AS someone who works in the field of wellbeing, it sometimes feels to me as though the word ‘wellbeing’ itself is one of the most annoying words in the English language!

It is one of those words that you kind of understand but then can’t begin to define. And that would be about right actually, because there isn’t a global definition of the word either.

What I do know is that it provokes all sorts of reactions.

When people turn up to a wellbeing workshop, it is not unusual for them to be highly sceptical. They are not sure whether they are going to be asked to do an interpretative dance or told how much celery they should be eating.

Much as I love the medium of dance, I tend to avoid both. As far as I am concerned – it is not up to me to give anyone lifestyle tips as it’s not for me to decide how other people should be living.

On the contrary, I have always found that when you ask someone what ‘a good sense of wellbeing’ means to them, then they will have an answer which relates to their own individual set of circumstances.

Those answers will vary widely. Some people describe wellbeing as having a good work-life balance. Some talk about feeling healthy physically and mentally.

Others talk more about financial stability or feeling part of the community. For some it is about having a spiritual faith. And for many it is a mixture of several of these elements or something else entirely.

The point is that in this country we have not been encouraged as children or while growing up to actually take the time to think about our sense of wellbeing or what it means to us personally.

The result of this is that most people have thought very little about it until the question is asked.

Sadly, many wait until they are either feeling depressed or are at the point of burnout before they even begin to think about it. Having now worked with hundreds of people with a whole variety of presentations, I am convinced that this is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves.

Putting to one side what someone else might think about wellbeing – try asking yourself the question in relation to your own life.

When do you feel that your sense of wellbeing is where you would like it to be? What would need to happen for you to be able to say with honesty that you have a really good sense of wellbeing within yourself?

It is by asking this one simple question that you can start to figure out what is working well in your own life and what is worth keeping or doing more of.

You can also identify any areas which could be working better and where there might need to be some changes.

The important thing is to take the time to think about what a good sense of wellbeing means to you personally and then to listen to your own answers. You will find some valuable clues as to how to look after yourself in a way that has meaning and relevance to your own life.

In the challenging times that we are currently living in, that must be one of the most important things we can do.