Although I have always preached about staying healthy and fit, I never thought I would have to question my own physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. What I once thought was healthy, is no longer a term used so lightly to describe a 5’2’’, middle aged woman African American woman who is free from disease and illness. This term is now used to describe my physical and mental growth, as well as my spiritual insight.
Now that I have chosen to study in the filed of Health and Wellness, it is important that I share the information I have received with others in the community in order to communicate affectively with my future clients. Not only is it important for me to lead by example, it is also important that I connect with my true feelings and identify any shortcomings which may have weaken my ability to lead a rewarding life which consist of positive thoughts, unselfishness, aspirations and personal achievement (Dacher, 2006). Identifying the eight principles of integral practices has allowed me to expand my consciousness, make room for patience, set a high standard towards loving-kindness, as well as come up with a strategic plan which will allow me to strive toward personal growth and physical success. As I aim towards these personal goals, I must be able to connect with my inner-self as I promote a life filled with love, happiness, and wellness (Dacher, 2006).
There are a few areas in which I seek self-improvement and inner growth. In order for me to achieve my desired goals, I must be willing to give more of myself
without feeling a sense of guilt or remorse if all of my goals are not accomplished in the desired amount of time (Dacher, 2006). One goal I have is the ability to work on my physical appearance through diet and exercise. Taking the time to create a progress chart and motivating me to workout three times a week will allow me to take the steps needed to conquer this “beast of defeat”! Acknowledging my desire to grow spiritually through the need of prayer and community support is another area in which I must address as I aim towards integral health and spiritual connection. I have a desire to give back to the community by feeding the homeless at one of the nearby homeless shelters and mentoring those who are seeking words of encouragement. Making myself available to those who are in need will allow me to express the love in which I have for my community, as well as share the love I have had bundle up inside for many years. It’s no longer a take, take progress! It’s an inner pursuit to give, give without looking for love in return. I have finally come to grips with the idea to provide a service that’s filled with love, intention and preparation (Dacher, 2006)
As I assess my overall health, I must strive harder towards my psychological and spiritual goals. In order to achieve these goals, I must strive for a goal in each area of my life! Although I believe that I am on the right track towards physical and spiritual health, I have neglected my ability to draw from within and achieve in the areas of psychological growth. If I had to score myself in each area, I would have to give myself an 8 towards physical growth, a 7 towards spiritual health, and a 7 for psychological determination.Each of these areas of improvement is important in regards to establishing a desire to promote my own optimal health and wellness.
I have set goals in each of these main areas, and believe that each goal will allow me to excel beyond my own expectations towards healthy living. My physical goal includes joining a local gym which offers a variety of programs: water aerobics; spin classes; yoga; and palates. Making better choices when it comes to food selection and avoiding binge eating during stressful moments will help improve my physical appearance (Forsyth, 2008). My mental goal includes educating myself more with meditation and yoga practices. Purchasing a few cd’s and books from the holistic health store located in Conyers, Georgia; I believe this will provide me with a start towards mental relaxation. It is also my desire to work on my spiritual requirement towards optimal health. This goal includes joining an auxiliary at a new church, reading my bible every night before I go to bed, and praying for a new church home in which I can connect and grow with while I travel through this journey called “life”. Setting goals in these areas will allow me to work harder towards each of these concepts and allow me to evaluate my progress as I connect with each concept. Someone once said, “practice makes perfect’. This phrase allows me to practice harder towards my own personal health issues.
There are a few strategies in which I have implemented in order to foster growth in the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Although all three of these are connected and are key components of health and wellness, I have chosen to provide two examples for each domain which will help me toward my interpersonal flourishing:
Physical- (1) I will create an exercise chart to help evaluate my progress, as well as utilize the My Pyramid website http://www.mypyramid.com to help with nutritional support and weight loss progress. (2) I plan to hire a physical trainer to assist me with my physical and weight lost goals.
Psychological- (1) Continue using the Subtle Mind and Loving-Kindness CD’s which was provided by Elliot Dacher. I was able to find a lot of rewards which has led me to incorporating this practice into my daily routine. (2) Research and locate a holistic center which provides meditation services and yoga classes for beginners. I will start at the local community center in McDonough, Georgia.
Spiritual- (1) Join a local church group which provides mentoring programs for young adults and youths, as well as provide support for homeless shelters.
Although I must take baby steps in order to implement each of these strategies into my lifestyle, I am committed to making a positive change towards the essential path towards health, happiness, and wholeness (Dacher, 2006). In order to stay committed and remain focus as I strive towards my new outlook on health and wellness, I have come up with a few strategies which will help me fulfill my goals towards integral health and awareness. First, I will start off by setting smaller, but reasonable goals to insure accountability and consistency. Next, I plan to journal my progress in each area, Physical, Psychological and Spiritual. I also plan to chart my progress, as well as find someone who is willing to hold me accountable for my actions. Requesting support from my family and friends will be my first approach towards accountability (Forsyth, 2008). Then, I will implement new strategies and goals, once I have mastered my reasonable accomplishments. I believe this will allow room for advancement towards new areas that requires additional improvements, as well as assist with maintaining my long-term practices for health and wellness.
In conclusion, after taking this class, I am able to gain a better understanding of my health and wellness, as well as evaluate my mind and body as a complete unit. My self-evaluation consisted of analyzing the way I think about my own health in relation to my physical, psychological and spiritual concepts toward my inner-self. My has assessment allowed me to connect with the influences that effect my emotions, thoughts and feelings towards love and kindness and this gift called “life”. I am also able to recognize the benefits of exercise in relation to being physical fit and free from chronic illnesses which has burden history of family members. The result of this evaluation has allowed me to set major goals towards my physical health, spiritual wholeness and psychological achievements. It has also allowed me to identify any challenges I have with my weight, inner thoughts and emotions. I have learn that it is in my best interest to change my behavior as I focus on living a healthier life filled with self-love, loving-kindness and human flourishing (Dasher, 2006).
References:
Dacher, Elliott S. (2006). Intergral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications
Forsyth, LeighAnn, (2008). Motivating people to be physically active. Second Edition. Human Kinetics
http://www.mypyramid.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment