I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2

To me, this quote from the Apostle John implies that “prosperity” can be defined in more than just financial terms. True wellness is prosperity in all areas of your life—physical, spiritual, social, emotional and intellectual, as well as financial.

When I decided to put down on paper (or onscreen, rather) what prosperity means to me personally, I realized that this blog will demand a lot more soul-searching than I anticipated! That’s okay, though. You can’t grow without soul-searching.

For the record, I found articulating my thoughts on each of these definitions a daunting task. I feel basically inept at defining them, and I make absolutely no claims to have “arrived” in any area. And certainly with time, experience and maturity my definitions have evolved and will continue to do so. Nevertheless, here’s my attempt as of June, 2009.

Physical Prosperity Defined
Physical prosperity means that my body doesn’t interfere with my enjoyment of life. I have the energy to go out and do whatever I want to, whenever I want to, without being too out of breath, too tired, or too sore afterwards (though a little soreness feels good now and then!). It means I’m at a healthy weight and BMI. It means my blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are all in the healthy range, and my other blood chemistries are also at correct levels. It means I don’t have any other visible risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases. It means I eat healthfully on a regular basis—not that I never eat something “bad” for me, but the consistent trend in my eating habits is healthy, and a sugar or junk food binge is the exception rather than the rule. It means getting adequate exercise and rest on a regular basis. It means I don’t have to run to the doctor at every turn, that on the whole I’m able to avoid getting sick most of the time. It means little things like flossing regularly, getting my teeth cleaned, and having regular physical, dental and eye exams. When something appears to be wrong, I take the necessary action to get to the root of what’s wrong (as opposed to simply treating the symptoms).

Physical prosperity, intangible as it may sound, means I feel good physically. It requires that I take responsibility for my own choices and cease making excuses for not doing what I know I should do.

Spiritual Prosperity Defined
Though raised a Christian and having been a student of the Bible for most of my life, spirituality is still not an area in which I claim expertise. I unapologetically admit that I can’t help but have been influenced by the Seventh-day Adventist theology with which I was raised and still adhere to.

Spiritual prosperity means feeling that the “God-shaped hole” in my heart has been filled. Truly filled, not just masked by TV, food, work, or any other “vice”—not even a human relationship. It means I have some sort of communication with a Higher Power on a regular basis. It means my existential questions have been answered, as far as possible: I have a sense of where I came from and why I am here. Spiritual prosperity means knowing what my values are, and living according to those values. It means that when I sense that God-shaped hole is not filled, or is filled inadequately, I take the necessary steps to make it right.

Spiritual prosperity means I’m aware of a bigger picture, that this moment, this life, is not the end-all. It requires that I take responsibility for my own fulfillment and don’t depend on someone else’s research, someone else’s studying, someone else’s opinions, or someone else’s experiences to form the basis for my beliefs.

Social Prosperity Defined
Social prosperity means I have a social support system made up of satisfying relationships that are intimate, honest and accepting. It means I feel free to say “no” and to set boundaries, and that the people in my life with whom I have intimate relationships respect those boundaries. It means I have the courage to be authentic and to allow others to see the real me. It means I treat others with respect and acceptance, allowing them the right to be themselves and to have their own opinions. It means I am able to have meaningful conversations about the human experience (religion, politics, and other topics so often considered socially “taboo”) without feeling the need to point out where someone is wrong or enforce my beliefs on them. Social prosperity means I have integrity and behave ethically. It means I give of myself and my resources (time, money) to those in need. It means I stand up for justice and against oppression. It means I am able to enjoy solitude from time to time rather than automatically feeling lonely any time I’m alone. It means that when other people do things differently than I do, I simply view it as different rather than wrong. It means I apologize when I’m wrong and make amends when I’ve hurt someone. Of utmost importance, if I have a spouse and children, it means I properly prioritize my husband/wife over my children, work, friends, and even my family of origin. And I properly prioritize my children over my work, friends, and family of origin.

