1. Describe your experience. Did you find it
beneficial? Difficult? Why or why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why
or why not?
My experience with the
Loving Kindness mp3 was challenging at best. Partially because I
have been fighting the flu all week and
have a terrible headcold, partially because
I cannot seem to relax enough to stay focused. When I started this class I
was excited because I hoped this class would provide some magical answer to my
inability to relax my mind. So far, it’s
been the opposite for me – causing me anxiety. I would recommend the
Loving Kindness to my son because he may benefit from it. Meditation and
relaxation must be tailored to each individual. In spite of my
own personal experience, I am trying to stay open as it may help some of the
people I work with. I realize that each
person is different and you have to find what works for them.
2. What is the concept of "mental
workout"? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a
mental workout? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your
psychological health?
A “mental workout” is
exercising the mind just like you would
exercise your body. Like physical
fitness – mental fitness must be done on a consistent basis. There is no magical pill. Research shows that consistent daily practice
will show proven results (Dacher, 2006).
I am slowly
incorporating mental workouts into my daily life. Because of my chaotic
lifestyle and schedule, I have found the best and most effective time for this
is during my physical workout. My grandmother suffered from alzheimers. For me
personally, a healthy mind is more important than being physically fit. If you have your faculties, you can do a
better job making decisions that are right for your physical health. Slow and steadily, I am trying to implement
mental workouts in other parts of my life. It is challenging but I
am also starting to incorporate mental and emotional breaks in my work
day. Instead of imploding – I will take
a walk to the beach (I work on the boardwalk and actually never see the ocean
most days). I realize that I need to
take in the environment and appreciate the landscape where I work. This allows me to return to my office and
feel 100% better mentally and emotionally.
I deal with challenges much better after these mini breaks.
I actually returned to
school to increase my focus on my mental health. I needed to do something just for me.
Dacher, E.
(2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna
Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Unfortunately, developing a better mental state is just as much work as trying to develop a better physique or losing weight. It is something we must work at with diligence and commitment. I found it more beneficial to do the Loving Kindness exercise in the evening before bed. The first couple of times doing the exercise I could not focus. I started focusing on the sounds of the waves for a couple and then I found myself less distracted and was able to visualize my feelings and replace them with positives. Maybe that would be a way that may be beneficial for you as well.
ReplyDeleteKelly Konkus
Kelly is right developing a better mental state is just as much work as trying to develop a better physique or losing weight. It takes dedication, hard work, and focus. The loving kindness exercise was kind of hard for me as I was listening to it I would drift into thoughts of what I had to do for the day, things the kids had to do, and what to fix for dinner, etc. I had a hard time focusing on it and what I needed to do. I think today I will steal Kelly's idea and listen to it before bed instead of in the morning and see if that will help me.
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