Unit 9: Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

1. Introduction

It is essential for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in their own lives. Personal integral health is a critical aspect of promoting wellbeing in others. Practices such as goal setting, forgiveness, positivity, journaling, meditation, prayer, visualization, adequate sleep, proper nutrition, hydration, and exercise keep the journey to integral health flourishing. Individuals that neglect particular pieces of integral health become especially imbalanced. Additionally, recognizing the connections between all aspects of integral health allows room for growth and development. Cultivating psychological, spiritual and physical health in one’s self encourages growth in others; fostering the journey towards integral health.

Personal areas of my journey concerning integral health that need special attention are found in each, psychological, spiritual and physical aspects. Integral health is a life long journey that will require balanced attention in each area if I am to improve, foster, and develop my overall integral health position. My goal is to continue growth in all aspects of my life; increasing my health, happiness, and wholeness which reflects true integral health (Dacher, 2006).

II. Assessment

Assessing my levels of psychological, spiritual, and physical health is not as simple as rating myself. Many factors relate to my overall standing, wellness position, or view of my life. There are good days, bad days, strong days, weak days, happy days, sad days, stressed days, easy days, and I could go on and on. There is not one level that adequately reflects my entire integral health position at any one time.

Accounting for my wellness is difficult with simple scoring methods; while I feel that I’m adequately developing in all areas, I recognize the opportunity for growth. I don’t believe I am lacking excessively in any specific area; however my journey for improvement will continue. To begin with, finding a balance requires devotion to each area. Psychologically, I am strong, but often become overwhelmed with responsibilities and emotions. Working to prioritize and organize my life is an ongoing struggle that I work at. Looking positively at life and forgiving others for wrong doing is one way that improves my psychological outlook on life. Additionally, my spirituality is secure; however reaching deeper levels of consciousness and completeness will require time and attention that might be spent in meditation, visualization, prayer, and silence. Finding time for these practices will allow calm, strengthen, and ease my mind. Lastly, my physical health is above average for my age, gender, height, and other tracking measurements. I feel like physical wellbeing is a journey and can always be improved with attention to appropriate nutrition, adequate hydration, and intensified exercise. Attending to changing needs and issues with the body requires a lifelong commitment to fitness and health. All of these aspects relate to one another and connect my personal integral health and wellbeing; balancing my life favorably.

III. Goal development:

            Specific goals for improving psychologically, spiritually and physically are easy to find; but may not be as effortless to achieve. Nurturing the developments of integral health is a journey. I feel like anything worth achieving may take time, but it will come with a feeling of accomplishment and pride.

            My goal for improved psychological health is forgiving others, and allowing myself to grow from that experience. My goal for increased spiritual health is more time and attention dedicated to meditation development. My goal for physical health is to strongly maintain my current levels of nutrition and fitness; while striving for improvements in strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed.

IV. Practices for personal health:       

Psychologically, one goal I have set is I’d like to allow myself growth through forgiving others. I don’t feel I need to notify those people of my decision, I only need to encourage myself to let the past go and simply forgive them of their wrongs towards me. This may not affect anyone else immediately; however my newfound peace and tranquility will no doubt reflect on others in time. Finding the strength to forgive others might prove heartbreaking; due to the reliving of many hurtful memories. Taking the time to keep a journal reflecting my emotions about events, people, and situations will help me to organize my feelings and allow forgiveness. Additionally, allowing myself to feel the hurt without holding it inside will help me learn to express myself and eventually forgive those who have hurt me. Removing negativity and replacing it with positivity will help to transform my outlook on life (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005). I feel like getting past these issues and freeing my emotions of resentment will strengthen my psychological health.

Spiritually, I have set the goal of furthering my meditative abilities. This ambition expresses my belief in myself that I am capable of reaching The Witnessing Mind, Calm Abiding, and Unity Consciousness (Dacher, 2006). Quieting my mind is a struggle that I have dealt with and overcome in small expanses in the past. Allocating time each day to accomplish this goal is essential to my success. Additionally, devoting my attention to positive visualizations will open opportunities for positivity to spread in my life. Reaching a point where it is easier for me to accomplish a less chaotic mindset and experiencing positive visualizations will allow me to develop even further in my aim for meditative growth.

Physically, goals are straightforward; improve strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed. Realizing these goals requires that I break them down into smaller, specifically achievable tasks. Presently, I am in my second trimester of my second pregnancy; this puts added emphasis on health and wellness for me. Not only am I keeping physically healthy for myself, and my daughter, but also for the new baby I’m carrying. Maintaining my existing nutrition and fitness levels are priority goals right now since they are currently considered above average by fitness professional standards. While practicing precaution, I plan to improve strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed, although possibly minimally, throughout my pregnancy. Strength training goals are extending my arm strength through swimming, planks, push-ups, and light weights. Additionally, swimming, squats, lunges, and walking will increase my leg strength. Core strength may have to wait, but I am able to perform top crunches, and planking will also keep my core muscles strong. Pregnancy is a great time for flexibility development. Increasing my static and dynamic stretches will keep me active and help me after the baby is delivered. Endurance goals are currently based on swimming and walking; with intensity intervals. My speed may not increase, but keeping consistent effort will help me bounce back and return to my speed development after my baby is born. All of these aspects of physical health will improve my health, my daughter’s outlook on health, and my baby’s future health.

 V. Commitment:

            Assessing progress in these areas of integral health will be based on my overall sense of health, happiness, and wholeness (Dacher, 2006). The next six months will carry me through my pregnancy; a perfect timeline for integral health growth. A journal following my progress of time spent on each aspect, development in specific areas, and also developments in my psychological, spiritual, and physical changes will be beneficial in keeping me on track. Noting setbacks, distractions, and obstacles in my journey will also help me in maintaining my goals. Overall, true dedication to improving my health and wellness will be the best strategy in achieving my integral health goals.

References:

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

Schlitz, M. Amorok, T. Micozzi, M. (2005). The Return of Prayer. Consciousness & healing; Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. St. Louis, Missouri. Elsevier Inc.