self-assessments are indeed a valuable tool for moving individuals towards a healthier lifestyle.

So, where do you find them?  Remember, google is your friend! The ones that I took came from Health: The Basics and were really good. That book costs money though so I did find a free set at The National Wellness Institute. I encourage you to take a few minutes and go through the assessment, don’t answer how you want to be seen, answer how you are and you will truly get something out of it! What are you waiting for?  Take the first step!