EVERYDAY H.E.R.O. ASSESSMENT

EVERYDAY H.E.R.O. ASSESSMENT
Ryan J. Hulbert, Ph.D.

There is a hero in each of us. Heroes are everyday people who consistently do simple, little healthy behaviors. As result, when placed in a very challenging situation, their everyday habits cause them to act in heroic ways. Even though such people may never be placed in a "high profile" situation, there is nothing more heroic than faithfully doing simple healthy things over a lifetime.

In this assessment, such simple healthy habits are categorized into 4 areas:

Healthy Physically
Enlivened Psychologically
Resistant to Substance Abuse
Other Focused

The healthy habits in each category are self-explanatory, except for in the category of Enlivened Psychologically, which requires some training.
Please honestly and confidentially click your response to the 28 statements below, and the assessment will tally your score, and tell you what your score means.

According to your experience in about the last 30 days, please mark 3 if the item is almost always true for you, please mark 2 if the item is often true for you. Mark the 1 if the item is sometimes true for you, and the 0 if the item is rarely true for you.


Rarely = 0      Sometimes = 1      Often = 2      Almost Always = 3

Healthy Physically

1. I exercise or play a sport at least 30 minutes 3 or more times per week.
0 1 2 3

2. I drink 8-10 glasses of water per day.
0 1 2 3

3. I sleep 7-9 hours per day.
0 1 2 3

4. My diet is well balanced including vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products and adequate sources of protein.
0 1 2 3

5. I eat high-fiber foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains) several times per day.
0 1 2 3

6. I minimize my intake of sweets, including candy, soft drinks and avoid adding sugar to foods.
0 1 2 3

7. I bathe, brush my teeth and wear clean clothes on a regular basis.
0 1 2 3

Enlivened Psychologically
8. I understand some characteristics of healthy, normal and unhealthy states of mind.
0 1 2 3

9. I can identify my personal characteristics when I am in a healthy state of mind
0 1 2 3

10. I can identify my personal characteristics when I am in an unhealthy state of mind.
0 1 2 3

11. I can catch myself when in an unhealthy state of mind and remind myself that my thoughts are of low quality at the time.
0 1 2 3

12. I have come to trust that there is a healthy state of mind accessible to me and all other people.
0 1 2 3

13. I can identify the signals which let me know when my mind is in the present, or if I am dwelling on the past, or caught-up in the future.
0 1 2 3

14. I have learned and practice at least 3 strategies of opening my heart and mind to feel more alive more often.
0 1 2 3

Resistant to Substance Abuse/Addictions
15. I use illegal drugs.
0 1 2 3

16. I read and follow the directions when using prescribed and over-the-counter drugs.
0 1 2 3

17. I use alcohol or other drugs as a way of handling stressful situations or problems in my life.
0 1 2 3

18. I drink alcohol in excess.
0 1 2 3

19. I smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products.
0 1 2 3

20. I limit my use of technology (e.g., internet, cell phone, social media) so that I do not neglect in-person relationships.
0 1 2 3

21. I use caffeinated products, such as coffee, soft drinks, tea, or energy drinks, in excess.
0 1 2 3

Other Focused
22. I regularly show concern for people less fortunate through donations or service.
0 1 2 3

23. I frequently let others go first in traffiic, store lines and other situations.
0 1 2 3

24. I write, telephone, email or text others at least once per week as a means of uplifting them.
0 1 2 3

25. I am usually calm toward others who are upset, angry or in a low mood.
0 1 2 3

26. I regularly listen to others, allowing them to express themselves fully and feel understood.
0 1 2 3

27. I am part of an organization which regularly is involved in improving peoples' lives.
0 1 2 3

28. I am doing things to learn about other cultures and appreciate people who are different than myself.
0 1 2 3

Score =

71-84: You are doing very well. Keep up the good work.

47-70: With a little more awareness and effort in these areas, you could improve the quality of your life.

0-46: There is significant room for improvement for increasing your well-being in these areas. Work first on those areas where you are most likely to be successful, then tackle the tougher behaviors.

As you work on these behaviors "every day", you are becoming an Everyday Hero.