Unit 10: Final Blog

This course is coming to an end and I am so sad to see it go! I hope that some of you will continue to post from time to time and check in. :)

       In Unit 3, my personal assessment of my psychological well-being was at a 6 because I was newer to this area being a military family and my social interaction has decreased. I will say that my psychological well-being has increased to about a 7. I increased my score because I have taken steps towards being more social and have reached out and have actually made a few "mommy" friends since starting this class. We don't get out and socialize very often, but we talk and text often and share experiences and ideas.

       My physical well-being has also improved. In Unit 3 I rated myself a 5 because I was dealing with post partum weight and I was a bit down about how out of shape I had gotten over the course of 9 months. Although I haven't lost much weight since Unit 3, I can say that my score increased to about a 7. Maybe this is more of a psychological thing, but I raised my score because I value my body more now. I may not be able to lose a bunch of weight just yet, but my body is doing something incredible by providing all the nutrients my daughter needs to survive. I may not look like I did a year ago, but I am content with how my body looks now considering I made a tiny human and I continue to nurture her through me. For that, I am very proud. But that still doesn't mean I'll be bikini shopping any time soon. ;)

       Spiritually I have to say I am the same. I rated myself a 6 in Unit 3 and I have to maintain that 6. Not because I feel any type of failure at being more spiritually sound, but because the more I learn about my spirituality, the more I realize I have so much more to learn and I have so much more spiritual growing to do. I am not disappointed by a 6 though. I've said before that I know that I have a long way to go to be spiritually close to God and for me, it's the spiritual journey and the things I learn about myself that I look forward too. I'd prefer not to rate myself on a scale of 1-10 on my spirituality though. :)

       As I've explained above, I have taken steps towards achieving my goals or I have changed my outlook and have definitely made progress towards them. I still plan on getting in better shape physically when my daughter isn't as dependent on me, and my goal is to still be able to leave my husband in the dust in a race. Spiritually, I do not have a numerical goal. It is to continue to grow in my walk with Jesus and learn more about Him, as well as learn more about myself and what I am capable of here on this earth. I do not believe I will ever be a 10. Jesus is a 10 and well, I'm no where near that. (I would like to say that I don't think that someone else who views themselves a 10 is wrong, I just look at spirituality differently... )

       I can honestly say that this course has been refreshing. I've said before that I think this class came at just the right time for me. I am so grateful for all I've learned in this course and I know that I will take all I've learned and carry it with me well into my future as well as teach what I've learned to my kids. I think the most difficult part of this course was having to pay attention to my "inner" self. So many times I find myself caught in a routine, just reacting to what goes on around me. This course has initiated a self awareness in me and although it's been beneficial, it has also been difficult to focus on myself and my thoughts and feelings. As a mother, I find that I am more concerned with my families thoughts and feelings and I tend to put my needs last. By taking better care of myself and my needs and paying attention to my "inner" self, I can be better prepared to assist others in what ever they may need from me.

       Thank you everyone for your encouragement and kind words throughout the last 10 weeks. I have enjoyed getting to know each of you through your blogs and discussion board posts and have learned so much through each of you! I wish everyone luck with their future endeavors!!

 

Jo

Unit 9 Project

I.                        Introduction:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?

Health and Wellness professionals need to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically in order to be able to fully understand the process of achieving integral health. A health professional needs to be able to empathize with a patient in order to be able to successfully facilitate healing. Without achieving or personally striving for integral health, a health and wellness practitioner cannot successfully teach or guide someone else towards achieving integral health.

My goals listed earlier in the term included losing weight, developing a closer relationship with God, and taking steps to getting over post- partum depression. During this term I feel that I have taken critical steps to getting closer to my goals as well as changing the focus of my goals.

My physical goals will take a while as I am currently breast feeding my daughter and extreme exercise and dieting will affect my milk supply. I have come to the conclusion that losing weight is not going to happen as quickly as I wanted, but I can still eat healthy and be moderately physically active.

Spiritually, my goal is not to achieve an end state, but to grow closer to God each and every day by learning from experiences, deepening my faith and trusting Him to guide my steps every day. I can do this by continuing to learn more about Him, actively praying, and recognizing the many blessings that I receive every day.

Psychologically, my goals are to be happy. My life has undergone a huge change in the last two years including getting married, moving across the country, and having a baby. My life is everything I’ve ever wanted it to be so my unhappiness does not stem from my circumstances. I am trying to find a balance in my life that includes my wonderful family, but some me-time as well. I have begun to reach out socially and make plans with the new friends I’ve made here and we have also joined a new church. My family has been very supportive and helpful with this part of my health.

II.                        Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

When I assess my spiritual, physical, and psychological health, I use the number scale 1 -10 as a visual for my progress with 1 being poor health and 10 being optimum health. Using the number scale helps me have a visual to keep in mind while I am working to achieving my goals.

            My spiritual health is always improving. I may stumble from time to time but the more I learn and experience life, the better my spiritual health becomes. However, with that being said, I realize that I am very far removed from God and that nothing I do can bridge that gap. I would rate my spiritual health at a 5/6 because I know that I have a long way to go to achieving optimum spiritual health.

            My physical health is slowing improving. I’ve been able to stop focusing on losing weight and redirect my focus on being healthy. In the beginning of the term I was more focused on my post baby weight and not as much on my health. As a result, my body had a negative effect that started to affect my daughter. I realized that the extra weight is important and when I started focusing more on being healthy for my daughter, the pounds started to slowly go down. I would currently rate my physical health at a 6 right now. Although I am healthy, I am not as strong and I tire easily. Over time I believe I will reach optimum health physically.

            My psychological health is also improving. I think that at this point in my life, I am happier and I feel more whole than I ever have. In the beginning of the term I was struggling with post-partum depression. I have since realized that post-partum depression does not define my whole psychological health. It is simply a part of the physical repercussions of bringing a new life into this world. I would rate my psychological health at an 8. Aside from momentary bouts of sadness or idleness, I am able to see the joy in my life, appreciate the little things that make my life meaningful, and enjoy my children to the fullest.

III.                        Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

My physical goal is to become healthier. Like I stated before, it was to lose weight, almost to the point of becoming obsessed with the scale. I’ve since changed my mindset and I feel like I have a healthier approach to my physical well-being. My goal physically is to be more active. I understand that the weight I gained from having my baby will eventually go down and permanently stay down by making life changes that include eating healthy and continuing to learn about the best foods for my body, and through physical activity that includes playing more with my kids, going on walks with my baby, and jogging with my husband. The summer time is fast approaching and we will be doing more nature activities like hiking and sight-seeing.

My psychological goal is a combination of goals: to be more social and most importantly, pay more attention to the here and now and not worry so much about our future. While I want to be proactive in reaching my goals, I do not want to lose myself in working so hard to attain those goals that I fail to make time to cherish the present. As my children grow up, they are also growing farther away. I know this is a natural process, but I’m having a hard time “letting go”. So, for my peace of mind I have set a goal of doing more social activities with other moms of new babies during the day while my older children are at school, and to be ready and available to spend time with or help my older kids when they come home from school.

My spiritual goal is an on-going goal. It isn’t necessarily a goal towards a final destination, but more to become more spiritually connected to my everyday life. This is being done by daily prayer with my children, by actively putting more faith in God and what His plan for me is, to continually learn about Jesus and His time here on earth so that I can try to live my life by His example. He was compassionate, empathetic, encouraging, accepting, forgiving, etc. I could go on and on. It is my goal to try and be like Him in every way, as well as be a living example for my children so they can learn to grow up and be loving, responsible adults. I guess you could say that my goal is the journey towards living a life of servitude and love. When I leave this place, I want people to know how much I loved them and how much I loved life.

