Wellbeing In The 21st Century Most Critical Challenges - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... On the other hand, the socioeconomic environment in countries worldwide is highly differentiated. In countries where culture strongly influences personal life the potentials of individuals to take initiatives are limited. In this paper, a specific human condition is explored: wellbeing. The above term is commonly used for showing the status of both the physical and the mental health of a person. The challenges that wellbeing has to face in the 21st century are presented below. The findings of the literature in regard to this subject are presented and evaluated. Emphasis is given to the different modes of wellbeing and the different approaches used by academics for explaining the role of this concept in modern life. 2. Wellbeing in the 21st century – most critical challenges Different criteria can be used for understanding wellbeing, as a concept. The characteristics of wellbeing should be described before attempting to identify the challenges that wellbeing faces in the 21st century. According to a report published by the University of California, wellbeing can be enhanced through exercise. In other words, in the above report wellbeing is related to fitness. This view is based on the fact that exercise is valuable in reducing anxiety and stress (University of California)....
lly right; indeed, exercise can help an individual to face anxiety and stress but the lack of exercise cannot be considered as a proof of the lack of wellbeing. Indeed, it is possible for an individual to fight stress and anxiety using an alternative activity, such as visiting cultural events or going for fishing. Fox (1999) has studied the existing literature in regard to the relationship between physical activity and mental health. Particular emphasis is given to the role of physical activity in controlling depression (Fox 1999). Also, physical activity seems to have an important role in confronting anxiety and in securing wellbeing by helping a person to develop an optimistic/ positive mood (Fox 1999). Moreover, physical activity has been related to ‘self-esteem and cognitive performance’ (Fox 1999, p.413), human characteristics that can reflect the status of mental health of individuals. According to the view of Fox, as presented above, people should employ physical activity for securing their mental health. It is implied that the inability of an individual to incorporate physical activity in his daily life would threaten his mental health. Trying to locate time for engaging in physical activity is a major challenge that individuals have to face today. It should be noted that physical activity is not a term identical to exercise, as the term is used in the report published by the University of California. Physical activity, as a general concept, can incorporate exercise; the latter is not critical for physical and mental health but the former is. One of the most important challenges related to wellbeing seems to be the following: it is almost impossible to define the criteria on which happiness can be based (Wallis 2005). In 2005 the president of APA had ...Download file to see next pagesRead More