1.Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas. How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?
In unit 3 I assessed my physical health as an 8, my psychological health as a 7-8, and my spiritual health as a 6. My physical health overall is good, but I still need to watch what I eat. It is so easy for me to indulge in unhealthy things, especially greasy foods. Since I have set the goal of watching what I eat, especially fried food, I have been more aware of what I put in my mouth. I am still an 8 physically, but I think I will continue to grow in this area as I want to work back up to my physical activities as I can tolerate. In my psychological health, I rate myself 7-8. I fall between these two numbers because I can’t fully say I am an 8. I still struggle with anxiety and stress. Since I have started the loving-kindness exercises and meditation practices, I have definitely seen an improvement in my overall psychological health. I am still not quite an 8, but I am closer than I was before I started this class. In my spiritual health, I still rate myself a 6. I am finding ways to become healthier as one of my goals is to set aside more time for myself spiritually to figure out what it means to me. Focusing on myself, my family and my loved ones will be most beneficial for me in this area. Meditation and yoga are great for my spiritual health. I can see an improvement overall, but not enough to rise above a 6 at this point. It will eventually get there as I now have the tools to get to where I want to be.
2.Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.
I am continually moving towards my goals in each area. Even in this short amount of time I see some progress. The goals that I set for myself in each area were:
Physical: Eat less fried foods- I definitely watch more of what I eat because of my limited ability to work out recently. I will continue to watch what I eat as maintaining a healthy diet is so important for my physical health. I feel less heavy in a sense, because eating fried foods makes you feel tired and un-energized.
Spiritual: Reflect often during the day on what is meaningful and important to me- I definitely reflect on what is meaningful and important to me. Throughout this class I have found ways of which I find beneficial in promoting my spiritual wellness. There is still much work but I find that meditating really helps in relaxing my senses and brings me closer to a peaceful place. I can see myself calmer and relaxed because of these practices.
Psychological: Talk to my family and friends when I have a problem and need their opinion. Don’t keep it to myself and let it build up- I have also made progress towards this as well. I find that expressing my feelings is a great stress reliever as well. It causes so much more anxiety for me to keep my feelings to myself. I think the loving kindness exercise is really benefiting my psychological health. Taking the time to reflect on others and their importance to me make me realize how important it is to do so.
3.Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain.
I have implemented yoga for my spiritual and physical health. Even if I am unable to physically do all aspects of yoga, stretching is so beneficial to me and my physical health. The loving kindness exercise I use for my psychological wellness but I could also use it for my spiritual wellness too. Meditating helps with all aspects of my integral health. This is the exercise that I like the most.
4.Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?
I have found so many ways that this course has developed my holistic health. I am able to implement new ways to foster my well-being but also know ways in which to modify these techniques to fit my ever changing lifestyle. I thought I knew how to modify my wellness before this class but now after taking this class I really had no idea. I am amazed at all the different experiences I am able to experience because of this class. I am able to look at the day without stress and being groggy. I wake up in the morning and actually feel good and ready to take on the day, which for awhile was very difficult. I have taken so much from this class and thank everyone for all their participation in my discussion questions and my blog.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Final Project
Final Project
I. Introduction:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is so important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because first and foremost, we need to be healthy first, before we can help others be healthy. Being healthy must have all components of physical, psychological and spiritual health. All aspects are interconnected and all affect each other.
Physical health helps with decreased adverse biological effects such as cardiovascular risks related to obesity, poor nutrition, decreased energy, and decreased motivation. Psychological health helps with finding ways to decrease and alleviate stress in our lives, achieving emotional satisfaction, having a sense of happiness towards yourself and others, and having healthy relationships with your friends, family and co-workers. Spiritual health helps with understanding the importance of religion and how powerful “forgiveness” can be in everyday life. Spiritual health helps soothe our mind and our body. It provides a sense of peace and harmony in our lives.
I need to work on all parts to achieve the goals I have for myself. I eventually want to become a pediatrician and so I need to be physically, psychologically and spiritually well. Physical health will be important in getting through medical school and sustaining that health to improve my physical performance. Psychological health will be important to find ways to decrease stress and find ways to have a balance of my mind and body. Psychological health helps with fostering relationships with others and this will especially be important in my journey to becoming a pediatrician. Spiritual health is important because there will be times of struggle and uncertainty and I need to be able to work through that. I think this will be especially important in working with children and their parents to find ways to implement spiritual health into their lives as well.
II. Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
Physical- I rate myself about a 7-8. I rate myself at a somewhat lower level than what I would have about three months ago. If I would have rated myself then it would have been at least a 9. Recently I got diagnosed with lupus and it has taken a toll on me physically and emotionally. I am unable to work out as often if at all. I have to be careful not to cause over-exertion that may cause a potential flare. I do walk as much as I can and I do watch what I eat. I hope to work back up to at least 3-4 times a week cycling at the gym but for now, I am doing what I can at this time. I think this is the most important thing I can do for myself at this time related to my physical health. I do stretch on a daily basis which I also find beneficial as well.
Psychological- I rate myself about a 7-8. I rate myself this way because my emotional stability has been really affected by all that has happened in the last few months. I find that having the strength of family and friends really were my main motivators. Looking through this experience has really taught me that I need to have more of a psychological health. I need to find ways that I can be mentally, physically and spiritually happy. I found that the loving-kindness exercise really helps with how I view myself and others. It brings together that separation between me and others. I find that this exercise is really beneficial. I love the relationships I have and continually build with others and I want to be a person that is free, kind and someone others can talk to.
Spiritual- I rate myself about a 6. I rate myself this way because I really need work in this area. I know that all areas always need work but I struggle the most in this area. I think I struggle with spirituality because growing up my family was very catholic and spiritual. We faded at a time but eventually came back to the church. I think I am unsure spiritually of where I want to be. I love my faith and my religion but I don’t think I should be forced to worship god in a church. This is my personal opinion. My parents however have a different view and I think this is where my struggle comes into play. I need to figure out how to find my spiritual health through the ways of which benefit me but also respect my family. This will be difficult to do.
III. Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
For my physical health, I really want to get back to working out at least three times a week. Before when I used to work out I used to cycle and read. This physical activity was such a great stress reliever for me and I want to get back to this again. This will be my goal. I feel like I am starting to gain my physical strength back but I think once I start exercising (slowly) I will gain my overall integrity back. All aspects really are connected and once I couldn’t work out, my mental wellness started to suffer too. I think this is a good goal to start with as I don’t want to have so many goals that I feel overwhelmed. This wouldn’t be good either.
Psychological Health- I really want to maintain a balance of my emotional stability and not let all the little things bother me. I get too tied up with unimportant things and if this is one thing I would change it would be this. I hate getting stressed over something that really isn’t that important. I only think it’s important because my mind is telling me that it is. If I train my mind to look past uneventful and unimportant things, I will be less stressful and calmer. I will look at the day and see friendly, loving and kind people. I look forward to meeting all people and getting to know them for who they are. To be able to experience this feeling towards everyone is my goal.
Spiritual Health- My goal is to be able to experience and find what spirituality means to me. I need to be able to know what it means to me and how it makes me feel in order for it to benefit me. I believe in god and all the practice that surrounds being a Christian but I need to understand what that means to me. What is Christian supposed to mean? What is the difference between that and someone else? Should it matter? These are all questions I need to answer. This is my goal. Understanding what I feel and believe is necessary in order to find my spiritual balance.
IV. Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
Physical Health-
I will continually stretch on a daily basis and motivate myself to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. I need to assess myself and make sure physically I am able to go to the gym and know when not to push myself. If there are times when I am unable to go to the gym I will practice yoga exercises at my house but I will only choose the less invigorating activities. I will also try to look closer at all my food choices. In understanding that I can’t work out like I used to I will have to modify my diet as well.
Psychological Health-
I will utilize the loving kindness exercise as this exercise really benefited me on how I look at strangers. I think this exercise will open my heart to new opportunities and make me understand everyone in their own way. I will use this exercise throughout the day, especially times when I find myself being hurt by others. I need to breathe in their negativity and breathe out forgiveness. Another exercise I can utilize will be meditation. I find meditation is the most beneficial activity for me. It helps my physical, psychological and spiritual health. When I meditate I feel a sense of peace and calmness. It forces me to find my happy place and helps me foster relationships. I will do meditation exercises at least once a day but hopefully at least two times throughout the day. During the work day or when I get home are all good times to do these exercises.