IV.                        Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.

There are so many ways of fostering physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. The choices can be narrowed down depending on your lifestyle, cultural or spiritual preference, and geographical location.

One way of fostering physical growth can be done by healthy eating. Being mindful of the foods we put into our bodies can directly affect every other area of our life. Eating the right foods can reduce your risk of illness and disease and can have medicinal properties as well. For example, consuming a diet low in cholesterol can improve heart health and a diet high in fiber is good for gastrointestinal health. Making healthy choices can be done little by little to prevent an overwhelming sense of change. I started implementing healthier food choices by making one small change at a time. First, I paid attention to fats. I began to purchase foods with little to no transaturated or saturated fats and I began to cook with coconut oil instead of canola or vegetable oils. I also began to pay attention to the breads I was purchasing. I eliminated high fructose corn syrup from my purchases and now only eat breads made from whole grains. I plan on eventually making my own bread someday.

Another way of fostering physical growth is by increasing physical activity. Exercise can increase metabolism, clear your mind, increase energy levels and can have a positive effect on our mood among many other benefits. This can be done by joining a gym (and actually working out), joining a recreational league to play a sport, or even going for a daily walk or jog. At least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can have a drastic impact on your health. I have committed to at least a 30 minute walk with my daughter every day. On days that I have more time, in addition to my 30 minute walk, I have committed to doing a work-out video that I enjoy. Yes, I said enjoy. Not all work-out videos are created equal!

One way psychological health can be improved by becoming more social. When we are more social with other like-minded people, we are taking care of our mental health. Healthy amounts of human interaction can increase our endorphins which are the “feel good” hormones we need to be happy. This can be done by joining a group of other individuals with the same interests as you, joining a church and getting plugged into serving others, or planning after hour events with friends and co-workers. I have taken a step towards good psychological health by joining a new church and joining a “mommy and me” group to meet up chat with other mothers of new babies.

            Another way psychological health can be improved is by meditating. Meditation is a great way to become fully aware of our own thoughts and feelings as well as a way to recognize our own healing abilities. When we can learn to fully accept our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we can begin to heal mentally, physically, and emotionally. In addition to self-healing, contemplative practice can help us to understand others and show loving kindness to the outside world. Since beginning this term, I have begun to meditate at night before bed. I take about an hour of sitting in my rocker with my baby as she falls asleep to reflect on the wonderful blessings that I have been given. I take the time to think about the different people in my life, near and far, and to give a moment of thanks for them. As hard as it is, I even try to be thankful for the people who do not bring much joy to my life. It is these people that teach me the greatest lessons and push me to grow.

Fostering spiritual growth can be done in many ways. One way is by prayer. For me, prayer is a way of communicating with my Heavenly Father. In a way, prayer and meditation can be one in the same. Prayer can be done anytime and anywhere and does not require a special skill to do. I have found that the more I pray, the more connected I am and the less I need to worry. Prayer is a constant reminder that I am not in charge and that regardless of where my life takes me, I am never alone. This gives me a great sense of peace and feeling of belonging. In turn, I feel much more connected spiritually with those around me.

Another way to foster spiritual growth is by taking time to be out in nature. Nature walks can bring on a sense of inner calm. This calm is a good time to reflect on your life and to see that there is so much wonder and beauty in this world. Nature walks or hiking make me feel close to God. When I am in the mountains or exploring nature I am able to take my focus off of my everyday worries and focus on something that is much bigger than me. I find myself in awe of the beauty in this world and I am filled with gratefulness for being a part of this world.

V.                        Commitment:
How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

Assessing my progress physically can be done by noting the way I feel, how my energy levels are, and how my clothes fit. My goal is to be more energetic, become healthier, and eventually lose weight. I plan on limiting how many times I step on the scale and instead paying more attention to how I feel, physically and mentally. My psychological health is not something I am sure I can monitor. The only way I can possibly do that would be to keep a journal of my thoughts and feelings on a day to day basis. This way in six months I can reflect on how much I have or have not changed and make any necessary changes. I am not sure how I can measure my progress spiritually other than also keeping a journal. Keeping a journal can help me keep tabs on both my psychological health and my spiritual health. I think this can only work if I am truly honest and thorough in documenting my thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Brief review of exercises and the ones I like the best.

Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.

The two exercises that I found most beneficial to me were the Journey on Relaxation and the latest visualization exercise. I have done the Journey on Relaxation several times and have really started noticing a difference in my demeanor. I am usually a pretty calm person, but having a family of five means I am always on the go, and if things don't go as I work so hard to plan, then I tend to get a bit frazzled. I am finding myself taking changes in my plans with a grain of salt. I can look at the situation and I know that it will be okay, regardless of the change, and that it's really "all good". It's been a nice change that has other people noticing as well.

The latest exercise was beneficial to me because it brought me back to the most important things in my life: my family and my health. When things in my life aren't going as planned, or I am feeling down and out, focusing on what brings me happiness, makes me feel whole, and my own vitality brings me back to what matters most. This is a very important exercise and I think that many people would benefit from focusing more on their blessings, rather than the things that are out of their control. This is an exercise that I will definitely be doing with my children on a weekly basis. During the week we do bible studies in the morning. When we do this, it starts our day on a positive note and we take that time to focus on something other than ourselves. I think if I start implementing this exercise on Saturday mornings then we can carry those good feelings on into the weekend. I think ending the week with focus on things that brought happiness, wholeness, and positive energy to us the week prior is a great way to give thanks for the blessings of that week.

Trying to meet Mr. Aesclepius

• Complete the Meeting Aesclepius mp3 (located in the Doc Sharing area). Describe your meditative practices for the week and discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?

Well, I have to say that so far, this exercise was by far the worst for me. I started by imagining my grandmother, who has been a  constant source of wisdom, unconditional love, support, and friendship to me. That wasn't so difficult. But again, my mind kept wandering and I just couldn't get into it. I'm usually very open and receptive to these exercises but every time I attempted to do it I would get really annoyed. It could be because I haven't had a quiet moment in this house yet this week. My husband has been off of work and as wonderful and amazing and awesome as he is, the man can't sit down and relax. This means he's been a busy body, cleaning around me, turning on the t.v. every time I turn it off, talking on the phone, clanking dishes around, and constantly interrupting me to ask various questions. I adore him being home, but I really miss my quiet time. Aside from the aggravations during this particular exercise, I can say the mindfulness meditations have definitely had an active role in encouraging me to be more spiritual and "present" in my actions and words as well as how I react to others actions and words. For example, instead of reacting or responding automatically, I feel like I am much more aware of the meaning of my words/actions and I am paying more attention to the meaning behind things my children are saying to me. This may or may not have anything to do with the mindfulness meditation exercises that I have been doing lately, but I believe that because I have been much more aware and sensitive to the meaning behind actions and words I have realized that my son is dealing with more than just teen moodiness and the usual hormone changes. He has been increasingly sensitive and easy to anger, crying fits for no apparent reason, he has been withdrawing himself and is not enjoying the things he once did, and he has isolated himself from his friends. We have come to the conclusion that my son is very possibly suffering from teenage depression. Once I was able to research this topic more, I felt confident that is what we have been dealing with. After a talk with my son about it, he actually seems more at ease knowing that he isn't crazy, but that he is dealing with something very real. I will know if my suspicions are correct when we see the doctor next week, but I am already preparing myself, my family, and my son and making changes to help him get through this. I want to continue on this road to wellness and I can only fully do that if my family takes this journey with me. I have been sharing what I've learned with my family and have been getting them involved as well. Of course they are a bit skeptical, but even the worst critics can be swayed! :)

• Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477). How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?

