If you were in a health counseling session with me, one of the first questions I’d ask is this:
“What are three things you could be doing right now that would improve your health?”
You may raise an eyebrow and pause for a moment or two, but then (after realizing I actually expect a response!)…bam, you’d blurt out three intelligent, practical, appropriate things that really would improve your health today if you began them.
There is no doubt in my mind that all of you know ways to improve your health.
In fact, that is exactly my point. We actually already know a whole lot about our own health.
Achieving health is not a mystery or all that complicated.
- Yes, our modern society has over-complicated the information we get about health and right eating.
- Yes, we’ve lost touch with the wisest source of wisdom on the subject: our own selves.
- Yes, we need to learn the language of our bodies, because they are constantly sending us messages as to what we need to return to optimal health.
- And (double) YES, we need to find ways to make caring for our health and well being work within the lifestyle we lead
What used to be traditional knowledge passed from generation to generation has gotten muddled and lost in the past couple decades…so now many of us find ourselves out of touch with the fundamentals of how to take good care of ourselves.
But, aside from relearning the fundamentals, the scariest part is that we must go through a process of beginning to trust ourselves again.
We have become so accustomed to seek approval and guidance from outside sources that to have a mentor encourage you to step into the lead role of your life can feel downright intimidating.
But that is what all excellent mentors and coaches do. They systematically simplify and organize the things you need to learn and guide you toward becoming your own expert. And they make that process safe…because no one grows when they are intimidated, anxious or insecure.
So…do this little exercise with me. What are the three things you could be doing right now that would improve your health?
Once you have those things in mind…think of the reasons why you aren’t doing them. That’s the insight that is important right now.
Would you share your reasons here?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
1. I could get more sleep by going to bed at a decent hour each night. I don’t do this because I’m usually up talking to my long distance boyfriend in the evenings. We talk in the evenings because if we wait before nine it costs a fortune and my daughters don’t go to sleep until eight.
2. Exercise. I rarely do it. Not sure why. I think because I’m tired, or there’s always something else that needs done.
3. Lower my stress levels. The thought of lowering my stress levels and how I would go about that tends to stress me out more. I have no idea how to do this.
Hollie,
These are great…it’s easy to see each are really connected too. When we start doing just one thing to improve our health, then so many other things start to resolve themselves.
I think stress is a number one issue for MOST of us– I’m thinking of doing another series along the stress factor in our health and well being. Keep an eye out for it!
Here’s what I came up with:
1. take a yoga class. i hesitate to regularly schedule an evening activity that is just for me. i also need to rely on my husband to do this.
2. track my food. i track until about 3pm and then i go into denial. i don’t want to face the choices i am making.
3. watch less tv. i think i feel like i deserve to disconnect by the evening and i don’t want to think about the other things i should be doing. finally, i also see it as my time with my husband (not very quality!) so i don’t want to give it up.
so…what’s the next step?
Yes Abby! Love your list of things— and I love that you intuitively included why you feel you are not doing those things.
Great question.
So…you asked what the next step is!
The coach in me may say we pause here for a moment…and go a little deeper– just imagine for a moment that something broke open in your lifestyle that had you going to yoga regularly, tracking your food consistently and watching less tv…
What would your days feel like now that those things are part of them?
1. I would figure out how to r-e-l-a-x and stop being so high strung! This might involve letting go of my watch and my obsession with time efficiency. =-)
2. I would follow through with what I’ve been learning about how to eat … whole, real foods and no processed junk.
3. I would be able to let go of dieting mentality once and for all. After 30 years of unsuccesful “dieting” , why is it so hard to let go?
Thanks, Lisa! I am going to write this in my notebook and give it some thought later. After this original exercise I was thinking: are these reasons or excuses. I guess I’ll find out!
1. Drink water: as soon as I saw the title, I thought about drinking more water and saw the empty glass in front of me. So I got up and went to fill my glass.
2. Get more sleep: it’s the hardest one because I feel there is so much to do at home at night (i don’t have kids but after cooking, cleaning, spending time with my fiancé, it’s already late. And plus, i like to wake up early in the morning to do things peacefully).
3. Don’t indulge too much at night: I’m pretty good at eating healthy snacks during the day at work but then I tend to eat cookies and chocolate after dinner. I think my mind is telling me that I deserve a treat at the end of the day. I should think more about what I read recently: we don’t need a treat, we need to treat ourselves.