Unit 9 Final Project

Introduction

            Being a health and wellness professional is not an easy profession. There are many different aspects to health and wellness in which professionals working within the field must be knowledgeable. However, being successful in the profession does not stop at only having the knowledge; one must practice what they teach. In regard to psychological, spiritual, and physical development, a health and wellness professional must seek to develop each aspect within themselves. I can best illustrate this point with a hypothetical example. Say a health and wellness professional gave their client nutritional counseling on Monday morning. Later that night, both the professional and client unknowingly went to the same restaurant. If the client sees their coach eating a big, high calorie, high saturated fat meal, they would most likely wonder why they would have to eat something that was healthy if their coach obviously did not hold themselves to the same standard. This would inevitably result in a loss of credibility on the health and wellness professionals behalf.

            As a student soon to be entering the health and wellness field, I must hold myself to the same standards I will hold my future clients. In order to do that there are some areas in which I must further develop. Physically I am where I want to be. I exercise daily and eat nutritiously. Psychologically and spiritually is where I must seek improvement. Specifically, I need to maintain the meditation that I have started from this class. I should try to meditate at least once a week for 30 minutes, and eventually increase the frequency of which I meditate.

            Even more important than developing psychologically, I must focus first and foremost on developing spiritually. My goal for achieving that is simple—read my Bible and pray every day without exception. That simple daily task would help me develop spiritually and get me on the right path.

Assessment

            Assessing oneself is not always an easy thing to do, yet it is important in order to maintain forward progress. This section calls for my personal assessment of the three health domains discussed in the introduction—spiritual, physical, and psychological.

I am not where I want to be spirituality; therefore, I give myself a rating of 5 on scale of 1 to 10 (10 being no improvement needed). Like I stated above, reading my Bible and spending time in prayer daily would greatly increase my rating.

I also have quite a bit of room to improve psychologically as well. Once again on a scale of 1 to 10, I give myself a rating of 7. What causes me to stumble the most psychologically is stress management. More to come on that in a little bit.

Saving the best rating for last, my physical health domain requires the least improvement. I give myself a rating of 9 in this category. My current exercise and nutrition habits are great. I attend the gym 5 days a week and eat very nutritiously during the work week. However, on the weekend I do tend to overeat and make poor food choices which is where I could make improvements.

Goal Development

            I did not assess myself at a rating of 10 in either of the three categories—spiritual, psychological, or physical. Therefore, I must establish a goal for myself in an attempt fully develop each area. I will start with the spiritual domain because that is the area needing the most improvement.

            I have already stated that reading my Bible and praying daily would greatly benefit me spiritually. Although this is a great first step, there are other ways in which I could develop spirituality. VibrantLife.com posted an article listing 21 ways to build a stronger spiritual life. Some of the ways that stood out to me included: speak words of blessing, be a grateful person, serve others, turn worries over to God, spread love wherever you go, and meditate on scripture (21 Ways, 2010). Aside from my goal of reading my Bible and praying daily, I would like to set a goal of incorporating each of the activities listed above on a daily basis.

            When it comes to developing psychologically, my biggest hurdle as I mentioned earlier is stress management. I can deal with most types of stress easily and efficiently, but when it comes to one particular type of stress I struggle a great deal. That type of stress is not knowing what I am going to do after I get out of the military. I have several ideas of what I could do, but I cannot decide which one I want to pursue. My goal to deal with this stressor and in turn develop psychologically is to adapt to the stressor. This strategy entails reframing the problem, looking at the big picture, adjusting my standards, and focusing on the positive (Smith & Segal, 2014). Using these techniques each time the stressor manifests itself will help mitigate my stress response from this stressor, as well as giving me practice for dealing with future stressors.

            And finally, while my physical domain of health and wellness is already in order, there is room for improvement. On the weekend I have a tendency to overeat and choose foods containing a lot of empty calories. Although incorporating a diet “cheat day” is not a bad thing, I have had a goal for some time now to lower my calorie intake and choose more nutrient dense foods on the weekend. This will help my stay on track physically instead of undermining the progress I made the previous week.

Practices for Personal Health

            Goals are great to have, but without an action plan a goal will never be realized. This section is about strategies I can implement in each of the three health domains that will foster growth.

            There are many different forms of physical exercise. I am primarily a strength athlete and focus on resistance training while incorporating only a small amount of aerobic activity. In order to balance out my workout regimen, I should implement more aerobic activities. Since I get bored easily while running, using the elliptical, and using the stationary bike, I need to get more creative. Kayaking is not only a good aerobic workout, but it is a lot of fun. Incorporating Kayaking into my workout schedule is one way to foster greater physical growth.

            A second exercise I could implement in my workout routine is yoga. I have done yoga a handful of times in the past and found it very challenging. Challenging my body with new exercises is a great way to continually develop my physical fitness.

