Sunday, January 12, 2014

Personal Integral Health Plan

It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because they are in the business of health. In order to be an effective practitioner you must practice what you preach. If you lose the desire to advance your wellness then maybe it is time to find another profession. But more than anything, if you lose the desire to have integral health as the mainstay of your life than you have lost the meaning of life. The goals for my life are to continually assess, develop and grow in each area of integral health; psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal and worldly (Dacher, 2006). All of these areas are important to me and all need to be developed to achieve my goal of integral health. Currently the areas I feel need attention are biological, interpersonal and worldly. Through assessing each of these areas I am focusing on fitness for my biological aspect of healing. I have neglected to maintain my exercise routine these past few months due to extenuating circumstances. Interpersonally I am focusing on self. I have neglected myself for many years. I have set the intention to have fun this year and to do things that I enjoy. I have only two classes left until I graduate Kaplan. Kaplan has taken up the majority of my “free time” for the past 4-5 years. Worldly I am focusing on work. Since my daughter was in the hospital for three weeks, work suffered. Now that my daughter is on the road to recovery I have more energy to focus on work. This class has helped my focus remain centered psychospiritually. This class has helped me through a very difficult time in my life and I am thankful for the timing. Although the other three areas of my integral health have not been nurtured these past couple of months, I do not feel a sense of discouragement or loss. Instead of feel hopefully because I was able to remain intact psychospiritually which was what I needed at this time. My physical goal that I have set is to recreate a physical fitness plan. I am on a healthy eating regimen because that is a part of my life. However, I am exploring “Eat right for your blood type” (Dr. Lam, 2014) which I may implement fully into my life. My fitness plan will include yoga, I will be taking a yoga class twice a month, since it will be held where I work it will be easy and convenient to attend. Also, I will do a ten minute yoga stretch each morning before work and include a ten minute weight bearing exercise routine. I live next door to a track so I will also walk a mile 3-5 times a week. I really enjoy playing tennis and as the weather warms up I will play tennis at least once a week. I have also set the intention on hiking at least once a month. I love outdoor activities and since I live in East Tennessee right next to the Smokey Mountains the possibilities are endless. My psychological goal is to keep a thankful/grateful journal. I have had the habit of starting and stopping journals in the past but I have set the intention on writing in my journal 3-4 times a week. I realize if I set the goal for every day then I am setting myself up to not write at all. I feel that when I focus on things that I am grateful and thankful for then I do not focus on the negative. There is always something to be grateful for in my life. Spiritually I am setting the intention to meditate 3 times a week. Also, I like to listen to Tibetan healing sounds that I found on youtube.com. This music really relaxes me and I like to play it in the background especially when I am studying. I’m not sure if “grounding/earthing” (Sinatra, 2010) fits into the spiritual or psychological aspect of integral health. Regardless of where it fits, probably both arenas, I will be integrating this technique into my daily regimen. I have been “grounding/earthing” for years but never knew it had a name and didn’t realize the health and psychological benefits of grounding, I just knew it felt good. Grounding/earthing raises my vibration which is such a healing feeling. When I think about it, I want to raise my vibration in every aspect of my life. A healthy/vibrant vibration is energizing which appeals to me. I intend on evaluating or assessing my integral health at the beginning of each month. I have also set the intention on finding a like minded friend that can hold me accountable for my progress. I think the intention that I set several months ago has manifested. I recently met this woman and we instantly connected. We are meeting next week and I plan on asking her if she would like to create a “loose” accountability team with me. I realize she may not be interested but intuitively I think she will be! Since most of my children are integral health minded we tend to hold each other accountable. Even though I don’t always want my children to pay attention to what I’m doing (I think this may be pride) and to call me on it, I am willing to listen and consider their input. This is also why I wanted to find someone outside of my house to help hold me accountable. I am excited for my present life and my future. I feel like this year is going to be a year of self discovery and enjoyment. References: Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Lam, M. (2014). Blood type diet. Drlam.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014 from http://www.drlam.com/blood_type_diet/index.asp?blog=1 Sinatra, S. (2010). Grounding/earthing. Youtube.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XumPQLTzPWI Tibetan Healing Sounds, (2013). Youtube.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5dU6serXkg

6 comments:

  1. Hi Kathleen,
    I enjoyed reading your post, and just wanted to mention that you might not want to over work out. It seems like a lot of exercise you have scheduled. Just remember it is important to take care of yourself. If you don't take care of you then how can you take care of others. I am only saying this because I had to let go of exercise for a long time in order to heal myself, but maybe you are not in the same place I was when I began looking for healing. I was definitely dying when I began my healing process. Still I loved reading your post and wish you the best with your healing.
    Mary Derry

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  2. Hi Kathleen,

    A thankful/grateful journal!? What a wonderful idea! I never thought of that--and I really like writing things down! :) I'm so serious--I think that is just a wonderful idea! And so practical and easy! I'm going to write that down so that I can suggest that idea to clients who struggle to see the good things in life. Even if a client can only think of one thing a day that went well for them, this practice will only get easier, and then they will learn to LOOK for their blessings and be thankful for them! Love it!

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  3. Hello Kathleen! I loved your final health plan. I think you have been so amazingly strong throughout the tough time you experienced this term with your daughter. I am very glad to hear that she is still on the road to recovery and I hope that she continues to make amazing strides. I can’t help but think the timing of this class was perfect and couldn’t have been better for you in terms of the meditation and contemplative exercises. I hope they helped you with some of what I can only imagine were incredibly tough times. My mother had a stroke last year and wish I had some of these outlets and resources then, but I couldn’t imagine if it had been a child (I don’t have any of my own).
    Thanks for sharing the information on earthing/grounding! I actually have never heard of that before, but it sounds really interesting so I wrote it down and I’m going to look it up after I finish all my final assignments this week. You might have introduced me to a new activity/hobby! I think you are doing well with giving yourself small measurable goals that are achievable – don’t sell yourself short, but at the same time, no one knows your limits as well as you do … especially if you have tried some of these activities like journaling before. I have enjoyed following your journey and your blog this term… as well as learning with you. I wish you and your daughter the best of luck and health in the next year. This year is sure to be full of fun and good health just as you hope. I too graduate after two more classes, so congratulations to you – that’s quite an accomplishment. We will finally have time to breathe and claim some time to ourselves hopefully!

    Emi

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  4. Kathleen,
    Congratulations on your health plan-it sounds very industrious! One of my physical goals is to get back in to working out again, though I am starting much smaller. I empathize with your comments about school taking up so much of your free time, I feel the same. Between work, school, and family commitments I often feel overwhelmed and tired, and the last thing I want to do is work out. Though I do know that if I force myself, I should actually end up with more energy and feeling better from the endorphins.
    I have never actually heard If earthing before, and I'm not sure I completely understand. Where did you find out about this concept? It sounds like something I may be interested in looking in to. Have you started it yet? What benefits do you feel you receive from it? I enjoy yoga personally, as I feel it gives me benefits in both the area if physical and psychological health. Although it technically is exercise, the Vinyasa practice especially focuses on drawing energy in and out, and feels like a type of meditation to me-much more so than the Hatha yoga practices I have tried. Unfortunately for me, I live in a rural area without a lot of options for classes in that practice, so I am looking for some type of instruction I could attempt at home, such as DVD or Netflix versions. I wish I could go to a class with an instructor that could help and ensure proper practice and form, but we all must make do with what is available at times!
    I wish you the best in implementing your plan, and with completing your studies at Kaplan! Have a wonderful week, Miranda

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    1. Hi Mandi,
      I use youtube.com for my yoga routines, Tara Stiles is the name of the youtuber I follow. She has so many different routines to choose from. It's really helpful to watch the video before you try the exercise because she talks pretty quickly.
      Earthing has been around since Adam and Eve :) It is just connecting with the energy of the earth. It is a positive energy that has immense healing benefits. If you google earthing you will find some information about it. There was also a recent documentary on earthing that was based in Alaska, very fascinating movie called "Grounded".

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  5. Hi Kathleen,

    I enjoyed your blog. The part that stuck out for me was your comment to be grateful because I have learned with my own life how being grateful for all things in life teaches us compassion, love and kindness. I learned many years ago to give thanks for all that I have had, for all that I will have and for all that I thought I did not want to have. No matter what it is all part of the big lesson in life good or bad to be grateful for just the lessons. I am grateful that I got to meet all of you and take this course together. I wish for you many blessings in your life and my you find happiness, peace and love where ever you go.

    Barbara

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