AN OFFICE GIRL HAD SALAD FOR breakfast on instead of rice, and then goes to the office. She has a massage during her lunch hour. After leaving her office, she goes to her yoga class. On the weekend, she goes skiing and later enjoys the spa (for a full-body massage). We commonly say she is doing well-being.
   You may ask, what is this well-being?
   Well-being is a life style that gives composure to the people of our modern, industrialized society. In the dictionary, well-being means to be happy and in good health. Simply, that involves the principles of life such as, eating well, living well.
    Well-being is gaining enough popularity to be included as being one of the top ten trends noted by the Samsung Research Institute for 2004. For example, by using a piece of silver nano material (nano technology is having an early impact on healthcare products), sales of washers and refrigerators are steadily increasing. The Munhwa newspaper reported that there will be an increase of about two hundred thousand air-cleaner products over last years marketed products. In like manner, the well-being boom is occurring in the marketing of apartments. Several companies that build apartments will be establishing facilities for peoples health such as fitness clubs and saunas. They also are going to build apartments  using natural materials, starting in 2004.
    However, people with low incomes are unfamiliar with the concept of well-being. They have some prejudices against well-being. First, they think well-being is only about spending a lot of money. They also think that well-being is eating organic vegetables and joining a fitness club. Actually, people with low incomes counted their lack of high incomes as the main reason that they do not believe in the ideas of well-being. They think that well-being should be only for those people of high economic status. Second, they think that only rich people have enough spare time to participate in well-being activities at some special place, such as well-being activities through registering at a fitness club, taking Tabo classes -  a combination of Tae-kwon-do and Boxing, and practicing yoga at a Yoga center. They don't concern themselves with well-being which they think is just for the purpose of commercialism.

 

  BUT, THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY OF WELL-BEING.
   All activities for ones health and spirit are well-being. For example, jogging, walking for exercise, and reading during break time are all well-being activities. In particular, walking - an aerobic exercise, has been cited by WHO as a good method for promoting the health of mankind. Walking has proven to be beneficial to diabetics and for reducing the dangers of heart disease. In addition, walking is related to longevity. In this way, well-being is our life.
    Well-being provides the basis for improving the quality of life. Our way of life is decided by self-satisfaction. Jang Ji-hye, a freshman from the School of Mathematics and Statistics, said "It is through original well-being that you can find health and peace of mind in your life."  Let's seek the life that harmonizes with mind and body, nature and culture.