Unit 9 Final Project

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management

and Prevention
Stress Management and

Prevention Program
Resource Guide
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KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide
By
Bonnie Grimes
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
October 1, 2019
Table of Contents
UNIT 1 THE NATU RE OF STRESS
Information to Remember...........................................................................................4
Self-Assessment Exercises..........................................................................................4
Journal Writing...........................................................................................................7
UNIT 2 THE PHYSI OL O GY OF STRESS
Information to Remember...........................................................................................8
Self-Assessment Exercises..........................................................................................8
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................10
UNIT 3 PSYCHOL OGY OF STRESS
Information to Remember.........................................................................................12
Self-Assessment Exercises........................................................................................12
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................14
UNIT 4 PERSONAL I TY TRAITS AND THE HUM AN SPIRIT UAL IT Y
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................18
UNIT 5 DEAL ING WITH STRESS: COPING STRATEGIE S
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................21
UNIT 6 REL AXATIO N TECHI QUE S 1 : BREATH IN G,
M EDITATI ON, AND M ENTAL IM AGERY
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................25
UNIT 7 NUTRITI ON AND STRESS
UNIT 8 PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY
Journal Writing.........................................................................................................33
UNIT 9 APPL YING STRESS: CRITICAL ISSUES F OR
M ANAGEM E NT AND PREVENTI ON TO YOUR PROF ESSI ONAL L IF E
ADDITI ON AL INF ORM AT IO N
REF EREN CES
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Unit
Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Eustress, Neustress, and distress are names of stress. Eustress is good
stress, and the stressor motivates the levels of performance or health. Neustress is sensory stimuli that
have no consequential effect that is perceived as unimportant or inconsequential. Distress is the bad
stress that often leads to being simple stress that contrary to an explanation of an event, such as
threatening, feeling of fear, or anger. Stress is in your life and in individual lives, which are found in
everyone's daily activities. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Types of stressors are acute and chronic, which fight-or-flight is known to be acute.
The critical body is threat and releases hormones that will prepare the body to survive and react to the
danger. Acute stress is fear and anger, and they are the main emotions that give off the fight or flight.
(Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Frustrated, angry, or nervous is a feeling or emotion of stress, which is physical
tension. It could be from an event or your feelings which your body reacts to a challenge that you have to
do for a demand. Stress can be positive or negative because it can help you to avoid danger or help you
meet a deadline for a busy job.
(Seaward, 2015).
Self-Assessment Exercise:
In unit one, I learned about the connection between the wellness model. There are four areas
of well-being components. The model is emphasizing with the elements of physical well-being,
emotional well-being, and spiritual well-being and mental well-being in my order of importance.
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On the refection of the four well-being components, they are excellent for your health. They
can help with a total balance of your human body harmony of the physical, intellectual, and spiritual
and emotional well-being. The connection between mental, religious, and physical and psychological
components are brought together as one another for your health and wellness. The segment of mental
well-being is when an individual can gather and process, recall, and communicate information.
Subjective mental well-being is when a person can potentially cope with a healthy stress lifestyle and
make an excellent contribution to their community. To improve the mental well-being state, the
person must connect with others and be active in their community. Superior mental well-being is
feeling good about yourself and the world around us for proper communication for health and
wellness, which is very important to adapt you with your stress levels.
Physical well-being is a significant physiological system of the human body and the
lifestyle behavior that helps with good health. It will help you to avoid preventable diseases and bad
condition to your health. The physical well-being is taking care of your body inside and outside; for
example, you would need to get enough sleep and eat the right nutrition for the frames of your body.
For example, if you smoke, it would be good to kick the habit and get enough exercise for you're
health and wellness. Physical well-being is where you carry out social roles without physical
limitations that will cause body pain. When you become stress, you should do some physical well-
being exercise for your health and well-being because when you are stressed, your body will go into a
chemical and physical change that will harm your overall body. Your body will go into what they call
a "fight-or-flight stage, which will release a high-stress hormone that will harm your immune system.
An excellent way to prevent this from happening is to do some meditation, and this is important to
help you with your stress levels.
Component emotional well-being is when you can feel the range of emotions and also be able
to control them for yourself. Sometimes your feelings can go overloaded, and your excitement will
interrupt your body, which could lead to depression. The component of emotional well-being is now
to inspire self-care and for you to relax and to be stress-free and develop your inner strength. It is
essential to be interactive with both positive and negative feelings and to be able to handle your sense
of emotion, which includes your self-esteem and help you with your stress levels and well-being.
The last component is spiritual well-being, which is the purpose and the meaning of your life
that can create all kinds of stress obstacles, and then it will take you to the spiritual road. Sometimes
making a path is very difficult to find your way to the right track. The connection to spiritual well-
being may or may not be any religion but could be a part of palliative care. The mental well-being
can stem from a person's inner self and full life. Spiritual well-being is the spirit of your lives and
works to help your body and mind. Many things can help with the contributes of mental well-being
such as eating healthy and getting enough sleep, and mindfulness, and taking the time out to focus on
your inner self to succeed with your stress levels.
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In conclusion, for the four components of well-being, it is essential to realize that they are the
components that will help you in your life, wellness, and health and your stress levels. For me, I have
a job that I have to use 3 of the pillars of wellness. Where I live and work that allows me to foster the
balance of my wellness paradigm. I work for a company that uses parts of well- being. We have to
use the three pillars for health, which are food for your health and wellness and your well-being,
embrace your mindfulness for prosperity for your mindset, and physical activity for your health and
well-being. My job has given me the knowledge that we use in the job every day. I have to let the
clients know that feeling good is not something that will magically happen, but when you use the
pillars of health such as your mind, body, and spirit, you will feel good about yourself.
You have to start with the cornerstones of wellness, which is the foundation of well-being as
mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional. It is essential that they know we are what we eat, it can
make you feel good or bad, and nutrition is the key to success. For example, It will help reduce a
person's high blood pressure.
Exercise is a crucial concept that helps with the well-being of the mind and body and has
numerous benefits, such as reducing stress. The last one that I would like for you to know about is
rest; this is a well-being component that we all need for the mindset and the body; of all the three that
are very important, the rest is the most important one for your well-being. (Seaward, 2015)
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The chart is the mandala emphasizing the components of physical well-being, emotional well-being,
and spiritual well-being and mental well-being in my order of importance.
Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: "How Stressed Are You?" Directions found on pages 11
and 12 of the Mindfulness workbook. List the situation on the left. Use a rating scale of 1 through 10 for the
start, midway, and end. You will use this Journal Assignment as a way of mapping your stress throughout
the course. Keep it handy and refer back to it often
Situation Start Midway End

