UNIT THREE

1.) Being that I am in the military and our physical fitness is a contengency of our employment I think that I would have to rate myself at an 8. I am not a 10 because I feel that there is always room to improve and the fitness program that I am in facilitates for improvement and advancemen. My spiritual wellbeing I am embarassed to say is probably like a 3 or 4. I don't dedicate nearly enough time in my life and I let other things take priority. I am hoping that I can change this. My psychological well-being I think is the happy medium between the other two categories. I think that I am not as strong mentally as I am physically however, I know I am stronger mentally than I am spiritually so I would rate that at probably a easy 6.

2. My goal for my physical health is to be able to run a marathon by the end of the year. I think that at the rate I train this is an easily attainable goal. Spiritually I am trying to commit to doing meditation and yoga at least 3 times a week. I have been keeping a log and trying to accomplish this without making excuses or prioritizing other things above it. Mentally this class is actually my goal. I have been working a lot and feel myself fallinig behind, this is not what I want so I certainly want to try and change while we are still at the beginning of the class.

3. I have made a calender to facilitate all three of the goals. I think that my biggest problem is time management I consistantly put my job over all other priorities in my life despite how important the work may be. I don't know why I feel like I always have to be working but I do. I am using the calender as a visual reminder that I need to make time in my life for other things rather than realize it at the last moment.
4.) As "zen" as I claim to be I actually found the excercise really annoying because I thought that it was honestly a waste of my time. I know that sounds really jaded but at the rate that I move the mere thought of forcing myself to sit and "relax" for 19 minutes was horrible. I think that maybe though that was a good thing because I was forced to "chill out" I am going to try and do the excercise again throughout the class and see if I can build a tolerance to it.

Introduction

I am a United States Navy corpsman. I throughly adore my job and it has been the most unexpected adventure I have ever embarked on. I am originally from Eugene, Oregon. I adore the Northwest and despite my many travels I always seem to find my way back there. I love being outdoors and active whether it is running and hiking or playing rugby and rock climbing. I always find clarity outdoors. I spend a lot of time working, I tend to work between a 12-18 hour work day and when I am home I can be found either reading or playing with my dog. I got my dog in North Carolina on New Years Day when someone threw her out of a moving van. She is my greatest friend and the best companion through my ventures. I am a avid reader which is where my dog gets her namesake from. Her name is Atticus Finch, named after the lawyer in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" which just happens to be my favorite book. I found Atticus accross from a field called "Mockingbird folly" so I found the name not only poetic but fitting as well. I love history and whenever I find myself in a new place I find it necessary to learn the history of where ever I may be. I think it gives us a sense of connectivity to know where we come from.

Mhm, how to be reflective? I think that to me family is one of the most important things in my life. It grounds me, and in the work that I do it is very easy at times to feel your morality slipping away so it's good to have a solid foundation upon which to live your life. I think the quote in the Act of Valor sums up how I feel the best.

"You live your life by a code, an ethos, every man does. It's your shoreline, it's what guides you home. And trust me, you're always trying to get home."

I think that without my family I would be lost as sea, they are my lighthouse which guides me away from the jagged shoreline in storms, and point the direction to a safe harbor in rocky seas. I would be no where without them.

 I am hoping someday to go to medical school so that I can work overseas with impoverished countries offering medical care. We'll see how that goes.  However, until then it's just one big adventure....