Unit 3

1.            Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

When rating my physical wellbeing I guess I can give myself a 6. I have not weight myself lately but I’m sure I’m still over my weight for my height. I just recently went shopping for pants and I fit in a size smaller and I feel great about that. I work out as much as I can; my problem is really balancing my night shifts at work, schoolwork, and wife and mom duties! Working out always gets cut off from my do to lists. When I do workout I was told to stay between 121 and 161 heart beats per minute, but that's like a very light jog. I try to stay at that pace but I can’t help it, I soon start running and I go up to 170 to 190 beats per minute. I don’t know if that's bad but I feel great! I just recently started to incorporate weights (by recently I mean today), I don’t know what to do and when to do it! I want to ask for assistance at the gym but trainers are just too expensive!

My spiritual well-being is a on going process. I give myself a 5. As I stated before I’m a changed woman after Afghanistan but I still have a long road ahead of me. I don’t attend a church and I don’t claim to be a religion. I placed my daughter in Catholic school because I do believe that Catholic school and a Catholic up bringing kept me from doing crazy things during my teenage years (not many but the major ones).

My psychological well-being is great! I give myself a proud 8! As I stated above before my deployment I was lost. I was in a bad state of mind and mad at the world. Logically I came back a bit on the edge for the first year but it all turned around and grew a lot as a person. I became clear of my past, present, and future.

2.            Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

My goal has always been to become a better person, as a matter of a fact that has always been my personal prayer. Physically I keep working out (mostly running), I may stop for a bit but I always get back into it. Spiritually I continue to search ways to exercise my spirituality by taking a course like this and learning to meditate, pray, etc.  Psychologically I have friends and family to talk with. I like to say that I live my life as an open book. It sometimes gets me in trouble but it’s my form of therapy.

3.            What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

Physically, keep running and maybe take up biking. I have a small interest in biking that I should look into it. Spiritually, my daughter is going to start going to Catholic school in the fall, so I should make it my business to attend mass or any extra activities my daughter is involved in. If that is to Doctrine for me then I should take up yoga or keep learning to meditate. Psychologically having lunch with a friend at least once a month to “unload” and “recharge” or if money is available a therapist! Oh a journal would be great! However, I am always afraid that someone would read my thoughts and know my secrets (I do not like that idea at all)!

After completing the relaxation exercise, I felt like I should do it again tomorrow! My mind wondered off so bad, I tuned the person talking out! For a while I had no idea what he was saying and I was in my own little movie! Its crazy how hard it is to focus. When I did get back on track I felt relaxed and in control over my breathing.