Lesson 4- The Physical Self

Understand the physical changes that takes place with the development of the
primary and secondary sex characteristics.
2. Enhance oneself to be physical attractive
3. Improve body image and enhance self-esteem
The physical body is the window to one’s personality. By merely looking at someone’s
physical features, you can have an idea of his or her feelings, thoughts, and behavior. Much of
our resources has also been devoted to beauty products and treatments in order to improve the
way we look, because we want others to have a good impression of who we are.
Shavelson described the total or general self as being made up of academic self and
nonacademic self. Academic self is influenced by the learning process and the individual’s
emotions, behavior, and experiences during the learning process.
Nonacademic self is shaped by an individual’s social self, emotional self, and physical
self. The social self is greatly influenced by parents, colleagues, friends, acquaintances among
others. Emotional self is the person’s experiences of the joy, anger, fear, anxiety, and other
emotions. On the other hand physical self is affected by involvement in sports, exercise and
other activities that enhance the physical body.
Taking Care of our Physical Body
The physical body has been considered as the “real home”, “temple” or “vehicle”. It is the
only one that we have throughout our entire lives and is also the one most intimate to us.
Our physical body is our instrument so we can perform our daily tasks. It is through this
body that we interact with other people, with other living organisms, and with the rest of our
surroundings. It is just that we take good care of every single structure that makes up our
bodies. We have to make sure that it can function well. When we take good care of it, we are
not only referring to the external part, but even the internal components of the body.
Self-care is the intentional, planned, and actual act of taking the time to attend to our
basic physical, mental, and emotional needs. It is quality rest that we offer to our bodies in order
to replenish the lost energy utilized in performing our daily activities. It is an act of love and
kindness for ourselves.
Three Levels of Self-care
Taking care of the physical body also entails taking care of our mental and emotional lives.
They should go hand in hand. We cannot be physically fit and healthy, yet emotionally unstable
and mentally disturbed. We should be healthy in all the three aspects. In fact, health starts from
within and it then manifests outside. Our good health springs from the mind, which stimulates
the heart, and the heart energizes the physical body.
1. Physical self-care- is the simplest one and is very common nowadays. There are three
basic aspects of physical self-care, and these include good nutrition, sufficient amount of
recovery time (rest and sleep), and necessary exercise.
Other ways to take-care for the body depending on the specific needs and preferences:

 Breathing exercises
 Massages
 Long baths
 Saunas
 Physiotherapy
 Biking
 Hiking
 Skin care and many more
 2. Mental self-care- our thoughts can be confusing and complex sometimes. You were so
happy for a while and then a certain memory popped up and your happy thoughts
suddenly drifted. It may be unintentional and we cannot explain such phenomenon.
Self-care is a two-fold process according to Brzosko 2018. First is taking time to
consistently break down what you are thinking and why you are thinking that,
because the moment you manage to notice your thoughts, they will not have the power
to direct your life. Second is to cultivate those mental habits and thoughts that
benefit us. As what has been mentioned previously, keep those thoughts that improve
our well-being.
Tips for improving mental habits as suggested by Brzosko 2028.

 Focus your attention on the present moment

 Practice gratitude
 Exercise patience
 Learn to accept what is already happening
Moreover, our relationship with others can also be improved if we keep in mind that it is
actually better to give something to others than to receive. As the golden rule teaches
us, let us do to others what we want others do to us. If these thoughts will be engraved
in our minds, our lives will be a lot better.
3. Emotional Self-Care- A book The Presence Process by Michael Brown stated that all
emotions are essentially “energy in motion”. Energy in motions includes fear, anger,
anxiety, sadness, happiness, excitement, and thrill. We also classified them as “desired”
for positive emotions and “unwanted” for the negative ones. Because we can feel or
experience all these kinds of emotions, it is unfair to be “right” or “wrong” based on the
way we feel. A very important step in dealing with our emotional self is to recognize the
validity of our emotional state. We will surely benefit from this initial step, because it is
something that is already happening. An attempt to hide or disregard the current
emotional state will just bring additional tension.

EIGHT DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS

Wellness comprises of eight mutually co-dependence dimensions: emotional,
occupational, intellectual, environmental, financial, physical, social and spiritual. If any one of
these dimensions is neglected over time, it will adversely affect one's health, well-being, and
quality of life.
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Emotional wellness involves developing an awareness of your feelings and your

response to everyday interactions. This awareness allows you to better understand why you are
feeling that way and can actively respond to your feelings.

You can foster your emotional wellness by:

 Taking time to yourself to quiet your mind and reflect.

