The Conscious Lifestyle

A lot more goes into life than luck. Change happens, and it happens best when we make it happen. Yet, so many of us are too often afraid to create change because we are afraid to fail. So, if you’ve lost confidence in your inner ability to create change—this post is for you!

Do you take your power or inspiration from external sources or from within yourself? Do you read and look at ads and commercials and think to yourself, “This is what I need; this is what I have to do; this is how I should look; this is who I want to be?” These questions are important because you know yourself better than anyone else, and you are the one who should be in charge of what you want to change. It takes some thought, and it takes some time, and it takes resolve, but the results stay with you because you are the one who is in charge. And, you are the only one who can make it happen. It’s not a matter of “luck.”

We know repeated behaviors eventually turn into habits. And we know improving willpower long-term requires commitment (drawing on our inner ability). We also know as individuals we never stay the same. But, to create change, we have to expand our zones of comfort. We have to develop those behaviors that turn into habits, and then we have to change them—it’s the habit of changing habits that builds inner confidence. It’s  that little, or loud voice that says, “Yes you can do this. Now go do it.” It’s not a matter of “luck.”

Mindful choices made each day will result in steady changes leading to sustainable health and wellness. The effect is cumulative—and what we do—or don’t do, determines our success and our overall well-being. Imagine thinking of laying a foundation of wellness as you would think of breathing—in other words, not as a one-time choice but an automatic response and action. So, take a deep breath. Your values—and actions—speak to what is most important to you in life. Where is your focus? We suggest that rather than focusing on all the reasons for why not, or why you will fail, focus instead on all the reasons you will succeed. Keep in mind those things you do well and use those accomplishments to foster a sense of achievement. It’s not a matter of “luck.”

 
The takeaway—What do you think would happen if you put yourself in charge when it comes down to looking at your ability to create change? Hmm  . . . You might just become your own lifeline to your health and wellness decisions and choices. What better coach, than yourself? You’ll see that it really has nothing to do with “luck.”

Doing Life

O.K., let’s. Life is surprising. It’s interesting. It’s often hard, often fun, frightening, sometimes simple, sometimes easy, sometimes both, and almost always unpredictable. It seems much of what happens in life is out of our control—but not all of it, and this is the part we need to look at “doing.”

In a way we all have life sentences. The question is how we cope, deal with, and then individually choose to move forward. Because—we all do it in different ways, and we all have to do it.

We know our actions have consequences, and as a result we each have a responsibility as individuals, and organizations to “do no harm.” Yet too many of us are doing harm—to ourselves, and in turn to our organizations. We are doing harm through the neglect of our bodies, our nutrition, our choices, and ultimately our health. As a result, many of us find ourselves doing life with one or more chronic diseases. Now, we’re “doing harm” on a number of levels.

This is not the way it’s supposed to be, nor is it the way it has to be. What if we look at doing life a little differently?  What if we look at our choices differently? What if we look at, and focus on what we really can achieve? What if we look at those positive choices we can each make in terms of how they will shape our health and well-being? The benefits are huge and far-reaching.

How do the words: believe in yourself, never give up, keep reaching,  I can do this, I am worth this, sound to you?  They should sound good. And they are true.

You’re already doing life. We all are. Isn’t it up to each of us to make it the best life it can be—for ourselves, our families, our employers, our country, our world?  Isn’t up to each of us to make it a life that “does no harm?”

That’s a lot to ask, but we can each—and together—make doing life, really worth doing.  Are you in?

Everything is Connected

From quantum mechanics theorem, quantum entanglement, wave function collapse, electromagnetic interaction of electrons, to ancient Buddhist scripts to social science research, by way of television, internet, newspapers, books—and yes, even in one-on-one conversation—we are all connected. In an absolutely mind-bending way everything and everyone is connected to everything and everyone else. It’s true.

John Muir said it more eloquently when he wrote:  "When we try to pick out anything by itself we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe.”

So, exactly what does this have to do with wellness and well-being? It ties-in to our tag line: Spreading Viral Wellness ™.

  

More than likely, you’ve heard of Six Degrees of Separation—the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of a friend of a friend statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. (Personally, I haven’t tested this, but someday when I run out of things to do I plan to.)