            When it comes to fostering psychological health, there are several exercises one can perform. The best way in my opinion to foster psychological health is to practice meditation. Since starting this class I have tried several different types of meditation and guided imagery and enjoyed most of them. Continuing to practice meditation will help foster my psychological growth.

            Another practice I could implement to further my psychological health is positive self-talk. This is not something I normally do and in the past I even degraded myself. Although I have stopped that harmful habit, I have not incorporated positive self-talk on a regular basis. This practice would help boost my self-esteem and my attitude leading to greater psychological growth and development.

            The final domain is the spiritual domain. This is currently the domain in most need of growth. Aside from reading my Bible and praying daily which I have already mentioned several times, another way in which I could develop my spiritual health is by associating with other individuals of my faith. My church has small groups I could join which would keep me accountable as well as further my spiritual development.

            Another practice I could adopt which would lead to greater spiritual development is allowing God to take control. I have always tried to control situations even though I know that God is truly in control. Letting go of my need to control and letting God lead me down the path he has already planned for me would be difficult, but I think it would lead to greater spiritual growth by forcing me to become more trusting in God.

Commitment

            Changing one’s practices can be very difficult in some cases. In the case of fostering greater spiritual, psychological, and physical development, I do not think change will be exceedingly difficult. However, I still need to implement some way of monitoring my progress or lack of progress. The best way I can think of is starting a journal. When it comes to my spiritual development I could write down what passage in the Bible I read, my biggest take away, and what I learned from the passage. I could also record what I prayed for.

            When it comes to tracking my physiological development, I could chronicle each time I meditate. Indicating the amount of time, what I meditated on, and my feelings before and after would be a good place to start. If I felt the need to record additional information I could do that as well.

            And finally, my physical development will be the easiest for me to document because I have done so in the past. Because improving my dietary habits on the weekends will be my main goal, I could detail everything I eat. That would give me a sense of how many calories I am eating and the best way I could improve. In addition to my weekend diet, I could also record what form of exercise I completed each day. That would give me an idea of when the best time would be to implement activates mentioned above such as kayaking and yoga.

Conclusion
             Personal growth is something we all should be striving for daily. James Freeman Clarke famously said, “We are either progressing or retrograding all the while. There is no such thing as remaining stationary in life.” That means failure to progress is simply failure. This assignment has clearly demonstrated which areas in my life I need to develop, the actions I must take to develop, and how to monitor my development. It is up to me to observe these prescribed changes and better myself spiritually, psychologically, and physically. 

References

21 ways to build a stronger spiritual life. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.vibrantlife.com/?p=199

Smith, M. & Segal, R. (2014). Stress management. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Unit 8: Exercise Review

Throughout this course, we have listened several different types of guided meditation sessions. At the beginning of the class I was skeptical about these sessions and did not think they would serve their purpose. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The session I enjoyed the most and found most beneficial was the very first exercise we did, the power of suggestion. It was the exercise in which we envisioned our blood flowing to specific regions of our bodies. I really enjoyed this exercise because I could feel the physiological effects of the meditation (my hands were warmer after the session and my arms were heavier when I envisioned blood flowing into them). 

My other favorite exercise was the subtle mind exercise. Although I did have a little trouble quieting my mind at times throughout the session, I did feel much more relaxed after the session was over. One of the things I found most enjoyable about this session was the sound of the waves crashing. Having my breathing to concentrate on was also soothing. 

I could use these meditation techniques in my personal life in a variety of ways. For example, I could the subtle mind exercise before I go to sleep. That would be a good way to quiet my mind and help me fall asleep quicker. I could use the power of suggestion exercise when I get overwhelmed at work. Taking a few minutes to focus on something other than work would help reduce stress and make me more productive when I returned to work. 

Unit 7: Meeting Aesclepius

Describe your meditative practices for the week and discuss the experience. 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?

I was not a big fan of this week’s meditation exercise. It reminded me of the meditation we did several weeks ago where we had to picture different colored beams of light coming from certain spots on our bodies. Through these different exercises I have noticed what I do and do not like. I like the relaxing music and noise of the waves in the background, but I did care for what the meditation instructor was telling me to do.

Meditation has definitely increased my psychological wellness. After each exercise (even if I do not like what the instructor is telling me what to do) I feel calm and relaxed. I can continue applying these practices in my life pretty easily. I could simply sit down in a quiet environment and practice quieting my mind, or I could go on YouTube and look up a guided meditation exercise.

Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477). How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?

To me, the saying “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” means that in order for me to teach someone about health and wellness I must practice what I preach. I cannot tell someone they need to do 150 hours a week of moderate intensity exercise unless I myself am doing 150 minutes a week.

I do believe that I have an obligation to my future clients to develop my psychological, physical, and spiritual health. Who is going to want to be told how to exercise from someone who is overweight? Who would want to be taught how to meditate from someone who is always stressed out? That is how I look at it. If I would not want to be taught from someone who does not follow their own advice nor would I expect my clients to.

