Unit 10

1. When reviewing my ratings for my Unit 3 postings I would have to say I'm still at the same number for each of the three. Physical is 8, psychological is 7, and spiritual is at a 6. My reasoning for this is because before putting into motion a lot of the things I have planned I wanted to finish this class. Of course, I have implemented concepts into my life, but I really wanted the whole course to sink in before taking the major step.

2. For my goals in each area I have only been able to hit my physical goal of 100 pushups in a minute. I have definitely made progress in the other two by not getting worked up so easily, and making peace with my mistakes. I just feel as if I still have a lot of work to do before I say I'm at where I ultimately want to be.

3. The activities I have set for each area I have been working hard on. I have been getting great sleep at night to help my body properly recover, and allow me to get back in the gym the next day refreshed. I haven't partaken in any meditation or yoga sessions, but I have been taking a look where the best places in my area are to do so. The last goal I have tried a number of times since unit 3, and taking a walk in the park has done wonders for my mind.

4. This course has been awesome! It was a totally new experience, and none like what I was expecting. This has been the most intriguing as well as unique class I have taken so far in my year and a half at Kaplan. I have definitely made strides in improvements in my overall well-being sine the beginning of this course. The entire class has been rewarding, but understanding all the concepts and material has definitely been the most challenging. This class will help me share my experiences and new knowledge with future clients, family, and friends.

Unit 9 Post

Final Project:

I.

            In the three major aspects for health and wellness professionals (physical, spiritual, and psychological) it is important to have a well-rounded understanding of all three. A quality understanding of these three isn’t just the only we need as professionals, but we must also continuously work to improve these in our lives as well. In order to provide quality care for our clients we must practice what we preach. We cannot expect those learning from us if we cannot prove to them that we are on point in these three areas ourselves. I would really like to develop in the spiritual and psychological aspects the most because I feel that is where I lack the most. My physical area is very strong, and I have great tools to continue my improvement in this area.

II.

            When assessing my health in each domain I first take a look at what each of the three entail. After studying what it truly means to be at the top of my game in each I can begin checking off what areas I am strong in, and where I have weaknesses in. When assessing my scores in each area I would first start with my physical well-being. I would have to give myself a solid 8. I have always taken very good care of myself, but I do however believe there is always room for improvements. For my spiritual well-being I would have to rate it a 6. I think at times I let outside forces cause me to go off balance, and when this happens it can be hard for me to get out of this battle. I find myself easily distracted, and it does not turn out well for me even though I know I can do things to prevent it. Finally, when assessing my psychological well-being’s score I would have to give it a 7. Letting my anxiety affect me mentally is truly my only problem in this area. I have been taught tools to control it, and realize that it is all in my head. I continue to work on these and head in a positive direction in controlling this issue.

III.

            One goal I would like to set for my physical well-being is to continue to have a balanced attack, and always remember to give my body a new challenge. When I start to feel too comfortable doing something I’ll know it’s time to give myself a new wall to break down. A goal I have set for my spiritual well-being is to start implementing a yoga routine into my regimen, or even begin meditating once a day. When it comes to my psychological well-being I would like to finally stop letting the little things get my mind racing, and realize that sometimes things happen that I can’t control.

IV.

            Two strategies I use to help me improve my physical well-being are first, to make sure I get a good night sleep on a regular basis. This will help my central nervous system recover as well as my body after all the strain it goes through during my workouts (Harter & Rath, 2010). Second, I can make sure I am feeding my body the proper foods it needs to continue to build and recover efficiently. To improve my psychological and spiritual well-being I need to start paying more attention to both, and working hard to stay on track. In the psychological domain I would like to go on a long walk, or jog in order to clear my head of what’s bothering me. I have also found that even just going to the park and taking in all the sights and smells helps a great deal too. Exercises I can use to work on my spiritual domain would include meditating and breathing techniques. If I feel that one of these isn’t doing the job, this course has provided me with some excellent listening exercises that have worked for me as well. Especially the unit 8 exercise we participated in (Dacher, 2006).

V.

            To properly assess my progress in the next six months I will begin doing exactly what I do for my exercise routines every single day, and that’s keep a journal. I will start taking note of when I do certain things I have told myself I would commit myself to, and note when I have been slacking as a reminder to get into gear. My long-term strategy will be to eventually find a routine that works for me because every individual is different, and unique. Like one persons workout regimen may work for them, it may not be the best for the next person. It may take me awhile to find one I enjoy, and works to my best ability but that’s why it’s a long-term goal!