A family member not helping with an elderly member 10 7 5
( distress)
Taking care of an elderly or sick family member 10 7 5
(distress)
Newborn in the family (eustress) 7 5 1
Death of a loved one (distress) 10 5 3
Son starting a new job (neustress) 8 5 1
Change in the financial state ( distress) 10 7 1
Family wedding (neustress) 7 5 1
Wellness care (neustress) 6 4 1
Trouble with coworkers (distress) 8 5 1
Vacation ( eustress) 7 5 1
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
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Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress
2
Unit
Key Learning Point: Three systems that are connected and are involved with the physiology of stress
which is the nervous system, and the endocrine systems, and the immune system. Perceived threats
can trigger their systems. Each system contributes and has a function that they perform and deal with
different stress. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Neuroscience and neuroplasticity are two different concepts, but they in some way
related. Neuroscience is known as Neural Science, which is the study of how the nervous system
develops, and the brain structure works. The neuroscientist works with the brain to help with the
impact behavior and cognitive function of the mind, and study to see what happens to the nervous
system for a human that has a neurological disorder (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Stress can also cause disease to be a leading factor of relapse and become a chronic
disease. Pressure from the stress will release cortisol and speed up the reproduction of bacteria or the
virus or the diseases. Then, when the anxiety takes over the condition, the immune system is
suppressed from the cortisol, and the bacteria or disease or virus will take over. (Seaward, 2015).
Neuroscience and neuroplasticity, they are two different concepts, but they are related.
Neuroscience is known as Neural Science, which is the study of how the nervous system develops,
and the brain structure works. The neuroscientist works with the brain to help with the impact
behavior and cognitive function of the mind, and study to see what happens to the nervous system for
a human that has a neurological disorder. However, neuroplasticity is the concept that the brain can
create a new connection, pathway, and change how the circuit can be wired and grow to build new
neurons.
Neuroscience is fundamental and essential to the brain because they study the brain and how it
works. The neuroscience learns how the nervous system works but how it builds the thoughts,
feelings, and emotions, behavior, and control the functions of the brain. The neuroscientist help to
find ways to prevent and treat the effect of the mind and nervous system and the body. When they
study the nervous system, they get an understanding of the primary body function, and they can help
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to find out what happens when your brain has a problem and studies disorders and injuries and
diseases. Neuroscience examines the healthy development of the brain for the nervous system. For
neuroscience, this is crucial for maintaining the overall health and well-being of the mind.
Neuroplasticity is sometimes called brain plasticity is when the brain can modify the
connection and re-wire itself. However, if the brain has stress, it can not reconnect, or have the
ability to develop adulthood or an injury to the brain can not be re-wired. However, the brain is
extraordinary, and it processes sensory, motor parallel signals to the body that has the neural
pathways replicate another function. So if you have small errors or temporary loss that have been
affected by stress, the task becomes damaged and can not connect by re-wiring the signal differently
because of the tension in the brain.
A disease occurs when the nervous systems are affected by stress, such as a stroke or a heart
attack. The chronic stress that exposures your body and elevated stress hormones like adrenaline and
cortisol, which then react to the brain. Stress can raise the risk of having a heart attack and link to
heart disease and circulatory disease in humans. The fear of a heart attack can, in turn, causes the
arteries to become inflamed. However, inflammation is involved in the cause of heart attacks or
strokes and angina of the heart, and (The American Heart Association now estimates kills one person
every 32 seconds) ( Seaward, B. 2018). When a person experiences stress, the amygdala will send a
distress signal to the hypothalamus, and the body will go in the what is called fight or for flight.
Stress can also cause Lyme disease to be a leading factor of relapse and become a chronic
Lyme disease. Pressure from the stress will release cortisol and speed up the reproduction of Lyme
bacteria. Then, when the anxiety takes over the Lyme disease, the immune system is suppressed
from the cortisol, and the bacteria will take over. Bronchial asthma is a disorder that will increase
more with the signs of stress but is not the cause of stress. Irritable bowel syndrome is abdominal
pain and tenderness, which can be caused by stress.
Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus is a disease that occurs when the immune system affected by stress.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, is swelling tissue that is inflammation and produced an overreactive
immune system. Lupus disease is an autoimmune disease that fights with the immune system. Having a
chronic illness is stressful, and they suffer from depression and anxiety. Having Lupus or a Rheumatoid
arthritis can directly involve your nervous system and your immune system that it would cause memory
problems with concentrating difficulty and confusion in the brain, which referred to as Lupus fog brain.
(Seaward, 2015)..
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Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled, Explore: How is stress or anxiety affecting your life?
Directions are found on pages 33 through 35 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this
assignment, you will take the first step toward greater well-being and become aware of how stress is
impacting your life. This should be a minimum of two full pages
The stress and anxiety of the people around me and my life are medium to high. My mother is sick
with cancer, and so I have been stressed. There are things that people say that does not help with her or my
stress levels. The fear has affected my life in many ways when I can not sleep at night because I'm
thinking about how much help she will need the next day. It has affected my life in ways that I do not get
to spend much time with my own family. My sisters have stressed me all because they keep saying that
they live so far away and can not help because they need to go to work and can not miss work. They also
said that it would be stressful for them to come to Bel Air Maryland for a week and help with the things
that I help my mother with doing the day. My mother has a doctor's appointment three times a week for
about the next 6 to 8 weeks. That has stressed me that my sisters will not come to help with our mother.
My sisters say it is all because they live too far away, but I know they only live in Washington, DC, which
is about 3 hours away. They are making it more stressful for my mother and I because I have to let my
mother know the reason why they can not come to see her and help out. Wow! Sometimes I think that they
have a fear of coming to help or something. I'm so stressed about this, but I try not to think about it, but it is
so hard.
How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?
The stress and anxiety for work affect my life in so many ways. It all started when my
mother got sick with cancer in 2013. When I had to take FMLA for her treatments, I have a lady that I
work with, and she would say you do not need that many days off. I would hear her say that to the
coworkers, but she would not say it to me at all. One day I know it was going to be a long day. I had a
headache, and my hands were sweating, and I just knew it was just going to be a long stressful day. I had
to find a way to confront the coworker without getting stressed out or having an anxiety attack. So the next
day, I got up the nerve to face her. Let her know that she needs to mind her own business. She did not
understand why I was absent so much. Long and behold, she did not know, and she was so dumbfounded.
I let her know she needs to back off. For this to happen at your job is stressful. So about eight months ago
she came to work and said that she needed to take some time off. The coworker looked at me and said, are
you going to ask me why, and I said It is not any of my business, and my absence is not your business. I
told her that I would not have anyone stressed out for the things that you can not control.
How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?
Well, this is going to be hard for me because, in the world today, I think it is stressful for everyone.
I stress when I see things that are going wrong around the world, Such as things happening in the United
States. Watch the news will give you anxiety, and that is why I do not watch the news that much. With so
many news alerts or breaking stories, our world seems to push further and further into crisis, and people
will have stress or anxiety, and yes, sometimes that is me being stress, also. It takes a toll on our
environment but on my mental health too.
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How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?
The stress and anxiety about food and eating habits affect my life in many ways. There
have been days that I will not have the time to eat a good healthy meal. I know, is terrible for stress and
anxiety and my well- being. I have been so busy helping my mother that sometimes that I do not get to
eat until about 9 or 10 at night, and then I get stress because of my stomach hurting. So I know that my
eating habits have harmed my body for the last six years, but I have been searching for help for myself and
my mother. Taking this course has helped me find something that can help with stress and anxiety. It can
take hold of my eating habits when I'm feeling stressed, and I found out that my body sends out cortisol,
known as the stress hormone. Cortisol can make me crave sugar, salt, and fatty foods because my brain
thinks it needs fuel to fight whatever causing the stress, but now I know this is not true.
How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?
Sleeping is something that I do not get enough, but I need about 8 hours of sleep to help
with stress. The first week of my mother's illness of being sick was not good for me because I found out
how much not getting enough sleep does not help with your well-being and wellness for your health. I
have learned the knowledge that meditation will help me to get some sleep. Have some quiet time also
helps, and the things that I have learned about in this course has helped with knowing about insomnia,
which makes it difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep. Stress can cause hyperarousal, which can upset the
balance between sleep and wakefulness. Nevertheless, now, I will try to get to sleep sooner and longer.
How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?
Exercise can maintain mental fitness, and it can reduce stress. When I do not get to
exercise or lack of physical activity into my life doing the day, it puts my body into anxiety, which is not
good. Not doing any physical exercise is harmful to your body. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
Summary
In conclusion, for this summary, I know about the stress or anxiety in my life, but I need to
do more to help with the issues. My life has been very stressful, taking care of my mother that has cancer.
And me trying to pursue my degree. What is keeping me going? I promised my father just before he died
that I would get my Bachelor's degree, no matter what happens. Not only, but I am also going to get my
Bachelor's degree for him and myself. I have come a long way of learning and trying to get things done
for my mother and have time for myself. I'm learning how to multitask for myself and my mother. These
questions assignment has made me think of the things that have been going on in my life. I'm going to learn
some techniques that will help me and my mother to cope with stress and anxiety. (Stahl & Goldstein,
2010).
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Unit 3: Psychology of Stress
3
Unit
Key Learning Point: The stimulation in the hypothalamus will trigger and release the thyrotropic
hormone. The release factor and the pathways are very prolonged. Stress can also be through the
death of unmet expectations, which are products from mental processes. These theories based on the
many aspects of psychology, including personality, emotional responses, perceptions, and a wide
range of human behaviors. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: There is a constant instinctual tension between body and mind as the mind attempts
to cater to these impulses in socially acceptable ways is what Freud believed. Whether these defenses
are as specific as those described by Freud and Jung, or more general, like those described by Kübler-
Ross, Frankl, Dyer, and Buscaglia, they appear to be a very real, if primitive, part of the coping
process to deal with stress. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The philosophy explains stress as the tension between the self-ego and the
higher mind with desired expectations and outcomes the specific cause of this tension. Common
themes among the theories are the concepts of self-awareness and self-acceptance, two inner
resources that become the most important coping skills to manage personal stress effectively.
(Seaward, 2015).
In this self-assessment, I learned some great information about the Tibetan culture for your mind-
body and how stress and can affect the mind. There is the different theorist that have divergent thinking
about how stress forms in your mind-body.
Tibetan culture for the mind and stress is exciting to learn about the concept of the brain and stress-
relationship. There was a young man that tried to learn about the nature of human and human suffering,
and his name was The Buddha, which means the enlightened one and studies the human mind throughout
the world. Buddha arrived one hundred years ago in Tibet and then began to share the wisdom with the
world. He spoke and wrote about the topic of stress that viewed through the perspective of the mind.
However, we learned that there are two kinds of desires, some can be positive, which would have
the hope and the excitement of happiness, and some can be negative that has no hope and joy. To learn
to have a peaceful world, you would need to have peace and more harmonious society. However,
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sometimes, the desire can become harmful, like the ploys of the ego, and it can become unreasonable
then associated with the hazards of fear can become dangerous. We all know that hate and jealousy,
anger is harmful, which is a negative state of your mind because of the harm of mental happiness. With
the detachment desire, we learned the connection to the great mindset would set the stage of the heading
and inner peace of the mind.
The thing that the theorists have in common is that they all have taught the defense of stress and
anxiety. They all have about six defense mechanisms that they widely use for anger, fear, and their
studies about stress are essential.
The theorists have a significant contribution to the understanding of the mind and the emotion and
perception of human behaviors. In my perspective, theorists know how to find out the concepts of
conscious and unconscious thought of the brain and the innermost thoughts. They know ideas of
memories, feelings where they all discover their theory of the mind and how stress works with the spirit
of the mind and the brain.
Fear can stimulate physical response and is overwhelming. Which is known as freezing, or some
people call it "deer in the headlights" (Seaward, B. (2018). The different kind of fear is such as
embarrassment, prejudice, anxiety, worry, doubt. A person needs to cope with and manage fear, and
there are several types of techniques to help people overcome their fears. The first option to help with
worries is behavior therapy, where a person engaging in coping with cognitive reappraisal and uses
relaxation with a technique to desensitize the person to the stressor. Cognitive reappraisal is face to face
confrontation with a relaxation technique. The second option to help with the fears is systematic
desensitization, which is the process of distressing from something, but yet safe to encounter with the
stressor. Some people need intervention to establish a balance between positive and negative feelings
from their fears. They could use exercised to depress the state of mind, and this would resolve the
concern. There are many ways to improve communication styles by learning the basics of nonverbal
communication, verbal communication, and visual communication skills. The five communication skills
that could be enhanced is paraphrasing, listen actively, maintain eye contact, show respect
When you maintain eye contact, you show that you have understood what the person has
communicated. Paraphrasing is an excellent tool for improving communication skills because it shows
delivered to the person receiving the message. Listen actively is a unique communication skill that
engages and responds based on what the person says, then you merely acknowledge. Maintain eye
contact is looking at the other person in the eye; you are letting the person know that you were interested
in what they are saying. Showing respect means to use a personal name when you are talking to them
and don't multitask while communicating such on your phone talking at the same time as you are talking
to a person. No matter how stressed you are, keep communication positive, and try to stay positive.
(Seaward, 2015).
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Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Five-Minute Mindful Breathing and Bringing the Eight
Attitudes of Mindfulness into Your Life. Directions are found on pages 45 and 46 of the Mindfulness
workbook. Upon completion of this assignment, you will begin to understand the importance of making
them a part of your daily life. See what changes occur in relationships with yourself and others around you.
This should be a minimum of one full page.
When I was doing the five-minute mindful breathing and bringing the eight attitudes of
mindfulness into my life, and the first thing that came to my mind mentally was wow!
How do I get 5 minutes of my time for a useful way to think about how mentally, emotionally, and
physically how self-talk can help with my emotions. Doing the breathing practice for the first time was
difficult because my mind was all over the place, and it was wandering. It took me a while to get the
breathing and kept getting off track and thinking about things that I need to get done.
Doing the time that I did the breathing practice, I was somewhat aware of the things happening
around me with nonjudgment. I began to take note of my thoughts and feelings for each moment of the
breathing. I began to acknowledge the items as they are in my life and think about how I can change
them with the help of the breathing practice. I also thought about non-striving, which is where I need to
change or move away from what arises at the moment, while I was doing the breathing practice. I
thought to myself, how could I get the patience into my life with the balance and the wisdom because it
will allow me to understand what happens in my life.
At this time, letting things go is keen on awareness, and letting go of the present stuff helps me to
be aware of things that are happening in my life that I can not change. For an example of my mother
having cancer, I know that I can not change it, but I can help her live her life at present. Wow! The
breathing practice let me be aware of what I can not change. It also allows me to see myself for my own
experience and to see what is real and not real. Practice helps me to cultivate a love for myself without
self-blame of the things that are happening in my life. As I hold the qualities in my mind, I reflected on
them and tried to understand how the practice of breathing can strengthen and support my awareness of
healing and growth for my health, well-being, and wellness.
Mentally, emotionally, and physically, I know that I need to have a plan to do some breathing
practice because this will help me in the long run for my life and my lifestyle. It is so essential for me to
notice my mental and emotional and physical habits because the first step is helping toward calming and
changing my mind. Observing myself is also critical to monitored my actions. I notice that my brain felt
free when I was thinking about the attitudes of mindfulness and them being present. I need to bring this
practice into my daily life setting and see what happens.
Summary
When trying the mindfulness breathing, I have learned that I need to do this every day in my
daily lifestyle. Breathing practice helps deal with the things that are happening in my life daily. When I
took my mother to the doctor's office today, I found myself doing the breathing practice so that I would
not get stress. I found myself thinking about the attitudes of mindfulness. I also found myself thinking
about how I can make the time to do some meditation because this would be good for me. I also ask my
mother's doctor about meditation and yoga for my mother. I ask him if it would be good for her to do this
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for her well-being. He said that it would be the best thing for her to do at this point, but it is going to be a
challenge for her. He informed us about how meditation work to help with stress.
4
Unit
Wow! I do not think if I was not taking this class that I would not have asked the doctor about
mindfulness and stress that my mother and I have been having. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

