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