Unit 10 - Not my final posting

Hello Professor and Class,

After reviewing my assessment from unit 3, I do see improvement.  The one area that I see the most improvement is in the physical.  I was a 3 and I would say that I am a 5 and I am moving my way up.  I have started a Zumba Gold class, it is more for beginers and I am finding that it is alot of fun.  I can already tell a difference in my attitude, energy and even my clothes.  Amazing how a little exersice can make such a difference. 

As for my mental well being I do see a little imporvement there as well.  I was previously a 5 and I would say I am now between a 6-7.  Seeing that everything is not as bad as my mind makes it out to be is a good thing.  I know that the meditation has helpled.  Yes it can be centered on my but that is why I also like the loving-kindness meditation, it helps you put out the good energy for others, like your enemies or even for people that you do not know.

My spiritual well being is still the same at a 5.  This I know does need work.  It is about balance and I am still trying to get that all figured out.  It is something that I do plan on working on, one step at a time. 

This class has let me know that it is ok to be who I am and accept myself for me as I am.  if that makes sense :).  I have really enjoyed this class and the things that I have learned.  I think one of the big things that I learned is about meditation.  That is something very important to keep doing in order to clear my mind.  It helps in giving me energy when I am tired and still have things to go.  It also helps me be able to stop and organize my thoughts, so that I can if necessary make a deceision.  The biggest thing is that the meditation helped me with my grief when my grandfather passed away.  I was able to channel the energy and good thoughts to my family so that they may feel the love that I was sending out to them. 

I think that I am going to keep this blog going even after the class is over.  I think that it will help me to stay accountable for my physical well being.  Plus I have learned that it is ok to put my thoughts and feeling out there.  Asking for help is not a sign of weekness and in some respects a sign of strength. 

I found that this class was about looking at myself and really seeing things from the inside out.  Taking the time to acess myself has helped me really know where I am at and where I need to go and how to go about getting there. 

I wish the best of luck to everyone in their endevours, and something I like to say is: Trust your crazy ideas, you never know what may come of them.

Stacey Clark

Unit 9 Project

      Health and wellness is so vital to us all.  It is something that all too often we take for granted.  I know this from experience, and find that it will catch up to you in the end.  This is one of the many reasons health professional needs to develop their mental, physical and spiritual health.  When the health professional develops these things they are a well-rounded.  This means that they can see the person as a whole and not just the one area that needs treating.

For me, I know that I need to develop all areas, mental, physical, and spiritual to achieve optimal health and wellness.  I am stepping back into reality and I am facing those things that need to be worked on.  I know that this is easier said than done but a challenge that I am willing to accept.

How have I come to my assessment of each domain?  First I look at myself mentally.  At this moment I score myself as a 7, I think this is pretty good considering this term I had a lot of ups and downs.  The things that I know that I need to work on are:

Asking for help when I need it

I also need to learn to be ok with myself – accepting myself as I am

Stress reduction

            Second I look at physically; I rate that as a 5.  This one needs a bit of work.  I know that I am overweight and do not eat as healthy as I should.  I have just started exercising so I know that I am working in the right direction.  I also need to get my diabetes under control.  These are some pretty big things to take on, but I know that once I put my mind to it, it will be done. 

            Finally I look at spiritually; I rate this as a 5 too.  I wonder if actually I should rate this one a little lower.  I know that this is the one area that needs the most work.  There are so many ways to look at spiritually.  I know that spiritually does not necessarily mean going to church and believing in God, but when you are raised that way it takes a bit to bring in something new. Especially when you have a lot of doubt about it all.

            Now that I have done a self-assessment, the next step is setting goals for each area.  What are some of the things that I can do to achieve I can do to develop myself on the whole.

            Mental Health goal: stress reduction.  For this goal I will continue with the meditations that I have learned in this class.  It still amazes me that something as simple as meditation can bring a calm about you.

            Physical Health goal: losing weight.  This is something that has to be done. 

            Spiritual Health goal: to be more spiritual-meaning that I need to learn that it is not all in my hands.  That I have to give it back to the world and see that it can take care of itself.

 
            Now you may say how am I going to obtain these goals.  It is always good to have a plan when trying to reach for the stars. 

For mental health-For this goal I will continue with the meditations that I have learned in this class.  It still amazes me that something as simple as meditation can bring a calm about you.  I am also looking into taking some yoga classes.  I know that these classes will help me to get center.  It will help calm my mind which in turn will calm everything else. 