I think there are always ways in which we can further develop our physical, psychological, and spiritual health. In my personal life, I could be more persistent in starting every day off with prayer and reading the Bible to develop my spiritual life. Taking time out of my day for meditation would be a good way to implement psychological growth. 

Unit 6: Meditation and Assessment

Although at the beginning of the meditation, I felt rather silly repeating those four phrases. On the surface they are just words that do not mean anything if you are only repeating them. However, if you pause for a moment, change your attitude to a more open and positive mindset, and focus on exactly what you are saying then it is not just a silly word repetition exercise. Instead, it is an exercise in which you are wishing others will experience health, happiness, and wholeness. Once I changed my attitude the whole dynamic of the meditation shifted in a more positive direction. 

During my assessment of myself I realized my biggest source of difficulty and suffering comes from not knowing what I want to do when I grow up. I only have another year and a half in the military, and for the last couple of years I have been wanting to pursue physical therapy. However, I recently looked into the prerequisites I would need to accomplish in order to apply and the lest included 16 classes! That turned a three year program into a five year program! And to make matters worse, even if I completed all of the required prerequisites there is not guarantee I would make it into the physical therapy program. So, now I am unsure if that is the profession I want to pursue after the military and it has caused some headaches. I know that God is in complete control and he will direct me toward the path He wants me to take; but letting go and trusting in Him is not always easy. Prayer and meditation both help calm my mind and relieve stress. 

Unit 5: The Subtle Mind Exercise

I enjoyed this weeks exercise. Although I have a very active mind and have a hard time quieting my mind, I found the exercise very relaxing. Like I said, I have an active mind so it was hard at time to dissolve the random thoughts that popped into my head, but having something to return my focus to (breathing) was helpful. I enjoyed this week's exercise more than last week's because this week we were focusing on quieting our mind whereas last week our brains were purposefully active.

Spiritual wellness, mental wellness, and physical wellness are all interconnected. One cannot be truly well (in a holistic point of view) if all three aspects of wellness are not in sync. This connection manifests itself in my life most plainly when I exercise. Physical exercise not only offers my the opportunity to exercise my physical wellness, but also my mental and spiritual wellness. For example, when I am lift weights I focus mainly on my breathing. During this portion of my day is when my mind is the most clear and calm. This time provides me with the opportunity to speak with God, practice subtle mind exercises, and physically exercise.

Unit 4 - Loving Kindness

I did not like this exercise much for a couple reasons. First, taking time to specifically open myself up to feelings of care and affection toward myself is something I have never done; I do not like focusing on myself so I did not particularly like this portion of the exercise. Another reason I did not like the exercise is because I did not see the point of "breathing" in the suffering of a loved one and "breathing out" healing and health toward the same loved one. I am completely for praying to God for help and heal people, but I felt like this exercise was implying I had power to take away suffering--which I obviously do not. Other than that, the noise of the waves crashing was very peaceful and calming.

A mental workout is something that stimulates the mind and promotes psychological well-being. Mental workouts can yield many great benefits. One of the biggest benefits of mental workouts is lower stress levels. And with lower stress levels the risks for many serious health problems are also reduced such as lower blood pressure, better immune system, decreased risk of heart attack and stroke, etc. In my opinion, the best way to implement a mental workout is meditation. Although, I think anything that clears your mind and is relaxing will do the trick.

Ratings, Goals, and Reflections

There are several aspects to this post. First, on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being optimal well-being) I will rate my physical well-being, spiritual well-being, and psychological well-being? I will also explain why I gave the rating, a specific goal for each area, and any activity or exercises I can implement to reach my goal. Then I will wrap up with a brief reflection of this week’s relaxation exercise.

Starting with my physical well-being, I will give it a rating of 8. I exercise 5 days a week which includes strength training and cardiovascular training. I deducted 2 points because I could and should do more cardio work, but because I do not like it I tend to let it slide. In order to reach a rating of 10, my goal would be to run for at least 10 minutes 3 times a week.

I rate my spiritual well-being at 6. I attend church every week, but I do not always make the time to read my Bible and pray every day. This is the main thing I need to work on and make the time for even if my schedule is hectic. My goal would be to start every day with reading the Bible and prayer. That way I can eliminate any excuse of why not to read and pray that are easier to make as the day progresses, and can start my day off on the right foot.

Finally, I give my psychological well-being a rating of 7. I maintain a very positive attitude and outlook on life, but I can get stressed out. The stress usually does not last long, but it is stress nonetheless. To decrease my stress level and increase my rating to a 10, my goal would be to take at least 10 minutes, close my eyes, and concentrate on my breathing. I think this would help clear my mind and better enable me to deal with whatever the stressor may be.

The last part of this post is about the relaxation exercise. Although it was relaxing, I had a difficult time concentrating. I did not feel any different picturing the colors and did not see the point of imagining the light coming from specific points of our body. That being said, I would say it was beneficial because I was able to take the time and close my eyes and relax, but at the same time it was slightly frustrating because I did not see the same results as I did from the unit 2 relaxation exercise.