Spirituality
Key Learning Point: The personalities are classified to be stress-prone or stress-resistant, which the
stress-prone is seeming to attract stress, and the stress-resistant is providing a buffer against various
stressors. Personality traits comprised of several characteristics, such as behaviors, expressions,
moods, and feelings as perceived by others. The personality traits have their way of dealing with
stress and self-esteem. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Human spirituality has intellectuals from Eastern and Western cultures representing
several disciplines, including psychology, theology, philosophy, physics, and medicine. The human
spirit processes the strength of centering, emptying, grounding, and connecting the are systematic
series thems of the four theories. Spirituality and belief of religion which has a particular way of
going through a process of life strength. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: The personality made up central values that give meaning to lives, attitudes derived
from principal values and behaviors, which is the action of a reaction. Each person can modify or
promote assertiveness, so when educate, they can practice skills for assertiveness their self-esteem.
But, out of the three values, the main one to naturally influenced practices are behaviors. (Seaward,
2015).
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The term self-esteem described as a person's sense of self-worth or personal values; for example, it
would be how much a person appreciates and likes themselves. A particular personal trait is known for
self-esteem, which is stable and enduring. Self-esteem beliefs about oneself can involve a variety of
views, such as the appraisal of your appearance, feelings, emotions, and behaviors about yourself. Self-
esteem plays a good part in the role of promoting and resolving stress, and stress is associated with self-
esteem in many multiple ways. Having a stressful personal event happen in their lives affects self-
esteem, and the effects will react to particular importance and help them to cope with the stress. Low
self-esteem levels can lead to an increase in distress and depression, which will hold a cause-effect role in
a person's psychological and physical health and connect to your quality of wellness and well-being of
the satisfaction of your life.
Stress can impact relationships, such as a problem that is from employment or family members.
The pressure stress can also come from a couple's issues that are from an argument and the difference
between wants and needs or the feeling of neglect. Stress can be harmful to your relationships, and when
the couple holds their opinions to themselves, it makes it difficult for their partnership to give them
support through the understanding of what is going on with the connection. Stress can also impact your
core values, that are your goals and priorities. To help you with you're stress, you need to formulate your
attitudes and opinions and your decisions, so, in reality, your kids may be the most aspect of your life,
which would be your core value. Your core values will inspire motivation and give you a sense of
direction in your life and well-being. Your core values benefit the most important to you and allow you
to keep your stress level low and your self-esteem level high.
Stress has an impact on the purpose of your life, which is affected by stress and is meaningful. Your
stress levels can be a sign that your life has meaning, and being stress means you engaged in something
that is expecting to be significant to your lifestyle every day.
My perspective on the differences between values, attitudes, and beliefs developed throughout my
life is that my values and benefits are what is important to me, such as my career, family, happiness. My
view for attitudes is how I treat others and work with a situation, such as peer- pressure, respect, and my
beliefs to me are something that I hold to be true to me, such culture, faith, education, and my experience
for my views. I know that I have my values, attitudes, and beliefs that I have developed throughout my
life are a different perspective.
From my perspective of values, I know that they are stable and long-lasting beliefs that are very
important to me. My values help me to make choices in my life, which become very important. The
attitude for me is a disposition of the people around me, and it becomes a decision that sometimes
becomes the result of my behavior. My mother used to say to me your attitude comes from your value
and your action of the family. For beliefs that my idea of something dear to being right. I know that my
experience is a source of my expectations of my family. My views of opinions for values, attitudes, and
beliefs are my evidence for potential ideas for my way of life.
Here is the lifestyle activity for Prochask's Stage of change Model for weight loss.
16
When a physician has recommended a patient to lose weight with Weight Watchers for her health,
wellness, and well-being, the patient goes through the pre-contemplation stage, but the patient does not
intend to take action in the future within the next six months. So the physician asks the patient to join
Weight Watchers for her health, wellness, and well-being. The patient is unaware that she has a weight
loss problem with behavior that is a negative consequence that is not good for her health. She will often
underestimate her pros and the changing of the behavior of weight loss, and she will take to much of the
cons of changing her habits of being overweight. Besides, she has never thought about it as a health
change for her well-being and wellness.
Then she goes through the contemplation stage about the weight loss with Weight Watchers. She
will intend to start healthy behavior in the future, which is about within the next six months. She realizes
that her response is a problem with her health, wellness, and well-being. But after thinking about the
health problems, she felt her pros and cons of becoming healthier with Weight Watchers and losing
weight. Therefore that would help the change of behavior take place. Unfortunately, she is still feeling a
little apprehensive about changing her actions and reactions to her health and wellness and well-being.
Then she will go through the preparation stage, and this is where she is determined and ready to
take the measure of losing weight with Weight Watchers in the next thirty days. She will take some steps
toward the behavior change to get healthier and lose weight. She now believes that changing her
behavior can help her to lead to a healthier life.
Then she will go throughout the action stage, and this is where she changes her action to change her
behavior of weight loss with Weight Watchers. She will intend to keep going and working hard to work
toward her behavior change of losing weight. She learns to modify her problems of behaviors of weight
loss and realizes the new healthy routine of actions for her life. Then the maintenance stage she will go
through and show that she has sustained her change for a while and is doing well with the healthy weight
loss change for her life. She will maintain and work hard to keep the transition of being healthy forward.
She needs to work hard so that she will not have a relapse and go back to the beginning stages. The last
step is the relapse stage, which is the hardest. She needs to have a plan so she will not return to unhealthy
behaviors and make sure she has not relapsed. (Seaward, 2015).
Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Identifying Emotions in the Body. Directions
are found on pages 74 through 77 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this assignment,
practice taking a moment to mindfully tune in to your body and discover any physical sensations associated
with strong emotions. This should be a minimum of three full pages
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,

uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.
When it comes to fear of something in my mind or my body, I get anxiety in my stomach, then I get
jumpiness with a headache then sick to the stomach, but it helps me to stimulate a physical response to flee
and hide. I'm real apprehension of snakes, for example, because of feeling scared and frightened because of
the fear of the loss of self- the dominance of my mother has cancer. My nervousness, panic, and tenseness
17
in my arms and hands began to shake. This shaking becomes an action because it could be the fear of
losing my mother to cancer. I am worried and frighten that I will feel overwhelmed knowing that my
mother has contracted a prolonged illness such as cancer. Then I get distressed about her problems and
suffering from anxiety and pain.
CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware.
With sudden confusion, for my mother, sometimes dizzy and foggy brain and occasionally
unaware of where she is at times wholly baffled, very puzzled. I know that this kind of confusion can be a
sign of many health problems, or bring on a health condition, also. It being quickly, within hours or days,
then her mind will get chaotic, and she will forget what she is doing at that time and very uncertain about
what had just happened.
ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,

grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.
I can see myself having some aggravation because of a person being late for something that I'm
supposed to have an appointment, such as a doctor's office, and they are 10 minutes late for the meeting.
Being late is an annoyance for a patient that is early. My frustration would kick in, and I would have
irritation and then become grouchiness and grumpiness.
SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness, insecurity,

loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection
I would be sad, or displeasure, the frustration of the caused by the nonfulfillment of one's hopes or
expectations, and I would have the emotion of being disappointed and lonely. As I scan my body for the
feeling, I came up with the word gloom because my day was very overcast and make dark, which bring the
unhappiness of the day.
SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.
As the day goes on, I have been so busy that I have not done anything for myself. The coworkers
that I work with have their desk all ready for the workday. I feel the embarrassment that I'm not prepared
for the workday because I'm not prepared. Staying up too late was not a good thing to do because I'm not
ready, I feel guilty that I do not have my desk prepared because I'm always the only one ready for the day.
So when I came home, I did the body scan and found out what I was feeling for the day.
LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness,
liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.
Wow! Having a love of affection is an attraction of caring for one another, which I belives in every
day. I always say that kindness goes a long way in life. We all need to have a longing love and warmth.
My compassion in life is my desire to love. As I do the body scan, I think of the caring and kindness that I
have for my family and how they have it back for me. I love having the compassion to watch my
grandkids. My fondness for my grandchildren will never fail, and I will always be there for my son and
his family.
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JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, happiness, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement,
exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.
The joy of having amusement for exercise is good, but I have not been able to do it for a while
because of work and taking care of my mother. I had the complete bliss when I was doing some exercise
for my health. I can see myself relaxing doing some yoga would be sheer bliss for me at this time. The
contentment of using the muscles to spoil and relax t would be free and well-being. I have some eagerness
that I need to do exercise for my health but do not have the time all the time, but I wish that I did. I hope
that would have the delight to imagine myself winning a surprise fitness equipment that would let me
exercise every day in my life for my health. I would have the enjoyment of my life when I get my degree
and be able to teach physical education. People say that I have enthusiasm, and the excitement and the
exhilaration to prepare an excellent physical education class. I have hope, and I'm optimistic that I will be a
unique physical education teacher after I get my Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness. For me,
pleasure and satisfaction go a long way in my life. I have some much happiness in my life that the
appreciation for my taking care of everyone else is going to go a long way in my life.
Summary
When I practice taking a moment mindful tune in to your body and discover any physical
sensations associated with strong emotions, I was amazed by what I came up with within the session, and
this was finally a good excuse for me to lie down and do nothing, but think of the things that were going on
in my mind and body. I could say that the body scan practice for me was a relaxing session that I will be
doing once a week for my health and wellness. The scan of the body allows me to experience how each
part of the body feels with each action. Also, I could focus on the attention of the top of my head, and then
we move down the body for the session.
I need to let you know that the first time that I did the practice session, I fall asleep during this
body-scan practice because I was so relaxing with my body, and I think that I need it. However, on the
second time of the training body scan, I realize I was nodding off, so I took a deep breath to help me
reawaken, and then I reposition my body which helped wake it up. When I was ready, I return my attention
to the part of the body to focus back on the part of the body scanning. Designed to help me develop a
mindful awareness of my sensation and relive my tension, and it did. It helps me also to reduce some of
my stress, and it improves my understanding of well-being, and it even decreases some aches and pains that
I have been having. The regular practice body scan helped me become more aware of where I'm carrying
tension and emotions in the body. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
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Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping
5
Unit
Strategies
Key Learning Point: A reappraisal, relabeling, reframing, and attitude is a cognitive restructurer that
changes formed as unfavorable or neutral or favorable that makes less stressful understanding to
adjust. A four-point plan to reconstruct negative thoughts includes the following: (1) awareness, (2)
reappraisal of the situation, (3) adoption of a new frame of mind, and (4) evaluation of the modern
mind frame. (Seaward, 2015, 239). If people can change their thinking and adjust, thinking the lives
would be less stressful.
Key Learning Point: When a person has some humor in their life, it helps stress be forgotten. Humor is a
physical release, one of four, actually. These include crying, yawning, orgasm, and laughter.
(Seaward, 2015, 272). Humor essential and excellent for your mental, emotional, physical, and
spiritual well-being.
Key Learning Point: The primary resources time and money are critical to navigating your stressful
experience life. However, some people lose both by spending too much on things not needed. Time
management defined as the ability to prioritize, schedule, and execute responsibilities to personal
satisfaction. Time-management skills are now taught to people to help them gain a sense of control
over their own responsibilities. (Seaward, 2015, 340).
Journal Writing:
Choose from either formal practice: Walking Meditation or Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and
Anxiety. Directions are found on either page 58 through 60 or 119 through 121 of the Mindfulness
workbook. Upon completion of either practice, take a moment to reflect on whatever came up for you
mentally, emotionally, and physically. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
As I was practicing the Mindful Self-Inquiry for Stress and Anxiety, my mental and emotional and
physical thoughts were spinning around inside my head. The feeling in my head about being stress and
anxiety does happen to me from time to time. Sometimes the pressure is a demand placed on my brain or
20
sometimes my physical body. My feeling of stress and anxiety are occasionally multiple demands. My
impression of being stress and anxiety can be trigger by an event that makes me feel frustrated or
nervous, such as when my mother has a doctor's appointment to see her oncologists. When I have a
concern going on in my head, my feelings are fear or worried or discomfort about an event that has
happened or going to happen. However, sometimes, I react to stress that I do not know how it occurs or
reason, and I'm unable to identify the stressor, which then makes me frustrated.
As the practice session went on, I thought to myself, my stress and anxiety are not always bad.
Sometimes it is good, and the good ones help me to overcome the challenges of my situation from stress
and anxiety. For example, my son lost his job, and then I went into anxiety mode because I was worried
about him and not having a job. Also, an example would be for me to have anxiety because of a big test
and feeling nervous about how I'm going to do on the analysis and which puts a toll on me emotionally,
physically, and mentally. The last example that I thought about was me being embarrassed in a specific
social situation. When I was younger, getting ready to go bicycle riding with my friends, and I jumped
on my bicycle to go for a ride, and suddenly my pants rip with an audience around with my friends. This
was a stressor on my mental and emotional, physical life. As I got older, I got over it but was so
embarrassed at the time that it happened. I know if I do not experience some anxiety and stress that I
might not be motivated to do the things that I need to do in my life, for example, study for the BIG test!
In my inquiry doing the session, I looked into my physical sensations and emotions thoughts that may be
contributing to stress and my anxiety. However, going with what's happening rather than expending
energy fighting about the issues or turning away will help me to create the opportunity to gain insight into
what's driving my concerns about the stress and anxiety, and find out if it is my mental, emotional or
physical feeling.
I realized that when I was doing the practice of mindful self-inquiry for stress and anxiety, I
brought a kind of awareness and the acknowledgment of my anxiety and anxious feelings in my body and
mind, and I allow it to be. However, I also realized that I was holding the beliefs without analyzing and
suppressing or encouraging the feeling.
The feeling was terrifying for me because I did not understand that I was feeling the
acknowledgment that I was worry and irritated, and thinking about the painful memories was problematic
thoughts and emotions, but this helped me to make the feelings disappear.
I thought about how stress itself can cause effects on the body mentally and emotionally and
physically, and it can connect to mental health, which is very vital to health, wellness, and well-being.
The more that I understand stress, the better I can handle it in my life.
Wow! Knowing that fight or flight is an excellent asset that will help me acknowledge for life so
when my heart rates may increase, and I start breathing harder and have muscles tense, I know that I need
to go and meditate. I strive to be kind to everyone I meet without stress, so why can I not do this for
myself?
I can say that my physical and mental and emotion went through this sometime or another without
me knowing the stages of the process. I know now that the fight or flight is for the safety of my body
and mind with short bursts of stress helps me to show that my thinking skills can improve my stress
increase with the practice session, but Once my stressful event is over, my body does return to its normal
state. I did think about how I could help with my emotions of mindful stress and anxiety. I came up
with some techniques that will help me reduce my feelings such as, meditating, practicing deep
21
breathing, getting enough sleep, getting regular exercise, finding some me time, and recognizing the
factors that trigger my stress. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
6
Unit
Summary
My mindset practice of this session was very informative, and I learned that I need to be aware of
the problems to be mindful of my mental and physical, emotional, way of loving myself that will help
with my well-being. In my mindful self-inquiry, I learned that I need to investigate my feelings. I
understand that there is a door to be open for me to get a deeper understanding of my compassion for
peace. I have realized that I have more fear for my mother being sick with cancer, then she does. She
has concluded that what will be will be in her life, and there is no reason for her to stress or have any
anxiety because she has had a long, happy experience with her life. Then she said that I'm so
adventurous that I can overcome my fears of her life, and she needs me to follow my dreams. The
mindful self-inquiry that stress and anxiety helped me to journal my feeling for the issue that my mother
is having in her life. My self-reflection is my key to life, so that I will keep up the meditation and
journaling for life.
Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Key Learning Point: The breathing diaphragmatic technique is a straightforward method. Diaphragmatic
breathing is known to decrease episodes of chronic pain. (Seaward, 2015, 368). The diaphragmatic
done anywhere, and when you are under any circumstance of stress. That is the most accessible
breathing technique and the most useful that will give you the relaxation response. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Meditation is the oldest form of relaxation, which is a careful cleaning process of
the mind-body-soul. Meditation will help you to focus on concentration and awareness of your well-
being. Research studies reveal that regular meditation practice creates neuroplasticity (i.e., new
growth and a re-wiring of brain tissue) that promotes a deeper sense of mental well-being (Seaward,
2015, 390).
22
Key Learning Point: Mental imagery is the power-unconscious mind to create an image that has a calm
and healing effect on your body; however, visualized. Guided mental imagery is a variation wherein
illustrations suggested by another person (either live or on tape). (Seaward, 2015, 424).
Diaphragmatic breathing is an effective relaxation technique, which has several benefits for your
health, wellness, and well-being. Your breath is the central practice of meditation that is known to help
manage the conditions and symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome and depression and anxiety and
sleeplessness. There are benefits helpful for the diaphragmatic breathing that actively active relaxation that
is called the belly or abdominal breathing techniques. The benefits that affect the entire body and is the
basic meditation and relaxation techniques, which can lower stress levels, blood pressure, and regulate the
body and helps you cope with symptoms such as traumatic stress disorder and stress hormone cortisol in
the body. The breathing techniques increase the supply of oxygen to the brain and the parasympathetic
nervous system. The breathing techniques help the body feel the awareness away from worries in your
mind and your thoughts to keep you calm.
The essential steps that are engaged in the breathing technique are sitting comfortably, and knees
bent with your shoulders, head, neck relaxed, hand on the upper chest, with another hand under the rib
cage, and breathing in and out slowly through the nose. Hence, the stomach moves out and in against hand.
Breathing is an exercise that strengthens the diaphragm and critical muscle to help you breathe and support
and designed maximize distribution air throughout the lungs.
