Unit 9 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?

I believe it is very important for a health professional to be on the path of health and wellness. This makes it easier to understand what issues someone has, and what someone may need such as, mentoring and help to get to a healthy place in their flourishing. It will never be the same for any two people, but the common goal is the same. I feel that I will always need growth in all areas. I do not believe that there is an end to the possibilities of human flourishing. I will always be searching for more possibilities for myself. I have a thirst for this knowledge and I am working on creating a healthy body, mind and spirit path for myself.

II.                Assessment:

How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

I see my physical health on a score of 1-10 (1 being very low, 10 very high), as a 6-7. I really have to get back to taking better care of myself. I am blessed to have been a healthy person most of my life. I need to get back physically, where I was a year ago.

My psychological health is a 7-8. I am a very high strung person. I am quick to snap when I feel pressure or negativity. I feel that I have made quite a bit of progress with the exercises that were provided in this course. I am less stressed and feel like I can handle stressful situations a lot better than before. I am glad to have the reminder in my mind to focus on my breath, and everything in love. I have been a whole different person these past few weeks.

Spiritually I feel I am an 8. I have a very firm foundation in my faith. This path that the universe has given me is crazy at times, but I am guided. The exercises that I do regularly, while including the ones in this course, have given me a great way to stay focused on my spiritual health. I believe it is the extra push of this class that made me realize that there is much more for me to focus on besides this area, but there is always room for growth here as well.

III.             Goal development:

List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

Physically, I want to lose the 12 pounds that I have gained over the past 9 months. I had a succession of family deaths, I moved, and my work schedule has been anything but stable. I went from working out 1-2 hours a day to nothing. With the hectic life comes the life style associated with it. Not eating properly, not sleeping enough and just not taking care of myself. The added stress causes me to smoke more. We have hired 2 new cooks, I am in a stable home now and the stress is starting to subside. My goal is to start making time each day for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, working my way back up to my 1-2 hours.

Psychologically, I need to breathe and not stress out so much when things happen outside of my control. I feel like I need to have control over everything that happens in my life. I have set a goal of trying to stop trying to control everything that happens on the outside, and focus on what I can control. That is I, my thoughts, my words and most of all, my actions. I want this to become a habit for me.

Spiritually, I want to learn more about myself and what I am actually capable of. I know that I have done some great things in my life, but I wonder if I could have done a better job if I was in a state of love and gratitude. I am making new positive friends that practice the same faith as me, and I am practicing the loving kindness exercise in hope of growing in this area.

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.

Biological wellness focus is on smoking cessation and getting back on a regular exercise schedule. I have made an appointment with my doctor to discuss the options to quit smoking and I am also looking into some herbal supplements that may help curb the craving and withdrawal. I have been writing my entire day  in my journal, and trying to figure out where I can fit in some workout time. I will have to manage my time wisely so I can focus on doing everything well, yet getting the time I need for me. I have also acquired some 10 minute fitness videos that will help me get back in the habit of working out daily again. Yoga is one of the exercises that I would love to have time for on a regular basis. Psychological wellness will be my focus on relaxation and practicing a calm mind. I am regularly practicing this while at work and at home. I am doing the practices that we were given in this class and using these breathing and visualization techniques throughout the day as well. These practices are helping to keep me calm and able to not react to others when they are being negative. Spiritually, I intend on focusing on my faith and meditating every day. I feel that it keeps me closer to the energy that I prefer to draw from. I have been going outside when I get home from work and talking to my plants, hugging my kitten and meditating every day.

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?

I have a calendar where I write which meditations I do for that day. I am doing 2 a day right now. (My work schedule made it hard for 3). I set a timer so that I do not go over the time I have selected for the various practices. I have been keeping a journal over the past couple of months. I plan on keeping that journal, but I have started a new one. I want to be able to keep track of my goals and where my strengths and weakness are. I plan on writing in the journal daily to keep track of my little victories and hiccups and then reassessing myself every 2 months. I will be reading the journal every couple of weeks so that I can see if there are patterns that I need to correct or subtle habits that I may not be aware of. I have also cut my contact with a few people that were in my life. They were not only negative to me but to everyone, including themselves. I have noticed that not having them in my life constantly has given me more opportunity to have a better relationship with myself. I think that is one of the best gifts that I could give to myself, and I will be keeping that strategy for maintaining a positive atmosphere forever.

 

Dacher, M.D., E. (2006). Integral Health The Path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications, Inc.