For this assignment you will be developing a Wellness Action Plan.

Strategically think about what you will need to stay well for a long, happy life.

Most people don't plan how they are going to handle stress throughout their life. We know that at different stages of life, each of us is faced with different kinds of stressors. As we have learned through the various readings and presentations, leisure can be used to help us stay well. Many adults use exercise at or play various sports as their leisure outlet. Other people use music or taking a hot bath or a myriad of different things to handle overwhelming stress.

Your Wellness Action Plan will be concise and to the point but it needs to show that you have put some thought into your plan. Stress comes from many places but the physical and mental costs it takes can be handled if you choose to react differently. I want you to make a timeline starting with your 20's. If you are currently past your 20’s, then list your previous stressors that you had faced and the strategies and activities that you had used. Otherwise, begin at the 20’s and start from there.

Using the template that I have provided below, first identify potential stressors and then in the second column put some activities you might call on to relieve that stress. Think of all potential stressors at each age of life. Then put down as many strategies and activities you think might prove valuable to relieve that stress. Be cognizant of role restraints you might have at different times of your life. ( i.e. Being a parent, taking care of parents as they age) It has to be "specific". Simply stating “staying happy” is not enough. For example, instead of putting "Sports" as your relief strategy you could put "basketball, tennis, rock climbing, etc".

Do your 30's, 40's 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 100's so you need to find out a bit about what normal stressors face people at different ages. Talk to your parents and grandparents. Talk to your older family members. Many things we believe about age are incorrect. People are active and vibrant into their 90's these days. More people are living well to 100 these days then ever before.

You also need to think about how you would cope if disaster struck. Statistically, out of this class a percentage of you may or will be faced with life threatening illness or accident. I don't want you to worry or fret about that but you do need to come up with some strategies you could use to help you through a difficult time. Many people simply asking for help would be a hard thing to do but it sometimes is the best strategy.

Your finished plan should have minimum ALL 3 pages completely filled out, try to fit as much as possible in each age group.