Social prosperity means I practice inter-dependence, as opposed to fierce independence or total dependence on any one person or group for my identity or fulfillment. It requires that I take responsibility for my own choices and social life.

Emotional Prosperity Defined
Emotional prosperity means I have a healthy sense of who I am, what I like and don’t like, and the basic rights and dignity to which I am entitled as a human being. It means not tolerating being treated with anything less than the basic rights and dignity to which I’m entitled as a human being.! It means I regularly examine my beliefs about myself and the world, and seek to align those as closely with reality as possible. It means I have the courage to face and deal with my feelings. It means I am able to let go of and grow through any past hurtful experiences. This doesn’t mean I deny that they happened, but once I’ve sorted through the emotional baggage, I let it go and move on because I recognize that it doesn’t have to continue to rule my life. Emotional prosperity means I am able to test my own comfort zone, to stretch myself, to put myself in situations I have not been in before. It means I am flexible and adaptable without losing my self. It means I am willing to ask for help–from friends or a professional–when I’m unable to sort through the baggage on my own. It means that, even while I pursue personal growth, I feel content that I am where I am supposed to be and am fulfilling an individual purpose, utilizing the skills and abilities that are uniquely mine. It means I forgive myself when I don’t measure up to my own standards. It means I am quick to laugh and do so often, sometimes even at myself.

Emotional prosperity means I know that I always have a choice. It requires that I take responsibility for my feelings, my behaviors, and my reactions to my experiences.

Intellectual Prosperity Defined
Intellectual prosperity means I am a student of life. It means that I can entertain myself rather than always having to be entertained. It means I look for opportunities to expand my horizons and improve my mind. It means I am curious about how things work and how other people do things. It means I am able to discuss ideas, as opposed to just people or events.

My college chemistry professor, Dr. Brent Hamstra, admonished us on the first day of class, “Take an active role in your own learning. Don’t just be a sponge.” Intellectual prosperity requires that I take responsibility for learning and improving my mind.

Financial Prosperity Defined
Financial prosperity means I am satisfied with what I have, even as I strive to acquire more. It means I always have enough to share—which is an attitude, not a dollar amount. It means that once I reach a reasonable age, I work to provide for my own needs rather than depending on someone else to provide for me. It means I live within my means; if necessary, I plan and save for big purchases rather than always buying on impulse. It means I recognize that no matter how inexpensive something is, it’s not a good deal if I don’t have the money! It means I plan for both the short-term and the long-term future, and don’t expect someone else (not even the government) to take up my slack. It means I fulfill my financial obligations and don’t walk away from my commitments.

Debt-beating guru Dave Ramsey says, “You have to learn to manage money or the lack of it will always manage you.” Financial prosperity is much less about having a lot of money than it is knowing how to manage the money I have. It requires that I take responsibility for my choices and behavior.

Wellness or Prosperity
Call it prosperity or call it wellness; in any area of life, it is never about perfection. The first lesson in wellness is that you never reach the point where you have “arrived.” The moment you think you have no room for growth is the moment in which you become decidedly un-well.

 
“Health is a function of many things—

• Knowing God
• Intimacy with the special people in our lives
• Meaningful work done in God’s service
• Edifying recreation
• Traveling light with regard to past negative life issues
• Accurate, healthy core beliefs, and
• Wise care of the body”

–from the Restore notebook, put out by The Christian Care Ministry Health Initiatives Department

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• lost 1886 pounds
• lost 273.75 inches from around their waists
• lowered their total cholesterol by 1431 points*
• lowered their LDL cholesterol by 1069 points*
• lowered their triglycerides by 2175 points*
• lowered their systolic blood pressure (top number) by 775 points, and their diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) by 454 points*
• lowered their blood sugar by 144 points*

Not to mention the improved quality of life that each of them has reported after changing their diet and increasing their activity level.

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*Not every client reported both initial and final measurements for cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure or blood sugar, so actual changes may be even greater.

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