Unit
9 Final Project: Personal Health
“A
man should first direct himself in the way he should go. Only then should he instruct others.” –
Buddha (Thinkexist, 2014). In order for
a health care professional of any modality to be effective, they must set an
example for their clients and patients. They
are walking billboards of their commitment and belief in their profession. This is why it is absolutely vital for health
and wellness professionals to continuously challenge themselves and develop
psychologically, spiritually, and physically.
Dacher (2006) charges health and wellness professionals with the
directive “walk the walk.” In order to
do so, an individual must be honest with them self and identify areas of
improvement, determine their own personal goals, and make plans to affectively
attain and maintain these goals.
In
my own personal journey toward integral health, I have found that perfection in
any of these interconnected areas is impossible to attain. That said, I continuously strive to better
myself physically, mentally, spiritually, and psychologically. In order to find areas of growth in these
aspects, it is important that an individual assess their health. This should be done for each domain
separately, although the end goal may be the same. First, an individual should evaluate their
lives for the sources of their greatest struggles. Next, they need to find where there is
opportunity for growth and development.
These two tasks can be done through deep listening and guidance (Dacher,
2006). In the physical and spiritual
domains, these questions were easily answered.
Physically, I need to become more active but also find a way to relax. Spiritually, I need to deepen my relationship
with God and become more open to His direction.
Mentally and psychologically were very difficult domains for me to
determine sources of struggle. However,
after careful reflection, I found that both shared a common source of
frustration. This is that I am
overextending myself which is causing stress psychologically and fatigue
mentally. Once an individual has
established their struggles, it is important to clearly state their goals for
each domain.
The
goals that an individual establishes for each domain should be individualized
and personal. This will allow the
individual a strong connection and commitment to achievement of their
goals. In my own personal goals, I found
that they shared a common theme of relaxation and time management. For my physical goal, I need to build my
strength, endurance, and health while staying flexible as I age. The goal that I established is to commit to
30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week.
For my spiritual goal, I see a weakness in consistency with dedicating
time to my devotions. The goal that I
have established is to spend 10 minutes daily in prayer, devotion, or meditation. For my mental and psychological goal, I need
to reduce my stress and develop a better attitude toward others. This is the most difficult goal for me to
establish as it is not really something that is quantifiable. However, I believe that the best goal I can
establish would be to learn to forgive and forget even when people do not ask
for it. Once goals have been established
it is important to commit to practices that will allow the individual to attain
their goals.
There
are a large amount of practices that an individual can choose and tailor
towards meeting their personal goals. In
order to meet my physical goal of exercising 30 minutes 3 times per week, I
have chosen two practices that I think will help me to build up strength,
endurance, and flexibility. The first
activity or practice that I have chosen is running. I believe that by developing a plan to go
from walking to running that it will help me to build up my endurance and
discipline. This will also allow me to
see progression toward my goal which will help me to remain motivated. The second activity is yoga. I think that yoga will help me to increase my
flexibility which I also believe will be helpful as I age. For my spiritual goal of 10 minutes in
prayer, meditation, or devotion, I plan to practice this by utilizing one of
the guided meditations provided throughout this course until I am comfortable
meditating on my own. This will allow me
to be open to what God is saying to me. Additionally
I plan to do some time management by setting my alarm 10 minutes early in the
morning. I will then spend the extra 10
minutes in prayer before I leave the house for work in the morning. This will allow set time and I will not be as
tired as I would be trying to pray at night.
For my psychological goal, I plan to practice the loving kindness exercises
as described by Dacher (2006.) I believe
that this will assist me in learning to relate more effectively with
individuals and to “forgive and forget.”
Lastly, I believe that by overextending myself I am making mindfulness of
the current moment impossible. I plan to
practice mindfulness by taking time out for myself and saying no to additional
commitments. I will make sure that I
have more time set aside for enjoying the time that I have instead of spending
it on various commitments that I feel obligated to complete. By spending time on these practices I will
ensure that I am progressing towards my goals.
Progress
is a very important part of attaining any goal.
However, it is important that an individual assess the progress that
they are making so that they can correct or change their practices as
necessary. According to Mueller (2014),
there are four important aspects on which to assess the progress of attaining
your health goals. The first of these
aspects is your energy level. Currently
my energy level is very low due to overextending myself and excessive stress. With the goals that I have set and practices
that I plan to implement, I believe that this will provide an increase in
energy which should be a good indicator of success. The second aspect is stress level. All of the practices that I plan to implement
are meant to reduce or manage stress. If
these practices work as they should, then seeing a reduction in stress level
would also point toward a positive direction.
The next of these aspects is quality of sleep. In my current state, I sleep approximately 6
hours a night. However, I fall asleep instantaneously
when I sit down. It has become very
difficult for me to accomplish schoolwork or spend time with my children as I
am so tired throughout the day. By
managing stress, expending unnecessary energy, and gaining mental focus, this
should allow me the opportunity to truly rest and get a better night’s
sleep. The last aspect is
self-esteem. With each accomplishment
and step towards my goals, it will allow me to increase my self-esteem. When individuals see themselves succeed, it
increases their desire for more success and their confidence in their own
abilities. In addition to assessment, it
is also important that strategies be put into place for long term success. One of the greatest strategies that an
individual can implement is social support.
Social support allows individuals additional strength when they may find
it difficult to accomplish their goals.
Individuals who receive social support are more successful in reaching
and maintaining their goals (Mayo Clinic, 2012). Additionally it is also an important strategy
for individual to plan ahead. Adequate
planning for resources and time management allow the individual to be prepared
for unexpected occurrences. Time management
would allow the individual the necessary period to set aside and focus on
personal development and growth.
Personal
growth and development can only take place when an individual honestly
identifies their weaknesses, establishes goals, and implements practices that
turn their weaknesses to strength. It is
only through continuous and positive evolution that an individual can hope to
obtain integral health and happiness.
Oscar Wilde stated that “the final mystery is oneself.” Through determination, commitment, and the
path to integral health, an individual can hope to unlock the mystery, answer
the questions, and find joy in their true self.
References
Dacher,
E. (2006). Integral
Health the Path to Human Flourishing.
Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications Inc.
Mayo
Clinic. (2012). Social
Support: Tap this tool to beat stress.
Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/social-support/art-20044445?pg=1
Mueller,
J. (2014). 4 Easy
Ways to Assess Your Well-Being.
Retrieved from http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1358&page=2
Thinkexist. (2014).
Buddha quotes. Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a_man_should_first_direct_himself_in_the_way_he/143654.html
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