This saying means that you can't really lead someone through the process of health and wellness without actually have gone through it yourself. I have never been an "obese" person, however, I have personally struggled with weight and I can understand the frustration of trying to lose weight an the effort it takes to make lifestyle changes in order for the weight to stay off and live a healthier life. I believe that anyone in the health and wellness field has an obligation to their clients to be a living example of healthy living. I don't think this means to be perfect, but I think this means to be well balanced in every aspect of their life. I can't counsel my clients to eat healthy, and make healthy choices if I go through a drive-thru everyday after work. Just as a personal trainer needs to work at keeping his or her body in shape and learning about the body and the benefits of being physically active, a nutritionist needs to work at continually educating themselves on the effects that food has on the body and practicing eating well. I also believe that being physically healthy can't fully be done without having a healthy social life, being happy, and actively pursuing an active relationship with God. If we want to have integral health we need to be healthy and happy in every aspect of our lives. I am still trying to obtain this so I am not going to claim to be "there" yet. But I think I am on the right path towards integral health. Although I do have a looong way to go. I don't think I will every fully reach perfect integral health, but I think the journey will continue to be amazing. :)

 

Jo

Unit 6: Loving Me :)

1. Practice the universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise on p. 93.
2. Complete the Integral Assessment discussed in chapter 11 (p.115).
3. Describe the exercise and assessment process. What did you discover about yourself? What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why? What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

          I had a hard time practicing the universal Loving Kindness meditation and the Integral Assessment this week. First off, it was hard to follow the directions and read at the same time. So, I recorded myself reading it. Then I couldn't focus because of how weird my voice sounded. Then, I finally started to get past the weirdness of my own voice to really focus on what the Loving Kindness exercise was about. I felt like I could really understand what I was saying. For me, repeating these phrases was like saying a prayer. So I prayed for freedom from suffering, and sustained health, happiness, and wholeness for myself and all those around me. I discovered during these prayers that I truly do want these things. I felt myself praying with deep emotion for this peace to come into this rotten world.

         Then....I couldn't decide what part of myself needed focus of growth and development. Is it psychospiritual? Biological? Interpersonal? Worldly? I came to the conclusion that I need growth and development on all of the above. Next, my dilemma was which one do I need most? I tend to over think most things and this apparently was not going to be any different. I found myself drifting off to the different areas of my life that I need to improve. Not the just areas that need improvement. Areas that I, me, myself, need to make improvements on. First let me say that I have a wonderful life. A loving and devoted husband; A super awesome, respectful, funny teenager (how many people can brag on that?!); A ridiculously sweet 10 year old boy who loves his mama with all his might; A precious little 3 month old muffin with an adorable gummy grin that I am so blessed to be able stay home with; and two cattle dog fur children who greet me with crazy enthusiasm every day. So with all these blessings, I feel almost unworthy of them. The things that matter most to me are seemingly perfect! So that means that all of the improvements that need to be made are within myself. I need to nurture my relationship with Jesus, to grow closer to Him for not only myself, but so that I can be an example to my children. I need to get healthier and back in shape, for myself, my husband, and again,  that I can be an example of healthy living for my kids. I need to nurture my friendships, especially when I can tend to be a hermit and seclude myself from those that care about me. I need to work on following through. When I start something, I need to dedicate 150% to finishing the "mission" as my husband, Captain Nettles, would say. :)

        The more I contemplated these things in prayer or meditation, the more I realized that it mostly boils down to loving myself. Loving myself has always been difficult for me. If we were to get into all the psychological reasons for it, which we won't, it makes perfect sense. I have come a long way from the lost, abused, insecure little girl I once was but I still have a long way to go. I think that continuing on the path that I am on and incorporating more exercises like meditation into my daily life, I will learn to love myself thoroughly and in turn, the areas of my life that need improvement will begin to fall into place. I feel so much love in my life and I love so fiercely that it's hard to imagine that I have a hard time loving myself. I have a God who sacrificed so much for me! Focusing on Him through prayer and meditation will continue to help me heal and allow me to fully enjoy all the blessings I have been given. :)

