Monday, April 29, 2013

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

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

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

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

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