Final Project

It is very important for health care professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically.  The reason is very simple, and that is because you need to practice what you preach.  I think it is impossible for anyone to recommend, or endorse a practice, unless they have done the same themselves.  Since I want to be a nutritionist, I need to make sure that I have prepared and healed myself psychologically.  I am really enjoying this class, and what it has shown me how to handle this aspect.  I believe that my favorite part has been building my spirituality.  The meditating and “listening” to myself has been wonderful.  As for developing myself physically, that is something that I really have to pick up the pace with.  I cannot guide others if I am delinquent in guiding myself.  This is the one area I just lack the time and push to do. 

            I assess myself spiritually, physically, and psychologically every single day.  As for my spirituality, I look into myself, and I speak to god, and the elements around me.  I happen to love ladybugs and they have come to me at different stressful times in my life.  One had even crawled out from under my phone at work.  They are considered good luck, and have been called a representative of the Virgin Mary, and also a reminder to “Let Go and Let God”.  How awesome is that?  So of course I surround myself with lady bugs and they remind me to take a moment to reflect and pray.  It’s rewarding and calming. 

            As for my physical being…well I have neglected that in the past 1.5 yrs.  There is no excuse but, it has been a stressful time.  I have the tools and knowledge not to let myself become overweight again or neglect myself, but alas, it happened.  In my new job, I have

FINAL PROJECT                                                                                                                            3

been going up and down the train steps, and there are a lot of them, and it is getting my heart going.  I am happy about it, but I need to do more. 

            For the past few months, I have been working on myself psychologically.  I have been questioning many things that I was doing in the past, and realized that I wasted much energy instead of handling things differently.  Now, I stop and rethink the process I should take during different situations.  I collect myself and think about how I want to feel and I end up doing something totally different then what I would have done.

            My one physical goal is to get myself moving like I used to.  I used to love to put on my ipod and walk/jog in the house.  My daughter would get up and do it with me and we would giggle with each other.  Sometimes the walk/jog became a weird dancing.  Also, I look forward to bike riding with her this spring.  I want to keep tummy breathing meditating.  This has been so beneficial to me.  At night when I am listening to my meditation station on Pandora, I relax and tune everything else out.  I want to keep this going for my mental health..Let’s face it…I need it.  As for my spiritual self, I want to keep talking to God, and also, try to become one with the elements.  I am reading Eat Pray Love, and she is in India right now and it is very spiritual. 

            I will implement the walk/jog into my life by marking it into my calendar.  This way, I cannot forget for find an excuse.  Another exercise that I am going to implement is bike riding with my daughter.  I will make her a promise to do that, and I cannot go back on it, because she always says a Springer always keeps their promise.  Strategies for my

sychological growth, is to down load meditation CD’s to my iPod.  This way, I will always have it with me.  I also have a small water fountain that I am going to bring into my office at work.  This way when I am at lunch, I can distress.  I am thinking about acupuncture…but not sure yet.  I saw a woman on the train today who took out a small bible, crossed herself, and started reading.  I may not pray all the time, but I believe it is important for me to speak to God.  My other way to grow, spiritually, is to stop and sit outside a few times a week and just be quiet and listen to the elements.  As the weather warms, I plan to sit by the ocean and just try to be one with it.

            The way that I will assess my progress is by journaling.  I current journal when I am at work.  It has help me very much in the past three months.  As I write down my feelings, it helps to relieve the stress and I think more clearly.  At the end of each month, I will assess and see if I have met any of my goals or if I have fallen off the wagon.  If I have fallen, then I will get back up and do it again.