Final post

1. Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?  When previously scoring myself on the various components of integral health I saw my major flaw being the spiritual.  I felt as though both my physical and psychological health were good.  I definitely would say this was an accurate assessment.  I also feel that the assessment is still true presently.  I simply have not made the effort to progress spiritually. 
2. Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.  I have progress in two areas: physical and psychological.  However, these have always been the two easiest areas for me anyways.  Spiritually, there has been some change, but not as much as I want.  I suppose this will come in time though.
3. Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain.  I have implemented the activities that I chose.  I look forward to continuing to do so.
4. Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?  Throughout the course I have been able to open myself up to new concepts and ideas.  I seen health in general through a different perspective.  The course has opened my eyes, so to speak, and I look forward to viewing things in a different light moving forward.

Final Project

Anthony Henry

August 12, 2014

Kaplan University

HW420: Final Project

Introduction: Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself? It is extremely important for the health and wellness professional to develop integral health. The health and wellness professional is the example for the client. If the professional does not integrate integral health strategies into their own life, why would the client follow these recommendations? Also, even if the health care professional is not advocating the use of integral health strategies, it is a good idea to learn about various strategies simply because no one method is the best for every person. It would be much more optimal to have a wide variety of methods at their disposal.

I certainly need to improve on some areas of integral health myself. From a biological and psychological perspective, I am very healthy. However, spiritually I am lacking. I know and understand this. I think that by using some of the strategies learned in the class, such as meditation and relaxation exercises, I can learn to develop the spiritual aspect of myself.

Assessment: How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

I have assessed my health in each area throughout my life and have made many advancements in all areas. The physical component is easy to access. All that needs to be done is a simple fitness test. Being well-conditioned is an important aspect biologically. Also, nutrition plays a big role in how healthy you are internally. Being sure that the body is getting the appropriate amounts of all miconutrients and macronutrients is a good way of making sure that your body is able to work optimally. The physical aspect is the easiest for me. I am constantly in the gym, am in good shape, and track my diet to make sure I am getting everything I need. Psychologically I am also very strong. I have always been this way. I am a very self-motivated person. I deal well with pressure and stress management. I compare my self psychologically to others and understand that , compared to most, I am very psychologically fit. Spiritually I have my issues. I am not a selfish person. I do care about others and humanity in general. However, I can also be a little ill-tempered. I can be a little anti-social. Sometimes, although I care about my family and friends, I am reluctant to come to the aid of strangers. In order to be healthy spiritually I need to open my mind and heart to everyone. There can be no limitations. I must rid myself of all negative emotions and replace them with the positive. I must be a help to my community as well as humanity.

Goal development: List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

Physically I have many goals. For the purposes of this assignment I will list just one. By the end of 2014 I would like to be able to squat 400 lbs, deadlift 450, and bench press 315. I have been very committed to powerlifting for the past year now and have made great progress. Hitting these numbers would be the icing on the cake for this year. Psychologically a goal of mine is to work on my anger issues. These have become less frequent with my age. However, sometimes they still come up. I need to work on relaxation techniques to help relieve some of the stress when it occurs. Spiritually I would like to work on being a bit more kind. This is a small step but a necessary one. Being kind to those around me, even strangers and even those who are rude to me is something that can only aid in my evolution as an individual.

Practices for personal health: What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.

Growth physcially is as simple as cranking up the intensity at the gym. This is something that I am always doing anyways. The body adapts easily and needs a constant state of overload in order to grow stronger. Lifting weights is one method that I will be using. More specifically I will be incorporating more intense phases to facilitate greater strength gains. In addition, I will also bring up my cardiovascular conditioning through high intensity sprinting intervals. This will allow for the maximum level of anaerobic and aerobic conditioning. If there is any area physically I am lacking, that would be it. Psychological exercises will include both meditation and relaxation techniques. The meditation will allow for a clear mind and focus. The relaxation techniques will allow for further clearing of the mind as well as help with stress management. This will aid in clearing up some of the anger issues that arise from time to time. Spiritually there are a few things that I will be doing. One thing is to do some research on various regions. Although religion and spiritually are not one in the same, they are intertwined for sure. I have a lot of knowledge already pertaining to various religions as it has been an interest of mine. I feel I need to possibly attend to see if I can find what works for me though. In addition to this, practicing positivity will be another huge tool. Even in the face of negative issues, practicing a positive attitude will do nothing but make things easier to deal with.

