Sunday, April 13, 2014

My Personal Wellness Reflection (Unit 3)

"Nothing but me, my yoga mat, and the great outdoors.  I wouldn't have it any other way."



Physical Wellness - 8/10
     I have to say that since becoming pregnant I am currently the healthiest I have been in quite a while.  Knowing that everything I put into my body and do with my body can directly impact the well-being of the little guy growing inside has been the best motivation I could ask for.  I have become very mindful of every little thing...my diet, sleep, activity, stress, everything!  While I have always had a passion for eating healthy I pay special attention now to ensuring I get enough nutrients with a balance of fresh foods everyday including plenty of fruits and veggies, and drinking enough water.  Also, while I do have to be cautious of my body's limits, I have been much better about incorporating some form of physical activity everyday.  Some of my favorites have been walking and doing yoga outdoors now that it's nice out again!  My immediate goal physically would be to continue providing a safe and nourishing environment for my baby to grow while keeping myself fit and healthy.  

Psychological Wellness - 5/10
     This is an area that is tough for me to evaluate. Personally I feel like I have come a long way from the highly-anxious young adult I used to be, but I am still not where I would like to be which is why I gave myself a 5 (as in halfway there).  Like many, I have my good and my bad days...stress has this funny way of barging into my life unwelcome!  I mentioned that I have come a long way and what I was referring to is how I handle stress and life's challenges.  It has taken a great deal of strength and quite a tough skin to learn acceptance.  I am learning to accept the things that come at me for what they are and not allow them to consume me.  Again...this is still a work in progress and I would love to become that person who can truly show loving-kindness and take only skillful actions as in the path to integral health described by Elliott S. Dacher, M.D. in "Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing". (A must read!)

Spiritual Wellness - 9/10
     I feel very comfortable with spirituality in my life, I only gave it a 9 instead of 10 because I believe there is always room to grow!  Now to be clear, I do not have very formal or traditional religious views.  In fact I do not have any strong beliefs for that matter, rather I tend to be much more spiritual.  If I were to have one central belief it is a faith in that no matter what, everything will be okay.  This is actually a pattern I have come to recognize in my life and throughout the years my faith in this just keeps growing.  Now back to the spirituality that I mentioned...ever since I was very young I have felt a special connection with nature and the seasons...spring being "my moment" and the reason for my spiritual confidence as I am blogging this.  Meditation is an exercise that I really enjoy and take every opportunity I get to replenish my mind, body and spirit.  If I had a goal it would be making time to meditate daily, especially outdoors where I can find a comfy spot, maybe leaning up against a tree or laying out in the grass, and just let my thoughts drift away as I get lost in all the sounds, sights, and feelings around me.




4 comments:

  1. You seem very sure of yourself in all three aspects of integral health. I know it can be so hard not to stress, especially when your pregnant and/or already have other things to worry about. It too took me a long time to not stress out over everything, but once I got the hang of it, it actually makes me feel a lot better and makes my life a lot easier. You seem to have a very positive outlook and you will get to where you want to be i'm sure of it. Good luck in all you do

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    1. Thanks so much for the encouragement Jennifer! I am quite proud of how I handle stress these days and have learned to really let things go. It actually annoys some of my friends and family how I can do this so easily! I agree with you 100%...it really does make life seem better and easier to handle.

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  2. Hi Megan,
    Your post really encourages me to do even better with the aspects of my life. I also have a tough psychological wellness and feel like I have come a long way. I also can definitely relate to the stressful situations that barge their way in my life extremely unwelcomed. I feel like sometimes I am just getting on my feet and here comes something else. Acceptance is certainly hard and I haven’t quite got 100% there yet but Im working on it daily. I need to learn how to accept the things I can’t change and do what I will with the ones I can. Now my physical and spiritual wellness needs improvement which I have accepted and started working on. You definitely have all your ducks in a row and the goals to improve the ones you feel need improvement. Like you stated no one is perfect there is always room for improvement. Great post!!!!!

    TelahG

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    1. Acceptance is key in my opinion, and not easily learned. Kudos to you for trying and continuing to work on it...best of luck!

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