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?
I am not a health and wellness professional in the traditional sense. I am a registered nurse but I believe that the same principle applies. It is a matter of “healer, heal thyself”. I cannot be an effective provider of healthcare, if I am not engaged in health practices myself. I suspect the same is so for a wellness coach, nutrition counselor, or fitness trainer. Professionals in these areas must be actively engaged in their own health practices in order to instruct or guide others through the process.
My personal goals that need further development include making time for regular exercise. It can be a challenge with my long work hours, school and family but I find it necessary for my overall state of well-being. I also want to make more time for peaceful contemplation or quite time. Being able to be still with myself is also important to my well-being. My spiritual goals I do not discuss openly.
2. Assessment: How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
I assess each domain by regularly evaluating what I am doing, thinking and saying that is not serving me well and eliminating those people, places, things, thoughts and habits that don’t provide a sense of well-being. I don’t think I can score my wellness spiritually, physically or psychologically because I believe that wellness in these areas in an on-going process, that all are interconnected and that all require attention for as long as we live. We never reach a place where we get a perfect score. I can only say that I am actively engaged in the improvement process and work to address each area in some way every day.
3. Goal development: List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
As mentioned previously, my physical goal is to increase my activity level. I bore easily in my fitness routine so I have to vary my exercise. Thankfully, I live in the mountains and with warmer temperatures I am able to get out and walk and hike-which is good for my body, mind and spirit.
My psychological goal is to have more quiet time for contemplation. My work as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is very stressful and I need this time to decompress from the day and renew my mind and spirit. It is a challenge to find time for this with all of my obligations but necessary for my overall health. I need to make the commitment to give this quiet time the same level of importance as all of my other obligations.
My spirituality is something that I don’t really discuss openly and choose not to address any specific goals related to my spirituality in a school paper or blog. My beliefs and practices are very sacred to me and feel that those things need to remain private.
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.
My strategies for physical health are really just a commitment to move my body every day and to eat fresh foods whenever possible. My conversion to vegetarianism several years ago, has contributed greatly to my health.
My strategies for emotional health are to make time for quiet contemplation and to keep balance between work, school and play. I have booked a beach cottage for a week at the end of this semester so that I can relax completely for a while. Making it a point to enjoy time away from home and work is also an important strategy. Technology has also blurred the line between the home and work, so being able to turn off my cell phone and computer is also an important strategy for my emotional health.
My strategies for spiritual health are sacred and very private and will not be explored here or on my blog.
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?
I will continue to assess my progress the way that I already do, through constant attention. For me my mind,body and spiritual health is dependent on a balance of all three. Since all of these areas are essentially one and the same, I can’t have wholeness if any part is out of balance. As I write this, I know that I am out of balance because of the way my energies feel. I am in the process of shedding some thoughts and habits that are not serving me well, in order to bring that balance back. As I grow and develop as a person, I will continue to frequently re-evaluate those areas of my life that contribute to balance to determine if they still serve me. When I am feeling small imbalances throughout the day, I look inward and ask my body what is causing the imbalance. If I am still, it will always tell me what needs attention-whether it is more water, more exercise, an emotion, a specific energy center, etc. I will continue to use this process to evaluate and address my health and wholeness.
It is no secret that I am not a supporter of Dr. Dacher’s theory on human flourishing but in his final chapter he says something that fully resonates with me. “If human life is endowed with a spark of the Divine, it would most certainly reveal itself as the highest and best in us. There can be little doubt that our highest and best is our capacity for self-reflection, penetrating wisdom, and universal loving-kindness. If we choose to ripen these qualities, their essence will flow into each aspect of our lives” (Dacher, 2006). Namaste.
