Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

My results for the timed 5K  32:55
Kind of a slow time for me, however, I ran an additional 6 miles after the race was over.   I was running in honor of three friends who have passed away, one of whom was only 2 weeks ago.  I wanted to run 3 miles for each of them so I found a friend who was willing to run with me and we did it.  
Stay Healthy and Well
Smiles
Kristie

Unit 9: Final Project

1. 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 important for professionals to develop themselves in ways that will make them credible to their clients.  When a first impression is made it sometimes difficult to change it if it was initially a negative impression.  With this in mind if we as professionals are slacking in an area that the client needs the most help in we will not be very effective.  I know for me I need to work on the spiritual aspect.   I have always tied spiritual with religious, which I have now come to realize is not the case.  I am now better able to work on this aspect without the pressures associated with any one religion.

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

      I have had to keep reassessing myself, which is good in some ways and frustrating in others. Physically I am in a good place.  I know I need a little tweaking; however, nothing much it is just a matter of dealing with the lack of time in my life that requires me to use more processed foods then I like.  Psychologically speaking I am forever getting better.  I am hoping when I get to the magical point where flourishing really happens I will know it.   When I use the hindsight I can see how far I have come in the past 13 years of my life and all I can say is wow that is amazing.  Spiritually I am not at all where I want to be or think I should be.  This area is one I have neglected for a very long time.  I have grown, at least for my personal assessment, the most in this area in the last 9 weeks.  I know I still have my work cut out for me but having the fear in check is a huge benefit.

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

      My goal physically is to cut out even more processed foods and to complete the full marathon in the spring.   My goal for my mental health is to take more time to react.  I want to be even less impulsive.  My spiritual goal is to find the oneness that is in all life forces.  I realize this will take a lot of time and training but I know I will get there.  I now get very brief glimpses of the oneness, and that does please me; however, I know there is more there I am missing.

4. 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. 

      Physical:  I will continue to use yoga to improve my flexibility and breath work as a calming technique.  Yoga is a “type of cross-training that involves the mind/body” and allows us to “work out the mind/body as a single unit” (Dacher, 2006, p 83).   Another practice I will continue to follow is a good nutrition plan.  I am a vegan so by my very nature I have to “mindful and intentional” when I choose my foods because I am “concerned for environmental sustainability, world poverty, and animal suffering” (Dacher, 2006, p 108).   I am not judging others but this is just where I am at in my progress.

      Psychological:  I am really fond of the loving-kindness exercises.  I think what makes this so appealing to me that it can be done in any location and the benefits can be felt almost immediately.  The following statement is so true: “it can serve as an antidote to anger and hatred” (Dacher, 2006, p 93).  This is very helpful for moments when I am too quick to respond with frustration or anger when I should respond slower and with love.  Another area I need to spend some time working on is “Learning from the Woodcarver” as we remember he did not have a choice as to the task he had to complete.  His choice came from within in how he was going to deal with the task.  Finding the positive in the situation and taking pride in you work is a huge benefit.  When I finally slow down and find the best path for myself in a situation with no other alternatives the beauty of self-joy from within is priceless.

      Spiritual:  “Separateness is an expression of cultural conditioning” (Dacher, 2006, p 93).  I need to recondition myself in search of oneness.   I really need to focus on the exercise given to us by Dacher on page 94, as this is the key, al least for me to find the oneness I need and desire.  Starting off by observing our separateness then moving into connectedness and finally reaching for a “universal and interconnected embrace.”  It is just moving.  Another practice I need to keep to on is practicing intimacy.   Without being graphic it is hard at times for me to share with others even those I have know for a very long time like my husband.  I have at times felt as if we do not know each other at all.  With work practicing intimacy and spiritual union I think I will be able to know him better and he can know me better.

5. 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?

