Unit 3 learning activity,

Well, here we are 2012, boy that came fast.  Week 3 we are asked to reflect on our wellbeing.  To take a look at our physical, spiritual, and psychological wellbeing and rate it.  I feel that both of my spiritual and psychological wellbeing are good.  Spiritually, I feel that I am probably an eight.  I am very strong and secure in my beliefs.  I am involved in my church, as is my family, we attend church every Sunday morning.  I am a Eucharistic minister in our church and my daughter is an altar server.  Our family is actively involved with mission trips within the U.S. and I am very thankful for everything that we have.  I am confident that I will see my family again someday and look forward to our meeting (that is after I finish what I must here in this life first).  I feel that my strong belief gives me a peace of mind and security knowing that I am being looked after and that this life is not the end for me, my family, friends, and/or anyone else who chooses.  My goal would be to continue to learn and grow spiritually and try and be the best person I can be (wife, mother, friend, coworker, christian, person).

Psychological wellbeing would be probably an eight as well.  I try and be a positive person for the most part.  I admit, sometimes I do get down about things a bit, and I feel that's okay.  But after a little I snap myself out of it and move on.  Life is filled with challenges, and how we handle them defines our character.  I am a strong believer of if you don't like something that is happening or a situation, then do something about it.  If you are not willing to change your situation, then you really do not have the right to complain.  We all have bad things that we have to deal with, somethings you just have to suck it up and move on.  Don't let it bring you down.  My goal would be to focus on the positives in my life and not let the negatives get me down.  To try and make some time for myself for me time, meditation, self-reflection.  Working two jobs, school, and four kids, it gets tough to find time sometimes.  I guess also to enjoy the process, or should I say each day.  Dacher mentioned about a saying said in the East that I really like and have to remember, ""A bucket is not filled with water by the first or last drop.  It is filled by the collection of a very large number of drops (2006, p58)."  I really like that and have to remember that.

Now we move on to our physical wellbeing.  For me, this isn't a good one.  I am 45 years old and have very severe out-of-control asthma.  My general practitioner tells me she feels that I have COPD.  This gets very frustrating as I have never smoked.  I take a lot of different medications for this and they haven't gotten it under control.  I was on high doses of prednisone for many years (which isn't good for you), but my doctor said it is better than not being able to breath.  I would have to agree with him on that point.  However, we changed my treatment and I discontinued taking it daily and now go for lung treatments every other week up at the hospital.  I get two injections every time I go and only take the prednisone when I get sick and/or start having increased problems with my breathing.  In addition, because of taking prednisone for so long, I have problems with my bones now breaking easily so I have to watch.  My one ankle has broken three times now and will need surgery if I break it again.  Because of this I wear a brace to support it.  There are other problems I need to watch for now, but I have gotten use to them now.  I attended pulmonary therapy for a couple years but have started a second job so have had to drop my therapy due to time restraints.  I do have to admit, it gets frustrating at times because I am restricted on some things and need to make adjustments to others.  However, I am very fortunate to have a wonderful husband.  He and my four children are my support system and they me get through the rough times.  Again, I am very fortunate to have them and I am thankful for them.  I feel that things could always be worse, so I try not to complain.  My goal for this would be to do the best I can and not to ever let it get me down.  To never dwell on what I cannot do and remember what I can.

Activities and/or exercises I can implement in my life to assist me in moving toward each goal...
Spiritually would be to continue to pray, read the bible and learn.  Continue to believe and to be there for others who need.  As for psychologically and physically, I am thinking about starting tai chi and either yoga and/or meditation.  I feel that will help me both psychologically and physically.  It will help me manage my stress, work on my breathing, my flexibility and balance, strength, relaxation, etc. 

When I completed the relaxation exercise for this week I found it interesting.  It wasn't as relaxing as the past ones I have done, but I did enjoy it.  I do feel that repeating some of those encouraging things to ourselves is beneficial.  Sometimes we need to say things like that to ourselves to help us belief them, I feel.  So I guess I would say it could be beneficial in that way, but I wasn't relaxed by it.