 Smiling and laughing! Sometimes humor is the best medicine to decrease stress and put
life’s challenges in perspective.
 Seeking or accepting help and support from others when needed.
 Sharing your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust. Remember to listen to
others’ emotions too.
 Practicing gratitude.
 Accepting mistakes and learning from them for next time.
 Taking care of your body. Eating, being active, and sleeping – your mental & physical
well-being are interconnected.
 Being kind to yourself
OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS

Occupational wellness allows you to explore various career options and encourages you
to pursue the opportunities you enjoy the most. This dimension of well-being recognizes the
importance of satisfaction, enrichment and meaning through work.

You can foster your occupational wellness by:

 Reflecting often – where do you find joy and meaning in your life?
 Keeping an open mind.
 Taking advantage of career service resources.
 Exploring different career and/or volunteer opportunities that arise.
 Practicing open communication and proper conflict management with your colleagues.
 Setting realistic career goals for yourself and working towards accomplishing these
goals.

INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS

Intellectual wellness encourages us to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating activities,

and it requires lifelong learning and curiosity. Intellectual wellness can be developed through
academics, cultural involvement, community involvement and personal hobbies that expand
your knowledge and skills while allowing you to share your knowledge and skills with others.

You can foster your intellectual wellness by:

 Being open-minded.
 Listening. When you participate in active listening you are able to fully comprehend the
information that is being given to you.
 Picking up a hobby. Hobbies are great ways to increase your skill set. They can also be
fun!
 Studying abroad or traveling. The best way to gain knowledge as well as an appreciation
for another culture is to experience it yourself.
 Taking a class outside of your major.
 Reading for pleasure.
 Checking out a seminar or conference on something new to you.
 Learning another language.
 Engaging in research opportunities.

ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS

Environmental wellness refers to leading a lifestyle that values the relationship between
ourselves, our community and the environment. The core principle of environmental wellness is
respect—respect for all nature and all species living in it.

Foster your environmental wellness by:

 Picking up trash.
 Spending time outdoors.
 Biking or walking for your commute.
 Using reusable bags and water bottles.
 Being mindful of your water use.
 Recycling.
 Going to the farmer’s market.
 Turning off lights and computers.
 Unplugging from technology.
 Donating unwanted clothing.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS
 Financial Wellness involves the process of learning how to successfully manage
financial expenses. Money plays a critical role in our lives, and it can impact your health as well
as academic performance.

You can foster your financial wellness by:

 Starting with small changes that will add up over time (i.e. make your own coffee rather
than buying it).
 Utilizing resources to expand your budget like CalFresh and other student discounts.
 Understanding your student loans.
 Starting a savings account – add a small monthly automatic payment, if possible.
 Identifying and addressing any financial problems before they start.
 Planning ahead and setting budget goals.
 Making a list or reviewing your bank account of all purchases in one week.
 Writing a list before you go shopping.
 Asking yourself “do I really need this?” before an unplanned purchase.

PHYSICAL WELLNESS

Physical wellness is the ability to maintain a quality of life that allows you to get the most
out of your daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. Physical wellness recognizes
that our daily habits and behaviors have an impact on our overall health, well-being and quality
of life.

You can foster your physical wellness by:

 Finding time to move your body. Try to move your body in a way that increases your
heart rate everyday for at least 30 minutes. You can even break up your daily 30
minutes into three ten-minute bouts!
 Using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, if you’re able.
 Learning to recognize warning signs when your body begins feeling ill.
 Eating foods that make you feel good.
 Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
 Practicing safer sex and getting yourself tested for STIs, including HIV, at least annually
if you are sexually active.

SOCIAL WELLNESS

Social wellness focuses on building and nurturing meaningful and supportive

relationships with individuals, groups and communities. It enables you to create boundaries that
encourage communication, trust and conflict management. Social wellness also includes
showing respect for others, oneself and other cultures.

You can foster your social wellness by:

 Reflecting on yourself and your social needs. What aspects of your social life do you
enjoy? What parts would you like to improve?
 Making an effort to keep in touch with supportive friends, family and mentors.
 Participating in group discussions and practicing active listening.
 Joining a club or organization.
 Participating in study groups.
 Volunteering in the community.

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

Spiritual wellness allows us to be in tune with our inner selves. This realm of wellness
lets us find meaning in life events and define our individual purpose. Spirituality can stem from
beliefs, faith, values, ethics or moral principles that provide purpose and direction in our lives. A
healthy spirit helps us remain resilient and better prepared to face life’s challenges.

You can foster your spiritual wellness by:

 Exploring your inner self. Take time to think about who you are.
 Meditating or practicing mindful relaxation.
 Practicing acceptance.
 Being curious. If something happens that makes you even the slightest bit curious, take
a moment to explore the experience a little deeper.
 Looking for a religious faith that aligns with your values.
 Traveling and experiencing other cultures.