      To check on my progress I am actually going to do two things to help me remember what my focus should be and keep me on track.  The first is I am going to rename this file and keep it on my desk top so when I am doing my homework in the future I will see this file soon to be called: BODY/MIND/SPIRIT, WHERE ARE YOU?   Just having a visual jog should help since I am doing homework a lot and even when not doing homework my computer is almost always on.  The second strategy I will use will utilize my cell phone’s calendar.   I have programed in reminders that coincide with my running calendar to practice meditations while running.   I have also programed in a day each month to revisit and check my progress.  I have chosen Monday’s as my day because this is my calmest day of the week as far as school and work both go.    For the monthly Monday check I did not schedule an end date so until I get a new phone I will be able to continue to monitor my progress.

Good Luck to everyone and continued growth!

Unit 10: Summary and well being

1. Unit three seems like eons ago.   Although my scores would be very similar to what they were before with the exception of spiritual where I think I have moved from an 8 to a 9.  I think I have moved in a positive direction thanks to meditation and visualization.   I feel like I can commune with nature and my inner spiritual self in a whole new level.   I would like it to grow more but I really need to have more time to dedicate to these activities that I simply do not have at the moment.  Physically I am the same, and I am healing fast from my sprained ankle. Psychologically I still struggle because I think too much, again I will get there but this too will take some time.
2. My goals are still the same where I need to let the heat of the moment pass before I respond.   I realize now this is not only when I am anger but also when I am feeling like a comedian.  Unfortunately I am funniest at the wrong times.   This is a new realization for me so I have to really work on it.  I have made some small progress but not enough for me to be pleased with.  Remembering to breath is the biggest part when I am in a moment where an immediate response seems the best path, which it almost never is.
3. Since I sprained my ankle in the middle of this quarter I must get back to my old exercise habits fast.   I have started back to running but the need for cross training is even greater now.   I need to get back into the habit that I had started in the beginning of this quarter of meditating each evening until I fall asleep.   It worked so well I have no excuse for why I stopped.  That is my new goal.  I will work on bedtime meditation.
4. I love the way I feel when I meditate.  I know it works for my aches and pains both physical and mental.  I really like how I have combined visualization exercises with running.  I look forward even more so to running then I ever have before.  I am not afraid of the little pains that will crop up on the long runs.   I have learned tools to cope with chronic pain that can help so many people.  I can honestly sing the praises of these activities without being a hypocrite.   Now I cannot say the same for guided imagery.   I am not a fan in the slightest.  I could tell people to try it but if I tell them it does not work for me then that just does not seem right.  If I tell them that I alter it to suit my needs then they may try to prematurely and have less then expected results.   This is a huge struggle for me.   My final conclusion is I will give it as an option without any input.

This was long and drawn out.  I hope you all the best of health in the future and in your own journeys.

Smiles

Kristie

Unit 8-- Getting Better!

            I have enjoyed most if not all practices once I modify them, of course.   I just can’t seem to enjoy the practice if a person is telling me what to do.   So I do listen, memorize, then practice on my terms, and this is where my journey begins.   So far the two I seem to repeat most often is Loving Kindness and Visualization.  I could say meditation too but that is second nature to me now so I don’t think that really applies to this question.

            Loving Kindness has helped me be more caring for others and a little less egotistical.  I hate to admit that but unfortunately it is true, I am very self-centered.   Loving Kindness is helping me, at a frustratingly slow pace, to help and care for others on terms other then my own or for my own benefit.   I love to help others don’t misunderstand me, but what I am learning to do is help with true love and compassion from an inner space I had not know was even there.

            Visualization is a wonderful tool for me as I run.   I can draw on strengths from my friends who are runners to get me to the end of the training run or the finish line.   I feel a freedom while watching them run with my minds eye.  I can see myself run in the visually beautiful way in which they do.   I do feel like I am the clumsy girl who is chugging along with cinderblocks for feet.    I can see myself feeling less pain and going farther, gliding like a graceful gazelle to the finish line regardless if it has been 3 miles or 13 miles.  

            While in the practice I feel totally connected with all aspects of me mind-body-spirit.   The feeling is very close to the famed “runners high,” but what is cooler is this lasts longer for me then the runners high.   That alone will keep me motivated to continue. 

