Unit 3: Self Evaluation & Goals

I believe it is important to step back and take an honest look at yourself and your behaviors on a regular basis. In rating my current status, I give myself a 9 for physical wellbeing. I am 52 with no major health problems. My weight is on the low end of the range for my age and height. I exercise daily and as am blessed with the ability to grow much of the food we eat. Our diet is low fat, low sodium, and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. In another class my actual age rating for my lifestyle choices, diet, exercise, etc. places me at age 40 (made me feel good about my efforts). I feel I have room for improvement due to not receiving adequate rest to allow my body proper rejuvenating time. This will result in periodic migraine headaches and flare-ups of CFS. Both are becoming fewer and further between but there is room for improvement (elimination).

Spiritually, I will give myself a 9 as well. I have known and accepted I am part of something much larger and connected with all other living beings/things since a child. I feel quite often I am more diligent in staying connected spiritually than maintaining optimal mental or physical status. Daily time is taken to reach out and marvel at the wonders provided, the miracles observed, and to acknowledge, be grateful, for all that is. Unreserved giving, compassion, love, and support are a natural part of each minute of the day. I believe there is room for improvement, because I do have days when my own woes become a focus.

Psychologically, I see myself as an 8.9. I spend too much time chastising myself to “get over it.” While there are not great impacts on physical and spiritual areas, mentally it does become overwhelming. Between parents, husband, work, home, kids, and school I do well to work in 4-5 hours of sleep a day. My mind becomes too busy. The terminal illness in parents and uncertainty of my husband’s health provides a good deal of stress not to mention a wide range of emotional responses. Likewise, working with individuals suffering chronic illness or physical limitations adds more pressure. Each person is dear to me, I feel their frustration and pain as we try to work through and optimize their wellbeing. When returning to school I set a goal to be an honor student. To date I have maintained a 4.0 GPA, again this is more mental pressure. For those of you with small children, the parental worry does not reduce when they are grown. Our recent weather and destruction of lives, uncertainty with income, and many other things plague me mentally, if I do not keep it all in check. Honestly, some days are harder than others to do so, thus the rating.

My goals are to improve my rest, become more grounded spiritually, and maintain better control of stress. Fortunately, the interconnection between the areas and goals offers several potential activities to help in all areas. I have a 14-year old Cairn terrier who stills views himself as a puppy. Taking his lead and stopping to investigate/appreciate the world around us is a great place to start. Since moving to the country leash walks are not mandatory with the fenced in acreage.  However, he remembers the city and still enjoys a leash walk. Exploring with him the woods, and partaking of the sensory stimulation will renew a connection spiritually. The leisure walk will also slow activity to a resting pace. Likewise, turning off mental stress and replacing it with positive sensory stimuli will improve psychological state. Years ago I practiced Yoga. I have acquired a couple of Yoga CDs and plan to start back with this practice. This will improve physical flexibility, refocus mental state, and enhance spirit. Finally, I will return to a 10-15 minute total relaxation exercise before bedtime each night. (Why do we stop things so important?)This may be mindfulness meditation directed toward physical or mental balance. Perhaps some nights only a visualization of removal of stresses and total relaxation to all parts of the body will suffice. The important part will be daily incorporating this into my bedtime routine. Again, this will have physical, mental, and spiritual application.

The relaxation exercise for this unit was very helpful to me last night. I found it helped me move from the impacts of a very stressful day into a peaceful night of almost 6 hours sleep (unbelievable)! I can see benefits of utilizing this exercise during a lunch break to refocus and reenergize for the afternoon ahead.