Some interesting questions to reflect on this week and try to answer. I think that my physical wellbeing is at an 8. I exercise daily with at least 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity and do strength training at least 2 and sometimes 3 days per week. I have been doing this for over 10 years. I also watch my diet, and do not eat red meat at all, no pork, and only chicken breasts, fish, and nothing fried. My diet is high in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. However, I am still having issues with hormones. I am going to be 49 very very soon and I have tried many alternative and natural remedies for sweats, hot flashes, and just overall irritability and they have not helped. I am going to see my doctor next week to see what he recommends. I have a great doctor. Which by the way, I think is important to overall health, is that you have a great doctor that you feel comfortable talking about your health concerns.
My spiritual life is less adequate at this time I think. I would say I am at about a 6 or 7. I believe in god and have attended a few different churches in my life. A couple that I attended for many years and enjoyed. However, at this time I pray daily but do not attend a church and being around people with similar beliefs is important support. I have friends and family but do not have a spiritual group that I belong to right now.
Psychological wellness is think is about the same as my physical wellness probably about an 8. Overall, I feel centered, balanced, and grounded. I am overall happy with my life and the way things are going. Of course, there are things I do not like but just have to deal with them. I do try and do a yoga class or breathing exercise at least a couple of days a week to help with calming and relaxation. I do need stress relief now and again.
My goals for myself in the three categories that I talked about above would be to contine my daily exercise regimen and to see my doctor to help alleviate my menopause symptoms. Of course incorporate his suggestions into my life to help these symptoms. For the spiritual goal, I have been thinking and looking into a church that I would like to begin attending. I would like to find a church home again like I have had in the past. Ultimately, my mental goal is to take time daily to a relaxation or breathing exercise to help keep my wellbeing calm, peaceful, and less stressed.
I think by continuing my daily exercise routine, adding a regular church attendance, and doing my relaxation and breathing exercise daily I will begin to get all three of these important qualities in my life closer to the 10.
After listening and trying the relaxation exercise for unit 3 I did not like it as well as I thought I would. I think the color thing did not do well for me. The mans voice was rather irritating to me as well. I guess some times some voices are more soothing and calming than others. I did not find his to be either for me. Also, normally when I concentrate on my breath it relaxes me and I feel like my body is relaxing and following along smoothly and easily to the commands without me even trying. However, this time I tried to image the colors along with the origin of these colors like at the base of the spine and just below the belly button. When I tried to concentrate on the colors I could not relax and my visualization was not working. I think part of it was I was trying to do it in the middle of the day when maybe I felt I should be doing other things. I will try it again one evening when I am more ready.
In Health
Michelle
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI really think you are doing all the right things to be a healthy person. The fact that your physical routine is daily and you are very careful about what you put in your body says a lot about your committment to your health. I also think that Yoga and the breathing exercises that you do are a good way to help with your emotional health. I think it is good that you are willing to search for the right religious group before you committ. One suggestion that I might have is that while you are looking, you can still be spiritual by how you look at life. Acknowledging your blessings, joys in life, etc. can bring a very uplifting a postive spiritual feeling. Your routines would definitely help my clinets in that many people who have substance abuse problems also have poor eating habits and not much of a constant routine in life. Your approach would bring a definite positive in their lives. Great blog!