Wellbeing Plan - Te Whare Tapa Wha

Cultural Blog

18 September 2023

When I became unwell, life slowed down and I wasn't able to do much. With each new thing I've been able to do, I have learned not to take my energy forgranted, and I've tried my best within my physical and mental limitations to keep improving my wellbeing. Part of that is regaining strength, part of that is reconnecting with friends and family, part of that is appreciating nature, and being grateful for constant improvements to my health.

Due to all of this, I have been working on my Te Whare Tapa Wha, so here are a list of things I already do within each of the domains:

Wall	Activities
Tinana (Physical Wellbeing)	Going for walks around the neighbourhood with my partner before dinner. Ordering a Wonky Box of veg and fruit fortnightly (and cooking meals based on the ingredients). I make sure to get enough hours of sleep every night, and have a wind down schedule before bed.
Taha Whānau (Family Wellbeing)	I make time every evening to spend with my partner. Every month, I catch up with my family by trying a new burger place. I keep in touch with friends via messaging apps and organise frequent meet-ups
Taha Hinengaro (Emotional and Mental Wellbeing)	I'm very open with people about how I feel about things, and that helps me to get difficult emotions off my chest. Going for walks allows me to destress also. For everything else, there is chocolate.
Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing)	Appreciating nature while out on walks allows me to experience wairua. Being able to authentically be myself around my loved ones also makes me feel a sense of connectedness to my whanau.
Whenua (Interconnections to the land and environment)	While going out on walks, I appreciate the little things about nature. I love the colours of the sky, the view of houses on the hills, the birds fighting it out in the trees, and little streams I cross in the middle of urban areas. I also have some bonsai trees and house plants that bring me joy.