A New Year, An Old Thought—Here We Go Again

We’ve all made resolutions, usually about once a year when January 1 rolls around, resolutions about working toward healthier habits, and ultimately, better health. And, we’ve all, at times veered away from our best intentions, usually unintentionally. This says, “we’re human. It’s what we humans do.” And, it also says we sometimes end up doing what we don’t intend to do or want to do. That’s part of what makes us human. When we make a resolution, or set our sights on a goal we want to meet—and then we don’t, that also makes us human. Maybe not happy with ourselves, but human.

So if we don’t give up, we try again, and maybe we try harder. We fall down six times, we get up seven. But, just how hard are we supposed to try? How hard is this wellness stuff supposed to be?

Actually, it’s about as hard as we make it. It’s really pretty simple. It’s just not easy. So, which is it? Well, like life, it’s a long chain of choices. There are “cues” all around us that move us toward or away from the choices we make—and the reasons why. We make certain choices because we think they are better for us. We associate the choices we make with comfort or denial, success or failure. And, sometimes we choose one thing over another without even knowing why. (Do you know that by simply believing something is good for you, or believing it tastes good, you attribute a higher value to it—and eat more of it. As an example, if you see an expensive looking name on a bottle of wine, you will tend to drink more of it.)

Now, let’s think about less . . . because less of something is also a choice. Less isn’t necessarily about deprivation. As an active choice, less of something can actually be more (no this isn’t gobbledygook, there is a point), depending on how you choose to look at it. Less food can mean better health (more health). It can mean weight loss (more health). It can mean success as you go after your New Year’s resolution (more health). You probably have the idea by now. And, where ideas are concerned, here’s a wild one . . . we know it’s socially acceptable to support each other when we’re trying to break the smoking habit. Think what we could accomplish, individually and collectively, if we made eating a less socially acceptable habit?

Here’s a final thought on the choices we make, the reasons we make them, and what we hope to achieve with our New Year’s resolution of working toward better health and healthier habits. Have you ever thought about what you can accomplish if rather than focusing on what you “have” to give up, you focus instead on what you will get in return?

Crazy as a Box of Frogs

Are you ready to take a guess at what this is all about? And, what does it have to do with wellness or well-being? Believe it or not, there is a connection.

Let’s start at the end with Box of Frogs. Can’t you picture it? These are cute little green frogs. Hundreds of them. They’re in the same box, and they’re hopping, climbing and squirming all over each other. You open the lid and you know they’re going to start hopping out, whether that’s what you intended or not. And, as fast and as many as there are, there’s no way you’re going to catch them all and put them back. That’s where the crazy part comes in (don’t even pretend to think about why someone would fill a box with frogs in the first place).

Some people might look at Crazy as a Box of Frogs to mean insanity, or even temporary insanity. But, what if we look at it as a place we’ve somehow gotten to, and one we want to “hop” on out of. We don’t like it in the box, we don’t want to be in the box, and the crazy part is staying in that box.

And, once we’re out of the box, then what? This is where wellness and well-being comes in. We don’t want to box ourselves in, or be put in a box, or have anyone else put us in a box (read, label us). We are each our own unique selves.

Who you are right now, or at any one moment of your lifetime, does not by itself define who you are as a person. And, if change is what you’re after in the broad scope of how you define yourself, you—and only you—can change your life today, and tomorrow, and each day after. You are out of the box!

Let the frogs out of the box. Taking charge of your health, wellness and well-being is a lifestyle choice.  Once you’re motivated, and determined to follow that motivation through, you’re not going to go back in that box. Obstacles can't stop you, problems can't stop you, and most of all other people can't stop you. Only you can stop yourself—and wouldn’t you agree, that would be crazy?

What Each Choice Can Mean

In case you don’t already know, each of us makes about 200 food and beverage choices every day.  That’s a lot of choices—and an opportunity—to make those choices count. And, they will count. Dr. Steven Lamm, Internist with NYU School of Medicine and Contributing Editor of the Best Life Magazine, points out that the foods we choose to eat on a daily basis contribute 80 percent to whether we will develop diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.