Commitment: How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

Assessing the progress made will be simply done through personal observation. Another useful tool could be to keep a log of my exercises in each area and then checking the log in 6 months and seeing how much progress has been made. Maintaining the strategies I will be using will be done by making them a part of my every day life. It is too easy to make excuses as to why something cannot be done right now. By making these strategies a priority and not an afterthought, I will not be allowed such excuses. In the long term, this is the only way to keep progressing. Practice becomes habitua

Fostering Mental Fitness

Of the various exercises that we have practiced in the last few months in the Creating Wellness class, I found the visualization and mediation exercises to be the most effective and beneficial.  As I have stated over and over again, I was very reluctant to even give these exercises a shot at all.  However, after actually trying the exercises out with genuine effort, I found them to be a good tool for mental health.

I believe that the key to implementing these exercises into my life in order to foster mental fitness is to make it a routine.  These are mental exercises.  Just like with physical exercise, one must complete the exercise with enough repetitions in order to reap the benefit and to get the results desired.  The key is to make this a lifestyle change.  Make these exercises a priority.  Over time, I truly believe that, with these exercises, I will reach a higher level of mental fitness.

Meeting Aesclepius mp3

I found this exercise to be very helpful.  With each week that passes, my confidence in these meditation exercises is growing.  I am more accepting of these practices and am finally finding some definite benefit in them.  I once thought that these exercises were not effective at all.  This one in particular I completely let go and lost myself in my thoughts.  My thoughts flowed through me in a beautiful stream.  Although they were present, I did not let any of them defer this exercise.  I was completely relaxed and loving it.

Be the Leader So Others Can Follow

The saying, "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" refers to the idea that it is imperative in integral healing to live the lifestyle that you are prescribing.  In other words, do not simply string together a series of meaningless words in order to appease the patient.  Instead, be the example; be the leader so that the patients can follow.

It is very important in the health and wellness field.  Clients will usually not want to take advise from an individual who is not following the lifestyle suggested.  This is the same as a fitness professional or personal trainer advising someone on how to lose weight when they are overweight themselves.  I believe that health and wellness professionals have a responsibility to their clients to be that example.  This applies whether they are a personal trainer, a psychologist, etc.  One cannot expect change from a client if that change is not being seen in yourself.

To implement psychological and spiritual growth in one's personal life all that must be done is to make the effort.  Simple as that.  That is the thing.  Usually the hardest questions to answer in life have the simplest answers.  A lot can be produced simply from making the effort to grow.  One must look inside their self and find the inner health and grow from there.

Mental exercises and the merit within

Upon completed the last love and kindness exercise from a couple of weeks ago, I felt as though the psychological exercises used were not for me.  As I stated in my previous blog entry though, I was willing to attempt again and to give the exercises another chance.  This time around I got better results.  The universal loving-kindness exercise allowed me to clear my mind and to truly consider the wellness of others, and not just those close to me, but also just humanity as a whole.  I think the difference here was that I actually committed to the exercise this time around.  I went in all the way without any reservations.

The second exercise that was completed was the integral assessment exercise.  I found this one to be even more beneficial than the former.  I am, by nature, a very goal-oriented person.  I literally have "Knowledge is Power" tattooed on my chest.  It is there for a reason.  I believe that the pursuit of knowledge is the most important part of life.  I am constantly striving to be a better version of myself.  This exercise really allowed me to refocus on some things that I have lost sight of over time.  It is rather easy to fall into a very self-centered life.  While it is important to have goals for one's self.  I think that it is equally as important, if not more so, to want to give back to humanity.  To make the world a better place for all is quite the noble idea.  Of course, one person cannot have a huge impact, but that does not mean that one person cannot impact the lives of those close to them.  In turn, those people impact the lives of others as well.  This is cycle that will hopefully result in less violence, crime, and lack of motivation.

