Facets of wellbeing: Why they matter to your mental health

Everyone knows the expression, "You are what you eat". Naturally, that is an oversimplification. We are, in fact, far more than what we consume. It is widely held that our wellbeing consists of eight interconnected dimensions, which according to the Colorado State University-Pueblo are: emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental and financial.

If any of these dimensions are neglected over time, it will adversely affect one’s health, wellbeing and quality of life, the university cautions.

Being able to strike a healthy balance among these dimensions is considered vital to achieving personal wellbeing. However, the subconscious mind strongly influences some dimensions, such as those that involve spiritual, emotional and intellectual thinking.

These complex connections make it far more challenging to understand and address one’s own deep-rooted motivations. Getting at the heart of what is going on at the subconscious level is where storytelling, also known as audio reflection, can be revealing. 

How storytelling supports mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is the one dimension that ties together all other dimensions of one’s self. For instance, you cannot have strong spiritual or even physical wellbeing without paying attention to your mental wellbeing. That said, our subconscious has a strong influence on our mental state. 

"We often don’t know why we take certain actions because our subconscious triggers them," explains Bill Welser, CEO, CTO and Co-Founder of Lotic.ai. "Here is where storytelling can help. When we use audio reflection, we can begin to reveal the subconscious patterns and trends that lead us to take action, thereby gaining insights we might not otherwise have. Verbalizing our stories is the best way to access our subconscious influences, allowing us to make informed choices for our overall wellbeing." 

"When we use audio reflection, we can begin to reveal the subconscious patterns and trends that lead us to take action, thereby gaining insights we might not otherwise have." 

Continuously using guided storytelling can be essential for enhancing one’s mental wellbeing. "We humans have a deep capacity for change, and by continuing to share our stories over time, we can become more deeply aware of what shapes our thoughts, feelings and behaviors," says Jonathan Cohen, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Lotic.ai. "Uncovering the origin stories behind these tendencies enables us to reframe them. Through this ongoing process of self-reflection and reframing, we can build healthy habits that help us thrive over the long-term."

Factoring in the subjective nature of feelings

Welser points out that being open and honest about their feelings can be challenging for many people. When sharing our thoughts and feelings, we often seek validation from others, which colors what we share. Conversely, when audio reflection is focused instead in a personal, intentional way — one that looks to be honest with oneself and not aimed at impressing someone else — it becomes possible to understand what’s happening inside at a more subconscious level.

"Being honest with yourself may be uncomfortable, but it also is a path to truly exploring why we respond the way we do," Wesler says. "When practiced intentionally, thus avoiding being performative, storytelling can hold the power to understand ourselves better." 

"Being honest with yourself may be uncomfortable, but it also is a path to truly exploring why we respond the way we do." 

Welser is also quick to point out that the ultimate goal for Lotic technology is to meet users where they are, how they are and when they are without any barriers to access. Application of technologies in the privacy-first Lotic ecosystem will significantly impact the way individuals understand their world; while aggregation of anonymized information can help organizations understand their populations better.

Leveraging next-gen tech to boost mental wellness

Because our mental health impacts every aspect of our wellbeing, making efforts to improve it is critical. Being happy and content are vital components of wellbeing that can be helped through self-reflection. When advanced, next-gen technology is applied to the capture and analysis of consistently collected verbalized self-reflection, invaluable insights can be gleaned. 

This leading-edge technology makes it possible to quickly calculate millions of data points simultaneously, collecting in-the-moment experiences, which follow feelings and reflections as they change and evolve. Using AI and natural language processing algorithms – combined with the company’s behavioral science foundation – it becomes possible to analyze and process these self-reflections to uncover thoughts, patterns and behaviors that drive our actions and shape our behaviors. And once armed with this knowledge, we can understand ourselves in entirely new ways.

A deeper dive into wellbeing

A great deal of scientific work is being done to understand how we think and how our subconscious impacts our experiences. 

"At Lotic, we leverage a framework comprising four of the main aspects of wellbeing: awareness, connection, insight and purpose," Welser explains. "These dimensions are central to the subjective experience of wellbeing and can be strengthened through training. We can gain agency over those influences by uncovering and exploring the factors that shape how we think, feel and act. We can then use this knowledge to build healthy habits and develop beneficial practices that enhance our wellbeing."

Welser further explains how each of these four areas influences wellbeing: 

• Awareness: A heightened and flexible attentiveness to perceptual impressions in one’s environment and internal cues, such as bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions.
• Connection: A subjective sense of care and kinship that promotes supportive relationships and caring interactions.
• Insight: Self-knowledge concerning how emotions, thoughts, beliefs and other factors shape one’s subjective experience and sense of self.
• Purpose: Clarity concerning personally meaningful aims and values one can apply daily.

The broader implications of a healthy wellbeing

Both Welser and Cohen are showing – through their product design and research as well as initial Lotic pilots – that self-reflection through guided storytelling allows individuals to see themselves more objectively. This process also allows us to better determine the support we need and then learn to give ourselves that support as if we were caring for someone else in our lives. The upshot of this is to gain the ability to improve our overall wellbeing, which is crucial to every aspect of our lives. 

The implications of improved mental wellbeing are clear. When we verbalize our stories, we open a door to our subconscious influences. Therefore, storytelling – particularly when we speak aloud – forces us to articulate those things we think and feel, which in turn affords us a means to make healthier choices for our lives. 

Keep an eye on Lotic this year as it moves through the B2B and B2C launch phases. Follow the company by signing up for its waitlist at www.lotic.ai.