My Growth Plan to foster growth and health spiritually, physically, and psychologically

I. Introduction:


Before I began this class I had an idea of just what health an wellness were, but I had no idea the depth of the definition of what Health and Wellness actually means. I have learned so much from this class. If I were a health and wellness professional, I believe that it would not only benefit me first, it would also make me better fit for my patients who are seeking ways to approach a lifestyle that is physically, spiritually and psychologically sound.

Spiritual Wellness is the process of discovering meaning and purpose in life, and demonstrating values through behaviors.

Physical Wellness is the process of making choices to create flexible, cardiovascular fit, energetic, strong bodies.

It’s important for health and wellness practitioners to develop these practices because they view medical care as physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and balanced. While therapists and psychologists do help heal issues, Health and Wellness practitioners not only heal issues, but works with all aspects of the client as a whole the mind, the body, the spirit, connected as one.

In order for me to achieve my goals I would need to develop more spiritually and psychologically. All though I think with our exercises that we have done in class I am on my way. I have started on my plan to become physically healthy, I would like to begin a plan that will help me be more in tune with myself spiritually and psychologically so that I can feel as one.

II. Assessment:

If I had to look back and assess myself before taking this class, I would have to say that physically I would have given myself a 6 only because I know that my motivation to do better could improve. Spiritually I would have to say that I would have given myself maybe a three because I knew what Spiritually healthy was but never knew that it played a part in reaching integral health, and psychologically would have been a three as well. I say a three only because I am still learning, When I am psychologically healthy I know that, I am committed. I characteristically stand up for what I value and desire, rather than being either passive or aggressive. And I make choices while clearly knowing that nothing is guaranteed—that there is risk in every decision I make, no matter what I decide.

Now if I were to assess myself now, nine weeks later. I would say that physically I am an 8, because I make an attempt to attend the gym. I have a personal trainer who will also help me achieve my physical goals and to also feel better about myself physically. Spiritually a 5, I have learned from the exercises that we experienced in this class that a possible yoga class or maybe even a form of meditation will help me reach an environment that is spiritually positive. I realize that being thankful for what I have is helping me, and also just being in a positive environment has made me feel so much more happier. Doing good things for others as well as myself also make me feel better. Psychologically would have to be a 6, I have realized that I am now much more happier. Having positive thoughts and attitude makes for a great day for me. If I surround my self with those who are positive all the time then I am even better. If I happen to be around negative people then I try to pull myself away because I don’t want them to bring me down in any way.

III. Goal development:

Being in the Military for 13 years has helped me become physically healthy. However, I want more, so in order to reach my goals I set tiny goals that will hopefully lead up to my one big goal. Right before our physical readiness test I tell myself that I want to cut a minute or two off of my run time. To do this I incorporate more cardio, if I was running three times a week I bump it up to four, then I also try to do sprints to build endurance. I also try to increase the number of push-ups and sit-ups. As I mentioned before, I have a personal trainer now and she is helping me with a lot of core workouts and upper body strength techniques.

Spiritually this one will take more time, but my goal is to reach the level of spirituality by practicing my visualization techniques and my calming exercises. With practice comes patience and boy do I need a lot of patience at times. Sometimes I just cant seem to focus and shut out the outside noises. So my goal is to practice so that I can become in touch with myself.

Psychologically my goal would be to not worry about things I can not control. Sometimes I feel as if I can fix everything and everyone and when it doesn’t happen I blame myself, which is overwhelming for me. I have also noticed over the past year or so that I have panic attacks or anxiety, not sure what its from but I do believe that all three will help me figure out why or where it comes from.

IV. Practices for personal health:

Well as I mentioned before my physical goal is to cut time off of my run and increase my push ups and sit ups. Certain things that I would like to implement would be to add a healthier diet. Even though I meet with my trainer twice a week I have to do my part in order to achieve my goal. I need to go to the gym even when I am not meeting with her. On the days that I do not meet with her isnt time for me to eat all the junk food in the world, it defeats the purpose of the goal I am trying to achieve. I guess that why she wants me to keep a food journal, yet another goal.

Spiritually I would like to become in tune with myself. The different breathing techniques are very helpful for me, I try to dedicate at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening to clear my mind. The tranquil/peace atmosphere allows me to feel the breaths going in and going out. After about 5 minutes I am in some what of a trance which is allowing me to become very relaxed, and after I am done I feel a weight lifted. It is a great feeling, but this isn’t considered meditation this is just a start. My goal is to attend a class or research more because I may need help. This might not be something I can obtain on my own.

