Final Project

Developing psychologically, spiritually, and physically is important for health and wellness professionals because in order to assist others in their health, a highly developed self-practice is necessary.  A health and wellness professional must understand all aspects of health and wellness, and be able to speak and assist from their own experiences.  The importance of developing these aspects is recommended for all persons, as it is important to lead a balanced life in all areas of health and wellbeing.  Personally, I mostly need to work on the spiritual and physical aspects of my health.  I don’t have a highly defined spiritual understanding or belief, and I would like to explore it more.  As far as physical health is concerned, I am fairly disciplined in my diet and exercise regiments, but I always have higher goals to achieve.  I will continue working toward these goals, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The assessments of my health in the areas of psychological, spiritual, and physical are as follows:  Psychologically, I am very satisfied with my health.  I have no concerns in this area.  Spiritually, I am anxious and curious to develop this area further.  I have no solid beliefs of any “higher power,” with the exception of Mother Earth and the energy that connects all beings.  I have much to gain in this area of my life and health.  Physically, I am satisfied with my current physical fitness, but will always strive to be better, fitter, and stronger.  I exercise regularly and frequently, as well as teach yoga.  Fitness will always be a priority in my life.

 If I were to set one goal for myself in each area, it would be: 1. Psychological- Make a more conscious effort to research psychological behavior, and create an assessment of myself.  2. Spiritual- Research Buddhism, and visit a Zen Center.  3. Physical- Do a strength training regiment more frequently in conjunction with cardio and yoga practice.

            If I were to implement practices in each of these areas, two examples of each would be:

Psychological:

1.     Create positive affirmations, or mantras to tell myself, building self-confidence.

2.     Assess my psychological health, and determine if I need to work on any areas.  I could be evaluated by a doctor or find a website that does such.

Spiritual:

1.     Research Buddhism and other spiritual beliefs, and determine if it is something I should look into learning more about.  I will talk to my Buddhist friends, and schedule a visit to their Zen Center.

2.     Take more time out of the day to meditate.  I will schedule time, if necessary.

Physical:

1.     Do more abdominal exercises, (i.e. 30 crunches, 4 half-planks 60 seconds long, etc.)

2.     Weight lift more often, (i.e. 3 sets of 15 reps per day).

In order to monitor my progress in these areas of health and wellness maintenance, I will set goals with dates, and I will create rewards for myself.  I will break it down, week by week, to better regulate my progress over the next 6 months.  I will also keep a journal of my progress each week.  I will also ask my family and friends for their support and encouragement to help me reach my goals!

Unit 5

After listening to both audio files, I definitely enjoyed the loving kindness clip more.  The message was nice, it was about forgiveness and understanding, while the other clip was more about quieting the mental chatter.  Both audio files were similar, as they both sent a meditative message, but the focal points within the message were different.

The benefits of mental workouts are increased cognitive awareness, better health, a better mind-body connection, and the gateway to a better spiritual connection within an individual. I implement these exercises into my life almost daily, with yoga, meditation, reading, brain teaser puzzles, and deep conversations.

Sincerely,

Beth D.

HW420 Unit 3

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate my physical well-being at an 8 or 9, since I am very physically active.  I work in a spin/yoga studio, and avidly practice both.  I also am completely vegan and a non smoker/ (occasional) drinker.  I would rate my spiritual well-being at a 6-7, since I think for the most part, I am in touch with it, but I still have a long way to go.  Finally, I would rate my psychological well-being at an 8-9, since I am very happy and healthy, and my life is low-drama and pleasantly occupied with great people.  I am very good at communicating my feelings and ideas, and I see no psychological issues on the horizon.

Goals:
Physical- I would like to continue to be active and healthy in my exercises and dietary habits, and never falter or make excuses.

Spiritual- I will spend more time actively meditating and learning and seeking until I feel fulfilled.

Psychological-  I will continue the habits that lead me to where I currently stand in this area.  If problems arise, I will find a way to understand them and work on them.

I found the relaxation exercise to be very beneficial.  I was nearly asleep before it was through.  The voice is so calming, and the visuals that I create are so perfect.

Sincerely,

Beth D.

Journey On Relaxation

Hello Professor and class!  I am very excited to begin blogging with everyone. :)

After listening to the Journey on Relaxation, I felt a very warm, peaceful feeling.  I am someone who usually carries a lot of tension in my neck, shoulders, arms, and legs, and I associated with what the narrator said about tension in these areas.  Thinking about my muscles in terms of a sponge was very helpful, because I can physically feel the relation.  Mostly, I feel this relation when I do any activity that warms the body, releasing lactic acid in the muscles, such as exercise or yoga (or both).  I am able to bend and stretch my muscles easily when they are prepped.

I found it odd and particularly interesting when the narrator instructed the flow of blood into the arms and hands, and I was surprised by the warming sensation.  Ultimately, I was very relaxed with the combination of the background music combined with the timbre of the narrator's voice.

After this exercise, I felt a warm hum and energy around my body.  My mind was at ease, and I was aware of my environment.  I loved it!

Sincerely,

Beth D.