The Subtle Mind and Spiritual Wellness

Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

 

          The Loving-Kindness exercise was okay until we were instructed to inhale other people's pain and suffering. Like I said last week, I was not okay with that since that is something I've always been taught against doing. The Subtle mind exercise was more focused on breathing and just being. I had a hard time with this for different reasons than the Loving-kindness exercise.In comparison to the Loving-kindness exercise, the Subtle Mind exercise seemed easier at first. I thought "oh, breathing, I can do this". Then my mind would take off and I would think about the picture day money I needed to send to school with my youngest son the next day and the produce I needed to order from our food co-op. Then, as I would start to fall asleep, I would start to have very strange dream like scenarios run through my head.   If my mind wasn't wandering, I was falling asleep. I did this exercise three different times at three different times of day. Obviously, I need more sleep...lol! After three sessions I still could not achieve a stillness and I had a hard time refocusing on my breath once my mind would wander. I think I will try this exercise several more times before I quit it altogether. This is something I know I would benefit from if I can master it! I do have a very busy mind! I never did fully get to the calm-abiding part. When she said to let my mind float, I was frustrated because I was still desperately trying to tame my mind. :/

 

Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

 

          A person who is looking to find spiritual wellness is able to find a balance between their thoughts and beliefs and the social and physical aspects of their life. To have spiritual wellness means to be fully tolerant and accepting of others, including those who think differently from them. They experience more peace as a result which also reflects a healthier mental and physical state. I am by no means going to say that I am spiritually "there", but I will say that this is something I work very hard towards. As I've stated before, I am a believer and look to Jesus as my role model. Jesus accepted everyone and loved freely, even those who persecuted Him. For me, this is the perfect example of spiritual wellness. Since becoming a believer, I do have a certain peace inside and the things and people who used to bother me no longer do. I do not get easily angered and the people who used to upset me or just plain annoy me, I now have a new patience for. I noticed a difference in my job right away. I used to be a stylist/massage therapist (well, I still am. I'm just pausing for now...) and in the salon world there is a whole lot of drama. It was in the middle of this part of my life where I found this peace and I immediately noticed a change when I stopped letting people upset me. My appointment book became fuller and my tips got bigger. I know that this was a result of the way I had changed. No one around me changed, it was simply me changing the way I perceived things. When I changed my spiritual wellbeing, I was happier mentally and felt better physically as well. I realized that people and circumstances may be out of our control, but we can change the way these things affect us simply by changing the way we receive them. For me, it began as a simple step towards spiritual wellness. And I didn't even know it at the time! :)

 

Jo

I am a Unique, Precious, Expression of Life...

Describe your experience. Did you find it beneficial? Difficult? Why or why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or why not?

 

Ok, so the Loving-Kindness exercise wasn't my favorite. I can say that the beginning of it was a breeze. Imagining a loved one close to my heart was easy. All of my children give me that warm, fuzzy, feeling of love when I think of them. Of course, as of late, I've had a miniature human being attached to me 90% of the time and this time was no different. Coralyn was asleep on my chest, wrapped snuggly in my Moby wrap. Next, I had to turn the feelings of love inward towards myself. That was a bit difficult, but okay, I tried it. For some strange reason I had thoughts of being sexually abused as a child and I realized it is much more difficult to feel those feelings for myself. I accepted this as a benefit of the exercise and thought, okay, this is what the exercise is about. Then I was instructed to visualize a loved one's pain and suffering, but I did not agree with the notion to inhale their pain and suffering. I understand that we are not literally doing this, but as a massage therapist I was always taught to maintain a certain boundary in order to keep other people's negative energy at bay. I do not agree with taking in negativity, even if it is for someone else's benefit. So honestly, after that, I kind of drifted off. I did tune into the "Unique, Precious, Expression of Life" though. That really stuck with me. ;) I plan on using that phrase, especially when my husband shows a bit of frustration with my lack of organizational skills....Ha!

