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PERSONAL REFLECTION

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  Writing a health blog and tracking my health goal progress has been such an enjoyable experience.   I feel like I have learned so much about wellness in the past few weeks and have come so far in my journey.   This assessment really showed me that aspects of my wellness that were out of balance, and it taught me that it is possible to get better in these areas.   The hardest part of making a health goal was staying consistent.   I had my days where I really had to work hard at it.   Going to bed earlier was not easy for me, but I worked at it, and it eventually became easier.   With more rest at night, it was not a problem to wake up earlier and find the time I needed to get my regular meditation routine set up.   After a few days of staying consistent, I noticed how my body became more adjusted to the new schedule, and it was not as difficult to fall asleep earlier. The easiest part of the journey for me was finding quiet time alone to meditate.   Waking up before anyone else al
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MY FAVORITE MEDITATION RESOURCES

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  There are countless health promotion resources all over the internet that speak about meditation and the various benefits that come from it.   When I am looking for information online to know more about this topic or to clear up a question I may have, there are two main resources I enjoy. ·        Live & Dare - https://liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/ This online blog was created by Giovanni Dienstmann, an international author, meditation coach and speaker.   I love this resource because it is organized and extremely informative.   Dienstmann discusses everything around mediation. Not only does he have guided meditations available, but he also offers a free online course in addition to countless podcasts and articles that speak about self-discipline and spirituality.   In addition, there are loads of articles speaking about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.   For someone seeking a deeper meditation experience, Dienstmann also offers personal coaching and addi
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BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

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Meditation is associated with physical and mental health benefits.   Since its origination more than three thousand years ago, these practices have been used by cultures and religions all across the world (LOH, 2003).   While meditation is known to help promote relaxation, it may also result in a slowed heart rate and lower blood pressure (Kristeller, 2011).   LOH (2003) stated that “Other health benefits from meditation includes better sleep, reduced abuse of alcohol and drugs, reduction of blood pressure, decreased in mean total cholesterol syndrome, decreased incidence of headache” (p. 1).   In addition, the psychological effects are improved self-esteem, reduced stress, better cognitive function, and overall happier moods (LOH 2003).   Reaching beyond the physical and mental wellness aspects of health, meditation also has a great effect on spiritual well-being.   Wachholtz and Pargament (2008) noted that “the daily practice of spiritual meditation technique may enhance psychologi
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FINDING A BALANCE

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  In my latest post, I described what the six dimensions of wellness are and what they mean to me.   As I examine my own personal life, I see some imbalance in a few of these health aspects. Probably the one I find to be the most inconsistent is my spiritual wellness.   I struggle to find my purpose in life and while I do have   some personal values, it is difficult for me to always have alignment with my actions and what I say I believe. ~ In order to strengthen my spiritual and emotional wellness, my behavioral goal is to set aside thirty minutes five days out of the week to spend more time meditating in order to examine my beliefs and find greater meaning in my life. ~ Since my goal will require a quiet atmosphere by myself, I will need to adjust my sleep cycle to wake up thirty minutes before usual to ensure that I can have this time in seclusion.   Because I usually tend to sleep late in the morning, this will mean that I will need extra sleep, meaning I will be going to bed an
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WHAT IS WELLNESS?

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Growing up, I used to have some sort of perception that being 'healthy' or 'well' was defined by a simple routine of eating a nutritious diet and getting in a regular amount of exercise each day.  As I matured, I eventually realized that there is so much more to achieving wellness from within.  It took me a while, but it was a huge turning point for me when I finally understood that I was the one in control of my health.   We all only get one body, and because of that I want to make sure that I can do everything in my power to ensure that mine is at its peak performance in all aspects of wellness.  Below is a list of the components that impact overall well-being. Wellness is comprised of six dimensions, which I will explain in further detail below.  These are: Occupational Physical Social Intellectual Spiritual Emotional The Occupational dimension of wellness acknowledges how satisfied a person may be in their field of work.  Having a job that fulfils an individual
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