Mind-Body Goals

The Goal Setting Challenge

Mind-Body Goals

This discussion will focus on mind-body goals, which are goals related to our mental and physical health. In this discussion, each person will have the opportunity to talk about the impact that mind-body health can have on our lives. 

Pre-Discussion Preparation 

We have included the following activities to help you prepare for the discussion:  

  • Consider your wellbeing in terms of your physical, cognitive, and emotional health. Think about the impact these areas have on your life and your wellbeing. What do you want in general when it comes to your mental and physical health? 

  • You may also want to read the discussion questions and contemplate your answers to them in preparation for the upcoming conversation with your group members.  

Discussion Questions 

Below is a series of questions that may help facilitate your discussion. There is no need to answer every question; instead, feel free to focus on the questions that members of your group seem most excited about. 

  • What does it look like to take care of our thoughts and emotions? 

  • What does it look like to be working on having a positive relationship with our body?  

  • How can our health affect our lives in the long term?  

  • What are simple practices that can improve wellbeing?  

  • How can mental and physical health impact one another?  

  • Is there a particular practice that has had a positive impact on your mind and body? What impact has it had? 

Post-Discussion Activities 

Below are a few activities that you can complete after the discussion to deepen your learning and to prepare you to set mind-body goals:  

  • Long-term vision: Write a few sentences about what you want to get out of your life in terms of your mind and body. This could include a vision for your physical health, cognitive health, emotional health, or other aspects of your mind and body. It may help to imagine how you would like to have taken care of yourself when you look back at the end of your life.  

  • Potential goals: Record a few ideas for mind-body goals you are interested in setting.   

  • Potential daily practices: Record a few ideas for small practices you could do daily to reach your vision. 

Overview Video Research

  1. Belloc, N. B., & Breslow, L. (1972). Relationship of physical health status and health practices. Preventive Medicine, 1(3), 409–421. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0091-7435(72)90014-X.

  2. Guszkowska M. (2004). Effects of exercise on anxiety, depression and mood. Psychiatria Polska, 38(4), 611–620.  

  3. Resnick, H. E., Carter, E. A., Aloia, M., & Phillips, B. (2006). Cross-sectional relationship of reported fatigue to obesity, diet, and physical activity: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2(2), 163–169.    

  4. Markwald, R. R., Melanson, E. L., Smith, M. R., Higgins, J., Perreault, L., Eckel, R. H., & Wright, K. P. (2013). Impact of insufficient sleep on total daily energy expenditure, food intake, and weight gain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(14), 5695–700. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1216951110   

  5. Chandra, R. K. (1997). Nutrition and the immune system: An introduction. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66(2), 460S–463S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/66.2.460S  

  6. Warburton, D. E. R., Nicol, C. W., & Bredin, S. S. D. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 174(6), 801–809. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.051351 

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