holistic/integral health plan

I.                   Introduction:

a.       It is important for health and wellness professionals to themselves develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically as to treat others one must be in touch with their own needs and short comings. To be open to all aspects of health and wellness, one must be open to accepting their own fault and therefore the opportunity to constantly change and grow as a person. If one does not develop their own psychological, spiritual and physical health then they are closing themselves off from possibility and therefore the chance to evolve. For myself, I feel that the area which I need to work on the most is physical development. Although I am a healthy weight and size, I do not eat very healthy nor do I regularly exercise. I find myself always grabbing food on the go and constantly being busy with life, I do not take the time to care for myself in these aspects and feel that this is an area I greatly need to work on. Two simple ways I could start this change would be to pack my meals from home in advance, that way I would have control over the ingredients and therefore overall nutritional value I would consume; and taking my dog on a long walk at night.

II.                Assessment:

a.       In the domains spirituality, physical health and psychological health I score very differently in each category. I feel that spiritually I am very healthy. Although I do not consider myself to be religious, and therefore do not follow any kind of organized spiritual advancement; I do have a complete faith in a higher power and therefore a calmness which I feel regarding life and what comes afterwards. I feel that bad things can happen in life and though I may not understand the reason, I also accept that it is not my place to understand everything. I have accepted that I am in control of my life but powerless regarding my destiny. I therefore try to take what happens as it comes and remember that although things can always be better, they can always be much worse. My physical health is an aspect in which I need to work on, as I mentioned above. I need to start eating a healthier and more balanced diet. I always say that I eat like a five year old; I am very picky and have quite a sweet tooth. I need to remember that what I do now will affect me when I am older and therefore learning a balanced way of eating now will help me later in life. Psychologically I feel that I have overall balance. I feel that my spirituality greatly impacts how I deal with stress and difficulties which arise in life. I have a clear understanding that life is not an easy task, but is a gift and I try to appreciate each day and try to always see the positive and not the negative. I know that some may be more fortunate then I, but that I am much more fortunate than others; therefore I try to appreciate what I have and not dwell on what I do not.

III.             Goal Development:

a.       In my physical domain, I have the goal of a healthier diet as well as regular exercise. In my spiritual domain I think perhaps it would be beneficial to have a clearer understanding of the beliefs of others. I feel that having an understanding of other’s religions leads to tolerance and prevents misunderstandings which can arise if you are not knowledgeable regarding what another group of individuals may deem to be their truth. Psychologically I feel it may be beneficial to come to better terms with my family and the issues which past and present generations have. I do not have any kind of relationship with my parents, for a long time I have taken that personally and looked for blame in myself. I think that if I came to terms with their short comings and accepted that my parents are who they are and I will never change them I would be in an even better psychological state of health.

IV.             Practices for personal health:

a.       As I mentioned above physically I could start packing my meals ahead of time for when I will be away from home to improve my diet intake as well as trying to take my dog for a long walk at night at least a few nights a week will increase my exercise. Spiritually perhaps I could read up on other religions and try to appreciate the similarities as well as the differences to my own beliefs. Psychologically perhaps I could talk to a professional who could help me cope better with the issues I have with my family, or visit a book store and find a book which I feel would help me better understand my family issues.

V.                Commitment:

a.       I feel that starting off with packing my lunches for work is a good start and over the next six months I can increase those pre-packaged meals to include those which I would need when leaving the house during non-working hours. I feel that starting off trying to take long walks with my dog two nights a week at first would not overwhelm me and therefore lead me to quit. Over time, I can increase the number of days as I get into a regular routine of exercise. Psychologically I feel that perhaps finding a book at the book store would be more practical and affordable in my present circumstances and therefore I would make a goal for myself of buying one book every two months and making sure I actually take the time for myself and read it. Spiritually I feel that trying to attend other religious services then what I have experienced previously would also be something which would be beneficial. I think that loosely trying to keep track of my progress is what is best, as when I get discouraged I tend to feel like doing something is not worth the time and effort.

References:

1.      Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness and healing. St Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone.

2.      Dacher, E. S. (2008). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications Inc.