unit 9

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?

In order to be in a place where one can psychologically, spiritually, and physically help another person grow they must first know what it is like to grow in all areas of their lives as well.  My favorite saying that I am able to take away from this course is, “you cannot lead another where one has not gone himself”.  People are more likely to take advice from someone who has traveled down the same road.  It gives people comfort to know what to expect and as health and wellness professionals it is easier to help people through situations that we ourselves have already been through. 

I have achieved many goals that I have set for myself psychologically, spiritually, and physically.  I would say that it is time for me to set new goals.  I have noticed that personal I struggle the most in the psychological area. 

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

I have sat down and looked at my life in bits and bits and then overall as a whole.  I thought about where I wanted to be in my life now, five years from now, and fifteen years from now.  This helped me to realize what I needed to be doing differently in my life and the steps that I need to take in order to make these goals a reality. 

If I were to put all three domains (spiritual, physical, psychological) in order from which one needs the most improvement to the one that needs the least improvement it would be: psychological, spiritual, physical. 

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

Physical: Within the last month my roommate and I have started working out 4-5 times a week and we were feeling awesome.  However, this past week and a half life has been crazy busy and we haven’t been working out at all.  We have both gotten so busy with school and work that we are left with no down time at all; so of course there’s not much time for working out.  I would like to change this.  I want to get back to working out at least four times a week in order to keep the endurance and strength going that I have gained over the last month. 

Psychological: I would like to reduce the stress in my life.  I know stress is part of human nature and it is good to have some levels of stress.  However, here lately, I have gotten to the point where I am barely sleeping because all I can do is think about all the things that I need to get down. 

Spiritual: I would like to find a stronger relationship and bond with God. 

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.

Physical: In order to increase my physical activity I will get back to working out at least four times a week with my roommate.  Even if she is too busy to workout with me I can continue to do the workout videos that we do by myself.  I will also get back to doing my abdominal workouts every night before I go to bed.  Surprising, these make me feel way better as well.  In order to achieve these goals I will set aside at least 30-45 minutes a night so I can work out. 

Psychological: I have found in the past that making “to-do” list helps me to organize my thoughts therefore reducing my stress level a little bit.  I would like to get back to using “to-do” lists.  Every time I feel overwhelmed I will just make a list of everything that needs to get done and get after my work.  I would also like to start spending more time alone in order to unwind from the day and relax a little.  Working with children, having six younger siblings, and living with four other girls leaves me with little alone time.  This past week I started spending a little more time in my room just reading or “hiding out” and it made me feel a lot more relaxed. 

Spiritual: I would like to start going to church more often.  I normally go every Sunday but sometimes I just get so busy that it becomes hard for me to find the time.  That is not acceptable for me because God always comes first.  I am going to start going to church every Sunday.  I would also like to start praying more before I go to bed.  I think spending more time alone in my room will allow me more time to pray instead of just falling asleep as soon as my head hits my pillow due to exhaustion. 

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 always had a calendar that I carried around with me.  I haven’t had one in the last year.  I am going to get another one and write my full schedule and “to-do” lists in there so that I can better organize my time and my life overall.  That way in six months I can look back on how often I worked out, went to church, and organized my time.