Spiritual Health-
I am going to spend some time by myself every Sunday and reflect on the importance of my family and friends. I say Sunday because if I can understand what my spirituality means then I can best utilize my health towards that. Reflecting will be very important. This is one exercise I am going to do not only on Sunday but every day. Whether I am sitting in my office or driving home from work, these are all times I can reflect on my life, friends, family, work, or whatever comes to my mind. Another exercise is yoga meditation. I can use this exercise along with my physical yoga exercises as well. Yoga meditation is very powerful towards achieving harmony in nature and in your life. It offsets your mind and almost makes you feel like you are floating on air. The feeling is amazing and is a positive exercise along with reflection. These exercises will help me find my spiritual health and these exercises I can do when I get home from work or even on my lunch break.
V. Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
In assessing my progress I will have to break down each category and ask myself how I rate. I will see where I rate myself in each category and see where I need further work. If I still struggle in some areas I will have to develop different techniques that I can use besides what I have been doing. Having a balance of physical, psychological and spiritual health is always changing and we must change with our growth. We will evolve, change, and grow but we must understand how to handle these changes. We may have to find different exercises but we may just need to modify those exercises as we have matured and need more challenging techniques. It all depends. In order to maintain my long-term practices for health and wellness I need to remind myself on why having a balance of all three aspects are so important. In going through and assessing my physical, psychological and spiritual health, I will be reminded on where I stand and where I need to improve. These then “long-term practices” might essentially be short term practices and revamped to fit my needs. This is how I will monitor my progress and my current health and wellness needs.
I. Introduction:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
It is so important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because first and foremost, we need to be healthy first, before we can help others be healthy. Being healthy must have all components of physical, psychological and spiritual health. All aspects are interconnected and all affect each other.
Physical health helps with decreased adverse biological effects such as cardiovascular risks related to obesity, poor nutrition, decreased energy, and decreased motivation. Psychological health helps with finding ways to decrease and alleviate stress in our lives, achieving emotional satisfaction, having a sense of happiness towards yourself and others, and having healthy relationships with your friends, family and co-workers. Spiritual health helps with understanding the importance of religion and how powerful “forgiveness” can be in everyday life. Spiritual health helps soothe our mind and our body. It provides a sense of peace and harmony in our lives.
I need to work on all parts to achieve the goals I have for myself. I eventually want to become a pediatrician and so I need to be physically, psychologically and spiritually well. Physical health will be important in getting through medical school and sustaining that health to improve my physical performance. Psychological health will be important to find ways to decrease stress and find ways to have a balance of my mind and body. Psychological health helps with fostering relationships with others and this will especially be important in my journey to becoming a pediatrician. Spiritual health is important because there will be times of struggle and uncertainty and I need to be able to work through that. I think this will be especially important in working with children and their parents to find ways to implement spiritual health into their lives as well.
II. Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
Physical- I rate myself about a 7-8. I rate myself at a somewhat lower level than what I would have about three months ago. If I would have rated myself then it would have been at least a 9. Recently I got diagnosed with lupus and it has taken a toll on me physically and emotionally. I am unable to work out as often if at all. I have to be careful not to cause over-exertion that may cause a potential flare. I do walk as much as I can and I do watch what I eat. I hope to work back up to at least 3-4 times a week cycling at the gym but for now, I am doing what I can at this time. I think this is the most important thing I can do for myself at this time related to my physical health. I do stretch on a daily basis which I also find beneficial as well.
Psychological- I rate myself about a 7-8. I rate myself this way because my emotional stability has been really affected by all that has happened in the last few months. I find that having the strength of family and friends really were my main motivators. Looking through this experience has really taught me that I need to have more of a psychological health. I need to find ways that I can be mentally, physically and spiritually happy. I found that the loving-kindness exercise really helps with how I view myself and others. It brings together that separation between me and others. I find that this exercise is really beneficial. I love the relationships I have and continually build with others and I want to be a person that is free, kind and someone others can talk to.
Spiritual- I rate myself about a 6. I rate myself this way because I really need work in this area. I know that all areas always need work but I struggle the most in this area. I think I struggle with spirituality because growing up my family was very catholic and spiritual. We faded at a time but eventually came back to the church. I think I am unsure spiritually of where I want to be. I love my faith and my religion but I don’t think I should be forced to worship god in a church. This is my personal opinion. My parents however have a different view and I think this is where my struggle comes into play. I need to figure out how to find my spiritual health through the ways of which benefit me but also respect my family. This will be difficult to do.
III. Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
For my physical health, I really want to get back to working out at least three times a week. Before when I used to work out I used to cycle and read. This physical activity was such a great stress reliever for me and I want to get back to this again. This will be my goal. I feel like I am starting to gain my physical strength back but I think once I start exercising (slowly) I will gain my overall integrity back. All aspects really are connected and once I couldn’t work out, my mental wellness started to suffer too. I think this is a good goal to start with as I don’t want to have so many goals that I feel overwhelmed. This wouldn’t be good either.
Psychological Health- I really want to maintain a balance of my emotional stability and not let all the little things bother me. I get too tied up with unimportant things and if this is one thing I would change it would be this. I hate getting stressed over something that really isn’t that important. I only think it’s important because my mind is telling me that it is. If I train my mind to look past uneventful and unimportant things, I will be less stressful and calmer. I will look at the day and see friendly, loving and kind people. I look forward to meeting all people and getting to know them for who they are. To be able to experience this feeling towards everyone is my goal.
Spiritual Health- My goal is to be able to experience and find what spirituality means to me. I need to be able to know what it means to me and how it makes me feel in order for it to benefit me. I believe in god and all the practice that surrounds being a Christian but I need to understand what that means to me. What is Christian supposed to mean? What is the difference between that and someone else? Should it matter? These are all questions I need to answer. This is my goal. Understanding what I feel and believe is necessary in order to find my spiritual balance.
IV. Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
Physical Health-
I will continually stretch on a daily basis and motivate myself to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. I need to assess myself and make sure physically I am able to go to the gym and know when not to push myself. If there are times when I am unable to go to the gym I will practice yoga exercises at my house but I will only choose the less invigorating activities. I will also try to look closer at all my food choices. In understanding that I can’t work out like I used to I will have to modify my diet as well.
Psychological Health-
I will utilize the loving kindness exercise as this exercise really benefited me on how I look at strangers. I think this exercise will open my heart to new opportunities and make me understand everyone in their own way. I will use this exercise throughout the day, especially times when I find myself being hurt by others. I need to breathe in their negativity and breathe out forgiveness. Another exercise I can utilize will be meditation. I find meditation is the most beneficial activity for me. It helps my physical, psychological and spiritual health. When I meditate I feel a sense of peace and calmness. It forces me to find my happy place and helps me foster relationships. I will do meditation exercises at least once a day but hopefully at least two times throughout the day. During the work day or when I get home are all good times to do these exercises.
Spiritual Health-
I am going to spend some time by myself every Sunday and reflect on the importance of my family and friends. I say Sunday because if I can understand what my spirituality means then I can best utilize my health towards that. Reflecting will be very important. This is one exercise I am going to do not only on Sunday but every day. Whether I am sitting in my office or driving home from work, these are all times I can reflect on my life, friends, family, work, or whatever comes to my mind. Another exercise is yoga meditation. I can use this exercise along with my physical yoga exercises as well. Yoga meditation is very powerful towards achieving harmony in nature and in your life. It offsets your mind and almost makes you feel like you are floating on air. The feeling is amazing and is a positive exercise along with reflection. These exercises will help me find my spiritual health and these exercises I can do when I get home from work or even on my lunch break.
V. Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?
In assessing my progress I will have to break down each category and ask myself how I rate. I will see where I rate myself in each category and see where I need further work. If I still struggle in some areas I will have to develop different techniques that I can use besides what I have been doing. Having a balance of physical, psychological and spiritual health is always changing and we must change with our growth. We will evolve, change, and grow but we must understand how to handle these changes. We may have to find different exercises but we may just need to modify those exercises as we have matured and need more challenging techniques. It all depends. In order to maintain my long-term practices for health and wellness I need to remind myself on why having a balance of all three aspects are so important. In going through and assessing my physical, psychological and spiritual health, I will be reminded on where I stand and where I need to improve. These then “long-term practices” might essentially be short term practices and revamped to fit my needs. This is how I will monitor my progress and my current health and wellness needs.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Fostering my Mental Fitness
1.Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.
I really enjoyed the Meeting Aesclepius exercise because it made me really take in the importance of my family and friends. I know my family and friends are important but this exercise surfaced the reasons why. Breathing and focusing on their love and kindness. Having a focus point of important people in my life essentially makes me more aware of how needed and important everyone in my life is and to not take that life for granted. In understanding this concept we can achieve a holistic health-an equal balance of physical, psychological and spiritual health. I also enjoyed meditation throughout this course and in seminar as well. It really helps me to calm my mind and really find what my inner strengths are. With meditation, the busy thoughts of the day diminish and are replaced with peace, calmness and happiness. I find if I take specific times throughout the day to reflect on myself and my surroundings, I am less stressful and less affected by silly things that before would have otherwise bothered me. I am implementing both these processes simultaneously because as I meditate I am going through the Meeting Aesclepius exercise. I really see the difference in my mood on a daily basis because of these exercises. I wake up feeling refreshed and energized. I feel ready to start the day rather than dread it. I try to do these exercises throughout the day at work-especially on my lunch break, as well as when I get home to relax my mind and release any tension the day has brought my way. In doing these exercises I am fostering my health and wellness everyday and hope to help others achieve theirs as well through the knowledge I have obtained.