Smiles

Kristie  

Unit 7 Meeting Aesclepius

I had to try twice to get the meeting Aesclepius training to work for me.   I have to say the first time I was more irritated and frustrated afterwards.  I was sitting in a quiet place trying to focus and nothing.  I am sure my crabby attitude at the time did not help either I felt the beams of light were annoying and took away from the experience.   So I put it aside and waited until this morning.

            Now todays experience was much better and more beneficial for me.  I, of course, did not sit but I found I was in my natural element and could focus better.  I was actually in a 5K-road race.   I was able to gain control of my breathing and my pace while I focused on my person, who by the way is a great runner and a wonderful friend!   I used the beams of light to increase my motivation from the head and as I moved down the body each beam was directed at improving my race ability and my inner peace.  I was surprised that this focus kept the normal pains away and my sprained ankle was nonexistent.   Before I knew it I went through the meditation 3 times and the race was over.  I did not stay as long on each part as in the exercise but I moved at a pace that worked for me.  I will use this in all my future races because it did help so much with my breathing, mental focus, and pace.

           

Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (p.477). 

       The saying is so true.  I would not listen to someone who has never run before giving me tips on how to run.   I will and do cling to the words of people who I feel are great runners.  I see them at a lot of my races and see their accomplishments.   I feel that I am far enough along where I too can give valuable information to others when it is concerning running, also health and wellness.  I have transformed my body and mental attitude to fit into this area.   I feel we do have a responsibility to the people who we try to assist to be focused and have a trained mind so as to truly listen to them and have the patience to help them.   If we are not centered in our own mind-body-spirit it seems to me that we are living a falsehood that could in the end hinder another’s progress.  As long as I am able to find the time and energy to run I will be able to maintain my focus on the three aspects which is a goal that I can see being met.   Even through my most recent injury I was able to stay focused during my down time to keep on top of mind body and spirit.   

Smiles

Kristie

Mudathlon... results...

Hey People!
 I did it!!  I recovered enough to participate in the Mudathlon and it was so much fun!

My Results!

1066 out of 3835 total participants
53 our of 351 ladies in my age bracket
345 out of 2045 ladies all ages.

Go me!   Next year will be better!  
Smiles and Stay Active!
Kristie

Unit 6: Loving Kindness and Assessment

I chose an odd place to attempt my Loving Kindness meditation exercise this week.  It was more successful then I would have ever have imagined possible given the location and sheer number of people surrounding me.  Here is what happened.  I was entering the line to wait an hour and 45 minutes for the Maverick, a rollercoaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.   I had just read the assignment and since I was waiting alone I figured I would give it a try.  I had to keep my eyes open while I cleared my mind and set my body on autopilot to move when the line did.   I occasionally did hear people complain about the wait and the length of the line so I would refocus on the phrases.   I felt myself sending out the good vibes and was so relaxed.   The wait time actually flew by for me.  Just before I was going to split off of the main line for the single rider line a fellow in front of me turned and started talking about how pleasant he felt and surprised the line moved so quickly.   It was very surreal to say the least.  Later that day while driving home I was still repeating the phrases when truck driver waved and smiled.  Again it may have been a fluke but it felt different for me.   I discovered I could send out positive messages and others will feel them, which is so incredibly cool. 

            Moving on to the areas that I need to focus on for growth is my interpersonal and worldly.   I am a shy person even with my family at times even more so in the community.  When I am in a relaxed state I notice I can relate better to my family and friends.  I need to stop relating everything about them through the “me” filters, which does not allow me to see them as they are.  I know this is happening and it frustrates me because I know I need to stop.   Like with all the other exercises I have to stop, clear my mind, and open myself to that person.  I know how to do it I cannot explain or figure out why it is so hard to do and at sometimes seems impossible.  I can only make a conscious effort to practice and train everyday. As soon as I become more comfortable in this area I know it will ease frustrations for all who are closest to me and open many doors for both the interpersonal and worldly aspects of my life. 

Smiles

Kristie