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What is Wellness?

Wellness is the optimal state of health and well-being of individuals and groups. It is the ability of people and communities to reach their fullest potential, both in terms of health and fulfillment of purpose. We are all part of achieving a healthy New Brunswick where, together, we can live in a culture of wellness. New Brunswick’s Wellness Strategy supports action on all dimensions of wellness and all determinants of health.

Whichever aspects of wellness you would like to learn more about, you can find lots of resources on this site – many provided by The Wellness Movement partners, with contact information so you can reach out to them directly.

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What are wellness-supporting environments?

The people, places and other factors in your life that support your wellbeing and help make healthy choices more accessible.

Wellness-supporting environments are found in all areas of your life!
Check out a few examples.

In our homes

  • A smoke-free home and car
  • Preparing and eating meals as a family
  • Avoid buying high-sugar drinks or pop on a regular basis
  • Family rules around screen time
  • Dedicated family time spent playing outdoors

At work

  • Healthy foods in vending machines or cafeterias
  • A positive, supportive team spirit
  • Lunchtime walking groups
  • Company healthy-eating potlucks or picnics
  • Team fitness challenges
  • ‘Quit Smoking’ challenges
  • Lunch and Learn info sessions
  • Designated Family Days
  • Healthy workstation setups
  • Flexible lunch hour policies
  • Healthy employee/employer relationships (CAR supportive read more on this)
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Management demonstrates individuals and individuals’ wellbeing is valued

In our schools

  • Safe playgrounds designed to encourage active play
  • Student-led committees or clubs
  • Breakfast programs
  • Mental fitness workshops
  • After-school sports programs
  • Healthy cafeteria foods
  • Peer helper programs
  • Teachers who foster psychological needs for Competence, Autonomy and Relatedness (read more on this)
  • Smoke-free living promotion programs and activities

In our communities

  • Parks, green spaces and trails available to all
  • Breastfeeding-friendly municipal policies
  • Community gardens
  • Public libraries/book clubs
  • Seniors’ recreation centres
  • Support groups (cancer, diabetes, breastfeeding, etc.)
  • Access to arts and cultural centres
  • Age-Friendly Communities
  • Produce bulk-buying clubs such as Community Food Smart or Fresh for Less
  • Collective kitchens and programs, such as those offered at the Mapleton Teaching Kitchen
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Show me more on Wellness-Supporting Environments

Wellness is about more than individual lifestyle choices. It is shaped by the people around us and the places where we live, learn, work and spend our free time. Just like a tree, wellness needs the right conditions to grow. These people and places form the supportive environments that nourish our wellness like soil, water and sunshine.

Creating a supportive social environment in a home, community, school or workplace means building positive relationships that nurture the emotional well-being of everyone involved. When we feel supported by others, we are more likely to make healthier choices.

Creating a supportive physical environment means designing buildings, grounds, indoor and outdoor play or rest spaces in and around our homes, communities, schools or workplaces that are safe, encourage people to connect with each other, are accessible to everyone and support healthy choices.

When the social and physical environments (the people and places) around us are supportive of our wellness, we are more likely to be healthy and resilient and enjoy a great quality of life! There are many success stories about how people in New Brunswick are creating supportive social and physical environments for wellness. The Wellness Movement celebrates these efforts and inspires further action to create supportive environments in our homes, communities, schools and workplaces so people throughout New Brunswick can make healthy choices and are empowered to thrive!

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Building Regional Approaches

We had a dream of being able to bring all the provincial and regional players together to get to know and understand each other better and then talk about how we might collaborate to meet our common goals and better serve our communities.

Featured Resources

Some resources to get you started…

Featured Stories

Every wellness story starts with a single step. See how New Brunswickers just like you were inspired to start with small changes to achieve greater wellness.

Browse some more specific content

Mental fitness

Mental fitness refers to a state of psychological well-being. It means having a positive sense of how we feel, think, and act, which improves our ability to enjoy life.

Workplace Wellness Portal
For resources, tools and references focused around workplace wellness.

Building Regional Approaches

We had a dream of being able to bring all the provincial and regional players together to get to know and understand each other better and then talk about how we might collaborate to meet our common goals and better serve our communities.

Ready to take action for yourself and those around you? Want to get involved with The Wellness Movement?

I am ready to take steps to improve wellness for those around me and start creating wellness-supporting environments.

I want to connect with The Wellness Movement and help improve or raise awareness around wellness-supporting environments.