For physical health- I have started a Zumba Gold class this weekend.  It was a lot of fun and something that I know I will continue to do so that I can lose the necessary weight to be healthy again.  I have also started the Kaiser Weigh and Win program that is being offered to Colorado residents.  It is a healthy weight loss program that gives a meal plan and then every quarter I will weigh in.  As long as I have lost a certain percentage of weight each quarter, I win money.  I see this as a win/win.

For spiritual health- On the nice days to get outside and be with nature.  Smell the air, soak in the sun and just be.  I know continuing with meditation will help with my spiritual growth; it will help bring love to myself and to others. 

            Now that I have set these goals and plans to attain these goals, how am I going to assess my progress 6 months down the road?  I will be checking in all the time with a good friend of mine about the meditation and yoga.  She will be the one to help guide me on the way of the meditations I can do.  She is also going to be another check in person for my weight loss.  It helps that I work with her so staying accountable will be easy.  With the Kaiser Weigh and Win program will also keep me accountable with the weight loss with the quarterly weigh in, plus if I plan on winning any money I have to lose weight.  I know that winter is now upon us but that does not mean I can’t get outside.  I do live in Colorado that has the most sunny days a year than any other state.  No excuse to not be able to spend some time outside, getting the natural vitamin d.  

            I have to stay that this has been a great class.  I have learned so much that I can share with others.  I can continue my learning process of the new information and will be able to turn my life into a “whole” instead of the sporadic mess it can sometimes be.  

 

Stacey Clark

Two Practices

The two practices that I have found the most beneficial are the Loving-Kindness and the subtle mind meditations.  I have found that with the loving-kindness meditation it is helping me to bring love and life into my life for myself, my family and for others in general.  I know that for a very long time I have been closed off to people and letting them in is not something that I do.  I found that this class has really opened my eyes and know that yes I can still remain independant even when asking for help.  I found that the subtle mind meditations were great for quieting my mind.  Most days I feel like I and my mind are going a 100 miles a min.  It is nice to slow down and take a breath and take life in. 

I am finding that if I can do either of these meditations on a daily basis it will help me to slow down and realize that it will all be ok.  Taking it moment by moment.  I know that if I can do these meditations that I know it will also help me with my short term memory.  This is because I will be able to focus on the task at hand and not on the dozen other things that need to be done as well. 

I am also connecting better with a friend of mine who actually got me to take this class.  To step outside my box and take a chance, make a change.  I am finding it has been very beneficial to me to take this class.  Helping me to see who I am and where I need to go.  Learning-a beautiful thing.

Stacey Clark

Yoda as my visionary

Hello Professor and Classmates,

What a month October was for me, a rollercoaster ride for sure. There still has been loss but things have improved. This week’s meditation was interesting for me. When I tried to visualize someone, I saw a friend of mine and my grandmother. It seemed to be a bit much, so I visualized Yoda. Things then became easier. The one thing that I am having a hard time is: feeling the warmth and kindness for others. I get that nice feeling and then if I have to drive anywhere, that feeling is gone. I think maybe I need to try and remember this and think about it when I am driving. This will help me stay calmer and not so frustrated when driving. Road rage-bad.

"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (pg. 477). How to explain this. I see this as if you have not already been there, how can you get someone else to go there. You have to have been there yourself in order to know how to explain your experience. Not everyone’s experience is the same but you can help guide someone better when you have been there yourself.

I do believe that you would need to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually in order to help your patients. I think it would only help you to be stronger and healthier for them but when they see it coming from you they can relate. You do not want to follow the saying: "do as I say, not as I do." To me it is like a doctor telling his patient to stop smoking but they themselves are still smoking. You have to be careful what you emulate to your patient because they will pick up on that and go with that information.

After the last month that I have had, I am now taking steps to help myself psychologically and spiritually. I have found a cat rescue place that needs volunteers, I am looking into being a volunteer there. I am also looking for a church to attend. I have not looked for one here in Denver since moving back two years ago. I think going to chrh will help give me a community and "safety" net that has been missing.

As I have said before, I know that it is one day at a time. I have to live each day to my best and go from there.

