Kids Help Phone’s Wheel of Well-Being

Every part of your life helps to shape the way you see the world and your experiences. Different areas of your life — such as school, family, work, physical health and connection to your environment — may seem separate, but they’re actually all connected. When something in one area changes, it can affect other areas. Kids Help Phone’s Wheel of Well-Being is a visual representation of how these different areas are linked. It can also help you think of ways to keep things in balance.

The Wheel of Well-being

YOU are at the centre of the Wheel of Well-Being. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the seven different segments of the wheel and how they connect to who you are and how you feel. We’ve also included some questions you can ask yourself about each wedge to help you find and maintain balance.

It’s important to note everyone has a different definition of well-being. Some segments of the wheel may be more relevant to you than others, or you may feel other factors contribute to your well-being.

1. The relationships segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• your connections to friends, family, community and others

• your connection in an intimate relationship

• how you explore and/or express your sexuality

• feeling supported by others and offering support back

• being able to communicate what you feel and need to those around you

Questions you can ask yourself about your relationships include:

• How do I share how I’m feeling with those around me?

• What do I need from those around me?

• Who are the people in my life that I can turn to?

2. The emotions segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• your awareness of what you’re feeling and why

• your ability to accept and value who you are

• your outlook on life

• your ability to manage stress and strong emotions

• your sense of hope for the future

Questions you can ask yourself about your emotions include:

• What works for me when I’m feeling strong emotions?

• What resources, strengths and abilities do I already have that I can use to deal with strong emotions?

3. The physical health segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• your overall physical health

• your nutrition

• your sexual health

• how you practice and enjoy physical activity

• your body image

• your sleep routine

Questions you can ask yourself about your physical health include:

• How comfortable do I feel in my own skin?

• What could I start to do or continue to do that is good for my overall physical health?

4. The creativity and thinking segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• how you express yourself in different ways

• how you exercise your mind

• how you learn from others and the world around you

• your appreciation for learning new things

Questions you can ask yourself about your creativity and thinking include:

• How do I express myself and exercise my mind?

• How can I continue to learn from the world around me and express myself creatively?

5. The spirituality segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• your sense of belonging in the world

• the meaning and purpose you feel in your life

• the comfort you get from community, nature, the universe and/or some higher power

Questions you can ask yourself about your spirituality include:

• In what ways do I, or could I, connect to something larger than myself?

• How do I create meaning for myself in life?

6. The school and work segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• how interested you are and how satisfied you feel with school and/or a job

• your education and/or career goals

• your attitude toward school and/or work

• your sense of being able to contribute to your family or community through school and/or a job

Questions you can ask yourself about school and work include:

• How do I see myself going forward in school and/or my job?

• How can I create opportunities to fi­nd satisfaction through school and/or work?

7. The environment segment of the wheel includes things such as:

• your home environment and living conditions

• how you experience the changing climate

• how you connect with the lands, waters and wildlife

• how you feel about your community

Questions you can ask yourself about your environment include:

• How do I feel about the environment around me?

• How can I create, contribute to or improve my environment?

Kids Help Phone’s Wheel of Well-Being can help you see the different parts of your life in full circle. You can print the wheel to write your answers to the questions and take notes on what well-being means to you as you go. If you ever need support in any of these areas, it’s important to reach out for help. You can always talk to a friend, Elder, teacher or parent/caregiver for support.

Want more resources like this? You can consult Kids Help Phone’s self-reflection resources here