What changes have occurred in your health behaviors’ during this project, and what are the impacts of this on your health in other areas?
The process of full recovery from alcoholism has not been easy, there have been various challenges and obstacles, but all in all, the SMART goals have proved to be quite effective in the rehabilitative process. The implementation and strict adherence to the goals have had an impeccable impact on my health behavior during this project and it is presumed that this will persist even in the future.
For instance, I have adopted stringent positive norms that have made it possible to drastically reduce the rate of alcohol intake. This has led to the adoption of self-efficacy as a strategy from the banduras theory. Self-discipline has enabled me to make critical choices when faced with a dire circumstance that would otherwise lead to compromising the goals.
The project has also improved my cognitive perspectives and dimension in which I viewed alcoholism, health matters, and other aspects of social life. This awareness has empowered me to seek better alternatives than consuming alcohol as a form of escapism. For instance, through joining a rehab program, I have been able to reduce the psychological burden of feeling lonely, deserted, and lost. This has also greatly reduced the stress level as I am able to be around other people who are also trying to beat the vice. As far as health matters are concerned, I have been able to live a healthy life as I now have the time to focus on other important facets like diet, sports, and other recreational staff.
How confident are you that you will continue to engage in your health behavior over the next month and year? What strategies can you use to increase your chances of successfully engaging in your health behavior in the future?
Through engaging in this project, I have gained tremendous confidence in myself and also in the relevance of the project. I have the confidence of taking the next step, which is sensitizing the other members of society who face similar problems of addiction, confidence to realize that I need a total over the whole of my health behavior. This progress that has been attained from the SMART goals has boosted my confidence in the project that I can fully recover and maintain the newly adopted health behavior in the coming months.
To maintain the steady results that I have achieved, there is a need to put other strategies in place to act as reinforcements to the existing SMART goals. This will have to take in mind that every new experience brings a challenge to it.
With this in mind, the previously laid guidelines may not prove to be sufficient in combating them. There is a need for assessing the progress being made. For this assessment to be substantive it will require the aid of a professional therapist who can adequately map out the progress, what to improve, how to go about it, and recommend other strategies that may not be among the SMART goals. It is also prudent to adopt the earlier mentioned cognitive-behavioral model as a means towards preparing for future controversial circumstances that may lead to a relapse.
What skills have you developed in health behavior change and what health behavior change concepts, in particular, have you found to be the most valuable and why?
The project has led me towards the adoption of various health behavior skills, like stress management and coping with changes, both psychologically and physically. The most fascinating concept was that of stress management because it ensured that I was able to cope with stress without resulting in drinking as an alternative also the knowledge of beating barriers that would hinder the actualization of the goals like behavior, emotion, situations and thus allowed for quick recovery. The adoption of Motivation, ambivalence, and decisional balance also came in handy in behavior change.
Briefly describe how these health coaching skills may be used in your future profession
This health behavior initiative like the one mentioned above has assisted me in my profession as I am able to control my affairs with an added sense of purpose, determination, and the will to succeed. Achieving good health behavior change has translated to improved health both physical and psychological that has impacted my career and future career positively as I am not out of work due to health problems associated with alcoholism. Lastly, the health coaching program has enabled me to have a healthy social interaction that is not characterized by immense anger and at times violence. This will be beneficial in my future profession. This entire process has strengthened my perspective of life in general that anything is achievable through discipline and commitment.