 

I probably wouldn't recommend this exercise to others because it seemed a bit "out there" for most people. I am familiar with these types of exercises and am very open minded to them, but I don't think most people would be. Another reason is because I felt there was too much time in between. I kept opening my eyes to check my computer and my mind kept drifting off to the fact that my butt was falling asleep, and I was getting hungry again. These are things you don't want to think about while doing a Loving-Kindness type of exercise. ;)

 

What is the concept of "mental workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

 

The concept of a "mental workout" is similar to that of a physical workout. In order to start having loving, positive things happen in your life, you need to start with loving, positive thoughts. That does not happen without conscious effort to create space in your mind for positive things. Human flourishing cannot happen without contemplative practice. Just as an athlete cannot achieve Olympian level of fitness without daily exercise, one cannot live a psychospiritual life with all its benefits without daily practice. Health, happiness, and wholeness are the proven benefits of a daily mental workout.

 

I actually do practice mental workouts on a daily basis and I didn't realize it until very recently. Every morning (well, almost) my children and I have a small devotion or bible study and we each say something positive that we can each take with us from it. And every study ends with a talk of love and different ways we can show love in our day to day life.  We talk about the importance of loving ourselves. I push this on my children because they are rapidly approaching a time in their life where peer pressure is stronger than ever, insecurities rise, and self confidence drops. I am always worried that I will not have talked to them enough and that my mistakes in life will follow through into my children's lives. I didn't realize until recently that these things are important for me too. I need to be an example to my children because they learn most from example. I think that our morning talks have helped me as much as I hope that they help them. :)

Just Us! (Pictures)

 

I just wanted to share with you all some pictures of my family and my newest addition. :)

 

 

 

 

The day after my daughter was born. 1/13/13

 

 

My daughter: 4 days old

 

 

A quiet moment: 6 weeks old

 

 

8 weeks old

 

 

My sweet girl and me: 9.5 weeks old

 



 

Easter Sunday: 11 weeks old

 

 

 

My Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Wellness

Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

I would rate my physical well being as a 5. I chose a 5 only because I just had a baby and I am definitely not in the shape I was in before I conceived. Prior to being pregnant I was very active. I rode my bicycle to run errands, up to 12 miles one way a day, 4 days a week. I ran 3.5 miles a day, and I did the Insanity workout. Why I thought I was in poor shape then, I don't know. I am just getting back to running and am happy to say that I ran my 3.5 mile route twice this week!  Another reason I chose 5 is because I went clothes shopping this week. Nothing brings on post partum depression quite like pant shopping in sizes double what you used to be....lol!

I rate my spiritual well-being as a 6. I consider myself a very spiritual person and yet, I fall so short. This is something I am working on and learning more about every day. Before starting this class I was taking two other classes. I was extremely overwhelmed and falling into a dark depression. I have never stopped taking classes before and have taken up to 3 at one time, but something just wasn't right. It's funny the way life works out sometimes. Since starting this class and getting back in touch with mind/body awareness, I have felt better, and have been making daily strides in balancing my spiritual, physical, and psychological self.

I rate my psychological well being at a 6 also. We are new to our area and I am a new stay at home mom. I am used to being around adults and socializing on a daily basis. I love and adore my husband and kids but I find myself a bit lost at home, without the social interaction that I had before. Earlier this week I joined a mommy group and did my first mommy group workout. I've never done that before and I have to say it was a blast! I left there feeling so pumped up but also realized just how much having a social life is important to my well-being.

Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).
What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

My goal physically is to lose weight. Sounds simple, but it has been a challenge for me since I hit my 30's. Physically, I want to be able to increase my speed and gain my strength back. Also, my goal is to be able to beat my husband in a race. I used to be faster than him in a sprint and I know that when I am able to leave him in the dust, I will have gotten my groove back. :)

My spiritual goal is a bit more complicated. I know that realistically I will never be at a 10, however, my goal will always to strive for a 10. My goal spiritually will be the journey of trying to reach that level. To experience all I can, to grow closer to God through those experiences (bad and good), and to have absolute faith in every aspect of my life. When people meet me, I want them to instantly recognize that I am a follower and a believer. Without being self righteous or pushing people away of course. To love without limits and to show love to everyone I meet.

My psychological goal will be to take physical steps in getting past this funk I've been in. Call it depression if you will. I want to force myself to meet more people here and become more social without impeding on time with my family. I took steps towards that this week and am excited to keep it going.

Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century. To hear this exercise, click here. Describe your experience. (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

My first thought during the exercise was "this does not have anything to do with the crime of the century". I still don't see the connection....lol! This time around I did not fall asleep. But I did have to focus very hard to...well, focus. I had to restart it a couple times in order to really hear what he was telling me to do. My daughter got hungry so I ended up feeding her during the exercise. She became very calm as well and just sat there with her eyes wide open listening to the speaker. Once I was able to relax I was able to really feel the light. At one point during the indigo blue part, I touched the spot between my eyes and felt that spot tingle the whole time he was talking. I also swear I saw a little butterfly, clear as day while my eyes were closed. It lasted only about 10 seconds or so, but it was really cool. I know, sounds kind of cuckoo but it happened! I plan on sitting my kiddos down to listen to this with me and do this exercise. The part of being loved and most importantly showing love was very moving to me. This is something I have been talking to my boys about since they were little. They fight a lot, and yet, are able to be gracious and loving outside of our home. I know that sibling rivalry is normal, but if they can master showing love to each other during not-so-loving times, than when it is time for them to leave our home and be out in the world on their own, they will be able to approach all situations, including the negative ones, with love.

Journey on Relaxation

Relaxation? Hold on while I scan my brain for the definition of that word. I vaguely recognize it...

Before the life of a stay at home mom,  I was a full time working, single mother of two busy boys. I was also a massage therapist, massage therapy instructor, and cosmetologist. As a teacher I did these exercises before many classes and loved the relaxed, happy feeling that filled my classroom before we got into our lessons. So, I have to say that when I first read about this exercise I figured, "Oh, one of those; Too easy!"...Well, I was wrong.

Some of you know that I had a baby about 10 weeks ago. This is my third precious gift from God and at first I was like "Oh, one of those; Too easy!"...Well, let me just say that this has been no easy task. She is my first girl, and she likes to do things the hard way, like most of us ladies (whether we like to admit it or not). My sweet little princess likes to party like a rock star all night and eat like a champ. This leaves me with very little sleep. REM sleep? What's that?!

With that being said, the "Journey on Relaxation" put me to sleep three times before I could actually focus and finish the exercise. Now I know what to do before I go to sleep at night. Hey, if I'm only going to get 2 hour stretches, it can be quality, right? It was very cool to be able to visualize the blood flowing into my hands and arms and just as cool to feel the dilation in my abdomen as I visualized the blood returning to my GI tract. Also, I'm sure I've heard it a bazillion times, but I did not remember that our Gastrointestinal tract held 80% of our blood, although it does make sense. Also, I have had some severe back pain since giving birth in January and for the first time in days (weeks??), I was able to visualize that pain gone and really, truly relax. The connection between the mind and body always blows my mind.

I plan on using this exercise more regularly. Hey, I wasn't kidding about doing this exercise before my much needed two hour block of sleep.... ;)

Jo

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! Healthy living is very important to me and my family. I have a long family history of unhealthy lifestyles and illnesses and I promised myself that I would live as healthy a life as possible for myself and for my children. I have learned through personal experience that mind and body are in direct connection with each other and that when you are happy mentally and spiritually, your body will reflect happiness with good health. I look forward to figuring out this blogging stuff and getting to know each of you as well!

Cheers!

Jo