Unit 9 Project

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 feel that it is important for the health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically by incorporating integral health practices into their own lives.  According to Dacher by incorporating the integral process into our lives we will discover the profound possibilities of integral health and healing (Dacher 2006, pg. 167).  When we do this we will become more confident in our abilities and have knowledge of these practices to be able to help others.  How can you really help someone and say we understand what they are going through if haven’t even incorporated the integral process into our own lives.  I forget how the saying goes, but something like walking in someone’s shoes to understand them and where they are coming from so you would be better able to help them.

I feel that the areas that I need to improve on are the physical and psychological aspects of my life.  Right now I am trying to meditate and eat better.  Since last month it has been hectic dealing with your identity stolen and all the canceled checks that have come back.  Luckily I canceled my checking account the next day.  So far it is totaling over $800, so I’m under a lot of stress.  I have lost five pounds so far from watching what I eat, cutting back on my coffee and pop.  I haven’t really had a good appetite lately either.

Assessment:

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

For psychological domain I would say that I am a 4 out of a 10.  I need to start taking the time to meditate and incorporate it in my daily routine.  By meditating using the loving kindness, and subtle mind exercises can improve my overall health and peace of mind.

For the physical domain I would say it is 6 out of 10.  I have made some improvements in my physical health I have started walking and trying to eat healthier.  Cutting back on my coffee and pop has been a little difficult.  I didn’t realize how much pop and coffee I drank, I now am trying to drink more water.  In a few weeks I am going to start planting a garden in my back yard when the weather is little bit nicer and the ground is dry enough to start planting.

My spiritually domain is an 8 out of a 10.  Since I initially gave up my worries up to the Jesus I am feeling less stress than I have in the past.  They consisted mainly of financial worries since I was on unemployment but since then it has ran out.  I don’t stress eat anymore and have been losing weight. 

Goal Development:

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

The goal I have for physical domain is that I would like to lose 100 pounds with in the next two years before my next high school reunion.

The goal I have for psychological domain is getting involved in a yoga class.  This can help me mediated and quiet my mind while stretching which can help me with my flexibility as well.

The goal I have for spiritually domain is to keep up with what I am already doing with my praying, listening to K Love Christian station on the radio.  I puts me in a good mood when I am listening to the station. The thing I can improve on is to find a Church to go to.  I went to one with my friend that I liked a lot, the problem is gas money it would take me 20 min to get to since it is Omaha across the river from Council Bluffs so I am unable to go every week.

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.

The strategies for physical domain would be to increase my walking duration to 30 min a day instead of 15 min that I am doing now.  Once I can do that comfortable I’ll increase the time, I would also like to incorporate some strength training and stretching exercises in there as well. I also am going to keep on watching what I eat as well.

The strategies for psychological domain is to incorporate meditating using the loving kindness, and subtle mind exercises can improve my overall health and peace of mind. The loving kindness exercise will help me to open my heart with kindness, patience, and forgiveness towards others. And also using the subtle mind exercise will help me to quiet my busy mind.  By training my mind to be quiet I can improve my breathing and once I am at peace with myself I can improve my physical wellbeing.

The strategies for spiritually domain is to take the time appreciate everything that God has given to us.  By taking the time to soak in the beauty around us in nature seems to relax me. I have done some changes in the past year but can make some changes by increase my attendance by going to church and reading the Bible more on a daily basis.

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 can assess my progress by keeping a daily log of my eating and exercise progress.  I keep getting brochures to join weight watchers.  I may join them in order to help me keep accountable for losing weight for the physical domain.  For my progress in the psychological and spiritual domain I can take up yoga classes to help me meditate and learn to quiet my mind.  By taking the classes I would have to take time out of my day to do it to incorporate it into my routine, since I have a hard time doing it by myself and keep putting the exercises off  to the last minute

Reference:

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

My Two Favorite Practices

My favorite practices is the Loving Kindness and the Visualization exercises.  When I am doing the Loving Kindness it helps me to be more kind and forgiving to people when I do get a chance to practice it during the week.  I've been trying to practice it more lately since I'm not in a forgiving mood.  I have three checks so far from my cancelled checking account that have come back with a total of over $500 from the checks that were stolen.  I am glad I cancelled my checking account the next day after the robbery other wise I would be negative $500 in my account and my other bills would have bounced. 
 