Psychologically I believe in righting my wrongs, my goal is to not do any more wrong, and to fix whatever hurt and pain I may have caused. So my goal is to be a better person, and to do things for other people to let them know that I am a good person. We all have our faults but I believe fixing them is a start.

V. Commitment:

In a way I feel as though I have already implemented my goals. Keeping up with them will be the hard part. Making excuses every day as to why I can’t do this or do that when it comes to my goals will also be hard. In order to assess my goals I will right them down, and post them on my fridge, so that I see them every morning when I wake up. I will also let my friends and family know in hopes that they may ask from time to time, which will either make me feel bad because I havent exercised them as much as I need to or it will make me feel good because I will be able to share with them just where I am at and how close I may be to actually achieving overall greatness. I will also continue to write in my journal which will allow me to express my progress or my difficulties.

In six months I will reassess myself and I know that I will be at a full 10 across the board.

UNIT 8 BLOG "Reviewing of the Exercises and Practive Sessions"

A while back before I even started this class I started reading a book called "The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne". I kept hearing how phenominal it was, so i bought it and I havent finished it. I dont know if it was because I just didnt have the time or it wasnt catching my attention. Now that I am taking this class I have picked the book back up and realized that they go together some what. In my readings I found in the chapter titled "The Secret of Health" there is a paragraph called "Think thoughts of Perfection" - Think thoughts of perfection, Illness cannot exhist in a body that has harmonious thoughts. Know there is only perfection, and as you observe perfection you must summon that to you. Imperfect thoughts  are the cause of all humnaitys ills, inlcuding disease, poverty and unhappinees. When we think negative thoughts we are cutting ourselves off from our rightful heritage.  Your probably wondering why I shared that with you. Again the book and this class seem to really go together. Our assignement was to reflect on our exercises and talk about which two worked best for us, I must say that my ultimate goal would be to achieve The Subtle Mind. As Dacher says the subtle and still mind are essential for integral health. I want to reach the integral health, I want to experience the still and clear mind, but right now I am still training. I am still preparing the ground, so for now the Loving-Kindness which includes sensativity  and openness to others and their differences, a wwarm heart, and the qualities of respect, fairness, honesty, patience and acceptance. (Dacher, 2006) With this being said, this comes as second nature for me. I cant even describe the feeling I get when I am doing for others. It's the look in their eyes when something is done for them out of generosity, its the feeling of just giving back that is awesome and I dont need anything in return because everything that I do it gives me a feeling of self worth its one of the best feelings in the world. People love to feel loved and appreciated and to know that some one is there for them. For my second exercise I chose visualization/meditation, although I have yet to master the meditation portion, I find that the focus on the breathing helps me, just 5 or 10 minutes before I get out of my car to walk into work or in traffic during a traffic jam, it settles me. Instead of getting angry and upset and letting my blood pressure rise I try to remember to do this.
All of these would help in my profession, they have helped me everyday. I use my loving-kindness towards those that choose to be angry and upset, they dont know how to take it when someone is being nice to them as they are trying to get a rise out of you. It just makes them all the more upset, but why am I going to waste negative energy on you and get myself all upset when I can turn it into positive energy and hopefully help the other person understand that its just not worth it. There is no point in getting up set over those things that you have absolutly no control over.

UNIT 7

Well last week was pretty hectic, had a last minute under way and we went out to sea for a week. We didnt have any type of internet connectivity so I got behind in class. It's tough always having to be prepared to leave at the drop of a dime. It truly throws a curve ball in ones day.
Part of our blog this week was to describe the saying "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself." This is simply saying that I can not expect you to know how to do something without me teaching you how its done. For example, I think motherhood is a good example, you dont really know the ups and downs of motherhood unless you have been there before yourself. I am not a mother just yet so I cant tell some one or give someone advice on how to be a mom. Some one that had been through the experience can gladly give you advice on certain things that you may experience as a mom. When it comes to the health and wellness profession this saying would hold true to the patients and the doctors. The doctors would not be able to tell the patients just how have an integral health life style unless they live and practice integral health themselves. It is then that they would be able to tell them what to expect and what not to expect. I do not have an obligation to my clients only because I do not work in the health profession right now. I am in the Navy and my profession right now is administrative, so there isnt really a time when I can discuss the benefits of a better life style unless its with friends who are into wanting a better life style for themselves.

Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?
With this week being as hectic as it was I wasnt able to practice my meditation exercises as often as I would have like but each day I managed to take a moment and walk out side the skin of the ship to get some fresh air and while I was outside I would take long deep breaths which made it easier to take on the rest of the day. I think in order to continue to apply these practices, I have to continue to train myself so that I can get to the point where I feel I have fostered a greater health and wellness.

UNIT 4 BLOG

Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not?

As much as I would like to say that this really worked, that I was able to to reach my Loving Kindness, I have to say it was not beneficial for me, and I say this only because I find myself distracted, after reading pg 66 and even listening to the CD I could not stop thinking of the 100 things on my mind, its like my mind was racing a mile a minute and it wouldnt slow down for me for nothing.
I would recommend this to others because I know that it works for most people. Most people are able to block out outside distractions, I guess mine will come with more mental training.


What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

The concept of Mental workout is contemplative practice, which is having the diligence required to make the initial investment  and know that as time progresses you wont want to get up from your practice and moving into your day to day life. We cultivate wisdom by taming and training our mind, accessing its deeper levels and exploring the essential nature of mind  and experience. We learn to get rid of all the mental movements of thoughts, feelings and images. If we practice regularly according to Dacher we will be able to still the mind and develop a witnessing conciousness that subsequently progresses toward the stable and facile mind of calm-abiding.

Another day of duty... I will be so glad when this holiday stand down is over with, this three section duty is killing me right about now. :( Its sunday I should be home right now relaxing, but instead I am stuck here freezing on this boat. Its so cold outside. Can someone bring me some food :(.. Lol!!!

THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY

1. Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

If I had to rate my physical well being right now it would be at a 5, the half way point between 1 and 10. Because I am in the Navy we have no choice to stay fit, well we do, but its not beneficial when it comes to our physical readiness test every six months. So for me I try to stay up on my physical readiness and it I notice when I do I feel great, I dont feel fatigued, or fat. However when I dont, its not the greatest feeling I feel sluggish and although i try to eat healthy it doesnt give me the overall feeling like when I combine the two.

As for my spiritual well being, I would rate myself as maybe a 4. Spiritual wellbeing is a practice; a way of being that defines and keeps track of one’s own journey to discovery of oneself, and oneself in creation. It can be practiced in numerous ways, with its main purpose being to find purpose and meaning in ones life. For me I dont believe that I have mastered all three the physical, mental and emotional together as one. I have not come to the point where I have found my purpose and meaning in my life. I do however, try to treat everyone and everything the same way I want to be treated. Sometimes I fall and find that I hurt people with things I say and do but then this is why i rate myself at a four because I know that I need help and assistance in getting to 10.

My psychological well being is at a 2, I say this because this class is teaching me just what all three of these well beings are. So I never took the time to see where I stand with either of them until now and I just dont think that I am where I need to be in my psychological well being, but I do hope by the end of the class that I have the tools I need to be at a 10 in all three areas.

After listening to the Crime of the Century exercise -
If I had to look at my personal development, I noticed that there are times when I get into my moods, I dont know if it is depression or sadness but when I am in this mood I just want to be left alone and to do this I tend to block everyone out and just keep to myself, and I disconnect myself from everyone. It is horrible yes I know and it too has an effect on my health because I too tend to eat the worst things for me. This is so different from when I am feeling those feelings of happiness because at those times I want to be connected and when I am connected I feel balanced and happy. Its strange but I want to learn how to remain in this state of being balanced which helps me to be happy. After the exercise and being able to see and feel the different colors it was again an eye opening experience. Just to allow your body to feel the different areas and colors again another tool that I will be using.

JOURNEY ON RELAXATION

Ok So I just went ahead and took the Journey to Relaxation. I must say it was rather eye opening. Before I took sat down in my comfortable place I didnt really believe that I would be able to allow myself to relax enough to get the full experience of this exercise. However, once I turned the TV off and turned the exercise on and closed my eyes and listening to the directions I was off into a state of relaxation until my phone started rining of course. Of all things I forgot to turn off the ringer. :( Due to my job I suffer from carpel tunnel in both of my arms. I find that because of this I am in constant pain in my forearms and my hands are always freezing like ice cubs because of this. Once I started the exercise and started telling myself to imagine the bllod flow from my stomach, up and down my arms i felt a warming sensation in my fingers and they started to actually warm up. Then a few seconds later he said that it will be hard to move your arms and hands and i was so relaxed that it was rather difficult.
I must say I may use this technique from time to time. Being on the ship is rather rough and I find with the every day huslte and bustle time excapes me and I dont ever have time to myself in order to relax. This is helpful