Here’s where wellness and our collective well-being can come into play. How do these friends of friends feel about their own wellness and well-being? Yes, this is a loaded question. You may not know (and don’t actually have to know) the answer. It doesn’t matter. The point is six degrees, or steps, are only six steps—so what happens if each one us takes a healthy step we decide is important enough to move us in the direction we want to go with our own well-being.  

Think of six simple steps (reduced portion size, a walk around the block, less soda, a few more mindful choices). Now,  imagine what can happen if we share those steps, and the person we share them with shares them with someone else. At this point, wellness does indeed become viral—even contagious. 

Can’t you just imagine where this could lead? Why wouldn’t we all want to go there?

But, It's Good For You

How many times have you heard . . . Stand up straight, it’s good for you. Eat your vegetables, it’s good for you. You need more sleep, it’s good for you. Turn off the TV and go outside and play, it’s good for you. Put the cookie back and go get an apple out of the fridge, it’s good for you.  Guess what? It’s all true.

Yet, in your very heart of hearts, do you know why it matters? Do you know your possibilities and your limitations? Do you know that what you believe, to a great degree predicts and determines the life you will experience?  This too, is true—you can’t fully live a life that’s disconnected from your belief system. What you believe and the strength of those beliefs can weigh you down and anchor you to a life of disappointment if you don’t act on them—or lift you up, opening the possibilities of a life full of what you want it to be.

In your life, there are things you believe in and want to do. It matters that you work toward and embrace them.

Believe it—you can become that person you want to be. Believe in your resiliency, and no matter how far away you think you might be today from where you want to be, know that you can develop those attributes, attitudes and skills necessary to reach your goals. And, if your health and well-being isn’t one of those goals, I’m thinking you will find it hard to reach other goals.

Yet belief is just the first step. If you don’t believe you can rise to the occasion, that you just don’t have it in you, then you will never take the needed next steps toward your dreams, because you won’t believe it’s possible to reach them.

Only fear and doubt stand in your way. When you believe in your potential, you will feel confident in taking those necessary steps to eliminate the obstacles that stand in your way. Your choices in life will determine how you experience your life—the actions you take toward your goals will be influenced by your thoughts and attitudes. And those attitudes will be formed by what you come to believe is good for you.

So, think about what’s really good for you—and for your family, your friends, and community. We’re all connected, after all. Make the most of those positive connections—they’re good for you!

Underground Wellness

Hmmm . . .  underground? Wellness? What can it possibly mean? Here’s what.

We all hear a lot about wellness, unless we’re living under a rock (as in underground). The word wellness is so over-used, it’s hard to decide exactly what it encompasses, and what it doesn’t. It’s hard to decide where it belongs, and doesn’t. At work? In the community? At school? In your own home? Who’s in charge here?  You are. At least, you should be.

No doubt you’ve probably heard about the importance of  creating a Culture of Wellness. “Culture” is key to this idea of underground wellness because culture is defined as the collection of shared belief systems and habits of a particular group.

Think of culture as an underground river, running through our lives and relationships, sending us the very messages that shape our perceptions, judgments, and our own ideas of self and others.

We all belong to and are part of a culture and it is as natural as the blood running through our bodies. It’s what makes each of us who we are. It influences us in just about every way imaginable, and actually can define how we view right and wrong, good or bad, fun or boring—in essence, who we are . Culture contributes to the way we dress, the food we eat, and the people we work with and spend time with. It divides and joins us. It can be the bond between us, or the wedge that drives us apart.

To drive the point home, culture is that binding force that brings us and ties us together, providing a sense of purpose and belonging.

Now, an underground culture is a sort of counter-culture, a subculture whose values and norms of behavior deviate from those of mainstream society. Believe it or not, wellness has become an underground culture. Current estimates point out that only 1 in 7 U.S. workers is of normal weight without a chronic illness, and that 67 percent of our society is overweight or obese. About 20 percent of us still smoke. Up to 85 percent of us feel an increasing degree of stress. And, it’s estimated that by 2020, 50 percent of the population will have type 2 diabetes.

So where is this Culture of Wellness we keep hearing about? I’d have to say, it’s gone underground . . . but if we each take the initiative, we can bring wellness back to the mainstream. We really can create that Culture of Wellness—if we decide wellness will begin to shape our lives, be a part of who we decide to be and who we are. What do you think?