by Lauren Muney
Most people are embarrassed to go to a doctor, to look at their own aches and pains, or even to consult with a wellness coach such as myself. Surprised? Probably not.
We are a society of people wanting to solve problems. We are smart, media-informed, and modern. . . so what happens about our heath?
This will be a pretty blunt article, so please forgive me. I think this subject needs to be spoken! This is another time to wake-up for all of us. DON'T WORRY, this article will also help you solve these issues facing each one of us - myself included!
We see signs daily about what we need to do for ourselves. It's easier to close our eyes to our widening waistlines or repetitive infections (examples only), than to make time and effort into finding healthy solutions. We think that if we ignore the problems they will go away.
The media blares at us, and we are all on system-overload; yet when we need information, how can we find true ways of solving our issues? It becomes very difficult to separate the best solutions from media hype or the overwhelming new health developments. We think we don't have the correct information.
Habit: "What we have always done": it guides our lives, makes us feel secure about who we are and what we are doing. 'Habit' can take two forms: Habit-energy (momentum of habits) or habit-of-denial (see above). We LOVE our habits. It creates an IDENTITY of who we are and what we do. It's not always even an identity that we desire, but it's familiar and we understand it.
Think of this example: how many people skip breakfast because they've always skipped breakfast? And now their stomachs "can't take breakfast" from 10 years of skipping a morning meal. They've arranged their morning schedules so they don't have time to have even a 3-minute breakfast.
This is 'habit'. These people create an identity that "I am not a breakfast eater", no matter how important eating breakfast is for our fitness and health,
How many people stick with a job they despise, or a romantic partner who hurts them (mentally and/or physically)? Oftentimes that's part of habit also: the inability to remove oneself (or change) a situation, no matter how harmful it is to remain.
We are in a society where we don't have enough time or energy: fatigue and time-pressures close-in, and we decide that we cannot fit our health in our day. Too many requirements from bosses, relationships, kids, work, hobbies, to let us arrange for our health and fitness...Right?
Is this how you want to live your life? Being controlled by denial, lack of education, habit, and stress?
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This is an ongoing process, so don't be thinking you have to insult yourself by calling yourself 'dumb' for not doing these things. GET CURIOUS, not insulting, to yourself. This part is the opposite of "denial".
Here is where you say,
"I smoke", or
"Hmm, I have had daily pains in my hands", or
"My stomach hurts every time I eat, and I spend a lot of money in antacids", or
"I have strange gas pains", or
"I only have bowel movements one time per week", or
"I have raging skin problems that I cover up", or
"I don't sleep well", or
"I feel foggy all the time"...
Realize that the human body is meant to function, 'eliminate', sleep soundly, work without fatigue, and not creak too much.
Don't judge what you find. Watch what you do, and ask yourself "Why do I do this"? Why do you eat sugary food everyday - habit? Craving? When do you get fatigued, specifically? At 10am? After dinner?
It's important that you don't feel overwhelmed about this. Just start with one issue - such as getting cravings - and simply watch when you get cravings... or chart your fatigue levels, maybe in journal format. This will be very important.
Think you don't have time for little changes, or that you feel comfortable a certain way? It takes only a couple of weeks to form a BAD habit, so it only takes the same time to break one and form a GOOD habit! It only take the right technique and support to change a bad habit -- and the realization that you have that habit (or denial).
One of my clients quit a 2-pack a day smoking habit on his own, finally when he realized that he didn't want sometime "owning" him! He was tired of planning when he could have his next cigarette, where he could have it, whether he had enough money to purchase the packs. He began his own program of fitness which eventually led him to stop smoking. His life, and his health, have drastically improved forever - just by deciding he wasn't going to be a slave to his habit (or his pain) anymore.
You can find solutions to your problems. Whether you need to tune out the commercialized "hype", enlist your family to help you, or find a qualified professional. You don't have to make sense of everything yourself, with limited time and resources. It only takes the assessment and DESIRE to make the changes you need, even if you don't yet know what changes need to be made.
This is very frightening sometimes, to come to the realization that things aren't working... and to try to turn them around.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, courage is action in the face of fear" (Mark Twain)
If you don't know where to begin and/or want to start confidential assistance in making healthful and fit changes in your life, please contact me and we'll find a program which works for you. You just have to decide that you want a new approach to your life.
For more ideas on fitness, health, or "alternative" methods for your lifestyle, contact Lauren for coaching solutions!