A Plan For Health & Wellness

Creating a Plan for Health & Wellness

 

I.                   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?

It is crucial for health and wellness professional to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically before they attempt to assist another. Facilitating wellness in an individual requires the guidance of one who participates in, believes in and derives the benefits personally. It is arduous and virtually impossible to instruct another on something you have little to no experience in. Furthermore, when a person participates in the integral health practices, the evidence is overwhelming. Imagine trying to help someone still the mind or decrease stress yet cannot achieve this in their own lives; is this how professionals are understood?

The areas I need to develop in order to achieve my goals are all areas---psychological, spiritual and chiefly physical. Physically, I need to get involved in a habitual fitness regimen. My problem is sticking to a schedule; basically making a firm commitment is something I fall behind on. Knowing that all quadrants of our lives are separate, but work together as part of a whole, I know that I must work harder physically to compliment the others. Psychologically and Spiritually, I will continue to strengthen my capacity for attention by expanding my consciousness (Dacher, 2006). This means daily rather than weekly meditation sessions. Emotionally and cognitively, I feel is my strongest aspect. I have procured the benefits on a small scale, but understand that I am only scratching the surface of my own capacity.

 

II.                Assessment

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

When I want to assess my health in each domain, I reflect back to Chapter 11, “The Integral Assessment” and other parts of the text for guidance. Here, I have help assessing my current circumstances while identifying which aspects that need attention (Dacher, 2006, p. 105). I do this by studying the lines of development figures such as my psychospiritual, interpersonal, biological, and worldly while giving each special consideration. This term has taught me to take an honest assessment of my life, both internally and externally while giving my strengths and weaknesses equal attention. As I assess each domain, it is clear an unbalance exists. Probably the strongest for me is the psychological domain. Through contemplative practices and others learned in previous psychology classes, I have learned how to change illogical, self-defeating and toxic thinking to that of health-promoting and positive. Overtime, this has become somewhat of a habitual process. I quickly filter my thought processes more than ever, thus behaving in a way that corroborates that renewed thinking. Furthermore, I am able to quickly regulate my emotions by attending to them while strengthening coping mechanisms. I have never been one to bottle up feelings, so talking about them is no problem. I would rate my psychological wellness much higher than that of physical and spiritual domains. One a wellness scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), I would rate my psychological wellness at a 7 ½.

Spiritually, I have some work to do. For this domain, I would rate my wellness at a 4 ½. Although I have been engaging in meditative practices during this course, I know it is not nearly enough. Again, I have only scratched the surface of my potential. I find myself sharing information about what I have learned rather than engaging in the practices as I should. Yes, they have helped, so why do I find myself talking about it more than doing it? Procrastination! Setting aside time in my busy life—well, I am failing to do this.

Finally, the most work for me is the physical domain. I will go ahead and give an honest wellness score of a 3 ½. The only physical exercise I get is walking my dogs and walking to do things such as grocery or other shopping and the like. I recently purchased an elliptical in which I have only spent less than 10 hours on it. This lack of exercise has only developed in the last several years. I played softball for 15 years and was very active in other sports before this. I know that I have to pull all of these domains together if I wish to transform to a better and healthier me.

 

III.             Goal Development

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

Psychologically my goal is to write down the source of mental suffering daily. Dacher suggested that we give equal attention to the good and bad and I feel this is a way to get a better look internally. After evaluation, I will eliminate the needless suffering in my life.

Spiritually my goal is to make the time for meditation and other contemplative practices. I know that stilling the mind is an important part of transforming to integral health. The most beneficial to me thus far is the loving-kindness practice. I plan to engage in this and other practices several times a week. Doing anything for approximately 21 days easily becomes a habit. This is one habit I welcome. Something I recently found fascination in is the practices of Buddha; I intend to take this further with education as I find it fitting to how I want to live.  