 

Stacey Clark

Universal Loving-Kindness/Self Assessment

Hello to my fellow classmates,

I have to say I did not like this weeks meditation of the Univeral Loving-Kindness.  I think the biggest reason that I did not like it was that, I was not listening to the words and then repeating them in my mind.  I was not able to relax the way I usually do, it did not help that I had to keep opening my eyes to see what I was suppose to be repeating.  I think that if it was set to the backdrop of ocean sounds and I was able to fully relax and listen and repeat things would have gone much more smoothly.

Now as for the self assessment...I have decided that I am just a mess.  There are alot of things that I need to work on.  Right now the most pressing issue is my health. I recently learned that there may be a mass in one of my lungs.  I have been referred to a specialist and I see them this coming week.  Since learning of this I have increased my meditation.  I know that focusing on what it may be does not help me feel any better.  I know that for now, I need to remain in the present and when the time comes I will deal with the answer that is given to me.  I will then be able to take the next steps in clearing this issue and then moving on to the next.  I keep telling myself, it is one day at a time.  That as long as I keep moving one foot in front of the other all will be ok. 

Stacey Clark

Loving/Kindness vs Subtle Mind

The last four month of my life have been a roller coaster.  Last week on October 11th my grandfather passed away.  The following is the obituary placed in the paper:

Salvatore C. Caruso (Sal) , USAF Master Sgt. (Retired)
Born June 4, 1932 Boston, MA, deceased October 11, 2012 Montgomery, AL
Survived by his wife of 38 years Emily Waters Caruso, his children Debra West (Steve), Angela Tucker (Steven), Rebecca Waters, Craig Waters (Arla), Kirk Waters (Dawn), 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Sal is warmly remembered as a loving husband and father who dutifully served his country in the USAF and after retirement in a Civil Service capacity including Youth Director at Maxwell AFB.
As an avid golfer who achieved two "hole in ones" he shared his love of the game with family and friends. His passion for gardening brought joy to all who entered his beautiful yard.
As I was listening to the Loving/Kindness meditation, I found that it was hard but good.  I felt that I could at least take some of the pain away from my grandmother and send her comfort and love. 

I dont think I have ever had a "quiet mind".  It is always going, it is the reason that I do not sleep like I should.  I am learning with this class and doing the meditation it is helping slow it down.  My body is also talking to me too, it is telling me that I need to stop and realize what I am doing.  There are changes that I need to make, but I feel a little lost as to what those changes are.  I know they will come to me I have to be patient, something I am still learning after 37 years.

Stacey Clark

Mind-Body-Spirit Eval

1. Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

 

Once I started evaluating myself, I am not sure that I have high levels of anything.  As for my physical well-being I see that as a 3.  Yes it is low, this is because I am diabetic, overweight and I have some lower back issues.  About a month ago I found out that I have a slipped disc due to a decrease in cartilidge in my spine.  Being overweight is not helping this issue either. 

 

As for my spiritual well-being, I would see that as a 5.  I know that there is something out there.  I know that I want to believe in that but have a hard time with it. 

 

As for my psychological well-being, I would also see that as a 5.  This is due to having bipolar.  I was diagnosed 5 years ago, I have been on and off medication over the years.  It is something that I wish I could just have it go away.

 

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

Currently my goal for my physical well-being is to stay on track with my physical therapy for my lower back.  Once I can strenghten my mucles in that area I will then be able to increase my amount/type of exersice so that I can continue to loose weight.  This in-turn should help with my diabetes and being over weight. 

Current goal for my spirtitual well being is talking with my friend that is already working in this field.  Asking for spiritual cd's.  Also to actually start reading the bible.  I have one that is for daily reading and to be able to read it in a year.

Current goal for psychological well-being would be to ask for help when I am having a low.  Something I am not good at. 

3.  What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

The things that I can implement in my life is meditation; regular exersice; and actually trying to focus on these goals.

4. The Relaxation exersice:

I am finding that I do like the relaxation exersices even when they do not really "go" with me.  This weeks relaxation have you focusing on different areas in your life.  The mantra's that you would need to say as you are breathing, I didnt necessarily believe in them.  It is something that I feel that I know that I need to work on.  That maybe if I were to get these thing in order, my life would not be as stressful as it is now.  I don't doubt that I will always have some sort of stress but I would like the good kind.

After this week's work in this class, it is obvious to me that I have alot of work to do on myself, it will only be for the better.  :)

Stacey Clark