I must say that it truly is a great feeling to be selfless again.  I will continue this exercise on a regular basis so as to not lose sight of the things that are truly important in life.  Now it is time to implement these great concepts.  Giving to those who are less fortunate is something that I once did frequently.  This is something I will start again.  Providing knowledge to those who need it is something else I can do to help out society.  This is all part of allowing for personal growth for myself while also bettering the state of the world little by little.

Loving, kindness, and a subtle mind!

Recently in my creating wellness class, I had the opportunity to take part in two different psychological exercises.  Was was called the subtle mind exercise and the other was loving kindness exercise.  The two exercises were similar.  They both had a calming effect, which allowed for relaxation.  To be honest, neither exercise worked well for me.  The first one, which was the subtle mind exercise, did an okay job at relaxing me, but did not garner the results that were intended.  The second exercise fell completely flat.  the pacing of the second exercise known as the loving kindness exercise was completely off and created a disconnect with me.  I could never get on board with it.  Perhaps if given a few more tries and a little more effort, there would be some effect, but the first attempt was certainly a failure.

Although these exercises did not deliver on their claims, I have had plenty of success with other methods of mental exercise.  Meditation is something that I enjoy.  Sometimes through yoga, I will concentrate on nothing but my breathing.  It help me focus and rid myself of any stress that has accumulated throughout the day.

I believe that mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness.  In fact, I believe the two go hand in hand.  I think one is difficult to obtain without the other, nearly impossible even.  I believe that more people should invest and getting their mental focus in tune with their physical preparedness.

Spirituality and metal fitness also go hand and hand. To me, spirituality is almost an extension of mental fitness.  It is all about truly understanding the point of life. Gaining knowledge and using that knowledge for the betterment of the world.

Love and Kindness

I did not find the Love and Kindness exercise to be very effective.  I felt as though the pacing was too slow and thus caused me to drift off whenever there were extended segments of silence.  They exercise started off great as it asked me to envision someone whom I love completely.  I immediately thought of my daughter to whom, for obvious reasons, I am deeply attached to.  However, from there, the exercise drifted off into another direction.

The concept of mental workouts is that in order to develop  psychological strength, it must be trained continuously, just as an Olympian would train their body.  The aim of these mental workouts is to expand the mind and consciousness of the individual, while also removing any negative thoughts/feelings.  Evidence shows that through consistent mental training, the mind can be freed of feelings of regret, resentment, anger, and sadness.  These effects are both short-term and long-term.  In essence, mental training can facilitate selflessness and calmness. Mental exercise will certainly lead to better psychological health in the long run.  In many cases, what stunts psychological growth is negativity and a closed mind.  These exercises are designed to clear both of these potential roadblocks.

Although I did not find the exercise to be beneficial for myself.  Perhaps I should attempt to give it a second chance.  Given my initial experience, I would not recommend this exercise to anybody else.  But as I said, I am willing to give it another try.  I wold like to do this before giving my final judgments.

Complete wellness

When thinking of one's health and well being, it is necessary to consider all components that make up the vessel.  There is physical wellness, psychological wellness, and spiritual wellness.  Each component is equally as important as the next.  In Western culture, physical wellness is generally the most talked about component, while the other two are afterthoughts.  However, to truly be completely healthy, all of the areas must get adequate amounts of exercise.

