At My Manifesto we are passionate about supporting individual and community wellbeing. It is a joy for us to see adults of all ages grow in many ways through exploring the 7-Steps of creating a personal manifesto. In this week’s blog, we’ve attempted to summarise what we feel are seven universal truths about wellbeing that help provide clarity to this broad, important, and often misunderstood concept.
Naturally, we don’t believe this is ‘the list’ of wellbeing principles, hence our title ‘What could be the eighth?’, but from our work with individuals, teams, and communities, the following list of principles stand out to us as important foundational knowledge.
7 Wellbeing Principles from the founders of My Manifesto.
1. Wellbeing is Personal
What supports your wellbeing is uniquely shaped by your story – your values, culture, personality, and experiences. That’s why a personal manifesto, as we describe in the book, isn’t a generic life plan – it’s “a private declaration of your wisdom and intentions” shaped by your truth.
2. Wellbeing is a Shared Responsibility
We each carry responsibility for our wellbeing – but we don’t do it alone. Our relationships, communities, and cultures profoundly shape how we feel and function. A healthy life is co-created, not self-contained.
3. Wellbeing is Multi-dimensional
There’s no single metric for a good life. Emotional stability, physical vitality, social connection, meaning, and inner peace all interact in complex and dynamic ways. As My Manifesto reminds us, “clarity doesn’t mean everything is simple.”
4. Wellbeing Involves Navigating Life’s Tensions
Contrary to popular myths, wellbeing isn’t about achieving balance and staying there – it’s about moving wisely within competing needs. Independence and intimacy. Ambition and contentment. Rest and action. Your personal manifesto helps you respond, not react, to these pulls.
5. Wellbeing is a Daily Practice
It’s not something we tick off. It’s something we return to. In our book, we explore how “small steps” and rituals – like checking in with your values or pausing before a big decision – can keep you aligned with your intentions.
6. Wellbeing Includes the Full Spectrum of Emotions
We’re not meant to be happy all the time. Melancholy, uncertainty, even doubt, can carry wisdom and depth. Embracing your full emotional life – as you reflect, write, and grow – is part of what gives your manifesto its honesty and power.
7. Wellbeing Fuels Contribution
Wellbeing isn’t the end point – it’s the soil from which meaningful action grows. When you’re grounded in clarity and self-knowledge, you contribute more intentionally to the world around you.
We hope these seven principles can provide you with fresh insights, clarity, and comfort, and please know, we’d love to hear your eighth!