I like the Visualation exercise it helps me relax and to destress.  I have been doing that a lit bit more also when I get a chance.  Visualization lets me get a way from my problems for a while, and when I get back from the visualization (my little min vacation) I feel better.  I visualize that I am back in Alaska fishing the Russian and Kenai River listening to the rushing glacier water with the mountains in the back drop with all the trees and animals drinking from the water.  I don't visual the bears though, that wouldn't be relaxing.

Here is a song that I came across today looking up music on youtube.

Toby Mac w/ Lacrea - Forgiveness

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoYF2IrTwIs

Meeting Aesclepius

Hello Everyone,
 
During the Meeting Aesclepius exercise I was focuses during the first half.  I chose Jesus for my man/person to focus on, he seemed like a logical choice for me.   I live by a train track and the train decided to go by at the time I was listening. Most of my chatter in my brain was my brain singing christian music that I have heard on KLove.  I lost focus after the train though and my brain was going on to other topics like State Farm, etc.  Other than that I liked the exercise, she was easy to follow and listening to the water was nice and relaxing. 
 
Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself".  I believe this is saying we can not help another person and really understand them unless we have gone through it ourselves. 
 
Yes, I believe that the health and wellness professional has an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. 
 
For me I want to be able to help people as nutritionist, but if I don't get my weight under control they won't take me seriously, thinking if I don't practice what I preach why should we listen to you. 
 
So far this month I have lost 10 lbs so I am off to a start.  I don't that by cutting back on sweets, coffee, and pop. Packing and moving help with the exercise.  Once it is nicer I plan on taking up walking.

Hello Everyone,

The Love-Kindness exercise was pretty good, I was relaxed.  In the beginning I was thinking of my Son  Zach when it asked me to think about a family member.  I must of been really tired I was so relaxed I fell asleep before I realized that it was over and I woke up listening to my sons wrap that he as on the computer.  I was to relaxed so I don't know if it really worked or not.

For the Integral Assessment I have a lot to work on.  I need to work on eating healthy and exercising. I need to manage my time better.  I've been stressed this past week with moving and having been broke into during the move and having things taken.  It makes me feel really vulnerable, and mad.
I know I need to forgive whoever broke into my house, they took things that can't be replaced that were gifts from my dad that past away a few years ago and some other things that can be replaced.

I guess I'll have to do the Love-Kindness exercise more to help me relax and think about the person or persons who stole from me to forgive them.  My short term goal for losing weight is to write into an appointment book a slot for me to exercise, to make it an appointment that I have to attend.  Long term goal is to become more healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

Subtle mind

Hello everyone,

Sorry the Blog is late:  I have had a horrible week.

I tried to do the subtle mind exercise but wasn't able to do it completely so right now the love-and-kindness for me was a better exercise.  This week was horible I was in the middle of moving and when I wasn't home it was broke in to.  They took about $1000 worth of my things.  My boxes were packed and they opened them and ransacked them throwing everything around.  So I had to repack.  I finsihed late today.  At first I was angry and then wanted to cry, I am trying to be forgiving and not think bad thoughts of them but so far haven't been able to.  My mind is so cluttered with everything that I had to do like report the breakin to the police, changing bank account numbers, ( I have a bad habit of not going in order in my checks when I run out, so wouldn't know where to put a stop check on them, plus found out it would cost me money to do so, so I changed account numbers since that was free), called credit burreus to watch my SSN, those blankity blanks took my Dog Tags from when I was in the Airforce which has my SSN on them.  Well better be getting off.  Sorry Didn't mean to ramble on, it feels good to vent though.  Have a wonderful week.