Unit 9
Project and Blog Post – John DeLeon
1)
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?
a) It is
important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically,
spiritually and physically. It is
evident that the work of human flourishing is not cerebral in terms of
knowledge/intellect. Much of the work that is done has to do with the heart/soul. Because the process of self-discovery and
spiritual/psychological development is somewhat ethereal, it has to be imparted
from an experiential standpoint. In
addition, one can easily determine or feel when a person had done the work for
themselves. It is apparent in their energy (aura) and in the way they conduct
themselves. People who have achieved higher levels of human flourishing radiate
light and love. It makes for a more compelling example of what is possible when
a professional can speak from that space.
b) The two
primary areas I need to develop further are nutrition and exercise. I also need
to maintain a consistent practice as it relates to meditation, spirituality and
personal development. I must remind myself that the journey of enlightenment
does not have a destination. To some
degree, I’m resting on my laurels and hanging my present on past achievements.
I once heard someone say, “You can coast upwards.”
2)
Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your
wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
a) The way I assess my health in each domain is by
doing a personal inventory of where I am and most importantly, how am I
feeling. Emotions are a very telling
indicator of my progress. I also need to be very honest with myself.
b) On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, I would
rate myself a follows: Spiritually (6); Physically (4); Psychologically (7).
3)
Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological
(mental health) and Spiritual.
a) Physical: one of my goals is to exercise a minimum
of six times per week including cardio and resistance training. I’m also
considering Yoga. I’ve tried it a few times and it hasn’t moved me, but I will
not give up on the practice. I hear many great things about it and yoga might
be a great way for me to challenge myself by bridging the gap between my
physical and spiritual being – if one actually exists.
b) Psychological Health: one of my goals is to talk to
a mental health professional, not because I think my life is not going well,
but to calibrate and provide feedback on where I am headed. Mental health
professional have an uncanny way of asking the right questions to help me go
deep into identifying the real issues that challenge me. I had one before and I think it’s time for me
to revisit seeing one as a regular practice.
c) Spiritual: Being heavy into the Christian Sciences
(New Thought) sparked my spiritual journey in ways that I never anticipated. My
objective for 2012 is to join a community of like-minded individuals to support
me in my journey of integral health. I
would also be able to impart from my experience to help others with theirs.
4)
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.
a) Physical: I need to “Just Do It!” I know the rewards
and most importantly I can benefit physically from the practice. Establishing a
support network of people to help me with my goals of exercising six times a
week and maintaining a diet that provides proper nourishment is important. I
also plan to partner with a friend to run a half marathon, which will provide
me with a goal/cause I can benefit from.
b) Psychological: I will engage in the practice of
journaling daily as I have seen the benefits from this class. Journaling will
help to calm my mind and reveal the thoughts I’m holding in consciousness. And
as mentioned previously, I will seek the guidance of a mental health
professional, which will serve as a sounding board to discuss where I am, where
I am headed and receive suggestions on how I can further improve.
c) Spirituality: the practice of daily meditation and
visualization is important to me and I will continue doing it. I also plan to
reconnect with a spiritual community and take on a service commitment where I
participate in a healing practice.
Helping others helps me learn more about myself and further expand my
consciousness.
5)
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?
a) The best part of being self-aware is the ability to
know your weaknesses or areas for improvement, as I like to view them. My greatest area for improvement is my
ability to isolate and not engage others. Knowing this, my intention is to seek
others more in the achievement of my strategies. My other area for improvement is consistency.
Having a mindset and a daily practice that I must do something every day to
contribute towards my integral health will help me. I realize that human
flourishing cannot be achieved through instant gratification; it’s going to
require work. Once I build a cadence, it
will become less arduous and more of a step closer towards human flourishing.
From my experience, the best way to assess how well I am doing is to determine
how good I am feeling. It is known that two of the primary human objectives are
to avoid pain and seek pleasure. I believe I am here to seek joy as a result of
everything I do. The level of love,
peace and joy I experience is the best barometer of how well I’m progressing in
my journey.