Whether you’re shopping for food, eating at home or eating out, what you choose to eat has the potential to lower healthcare costs. Fresh, home-cooked meals with plenty of natural ingredients, vegetables and fruits tells your family their health is important.

The next time you go to the grocery store, notice the aisles of chips, cookies, candy and soft drinks (including sports drinks loaded with sugar).  The frozen cases are filled with cakes, pies, cookie dough, ice cream, and more. Then there’s the check out with still more candy—right there within arm’s reach. It’s all there, spread throughout the store so you can’t miss it even if you try. 

Now, look at the aisles of packaged, processed, boxed, pre-prepared and ready-to-eat meals, with ingredients not many of us can pronounce. Too much sodium, too little nutrition.  Believe it, every choice you make, every dollar you spend sends a message about what is important to you. 

This might be a good time to give some real food for thought to making better  nutritional choices. Your own and your family’s health depends on each bite. Since they all add up anyway, why not make them count?

Are You a Prime Individual?

Answer this question, and you’ll know if you are indeed a prime individual, or if you’re headed in the right direction. Do you want to reach your full potential and gain control over your own achievements and success? If the answer is yes, then yes—you are a prime individual.

And now that you know this is who you are, it means you have decisions and choices to make. To be prime means you set your own goals and standards for your life. You know that the best way to make the world better is to make yourself better. You want to improve your life, and you work toward that improvement. You believe in your goals, and you know you won’t reach them without consideration, effort—and action.

So,  how does this relate to your personal wellness and well-being? Simply this—wellness goals are really no different from any other type of goal you may set for yourself. By identifying your own personal motivational triggers, whatever they may be for you, you can begin to make those lifestyle behavior choices that move you closer to your goals. By being honest with yourself, you can realistically consider what changes are possible within the context of your daily life—and challenge yourself to explore the almost endless opportunities you have to make those choices that are in your long-term self-interest.

Only you can decide if your health and wellness is worth the effort, and only you can make the effort required to achieve it. Your daily wellness behaviors have consequences. If you are a prime individual you understand the consequences and choose to make those choices that will lead you to reach your wellness and well-being goals.

Would you agree that these are indeed the same behavior lifestyle changes that change lives? Now, are you primed for success?

Happiness is Healthy

Remember the song—“If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands . . . If you’re happy and you know it, your  life will surely show it . . .”  Harvard Business Review knows what happiness can do for your health. This year they devoted many pages (and a cover) to the topic. 

Yet, happiness isn’t just about being happy. It also taps into your overall wellness and well-being goals. And, you don’t have to block out any time during the day to create happiness. You don’t have to count calories or pay attention to portion size (although you should anyway) to create happiness. You do have to be aware, and you do have to make positive choices that cumulatively will lead to happiness.

There are many definitions of  happiness—feeling  or showing pleasure, contentment or joy,  feeling that something is right or has been done right,  a deep sense of inner stability, peace, well-being, and vitality that is consistent and sustainable. Happiness is important to your well-being because it provides endless and long-ranging benefits.  And, it’s much more than just the absence of negative emotions or feelings.

A few examples from the Harvard study . . .

As for health benefits—a 50 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, improved immune system function, adds protection against some cancers and slows the progression of disease. And here’s a surprise—happiness is s a greater benefit to increased longevity than quitting smoking.

Anyone following LoneStart Wellness and our  “Wellness & Well-being” Blog knows we are all about behavioral change. Behavioral benefits of happiness include some major personal plusses. You are more likely to make good decisions, you are more likely to be physically active, make good nutritional choices, and get an adequate amount of sleep.

For employers, and this is important, if your employees are happy, you can count on lower absenteeism, lower job turnover, increased productivity, lower healthcare costs, and even improved corporate citizenship.  What’s not to love? Doesn’t just knowing how great happiness can be make you happy?

True, you can’t just decide to be happy—but on the other hand, you can work towards happiness by changing those lifestyle choices that will change your outlook, and in turn lead to the satisfaction of knowing you are doing what you can do to be your best—be in your best health, giving and getting the most from your relationships, making those decisions in your best interests, and living up to your potential in all those areas over which you have control.  

If you have time (give it a 3-minute limit for starters),  how about a moment of reflection on what you have, rather than what you don’t have—and build from there.