Spiritual Sanity

Conclusion

2011-10-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Early in this course, we were asked to evaluate our physical, spiritual and psychological aspects of our lives on a scale from one to ten. I feel as if the ratings I gave myself then are still relevant now. My psychological well-being remains at an 8. I am okay, psychologically speaking. I honestly have no major issues, and should one arise, I am blessed with a wonderful support system to help me deal. My main goal for this area of my life is simply to maintain it. I did not give myself the highest rating, because I believe that there is always room for growth. I really believe that now, after taking this class.

As far as my goals are concerned, I believe I am making progress. I try to exercise whenever I have a few extra minutes in my day. If I don't have time to commit to an actual workout, I try little things. I take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. I part in the farthest possible spot at the supermarket. I have begun to research various neighborhood churches in the area with the help of my family and friends. I have continued to meditate, and I have implemented some of the new exercises that I have learned from this class.

Personally, this class has been a breath of fresh air. I have learned many new exercises and techniques to incorporate into my daily life. It has been incredibly rewarding to see my health and wellness take a turn for the better. With this new found knowledge I will, hopefully, be able to inspire and educate others in all aspects of their lives, both personally and professionally.

It's been fun everyone! Best to you all....

Unit 9 Project

2011-10-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

It is extremely important for health and wellness professionals to develop physically, spiritually and psychologically. When this has been accomplished, it is easier for these professionals to teach and educate others regarding health and wellness. I believe if health and wellness professionals have fully developed these areas in their own lives, then their patients will respect them more. They will have established a better sense of credibility.

Throughout this course, I have mentioned repeatedly how the physical and spiritual aspects of my life need a bit of development. This class has really opened my eyes in ways I would have never imagined. Until lately, I seemed to be oblivious to the problems and stress in my life. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the goals I have for myself, along with the ways in which I plan to achieve them.

Spiritually, I have given myself a 5; right in the middle, and that’s how I feel: stuck. I grew up with a spiritual mother, and there was a point that I was attending church weekly, and I came home believing everything I had learned. As a got older, some of these things became harder to swallow. We all go through hardships and tough time, and this is when our spirituality is challenged. I believe this is how I got off track. Now that I have a loving husband and a beautiful daughter, I would like to get back on track. Not just for me, but for my family as well. My goal is to find and become active in a local church. I would like my children to have a church to grow up in, as I did. I cannot teach her everything, and for me, religion is a wonderful place to start.

Physically, I have given myself a 7. For the most part, I am a pretty healthy individual. I eat right and try to exercise on a regular basis. I have a few “problem areas” as most people probably do. I have noticed that on days I do work out, I feel better. I feel like I have accomplished something, and I love that feeling. My goal is to achieve this feeling every day by being physically active for at least thirty minutes. Whether it is doing a video, going to the gym or going for a stroll with my daughter, I am going to get it done. I need to make it a priority to make the time for myself.

Yoga has always been an effective exercise for me, and I will continue to do it as I work to achieve my goals. I have also been working on incorporating meditation into my workouts. These two practices, I believe, will have a positive effect on all aspects of my life. Physically, yoga is a wonderful way to gain lean muscle, as well as flexibility and balance. When it comes to the spiritual and psychological aspects of my well-being, meditation has been exceptional. It gives me the chance simply to focus. My everyday life can become extremely chaotic at times, and it is important that I take a “time out” occasionally. With meditation, I am able to reflect on the day’s events and prioritize the following day. That’s another thing I have learned: Take one day at a time.

During the next six months, I will keep a record, or journal, of my daily events. I will keep track of meals, physical activity, meditation and progress regarding finding a church. For me, it helps to write everything down. Everything. I have had success with this in the past, and hopefully it will be an effective method this time as well. Regarding achieving my goals, I will enlist the assistance of my family. My husband is military, and he is VERY organized. (Sometimes it can be annoying.) In this case, however, I think he can really help me. He can help me create and stick to an exercise and nutrition plan, and he and my daughter can even participate in my daily physical activities. Finding a church will be challenging, but I do not want to choose one on my own. I plan on committing to visit at least one church a month with my family. I have already begun asking close friends and relatives for any suggestions. Psychologically, I just need to keep things in perspective. The Subtle Mind exercise was my least favorite, but I think it could be the most effective for me. If I could learn how to block out mindless chatter and worry only about the most important things, I think my life and well-being could be much more fulfilling.

With the help of this class, I have learned that there is much more to a person’s health and well-being besides the physical aspect. I had no idea how much my mind was involved in my happiness. I have learned several exercises and techniques in which I can implement into my daily life. This course has given me new knowledge and resources that I can take with me, personally and professionally.

Unit 8

2011-10-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the exercise from Unit 6. I was able to channel some pent up aggression and relieve myself of it. I have actually used this exercise a few times since then. Every time I feel myself getting upset, I stop and ask myself, "Is it really worth it?" Usually it's not, and by the time I decide that, I can't even really remember why I was mad in the first place. At night, I also reflect upon my day, and decide what I want to accomplish the following day and how I plan on doing that. This has been effective for me, because there is really no room for anger and hate when I am trying to live my day-to-day life.