References: 

- Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

-   Rath, T., & Harter, J. (2010, October 21). Exercise, Sleep, and Physical Wellbeing. Gallup Business Journal. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from http://businessjournal.gallup.com/content/127211/exercise-sleep-physical-wellbeing.aspx#1

Unit 8 Blog

The two exercises I found the most beneficial to me were the mindfulness, and visualization exercise. I was going to go with the meditation exercise, but because I haven't yet got to participate in an actual session I decided to go a different route. Focusing on my breathing in the mindfulness exercise was something I found extremely beneficial. My favorite however was the visualization exercise we did this week. It allowed me to visualize some extremely happy times in my life that could do nothing but make me smile when the thoughts came to mind. I can apply these into my life when I'm feeling anxious, or down. The mindfulness exercise can help me focus on my breathing when my anxiety seems to be bothering me, and when I'm not in such a good mood I can go back and complete the visualization exercise. This will help set me back in the right frame of mind, and immediately make me smile about life again.

- Alex Cordaro

Unit 5 Post

1. Again, I enjoyed this exercise. I found some similarities between this one and the Loving-Kindness exercise. First, and most noticeable was the waves crashing in the background. This sound as I stated in my previous post reminds me of good times from my youth. Like Unit 4's exercise this one was also a very calming one that helped me to relax. What I found different was that in this exercise we weren't focusing on an individual, but on our own chosen focal point. I give this exercise positive feedback because I was able to choose what I wanted to focus on. I didn't experience any frustrations; just good vibes and relaxation.

2. We can define spiritual wellness as the search for meaning and purpose in the human experience ("Wellness," n.d.). This dimension of wellness also ties into two others; mental and physical. If our spiritual wellness is off balance we may find the other two leaning in the wrong direction as well. To have optimal wellness we must be hitting on all cylinders. If we are not at peace within it is hard for us to reach our goals in the physical and mental aspects too. Since my physical wellness is a top priority, and I am a big "thinker" I find that making sure my spiritual wellness is in check is vital too. When I'm feeling that my mind is straying, or that I'm just not where I want to be within I come back to this class, or the books we have been given and give myself a reality check. If need be I work through the exercises we have been provided and try to get myself back to square one and build from there.

References:

- Wellness: Spiritual Wellness. (n.d.). Wellness: Wellness Program. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from http://wellness.ucr.edu/spiritual_wellness.html

Unit 4 Blog Entry

 I found the experience pretty beneficial. As I have discussed this is my first time really participating in exercises like these so I'm really trying to embrace them. It's still pretty new, but as the weeks go by I'm getting better at grasping what is being asked of me during the exercises. I would recommend this exercise to a friend. Probably not to any of my close friends because they aren't in to what a class like this entails. To somebody that does have interest in the methods involved of this class I think they would benefit from it just like I was able to.

The purpose of a mental workout is to help free the mind of any negative thoughts or feelings you may have. This in turns helps the individual return to a state of inner peace and great calmness. From what Dacher (2006) explains; research on these types of workout have come to show short-term, and long-term benefits for a person. To incorporate mental workouts into my life I could begin by listening to the exercises provided to me in this class on a daily basis after lifting and running.

References:

- Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Post 2

1. If I had to rate my physical well-being I would give it an 8. I have always taken very good care of myself, but the I do believe there is always room for improvements. As for my spiritual well-being I would have to rate it a 6. I think at times I cause myself to get off balance, and when this happens it can be hard for me to get out of the rut. Sometimes I let my anxiety win the battle and it does not bode well for me.  Finally, my psychological well-being would have to be a 7. Other than sometimes letting my anxiety effect me mentally as well as spiritually I seem to be headed in a good direction on this one.

2. A goal I would like to set for my physical well-being is being able to do one-hundred pushups in a minute. A goal I would like to set for my spiritual well-being is to not get so worked up over things. When I find myself getting worked up, take a step back and a deep breath instead. Finally, a goal for my psychological well-being is to make peace with past and recent mistakes. Let them go and realize I can do nothing but grow from those experiences and make sure they never happen again.




3. To continue my improvements for my physical well-being I could try making sure I get a good nights rest. Too little, or even too much can greatly effect both our physical and mental well-being To help improve me spiritual well-being I would love to start incorporating yoga, or meditation to my fitness regimen. Finally, to improve my psychological well-being I could begin to go on a long run or walk if I feel like I need to escape for awhile. Whether it's going to the gym and putting my headphones on, or doing the same outside when it's nice both could help.

4. I truly found this weeks relaxation exercise beneficial. The first one I wasn't exactly used to what was going on. This time I went in knowing kind of what to expect, and it has actually put me in the perfect mood to just lay down to nap. My heart rate was able to come to a slower pace, and my body was more at ease.

Welcome!

Hey all, it's Alex making my first post of the term. Although I haven't had much experience with something like the relaxation exercise I listened to; I found it very interested. At first I wasn't quite sure what was going on lol, but as I got used to it I found it very helpful. Most in particular because I had a long, and tiring day at work. It was nice to just sit back and listen to the calm nature of what was being played.  My after thoughts of this process are that all in all I enjoyed it. As previously stated I had never done something like that before, but have bee interested. I would most definitely like to dabble in exercises like that again in this class as well as on my own free time when I feel I could benefit from it. Take care!

- Alex