1.      We have all heard the phrase, “You must practice what you preach”.  I would say that most people would agree with this statement, but the question is why?  Why is it important for wellness professionals to develop psychologically, physically, and spiritually?  Empathy is something that is important in many aspects of life, but becomes even more when you have the task of guiding someone through development.  A wellness professional must have the knowledge to direct someone who has come to them, but knowing what they are going through and feeling, because of personal experience is invaluable.  If wellness professionals have never walked down the path they are trying to send people down, they will have a hard time connecting with the client, and also displaying any passion for the subject.  The definition of leadership is the ability of influencing others to accomplish a mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation.  Motivating clients can be tricky, but in my opinion passion and excitement is the best way to motivate.  People can see when someone cares about what they are doing as it shines through in everything they do.  A wellness professional may be effective without truly developing psychologically, physically, and spiritually, but will never reach their full potential as a mentor.

2.      Before I can assess my spiritual, physical, and psychological health, I must define spirituality and physical and psychological health.  When this class first started, I would have said I was not spiritual, I am in good shape, and psychologically I am fine.  This is simply just not true.  There weren’t really any new methods of judgment that were used, but the way I perceive myself has changed.  Spiritual health, the domain in which I thought I had scored the lowest, is actually my strongest suit, as I believe it is in all of us, if allowed to shine through.  We have all been in a situation before where we made a conscious choice to help someone.  In this situation, there would be no consequence for not helping, and zero incentive to help.  That drive and instinct that pushes us to help others is our spirit, and if we train ourselves to approach all aspects of our lives, with our spirits leading the way, we inevitably treat everyone that comes across our paths with loving-kindness.  I have also learned that I used to judge my physical health mostly on body composition.  I maintain a pretty decent physique throughout the year, but I have learned that I am not healthy just because of that.  I need to pay more attention to my macro and micronutrient intakes, as well as my sodium and cholesterol.  Psychological health assessment I save for last, as I truly have a lot of work to do here.  I have experienced some traumas in my life that I have never dealt with, I am not sure how that has affected me throughout my life, but plan to address these issues, and will definitely note the impact.

3.      My physical health goal is simple, begin to eat in a way that will help my body.  I have always paid close attention to what I eat, but only in a caloric budget sort of  way, with maintaining a certain look being my focus.  This goal should not be very hard for me to accomplish, as I am educated when it comes to the principles of nutrition, I just need to make it a priority.  Spiritually, my plan is to connect with others on a spiritual level.  The first step to doing that is meeting some like-minded individuals.  The only way to accomplish that goal, is discussing things of spiritual nature with people.  Not only is it great to be surrounded by other spiritual people, but learning new ideas and ways to expand my own spirituality as well.  I plan to improve my psychological health by changing the way I react to certain things.  Anger is an emotion I feel every day, but strangely enough, it is usually just when I am driving.  The fact that these incidents occur under the same circumstances, it will be easier to focusing reacting to things in a more effective and positive manner.

4.      I plan to focus more on the overall healthiness to the foods I eat.  I am not a planner or scheduler, so I will not be making any lists.  I want to be able to approach any situation knowing that I not only have the knowledge to make a healthy nutritious choice, but also the discipline.  Focusing on cooking more meals at my home will also have an impact there.  Taking the time to season things with spices, herbs, and vegetables will replace firing up the ol’ George Foreman grill.  Spiritual growth only happens through practice.  Spending an afternoon working in my front yard, washing the cars, or even going on a long run, will all bring me satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, but not that spiritual happiness that many are missing.  That feeling inside that swells inside of us when we are able to put a smile on someone else’s face by selflessly helping them is a spiritual experience.  An effort must be made to volunteer, and also encourage others to volunteer.  Psychological growth can sometimes be difficult without guidance.  I plan to change my perspective on certain things in life, and also not take others actions so personally, as they generally have nothing to do with me.

5.      I am not sure if assessing one’s progress when it comes to physical, psychological, and spiritual growth is that important.  I think assessing the growth as a priority in one’s life is important, also, how much effort and thought is put into development.  I do not think there needs to be a scale where a score is kept, because the journey to wholeness can last a long time.  Also, I feel like grading and evaluating can cause a person to be content, as one looks back on the progress that has been made.  There needs to always be a hunger to improve oneself, and the integral vow must always be kept.