When reviewing my own health and well being, I am able to pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses.  Physically speaking, I would consider myself extremely healthy.  I strong, flexible, agile, and well conditioned.  I am an athlete, so this part comes easy for me.  It is like second nature.  In a scale ranging from 1-10, I would give myself an 8.  Psychologically I am also very strong.  I have always been the type of person who is self-motivated.  I am always setting goals and working to achieve them.  There is never a limit to what I accomplish.  This is my way of thinking.  This goes for every part of my life.  Whether it is the gym, school, my career, being a father, or anything else.  I want to be the best I can be regardless.  I would give myself a score of 9 in this area.  Spiritually I am my weakest.  This is an area which I have not given as much attention to.  I am not a very religious person.  This is more so because I do not know what I believe, rather than not believing at all.  I have not really taken the necessary steps to explore that part of my life though.  This is something that I need to look more into.  I do live my life my a moral code.  I pride myself on being a good and honest person.  However, I do think that there is much room for improvement here.  I give myself a 7 in this area.

As I mentioned previously, I am very goal-oriented.  Thus, I will set some goals for myself regarding my health and well being.  Psychically, although I am strong, there is always a higher level to reach for.  I am very much into power-lifting at this point in my life.  Power-lifting is a sport that incorporates the use of 3 different lifts.  Those lifts are the squat, deadlift, and bench press.  I would like to get my bench press above 315 lbs, my squat over 400 lbs, and my deadlift above 450 lbs, all while keeping a body weight below 180 lbs.  Psychologically, I m already strong.  However, I will set a goal of being able to relax more.  I do have a tendency to let my anger get the best of me at times.  I would like to be able to control this a little better.  Spiritually, I just want to put myself out there and explore that part of my life.  There is much to learn and much to consider.  This could bring a whole new level of wellness to my life.

In order to reach these goals, a certain level of programming must be implemented.  Physically, it is easy.  I simply need to use a lifting program that adds enough volume, intensity, and recovery.  Eventually I will be able to reach my physical goals.  Psychologically, it will take me using relaxation exercises in times of high stress.  Breathing techniques and counting exercises should help in this area.  Although it sounds corny, they do work.  If nothing else, it is the catalyst for realizing that you need to calm down.  Spiritually, I think the best way to reach my goal is to go out and experience different walks of life.  The more I experience, the more I able to apply to my own life.  I will be able to have a better understanding of what I believe.

While completing the relaxation exercise the Crime of the Century, I realized why it works.  The music in addition to the descriptive dialogue provides the perfect elements for relaxation.  Many people are able to learn through visuals.  I think the dialogue is so descriptive that the individual listening is able to easily visualize the scenarios described, which allows for relaxation.  I do believe that the exercises work, it just depends on the individual and whether they are willing to fully give themselves to the exercise. So to some extent, I think the experience will be subjective.

The Journey to Relaxation

The "Journey to Relaxation" is eye opening experience.  It is interesting how far a few words of encouragement and some melodic background music can go towards relaxing an individual.  It just goes to show that too many people ignore the positive results that can be produced through relaxation exercises in general.

I am no stranger to relaxation techniques.  I have used them on a few occasions actually.  Not to the degree that is experienced through listening to the audio in "the Journey to Relaxation", but the results were still similar.  Most people do not understand how much of an effect stress can have on one's life.

Relaxation exercises are something that most individuals could benefit from.  Relieving stress can be a powerful solution to the hardships of everyday life.  Rising from relaxation techniques, the individual can feel at ease.  They are truly relaxed, yet oddly also have more energy than before.  This is an excellent form of healing.  I highly recommend this to anybody who is going through a lot of stress in their life.

*Anthony Henry

Welcome, all.

Welcome, all.  This blog is an entryway into the mind of Anthony Henry.  I am many things.  First and foremost, I am a father to a beautiful little girl.  Her name is Lily and she is the reason I wake up every morning.  I am a professional wrestler.  Yes, exactly like what you see on tv.  I am a fitness fanatic.  More and more this taking over my life.  I am also a student who is looking to absorb any and all knowledge that is within reach.  I am not only a college student, but a student of life as well.  I hope everyone finds my blogs interesting, entertaining, and full of good grammar.  Feel free to leave awesome comments as much as possible.  Thanks, guys!