So, now that you have made your mind up to move towards health, you may feel somewhat overwhelmed by all of the information available. Perhaps you feel as if you are spinning your wheels a little and trying to find some firm ground to plant your feet on. This is all entirely understandable; a health journey is a huge commitment, but one with many rewards.
The first step is to take a great big deep breath and relax. Focus your mind on the fact that getting healthy is a journey that does not end. That is, it does not end in the sense that you will stop learning new things and building upon the health knowledge that you already have. No matter how healthy you are today, you can be healthier tomorrow.
Defining Health
Before you begin your journey, it is important to define health. Health means different things to different people. Whole body health, however, involves the body operating at an optimal performance level, both physically and mentally.
Health is not found in a diet, or in some special quick fix plan, pill or potion – it is found in a new and improved lifestyle, a new way of thinking about and relating to food and your body.
Good health is not simply an absence of symptoms or disease; you can actually be highly unhealthy and not really know it until it is too late. Many people have no idea what it feels like to be really healthy, and are amazed as they progress on their journey by how great they actually look and feel.
Mindset
Your journey, like all journeys, will have many twists and turns, and sometimes the path is smoother than other times. Sometimes the light will shine brightly, and other times the clouds will set in. The strength to move through the difficult times exists within you.
Getting healthy, really healthy, requires a whole new mindset, a whole new understanding and a whole new commitment to yourself and those that love you. Don’t think quick fix, this will surely sabotage your efforts. Poor health did not sneak up and bite you overnight – it happened over a period of time, and it will take time to set things straight.
Don’t underestimate the power of the mind to convince you that you will not be successful. Focus instead on making good choices each day and taking small steps forward. You are better taking baby steps than one giant leap and landing in the mud. Small steps, as long as you are moving forward, are essential to success.
Goal Setting
Another important aspect to your journey is to set some goals. While it is ok to have long range goals, you must also have short term, achievable goals that you celebrate along the way. So, if your biggest hang-up is getting rid of chips and eating more vegetables, make this a goal.
When you find yourself no longer wanting chips and happily munching on a bag of organic carrots, it is time to celebrate. If exercise is hard for you, set a goal to walk every day for two weeks. When you reach this goal, take the time to celebrate.
Pay attention to the things that you are accomplishing, no matter how trite they may seem. It all counts, and each goal you achieve spawns a new goal as you move forward towards better health.
Get Good Advice
Don’t buy everything you read or are told. Be sure that your health advice is coming from a reliable source. While there is a great deal of very good information available, some is just downright wrong.
Be careful with advice that is attached to a product, this is not always a great sign. Don’t listen to the media, as they have a tendency to want to sell products and are willing to say just about anything to do so. Most of all, don’t stop learning.
No matter how much we may think we know about being the healthiest we can be, there is more to learn. However, be on guard not to let your learning become an obsession – or disrupt your life. Keep things in perspective and make some time to learn without overdoing it.
Journal
Keep a record of your journey – journaling is an excellent way to relieve stress and keep you focused on your goals. Don’t be afraid to vent to your journal, it is likely that you will have some moments of frustration as you work to retrain your brain and your body to accept a new way of doing things. Pay particular attention to how you feel at each step along the way.
For all those who have made the decision to journey towards health, know that you are not alone. Keep moving forward and remember, health is not a race to be won but a life to be lived one step at a time!
-The Alternative Daily
