Final Post

Health and wellness professionals must be well developed psychologically, spiritually, and physically because in order to teach others to become well, they must themselves be well. All three aspects are equally important because they interact with one another in complex and varied ways. For example, some people have trouble exercising to stay fit because psychologically, they are afraid of what others will think of them. On the other hand, some people exercise so frequently and vigorously that they don’t have time to address their psychological and emotional needs – or perhaps they exercise to avoid facing them. Whether a person is religious or not, spirituality is important because it helps to foster a sense of self and community, as well as beliefs. I personally need to develop spiritually more than anything else. In the past I considered myself devoutly Christian, and now I find that it’s a struggle to get myself to church (although I still hold the same beliefs). I also used to worship through song and dance, which I would like to incorporate into my life again.

 I’ll score myself in each realm on a scale of one to 10. Spiritually, I would give myself a five. This is because inwardly, I’m a very spiritual person, pray often, and find myself approaching situations with a spiritual mindset often. However, outwardly, I have a hard time expressing and further challenging my spirituality. Psychologically, I would score my wellness at an eight. I find myself to be very levelheaded and can usually talk myself through situations without becoming too angry, sad, or upset. Though I have my ups and downs (especially now that I’m pregnant), I feel that I’m happy with who I am as a person and where my life is going. Physically, I would give myself an eight as well. This isn’t necessarily because I’m more or less fit than I have been, but because my outlook on physical health and fitness has changed so dramatically (for the better) since I found out I was pregnant. I’m so much more comfortable with my body than I ever have been, which has allowed me to exercise with the focus of how I feel rather than how I look. I’m finding that exercise with this goal is much more rewarding.

My spiritual goal would be to write a worship song. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time, but working 40-hour weeks and doing school online (and carrying a child) has exhausted me to the point that I’m asleep nearly every time I’m not working on something! My psychological goal is to journal at least 3 times a week during my pregnancy. I find myself so much more relaxed after journaling – not to mention it tends to weed out many of my negative emotions. And finally, my physical goal is to challenge myself during my second trimester by taking one basic yoga class per week. Of course I won’t be able to do everything, but it will be good for me to be in that relaxing atmosphere and stretch my muscles a bit.

One practice to help foster growth in the spiritual area is to pray. I could achieve this by praying every night before bed with my husband. Another is to find a weekly spiritual community, like church or a small group, to challenge myself spiritually. Psychologically, a great practice would be to play a daily mind game like Sudoku or a crossword puzzle. Another good strategy is to take a different route than you’re used to – it challenges the brain and promotes new connections. As far as physical wellness is concerned, a great practice is to find an exercise you like and do it for five minutes a day – whether it’s running, jumping jacks, or planking. If you enjoy it, it’s not wasted time. Another is to meditate on a health-related mantra, such as “I can achieve anything I put my mind to” or “I am healthy, I am happy, I am me.”

Over the next six months, I will assess myself through journaling. Since one of my goals is to journal three times a week, this will be doubly effective! As time progresses, I can go back and see how far I’ve come and what needs more work. A good long-term strategy would be to make a weekly sheet and check off every time I achieve a small goal. Then, at the end of each month, I can treat myself to something like a new outfit or a massage. This will keep me motivated to continue moving forward!