I really enjoyed the Meeting Aesclepius exercise because it made me really take in the importance of my family and friends. I know my family and friends are important but this exercise surfaced the reasons why. Breathing and focusing on their love and kindness. Having a focus point of important people in my life essentially makes me more aware of how needed and important everyone in my life is and to not take that life for granted. In understanding this concept we can achieve a holistic health-an equal balance of physical, psychological and spiritual health. I also enjoyed meditation throughout this course and in seminar as well. It really helps me to calm my mind and really find what my inner strengths are. With meditation, the busy thoughts of the day diminish and are replaced with peace, calmness and happiness. I find if I take specific times throughout the day to reflect on myself and my surroundings, I am less stressful and less affected by silly things that before would have otherwise bothered me. I am implementing both these processes simultaneously because as I meditate I am going through the Meeting Aesclepius exercise. I really see the difference in my mood on a daily basis because of these exercises. I wake up feeling refreshed and energized. I feel ready to start the day rather than dread it. I try to do these exercises throughout the day at work-especially on my lunch break, as well as when I get home to relax my mind and release any tension the day has brought my way. In doing these exercises I am fostering my health and wellness everyday and hope to help others achieve theirs as well through the knowledge I have obtained.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Strength of Meditation and Loved Ones
The Meeting Aesclepius exercise really made me focus on the importance of family and friends as a part of my integral health and wellness. My focal point throughout the week was my boyfriend Mike. I chose him because he has been my supporter, my friend, my love, and my counselor when I need it the most. So in meditating, I realized how blessed I am to be surrounded by his love and compassion. Understanding and allowing myself to feel that sense of calmness through thoughts of happiness and strength he has shown me throughout the years. This exercise was really important to me and in doing these practices I am psychologically and more spiritually aware of my inner strength and development. I understand how strong the effects of loved ones can be on your physical, psychological and spiritual health. In order to continue to have a healthy lifestyle, we have to take that time to really think and indulge in what we have in our lives and how they make us feel to reach our optimal wellness.
Our book points out that “one cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p. 477). This is especially important for not only health and wellness professionals, but everyone who desires to reach optimal wellness because in order to effectively help others understand the process of reaching optimal flourishing; we need to have gone through or are continually working on meditation practices, working on areas of strength and weaknesses and understanding how these effect the outcomes of physical, psychological and spiritual health. If we ourselves have not obtained or at least experienced the process of working towards an integral health, we can’t effectively help others. It’s kind of like trying to help a person to exercise and quit smoking but you the complete opposite don’t exercise and smoke. How can you effectively help that person if you don’t understand the process of doing so and the struggles that may be involved with the process? I don’t think we could. We can further develop our health and wellness by seeking out ways to help others improve their physical, psychological and spiritual wellness. Introducing them to meditation practices, visual practices, breathing exercises, and yoga are all things we could do to help them work through and experience the benefits of each. We can work and share with each other to improve our and their optimal flourishing.
Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness & healing: Integral approaches to mind-body medicine. St Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Our book points out that “one cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p. 477). This is especially important for not only health and wellness professionals, but everyone who desires to reach optimal wellness because in order to effectively help others understand the process of reaching optimal flourishing; we need to have gone through or are continually working on meditation practices, working on areas of strength and weaknesses and understanding how these effect the outcomes of physical, psychological and spiritual health. If we ourselves have not obtained or at least experienced the process of working towards an integral health, we can’t effectively help others. It’s kind of like trying to help a person to exercise and quit smoking but you the complete opposite don’t exercise and smoke. How can you effectively help that person if you don’t understand the process of doing so and the struggles that may be involved with the process? I don’t think we could. We can further develop our health and wellness by seeking out ways to help others improve their physical, psychological and spiritual wellness. Introducing them to meditation practices, visual practices, breathing exercises, and yoga are all things we could do to help them work through and experience the benefits of each. We can work and share with each other to improve our and their optimal flourishing.
Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness & healing: Integral approaches to mind-body medicine. St Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
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