Physically my goal will be to start small, but challenging. I am not sure why the past four years has shown dramatic changes in my physical activity. Now that I know this and have brought it to conscious awareness, it is my duty to do something about it. Because I want desperately to stick with a fitness regimen, I will begin by adding minutes to walking my dogs; normally I just take them out to use the bathroom and return inside (very little walking). I will make a commitment to walk at least 30 minutes a day with them. My fiancé and I have been talking about joining a local gym for weeks now, but have not made a move. I will make a goal to visit the gym within 7 days from today and make a decision to join. I think doing this together with my fiancé is not only motivation, but helps us to be accountable. I look forward to getting back into shape.

 

IV.             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.

Physically, I plan on joining a local gym. Included in the membership are classes such as yoga, cardio (Zumba), and step in which I can derive the benefits that foster growth. I also think having a strong upper core is important or has been for me in the past. This means that I will engage in strength training at the facility. I have never attended a yoga class, but have the desire and joining the fitness center will extend this possibility. The great thing about yoga is that it not only strengthens the body, it strengthens the mind as well through its meditative characteristics. While engaging in cardio exercises, I will practice my attention to breathing. As I mentioned before, this is a step for both my fiancé and I. As already partners, this helps both of us be accountable, thus strengthening our relationship as a team and as individuals.

Psychologically, I plan to engage in subtle mind practices. I would like to gain a better understanding of the inner me, my mind, and myself as a whole. In order to further develop my mind, I must engage in practices such as the witnessing mind and calm-abiding. I will practice observing and witnessing my thoughts and feelings. Doing this allows the hindrances for eventually all away so that a deeper mind can reveal itself. I will consciously and with intention choose what I attend to, the things that foster psychological wellness. I will keep a log of stressors in my life and slowly eliminate those underpinnings. Incorporating meditation like Reiki into my life several times a week will help me to achieve a calm-abiding mind in which I can achieve a permanency of effortless stillness. This is something I find difficult to obtain at the moment. Sure I can experience this calm-abiding mind for a certain period of time during meditation, but upon conclusion, my mind goes back to experience a state of uproar and busyness.

Spiritually, I have an immense road of learning and education before me. First I wish to learn more about the meditation practices of Buddha. I understand that Buddha means to be awakened and this is central to integral health. Another strategy to foster this domain is the loving-kindness practice. Using this practice helps me to connect to humankind through proliferating love, peace and other goodness in the world around me. Gaining greater mindfulness helps me to realize my significance, my place in this world, while understanding the significance of others. This practice removes selfishness while cultivating genuine love and concern for the well-being of others. I do not have a religious background, but I do pray to a God of my own understanding. This helps me to make sense of things and to put faith in a power that is bigger than anything I have ever known.

 

V.                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?

Falling back on the only strategy that has ever worked for me is simply putting in down on paper. I need something tangible to look at. This way, I know that I do not have to rely on my mind for determining what might be biased results. I will be able to see the facts, good or bad. For each domain, I will have separate documents in which I can record on. These documents will be placed in a simple folder for organizational purposes. For the physical domain, I will record my activities and leave them blank if I did nothing. At the top of the page I will have a clear goal and date to meet that goal. The goals will be challenging, but realistic. Spiritually, I think I will keep a diary. This way I can write for four weeks and at the end, read from beginning to end; a clear evolution should reveal itself if I have progressed. Psychologically, I will again use a document in which I can record in detail of the practices I engaged in and when. I am even thinking about another journal or diary to record my experiences when finished. After four or so weeks, I can review the journal which will reveal growth, stagnation, or regression. I have always kept a journal for as long as I can remember. This has been the best way for me to cope or just get things off of my chest.

At the end here and reviewing this paper, I can see that I am struggling with the physical domain more than I realized. It is one thing to think about it and yet another to see how my thoughts about it translated on paper. I am open to any and all suggestions to help me get motivated. My heart and mind wants to do this, but my body makes excuses. Please help---excuses be gone!!

It has been my pleasure to learn with you all. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Reference

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications