I. Introduction
Being healthy, there are so many definitions and ideas about what healthy means. According to the World Health Organization, “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948). For over 60 years health has been seen as a state of wellness for one’s mind, body and spirit; though modern medicine does not always encourage this, health and wellness professionals know that it is an important part of the healing process. I want to be healthy and be at a level of wholeness; I need to make a plan to improve my physical health, develop my spirituality more and to focus my mind to be more in-tune to myself.
II. Assessment
During the past nine weeks I have assessed my mind, body and spirit and I have seen where my issues in health are. I am not concerned about myself physically as far as exercise is concerned. I would rate myself at about a nine on my physical health because I know I always have room for improvement and could eat healthier but I am an active person without any medical issues. Spiritually, I am a six but I am working my way up from the four I started at. I have never understood how to improve my spirituality but I have learned. Psychologically I am a six, many things have happened in the last 18 months that have taught me the necessity for inner-strength and forgiveness.
III. Goal Development
I believe that everyone has an addiction, something they do that they think helpls them focus. My addiction is running, as long as I am able to go on a run the world is a very wonderful place. However, my body does not always allow me to run because I have hip joint issues and osteoporosis which causes my bones to ache because they are weak. My physical goal would be to learn other active things I can do that will give me the same stress relief that running does without the side effects. I want to be able to learn to do new activities that get my boys involved but won’t break my legs, literally. I also want to be more health conscious with the foods that I eat; working in the evenings does not lead to the best eating habits.
I am learning to be more in-tune to myself so I can gain a higher level of spirituality. My spiritual goal is to practice more visualization and calming exercises to gain the internal peace and confidence I lack. Meeting Asclepius is a wonderful exercise that helps one find their inner-healer and the inner-wisdom which I could definitely use. I want to be able to actually focus and clear my mind; I am very high strung and it causes me to struggle in relationships.
Psychologically I said I was a six, I am not completely screwed up but I have my own demons. I need to learn to remain calm even if am not in control and learn to trust that someone else can do things, even if it is not the way I want it done. I need to learn more greatfulness for all the wonderful things that happen in my life and learn more forgiveness over all the not so wonderful things that happen in my life. I also want to improve my ability to focus and concentrate even when I am under stress.
IV. Practices for Personal Health
For all my goals to be met I must first find the paths that lead to them. Physically, I want to be healthier and learn to take care of myself better. To be healthier physically I will make healthier food choices based off what I have learned in my classes for health and wellness. I will practice smarter eating habits and try to avoid unhealthy snacking by reaching for a carrot instead of chips. Also, my body needs more TLC so I can be more active so I plan to begin bike riding on the days that my hips hurt and only run when my hips and bones feel strong.
I have already grown spiritually in the past couple months but I look forward to feeling a deeper sense of wholeness and connectedness through spiritual practice. Meditation is used by many people to calm their mind and become more focused. For my first spiritual practice I will use meditation for ten minutes a day. As I mentioned before, I am very high-strung and this leads to stress in my interpersonal relationships so I will begin using meditation to calm and focus my mind. I have also found Meeting Asclepius to be a beneficial exercise that I will practice routinely; I want to feel that I am wise to boost my inner-strength. “Experience your mind, voice, and heart as you take on the qualities of the wise one. Become this person.” (Dacher, 2006). Also, I plan to use the most recent visualization exercise that I learned. In this visualization, Dacher asks the reader to think of a happy time, a time of wholeness and a time of vitality to become more in-tune to one’s inner-self.
Mental fitness is a way that I can improve my psychological self. I can practice using my opposite hand when I eat to help strengthen my mind and I can also practice more thought exercises to become more contemplative. I also plan to focus more on gratefulness and forgiveness as part of my plan. I have been through a lot this past year and I need to let people that have been there for me know that I am grateful they are in my life. I need to be able to forgive as well, holding a grudge will not help me reach a clam, peaceful inner-self.
V. Commitment
I will implement my plan so I can reach my physical, spiritual and psychological goals. After six months I will re-evaluate my mind, body and spirit to see if my ratings have improved. Accountability is the main focus for reaching my goals; I have to hold myself accountable to make the changes that are necessary for growth. I will also let my family know my goals so they can help me stay on the right track, I will learn to say “Thank you!” more and to stop and breath more often. In the long-term it is up to me to make continued improvements.
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, Ca: Basic
Health Publications
World Health Organization. (1948). Definition of Health. Retrieved February 11, 2011 from
http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all what a great blog posted for this week. I thank you for sharing your whole journey to a better you. I appreciate all the effort and time as well as work you put into your blog each and every week. Having said that, your overall journey towards a better you is truly achievable. I believe you have the determination and motivation to achieve all your goals. Although at times it may seem difficult, I know you can do it. All you have to do is take your time and believe in yourself because you can do it. I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors. Thanks once again for all your diligent work. God Bless!
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeletenice job on your plan. It is well thougth out and very thorough. I am also a runner and I understand how it is hard not to run when it is part of our routine. I find on the days that I can not run that I start to get antsy and it is really all I can think about. Have you ever tried lap swimming? I used to be a swimmer but to do shoulder problems I had to find something else to fill in the void, which was running. Lap swimming is very similar to running because it forces you to concentrate on your rythm of your breathing and the rythm of your stroke so it is very calming and relieves a lot of stress. It is also a great workout for your entire body and zero impact on your joints. Hoep everything works out for and good luck with your plan and goals.
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful plan and blog posting. I have truly enjoyed interacting with you both in class as well as on the discussion boards and blog postings. I congratulate you on all the progress you've made thus far. Keep up the good work. Remember that you are not alone and never have to handle everything on your own. There's no shame in reaching out for and asking for help whenever you need it. God never intended for us to go through this life without His help.
Have you ever utilized an elliptical machine or treadmill? They both simulate the motions our bodies use while running but they are so much more gentle on our joints. I also have hip joint problems as well as knee problems that sometimes make it difficult for me to run so I usually end up using the elliptical machine and find that I can get just about the same quality work out I would if I were running.
Best wishes with all your future endeavors and goals.