The effects meditation has on the mind and the body helps to fix a slow metabolism, lower blood
pressure, improves heart rate and the brain. As a Buddhist monk, they showed that their meditation
produces a long-lasting change activity in mind, such as the working memory and learning and perception.
Meditation is a skill and is not tricky to learn, but you do need to practice for your mind. Meditation helps
with illness and infections for your mind and body. Also, meditation help with premenstrual syndrome,
infertility problems, and breastfeeding that improved when ladies meditate regularly, which can help the
effects of your mind, and body. When a body is getting a relaxation response, it will have the feeling of
warmth, heaviness, and calmness with meditating, which in turn means that you have done enough for the
mind and the body to get help in releasing progress for the whole body.
I think that many of us today have hectic lives that we find ourselves continually rushing around
always on the go and pull and stretch ourselves in so many ways; no wonder we feel some stress or stressed
out. We need balance to unwind our mind, body, and soul. However, we use imagery and visualization to
relax your mind. Here are ways that representation and display can be useful for relaxation. The
visualization and imagery tools help for the very purpose, such as relaxing your mind and refueling your
body. When you quiet your mind, you feel full of energy and rest and relax, and then you are ready to face
what waits for you next. When you use visualization and imagery to find the right place within yourselves,
you can get connected with your intuition of life and then relax. A person who is stress and needs to find a
way to relax can turn to a guide visualization and imagery as a tool to help them find their way to
relaxation.
Imagery and visualization help people relax in several ways by involving a distraction that allows
them to serve and redirect their attention away from what is stressing the person and find an alternative
technique. One of the methods that are an excellent tool is non-verbal instruction or suggestion collection
23
and the unconscious mind that holds the mind, body, and soul to your environment. Learning a cue or
trigger from the meditation process will help recall feelings to come to the resulting relaxation practice for
your mind and body. (Seaward, 2015).
Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Is Your Body-Mind Happy? Directions are
found on pages 151 through 153 of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this assignment,
practice identifying unkind messages you send to yourself and turn it around with positive affirmations.
This should be a minimum of two full pages.
As I was thinking about mindful interaction with myself, many things came to my mind. Wow!
How do I communicate with myself? Do I talk to myself knowing that this is because the entire purpose of
talking aloud is to communicate with others and not to myself? Well, here I go to talk to myself. What do I
say to myself about the un-kind message? I think that I communicate to myself, what is going on in my
day to day life? I talk to myself about the experience of being in school, and my reading teacher would
inform me that I would never get anywhere because I did not like to read and did not know how to read and
could not go to college.
However, In the end, I graduated from high school in 1981. The thought of my experience past
school went with me, so I did not go to college right after high school, because of my reading teacher. My
parents said that you could not take the past with you, but when you come to your senses and think how
you feel about yourself, you will go to college and be successful in your life. I believe some of my friends
who have had enormous suffering and do not know how to handle it, but I did not realize until now that I'm
one of those people, also. But, the mind started at a very young age. Why did I not find a way to manage
my suffering? I was heartbroken, and I could not concentrate in school, and it suffered my learning
because of my experience.
The thoughts of this happening were in my mind and my soul for a long time. I have talked to
myself about this for a long time, and it took me until August of 2018 to express my feeling and talk to
myself and say you could do this without the help of your experience with your reading teacher, you do not
need her, but you do need to believe in yourself. The positive thing I am in charge of how I feel. But today
I am choosing happiness, go to college, and be the best in whatever I do in my life.
Seeds of suffering?
The seeds of suffering are like having pain, and misery exists in my life. The suffering causes my
selfish needs and my desire that help with the necessities to overcome selfishness, and suddenly the
overcome will become my misery. As I take care of myself, I think of my selfishness to myself.
Sometimes I think that I'm doing it wrong, and somehow I'm failing at my happiness, but I know that is not
true, but why do I think that sometimes. I know that being able to enjoy pleasure will not require that I
have not suffered or suffering. The art of my joy and happiness is something that I know is the art of
suffering as well. I know that embracing and understanding my suffering experience made me unhappy,
but not only did I suffer, but after all, I'm able to go further now and push my pain into my understanding of
compassion and joy for myself and others. I Know that to suffer well is essential to realizing true
happiness in my life and others. Under the circumstances, If I could have learned about the art of suffering
well at that young age, then it would have been less suffering in my life.
24
Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?
I know that resentment shows that I was a person of moral character that knows right from wrong
and, therefore, I know when the jealousy is against me. For me, feeling of resentment is a way of offering
goodness to one who gave me the unwanted gift of bitterness. Also, having the strength of not hitting her
with my fist is the strength of my forgiveness that shows that I have a good heart toward the one who
infected my happiness, which brought me to the inner relief of my life of resentment. I think to myself, did
she carry an extra burden of resentment herself of something that happened in her life, maybe from the
past? Or had she been living with bitterness that is just spreading to others, including me? Wow!
Resentment connected with anger. Generally speaking, I'm feeling trapped myself-obsessed of being afraid
of the past and the future filled with envy over the past. I know now that my fear became my faith, which I
need to have confidence in myself to move on. Also, as I point out, my remedy for anger has become love,
which embraces the solution resentment is acceptance in one's life. Finally, I am someone who can
withhold the pain. I am someone who can forgive. I am even someone who can ask resentment to leave—
and it disappears because I'm a new person.
Reflection on writing?
My heart is full of gratitude and no room for resentment. I utilize recognition as I have gotten older.
Now, whenever I'm feeling stressed, resentful, or angry, the pen will go-to paper and write down what I'm
grateful for in that particular moment of the life full with no resentment. Wow! I've come a long way from
writing and reading, which is something that I did not like to do in the past but look at me now.
Personally, writing allows me to express my emotions and organize my thoughts and get my opinion and
beliefs out in the open on paper as I was writing this paper reflecting on how I felt about my writing. As of
this day, I'm looking back at what happened in my school years, and I would love for my reading teacher to
see me now. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010)
25
Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress
7
Unit
Key Learning Point: Food is not only a nutrient for our body but essential for the body to live. Food is
also crucial for the emotional pleasure and psychological of your mind. Experts have recognized for
eons that food serves as a pacifier to calm nerves; as such, eating is not only a means for physical
survival but also is considered a popular relaxation technique (hence the expression "comfort food").
(Seaward, 2015, 515).
Key Learning Point: People use food to fill emotion that has been created by stress. Excess amounts of
sugar, caffeine, salt, and foods poor in vitamins and minerals weaken the body's resistance to the
stress response and may ultimately make a person more vulnerable to disease and illness.(Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: According to nutritionist Elizabeth Sommer (1999), a low-fat diet stimulates the
immune system, whereas a high-fat diet increases the risk of illness. (Seaward, 2015). Food that is
high in fat content are convenient during the working day, but more prolonged day effects of the food
are quite detrimental to health. (Seaward, 2015).
Choose from either formal practice: Sitting Meditation or Mindful Lying Yoga. Directions are
found in Chapter six of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of either practice, describe your
formal practice and take a moment to reflect on whatever came up for you mentally, emotionally, and
physically and explain. This should be a minimum of two full pages.
Practicing meditation sitting helped me slow my breathing and quiet my mind, and I found some
peace in this practice. It was very beneficial for my physical, mental, and emotional state of mind. As I set
quiet, I was thinking of the things that would help me with my physical, mental, and emotional memory. I
felt there are many things on my plate that I need to get help with some of them because there is too much
for me to handle. I know that meditation itself can not make me physically more energetic, but it has
helped me physically to be healthier. Meditation has helped me to knowledge my everyday stress and
promote a better sleeping night.
During the meditation, I thought to myself that it had influenced the way that my brain processes
my emotions. Wow! Meditation is a big step for me, and I know that I need to do the meditation more
26
often for better physical and mental health and well-being. My thoughts did wander, and I had to come
back to my breathing. I was able to relax my mind, muscles, and acknowledge my space around myself as
I was thinking about what does meditation mean to me and my health. My goal for meditation is to have
thoughts that will help me with my physical, mental, and emotional state of mind. But, my mind was
wandering to things such as what do I need to do at work this week, which I know is entirely reasonable,
but I also know that I need to do this for my health. I feel that I have on too many hats, and I am trying to
do everything for everyone else and not for myself.
I feel that meditation is an experiment to me, but I need to think about my thoughts and try to
emerge and connect my thoughts and learn how to nourish them for my physical, mental, and emotional
state of mind. I also need to begin awareness of my dreams to help with my meditation. As I was
spending the time practicing meditation sitting, I even found myself feeling kind, calmer, and patient to
myself. During my formal practice sitting meditation, I tried to focus my attention on my thoughts that are
tumbling my mind, which identified as causing me stress. The meditation process gave me results in
enhancing my physical and emotional well-being. As my stress came to a calm state, the sitting meditation
gave me a sense of calm and peace and stability that I know benefits both my emotional well-being and my
overall health.
I also know that I need to let my thoughts pass through my mind without judging myself. Why
have a judgment? I should not have any judgment toward myself. Wow! I did find out that my mind has a
mind of its own that I found myself caught up in my thoughts of feeling and tried not to judge them. When
the sitting meditation was over, I cleared away the information overload that had built up every day last
week, and that had contributed to my stress. I have come to an understanding that I genuinely know that
my thoughts can change for the good of my physical, mental, and emotional state of mind. At the end of
the CD of the sitting meditation, I needed to congratulate myself for the practicing reflection to know it is
contributing to my health and well-being, and realize it is an act of love for myself. (Stahl & Goldstein,
2010)
27
Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity
8
Unit
Key Learning Point: Hatha yoga is a meditation that emphasized physical balance for the body. Hatha is
widespread and commonly practiced in the United States, which is a form of yoga meditation. Hatha
yoga session will begin with the Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun), which is a series of movements
or postures initiating the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. (Seaward, 2015, 407).
Key Learning Point: Tai Chi Chuan is a form of exercise that helps with the flow of universal energy.
Studies investigating the physiological effects of T'ai Chi show that this technique is as effective as
others in promoting relaxation. (Seaward, 2015,473). Case studies report that the pain from
osteoarthritis significantly reduced with the practice of T'ai Chi and Qigong (Cohen, 2003).
(Seaward, 2015,476 ).
Key Learning Point: Did you know that physical exercise is a form of stress that has the physiological
systems of fight-or-flight that trigger physical survival? Well, it is, Physical activity allows the body
to use stress hormones for detoxifying the body of stress hormones by utilizing them constructively.
Proper physical exercise will cause many adaptations that, in the long term, are thought to be
effective in reducing stress by returning the body to a profound state of homeostasis. (Seaward, 2015,
528).
Self- Exercises:
Teamwork Self-Assessment Assignment
Proposal for Health and Wellness Management
September 2019
This proposal prepared for health and wellness management. The scope of the project outlined
includes vendors of national evidence-based products and services. To meet these needs, this proposal
offers consulting services to provide the following expertise: (a) rationale; (b) mind-body programs or
practices; (c) capital outlay; and (d) benefits.
28
RATIONALE
The purpose of this program is to improve the teacher's wellness with meditation relaxation, yoga,
