At the beginning of this course I did not know what to expect. If I would truly gain anything from it or how I would feel doing all these exercises and practices. As I completed each unit, read our text and did the exercises I realized how important holistic and integral health is to the human body, mind and spirit. On my journey I discovered that it is important to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in our lives in order to achieve happiness, genuine wholeness and health. In order to help other’s we as professionals must be able to understand all aspects of health and wellness. How do we help those in need if we have not achieved those goals our self. I am a firm believe that we can not judge others unless we have been in their shoes. With this being said if we don’t have the correct out look on our lives psychologically, spiritually and physically we have no right to preach about holistic and integral health.
In my life I like to say I live on a rollercoaster, lots of ups, downs and crazy twist, turns and loops. I have many goals in my life: educational, professional, relationships and family are all my topic goals I have set. In order to achieve them I must be on the right path to achieve and strive for human flourishing. I believe that I need to improve on all three of these aspects psychologically, spiritually and physically. I must not allow all the negative energy to overcome my mind. Psychologically I need to replace the hurt, pain and suffering of my life with more positive way of thinking. The past is the past and I can only learn from my experiences and work at become a better mother, daughter and friend. Spiritually I believe I have a great understand of my higher power, that I know he guides me through my journey here on earth but I would like to become more aware of my inner thought process and gain inner peace within myself. In order to develop physically I must tell myself that I am worth living a healthy life and try to achieve my goals through exercise, mediation and nutrition. All three of these are extremely important for us on our path to human flourishing. We must realize how each of these affect us mentally, physically and emotional and discover that there is a better way to live our lives and that is with happiness, wholeness and health.
This assessment of me is difficult to do. I look at where I have been in the past and where I am in my present. If I where to of scored myself before this course I would of flunked myself but now that I have a better understand of what is truly important in my life I would score my spiritual growth at a 5, physically at a 7 and psychologically at a 7. I have had a lot of loss in my life and had lost focus of what was truly important. I’d say this course has been a reality check for me and my family. I have a better outlook on my goals and I know that I can achieve anything I set my mind to, I allow myself to have more patients and see that each domain affects my mind, body and soul.
My goals have changed recently because my priorities have changed. One physical goal I have set for myself is to start exercising. I realize that when I exercise I feel better about myself and have more self confidence and self esteem. When one feels good on the inside they will shine on the outside and I believe this is an important tool for integral health. My psychological goal is to change my mind set. Allow the little things to not bother me, to listen to others open mindedly and no sweat the small stuff in my life. I need to shrug all the negatives off and replace my thoughts with positive growth. My goal spiritually is to start attending church and turn more to my higher power when I feel defeated. I feel that by combining all three of these goals together I have a better chance of achieving and fostering integral health and human flourishing.
The strategies I can implement to foster growth in my physical wellness is I have decided to take a kick boxing class. I decided even though I use the excuse I do not have time, it is important to make time for myself. It will allow me to reduce the stress in my everyday life while getting more physically fit. I have been working more on implementing my growth psychological. Each morning I have been staying in bed 15 to 20 minutes long and completing my mediation exercises. I have fostered in subtle mind practices and loving kindness exercises. I have found this to be very beneficial to my outlook on each day. It gives me time to focus on myself and what I need to do to accomplish the stress of my day. Staying focused only on the positives aspects of my life and it gives me a stronger foundation. One practice I have started doing more to become more connected spiritually is praying. I have not prayed often in my life but have realized that I need to connect more with my spiritual side. This has giving me a greater sense of inner peace.
I am planning to track my progress by journaling and blogging. I have discovered that I enjoy writing what I feel down. It gives me an outlet to my emotions and feelings. I can express what is happening in my life, the good, the bad and the crazy. I feel that my biggest strategy will be to stay on track with my goals. Now that I have a better understand of health, wellness and effects it has on me I plan to achieve health, happiness and wholeness.
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteYou have come a long way into your journey toward integral health. When you stay in bed for an extra 20 minutes to meditate, do you set an alarm clock? Is it by your bed or on a table across the room? How do you keep from falling back to sleep? Just curious, I would like to do that myself.
I understand what you mean when you express how experiencing loss had affected your sense of prioritizing. I also have had a series of life-changing losses and really needed this course to help re-align me. I see a big change in myself as well.
It's great that you plan to continue Blogging and have found it to be rewarding and fun! You express yourself well, and I will keep up with your writings.
Staying on track with our goals is one of the biggest factors for us, since the ebb and flow of our emotional lives can try to alter our priorities. Consistency is our key to growth and I wish you the very best!
You know I alo have chosen to journal in a diary it helps to be able to look abck at where you have come from and to be able to get a glimpse of where you are headed. Staying in bed for thoe extra 20 minutes is beneficial because you won't start your day in chaotic rush that doe not stop. I will admit at the begining of this class I kind of felt I had made a mistake by signing up for this class but I told myself take the challenge. I am glad I did.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa
ReplyDeleteI believe that I have changed from the first time i started with the blogging up into this last post that we had to do.
I always wanted to take up a kick boxing class how is it?
Journaling is a wonderful way to get your feelings out on paper. When I was younger I use to write in a diary. As I got older i moved into a journal. It is a very good natural release of stress.
Prayer is a personal spiritual connection between you and your religious creator. I take my time with my prayer and it helps me with everything I am going thru.