I also liked last week's exercise when we were asked to focus on our healer. The person I chose is extremely special to me, and she is an excellent role model. On occasion, I have even called my aunt when I am faced with a problem or difficult situation. I believe it is important to have someone special to turn to when the going gets tough; a strong support system is a must when it comes to mental wellness.

Unit 7

2011-10-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

I liked this one! It was very easy for me to chose someone. My aunt, who is also my godmother, is a wonderful woman in every way possible. She is the best possible role model as well. Ever since I was a little girl, I can remember wanting to be just like her, and seeking her approval. I respect her just as much as anyone else I am close to. I think why I enjoyed this exercise so much. (Well, at least a lot more than the other ones.) It was easy for me to want to connect with my aunt. I guess I have always, and I will continue to, asked myself "What would Aunt Leslie do?" in tough situations.

The saying "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" definitely applies to wellness professionals. How can I tell people to eat healthy and exercise properly, if I am out of shape and overweight? I guess I could, but I believe my clients would have a greater respect for me if I, myself, were healthy.

Unit 6

2011-10-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took me so long to post this....It's been one of those weeks!

After completing the exercises, I discovered that I have a lot of built up anger and aggression towards certain individuals. I have now made a conscious decision to try and rid myself of this anger. It doesn't do anyone any good, especially myself. If anything, it just seems to add stress to my daily life. It seems a lot harder to stay mad at someone, than to forgive them and move on. I am going to try to repeat the loving-kindness phrases whenever it seems necessary.

A source of difficulty in my life right now is the biological aspect. It definitely needs some work. I truly believe that if I can become a healthier person, I will essentially be happier.

Powerpoint Presentation: Mental Fitness

2011-09-26T11:24:00.001-07:00

<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_9430187"> <strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/stephgarvey/s-garvey-hw42001unit5project" title="S garvey hw420-01-unit5project" target="_blank">S garvey hw420-01-unit5project</a></strong> <iframe src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/9430187" width="425" height="355" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="padding:5px 0 12px"> View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/stephgarvey" target="_blank">stephgarvey</a> </div> </div>

The Subtle Mind

2011-09-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

I did not enjoy the Subtle Mind exercise as much as the Loving-Kindness exercise. Maybe it was just a bit to "subtle" for me to understand. It was frustrating because of all the dead air time. I enjoyed listening to Loving-Kindness track better due to the fact that there was more instruction. Maybe that is my problem; I need someone to tell me what to do. Interesting...

I believe it is important for a person to have all aspects of well-being. This is difficult to achieve, however. If one can accomplish this, though, I think they would be a happier, healthier person altogether. Spiritual wellness is important; I believe that everyone should believe in something, no matter what it may be. When a person finds whatever it is they are looking for, their mental and physical well-being will become more desirable. I know this is the case for me.

Loving-Kindness....

2011-09-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

This exercise was difficult for me to complete. I tried a couple times to listen to it in my house. No luck; there are too many distractions. Finally, I was driving to my parents' house, which is about 40 minutes away, and my daughter fell asleep in the backseat. Score! I popped it in, and I was able to listen to the entire two tracks without being interrupted. (No, it did not affect my ability to drive safely.) I would definitely recommend this to others, especially those who don't have the time to do it. :)

The "Mental Workout" refers to the ability to relax and focus one's mental well-being. Research shows that those able to do this are less stressed, and healthier in general. Exercises, such as the ones we were assigned this week, are a great way to start to attempt to foster a person's psychological health. I believe that by doing an similar exercise once a day, a person will be happier and healthier.

Mind, Body and Soul

2011-09-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal well-being, I will rate the physical, spiritual and psychological aspects of my life.

Physical: 7 Spiritual: 5 Psychological: 8

I like to think I am in pretty physically healthy, for the most part. There are some aspects of my life that I would like to "tweak." My goal is to make a point to be active for at least 30 minutes a day. I will make sure to include my family in my plans; I think that will help me achieve my goal.

Spiritually, I am at a stand still. My goal is to find a new church for me and my family to attend. Both my husband and I were active in our churches growing up, and I would like the same for my children. In order to achieve this, I will need to start doing some research on area churches.

I feel that, psychologically, I am doing okay. I have no major issues, and I have a wonderful support system to help me deal with my daily stresses. I guess my goal is to make sure that my life remains in this state of wellness, at least psychologically speaking.

Crime of the Century

I really enjoyed listening to the recording. It helped me to relax, if only for a few minutes. I actually have listened to it more than once the past few days. I tell my husband, "Leave me alone. I'm doing homework!" It was a bit frustrating, however, that the speaker just kind of leaves you hanging.

Peace of Mind....

2011-09-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

As I listened to the recording, I could gradually feel myself unwind a bit. (That's difficult for me to do!) By the time it had finished, I was (literally) asleep. I guess that just goes to show how stressed out and sleep deprived I actually am. I realize that I need to start taking a few minutes a day to just relax on my own.

This course is a breath of fresh air for me! It has already opened me up to the fact that their are other options available regarding health and wellness. (besides conventional medicine) Being a health sciences major, I have taken numerous classes that dealt with modern medicine, technology and statistics.

Our everyday lives (at least mine) are completely chaotic at times. Western medicine is not always convenient and/or effective. With the proper knowledge and resources at my fingertips, I am hoping I will be able to achieve some spiritual sanity!