or fitness exercise so that they can enhance the student to stay on task for their academic performance for
their health, psychological well-being, and wellness. Students are easily distracted, and short breaks 5 to
10 minutes can provide opportunities for the student to learn social skills and reduce their stress. It will also
help the teachers and students to boost brain function and keep the brain healthy.
MINDBODY PROGRAMS/PRACTICES
Teacher - Mental health break so that they can be productive in teaching the student. Teacher –
break for meditation, or yoga, fitness exercise. Student - Brain break for their psychological well-being
and wellness to help with their academic performance. Brain breaks are mental breaks the help to designed
to improve student stay focused and attend. It also gets the student moving to carry the blood and oxygen
to the brain. Use movement to stimulate neurological the pathways and to help both sides of the brain to
work
CAPITAL OUTLAY
The equipment needed for the program would be a sound system for the music, mats, and fitness
balls. The cost of the items would be a total of $1500.00
BENEFITS
The benefits for the teachers are not setting all day and getting the student to learn without them
getting distracted and getting some health benefits and fitness workout of the program for their mental
health. It only takes about 20 minutes to devote to a brain break. However, we can safely inform that it is
necessarily beneficial for the student and teachers. The brain break makes the oxygen increase and the brain
flow with the energy that will reduce the student stress levels to refocus.
Here's an awesome pin that shows how a simple 20-minute walk activates and stimulates the brain.
(Larson, 2017)
https://the-teacher-next-door.com/images/pages/brainthumb.png
29
TIMELINE
The start-up time would be on October 20, 2019, and the length of the program would be for six
months of the school year.
PERSONNEL
The teachers will be trained to do brain break for the student
A fitness trainer comes in to do the meditation, yoga for the teachers.
TOTAL BUDGET
$1500.00
PITCH
Plan: Fitness exercise, yoga, meditation relaxation, or 20 to 25 minutes of brain breaks. A fitness
trainer would come to the school to teach during lunch break or during breaks, quick (five to 20 minutes
max) breaks that are supposed to help teachers get ready to refocus on the task at hand that would help
with their stress or anxiety.
The procedure pitch is to have a teacher at a school to have the value of destressing themselves to
teach the student for their hand at task. Having a stressed teacher or a student is not good because then
they get anxious and can not learn, and teachers can not teach. For the students to get some downtime and
learn, they need to have a brain break, as well as the teacher also need breaks for their mental and physical
mind. The teacher will communicate and teach the students more effectively if they are not stressed or
overwhelmed. Teacher stress can lead to burnout, and students can lead to poor academic performance.
We each know that there are ways to help with the environment of the school academic performance and
help with the destressing of the teachers and students. I want to propose an exercising plan for teachers and
students because it is essential for maintaining mental health and fitness and wellness, and it can reduce
stress and anxiety noticeably. There have been some studies that teachers and students that perform brain
breaks and some fitness exercises show to reduce stress and improve their academic performance and their
concentration. If a teacher creates an environment that could make it easy for the student and their self to
exercise the brain breaks and fitness exercise every day, it can reduce teachers and student stress and
anxious about learning. The procedure will help the students and teachers with their wellness, well-being,
and health. That is why we need to have fitness exercise, yoga, meditation relaxation, or 20 to 25 minutes
of brain breaks in schools.
What do you think of this pitch? It would help with the mental and physical stress of the teacher
and students. It would help with their wellness, health, and well-being and the physical and psychological
part of their lives.
30
CLASSMATE FEEDBACK
Wow, I agree with this pitch. The part of the student/teacher having that moment to unwind is
excellent. So many teachers/students miss out on opportunities to present themselves as best as they can,
because of stress. Stress home, employer, classmates I believe that stress plays a significant role in today's
school systems. I wonder it because they focus more on statistical data rather than the focus on not only the
students but the teacher as well. I remember times when we had that relaxed moment when the teacher
would turn the lights out in the classroom. We placed our head on the table and relaxed. Those teachers
were ready to teach their students because they were able to experience that quiet moment to re-group and
meditate as well. This will most definitely help with both students/teachers on a physical and
psychological. I like this pitch. It is like going back to the basics, which worked in times past.
SUMMARY
I think that every school should have a meditation break for the teacher's workday for mental stress.
I want to let everyone know that our brain is essential for critical thinking. Movement connected to
cognitive learning, and we all need to get up and move and not set too long. When we sit for too long, the
blood pools in the body, and we need to get up and recirculate the blood back up to the brain. So to be
successful for school, I know that using brain break techniques in a purposeful manner will increase the
learning for the students and teachers. (Seaward, 2015).
Journal Writing:
Complete the Journal Assignment entitled: Explore: Creating connection. Directions are found in
Chapter Nine of the Mindfulness workbook. Upon completion of this assignment, practice developing
these qualities in building more energetic and healthier relationships.
This should be a minimum of one full page.
OPENNESS:
When creating a connection with another person, be open. I thought of a good dear friend of mine.
My friend is very accessible because she likes to try new things in her life. She is a very open-minded
person that loves to experience and enjoy new things, which is a personality trait. My friend has been like
that since I have known her for about 15 years. Wow! While I sit here imagining that I was her and thought
wow, she is imaginative and curious and very open-minded. She is very creative and is open to new ideas,
and she is in touch with her feelings with her spirit, well-being, and wellness. My thoughts on being open-
mind are the perspectives of trying all new things in my life that could get me to have a good heart and
mind. I hope that a part of my pie of life has an open mind. I imagine that a person who loves to travel
every chance they get is into trying new foods, and meeting new people that have a vivid imagination and
willingness to everything new has a more liberal value for their spirit. An open-minded person needs to
talk and get things off of their mind, you can not judge them, and you have to be very supportive because
they are so open-minded.
31
EMPATHY:
Empathy is emotionally putting yourself in someone else's shoes, which is very hard to do when
you have no compassion. We all need to acknowledge and experience feelings first before we can put
ourselves in someone else's shoes. Bulling, what's called, and it made me emotional. One day last week at
my job, there was a student that was making fun of another person about there weight. The comments
made me uncomfortable and full of emotional feelings for that person. So, I said to them that it is not right
for you to make fun of others. I informed them that if you were in their shoes, how would you feel if a
person was you, and they were talking about your weight. I also ask them, do you know what empathy
means? Well, empathy is when you describe someone or something that exhibits emotions and personal
feelings, and the awareness of the mood and emotions of other people. If you do not, then you lack the
understanding of the ability to feel what others are feeling.
I explain to them that you never know what people have in their invisible backpack. You should
not make fun of people because of who they are and what they have and how they look. That person
could have a medical problem, and that could be the reason for being overweight. Put your feet in their
shoes and think about how you would feel. However, you need to also think about your invisible
backpack. What is in your invisible backpack? No matter who you are, you have an invisible backpack.
You have personal things that have happened, or it could be wrong that has happened in the bag. You do
not know what the person is going through each day of their lives. You need to realize that our hearts, we
all need to be accepted and loved and feel secure in our lives. I thought to myself that we should all talk
about our empathy and the ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. Let's us see the world through
the see of a person that is different from ourselves. Here is a list of things for you to think about if you were
in another person's shoes. Think about a child that's hungry and has no way of getting food or a mother or
father that has been laid off for their job and can not take care of their children. Empathy is truly a gifted
people have in many ways if they could find it and use it.
COMPASSION:
Compassion and empathy are almost the same that will help with the understanding of the position
that others are in and the desire to ease sone suffering. However, quality of compassion, we need to all
imagine the sorrow and pain that the loved one is holding. During this time of life, I know that they may
have some disappointment and failure that they would not like to talk about or share with anyone. It could
be a deep wound that they have in their invisible backpack that they do not want anyone to know. I think to
myself if I imagine my son feeling frightened and in pain. I would comfort his kindness and empathy for
his being in pain and feeling afraid, and I would give him care of a mother. His suffering would make me
suffer and feel motivated to relieve his suffering from his pain, which, to me, is compassion. I know that I
understand and feel my son's kindness, and this is very powerful to me.
LOVING-KINDNESS:
I need to imagine how I want to see my son bring into this world. However, I know that
lovingkindness is a natural opening for compassion for the heart of my son. I also know that my son has
the inherent capacity for loving and kindness because that is how I brought him up. I have the love and the
gentle, open support for his loving and affection. I wish him well for is that it is necessary for goodness and
kindness and love as he grows up as an adult. I can imagine standing in front of him and sending him love
wish for him and his family. Every morning I call him and give him well wants for the day and send him
32
happiness for the day will well-being and his health and family. When I did my meditation the other day, I
said to myself may my son and his family live with ease, may he be happy, may he be safe and may he be
healthy, and may I send this loving -kindness out to my son and his loving family.
SYMPATHETIC JOY:
I imagined sympathetic joy for my son, and growing up and reflect on the celebration with the
adventure of his experience and courage and strength of him overcoming the challenges in his life. They
have been some resentment in his life from friends and envy, jealousy, and he finds inspiration in the
accomplishment that he has done for himself and his family. He went back to school, knowing that they
did not have the money to cover the expenses for him and his children and wife to become a doctor. He has
had some challenges to overcome. Wow! The sympathetic joy is so possible for him and his family
regardless of the circumstance. He had to realize the inner resources of his happiness was available and
overcome the challenges that I'm so proud of him. The presence of joy is all over his face because he
overcame the problem and make his wish come true for him and his family. I knew now that sympathetic
joy is the feeling of which he arises when he regards all beings and not stopping there to get the challenges
to overcome done.
EQUANIMITY:
I imagine my mother is the other face that has serenity. I can see that she like me wants and needs
kindness and love. When my father had passed away, I could see that my mother required patience from
the look on her face. She needed balance and composure in understanding the interconnectedness of her
life without my father. My mother took the news of my father's death with equanimity, which means she
took it calmly without breaking down. He had been so sick for years that I think that her emotions were so
calm and balance in the time of her stress. Some people that knew my father treated my mother differently
based on her perception of her feelings. His friends that did not know my mother that well need to realize
that all people have inherent values, and I think that people forget that people need to understand all human
deserves with kindness and love.
Summary
Wow! Creating links with others has helped me with the process of knowledge, and all people need
to know about openness, empathy, compassion, lovingkindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
Openness is the purpose of having an open mind that will keep your relationship with each other new and
fresh. Empathy is when you actually can identify ones feeling and emotions. Compassion is when you
understand one's suffering. Loving-kindness is when you wish that person well, such as to be healthy and
safe from harm. Sympathetic joy is when you delight in the happiness and joy of others. Serenity is when
you share the wisdom with others, and people deserve treatment with kindness and love. As I closed my
eyes, I imagined looking at the interaction of the people in my life with a focus on the quality. I learned that
all people need to be kind and have kindness, love, and loving, compassion and empathy, and openness for
each other in their lives. (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
33
Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for
9
Unit
Management and Prevention to your

Professional Life
Key Learning Point: Coping technique work when they are useful with the increase of awareness, process
the stress, and adjust the attitude of your behavior. You can use a different kind of coping technique,
but you need to find one that suits your need for stress. According to several psychologists, just as
there are many shells on the beach, there are hundreds of coping techniques (Seaward, 2015, 342).
Key Learning Point: A pleasurable pursuit or interest outside one's daily work responsibilities is a hobby
that will help with your stress. The relationship between stress and spirituality is gaining more and
more attention in the allied health fields. (Seaward, 2015, 355).
Key Learning Point: To create an individual stress management program, you need to identify stressors,
interventions, integration, and strategy. Create a stress management program is not only about
managing stress but also about learning about stress life. The program helps to foster your
psychological well-being and your strengths. (Seaward, 2015).
34
Additional Information
Scott, E., (Jan, 2018). What You Should Know About Acute Stress. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/all-about-acute-stress-3145064
(Primary sources) This website gave information about what you should know about acute
stress and the fight-or-flight response.
Seminar unit 6 ( Secondary)

https://purdueglobal.brightspace.com/d2l/le/96696/discussions/posts/20220132/ViewAtt
achment?fileId=5784319
Seminar Unit 8 (Secondary)

https://purdueglobal.brightspace.com/d2l/le/96696/discussions/posts/20520777/ViewAtt
achment?fileId=5873600
Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

(Primary source)
Seaward, B. L. Managing Stress, Ninth Edition. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Workbook retrieved from https://mbsrworkbook.com/ (Primary Source)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) In A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Workbook, you will learn how to change your relationship to stress, pain, and illness and move
in the direction of greater calm, balance, and peace.
Charisse Nixon, Ph.D. Developmental Psychologist at Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College and Director of Research and Evaluation for The Ophelia Project, discusses the
phenomenon of learned helplessness. Please click on the link below. (Shot by Mark
Steensland)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFmFOmprTt0 Are you stressed?
(Secondary)
35
References
Banks, D. (2016, April 4). What is brain plasticity, and why is it so important? Retrieved from
http://theconversation.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-and-why-is-it-so-important-55967
Daily, P. (2018). Sleep, Exercise & Nutrition: The Three Pillars of Wellness. Rocky Mountain
Multiple Sclerosis Center
Iliades, MD, C. (2009, April 6). Lupus, Emotional Stress, and Depression. Retrieved from
https://www.everydayhealth.com/lupus/lupus-emotional-stress-and-depression.aspx
Kilburn, M. (2018, March 19). How does stress affect the nervous system? Retrieved from
https://www.avogel.co.uk/health/stress-anxiety-low-mood/stress/how-does-stress-affect-our-
nervous-system/
Nordqvist, C. (2013, October 16). About Neuroscience. Retrieved from
https://neuro.georgetown.edu/about-neuroscience/
Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (8th ed.).
Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Society for Neuroscience. (2019, August 7). Neuronline. Retrieved from
https://neuronline.sfn.org/Home/SfN/About/About-Neuroscience
Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook. Oakland, CA: New
Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Rupert, P. A., & Dorociak, K. E. (2019). Self-care, stress, and well-being among practicing
psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
36

Unit 9 Final Project

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KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management

Stress Management and

Stress Management and Prevention

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

UNIT 2 THE PHYSI OL O GY OF STRESS

UNIT 3 PSYCHOL OGY OF STRESS

UNIT 4 PERSONAL I TY TRAITS AND THE HUM AN SPIRIT UAL IT Y

UNIT 5 DEAL ING WITH STRESS: COPING STRATEGIE S

UNIT 6 REL AXATIO N TECHI QUE S 1 : BREATH IN G,

M EDITATI ON, AND M ENTAL IM AGERY

UNIT 7 NUTRITI ON AND STRESS

UNIT 9 APPL YING STRESS: CRITICAL ISSUES F OR

M ANAGEM E NT AND PREVENTI ON TO YOUR PROF ESSI ONAL L IF E

ADDITI ON AL INF ORM AT IO N

REF EREN CES

(This page intentionally left blank)

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Situation Start Midway End

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,

CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware.

ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,

SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness, insecurity,

SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Proposal for Health and Wellness Management

The teachers will be trained to do brain break for the student

A fitness trainer comes in to do the meditation, yoga for the teachers.

This should be a minimum of one full page.

Management and Prevention to your

Seminar unit 6 ( Secondary)

Seminar Unit 8 (Secondary)

Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

Seaward, B. L. Managing Stress, Ninth Edition. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Multiple Sclerosis Center

Nordqvist, C. (2013, October 16). About Neuroscience. Retrieved from

Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Society for Neuroscience. (2019, August 7). Neuronline. Retrieved from

Harbinger Publications, Inc.

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