Why don't we all live healthy?

What is the hardest part about living healthy? Why don’t we all do it? There are many challenges to living healthy. Over the years, I have heard countless reasons (and excuses) for setbacks. The reasons and excuses tend to pile up, especially during this time of year. So, what are some reasons? Time, work, kids and the weather seem to be at the top of the list for most people. But why are these things a challenge? Why do people struggle to overcome these obstacles?

People find that time, work, kids and the weather are a challenge because they don’t use them to their advantage. It is that simple. If someone says they don’t have time for exercise, they simply don’t want to make time for exercise. They will argue that they really don’t have time because they have this or that to do as they run down the list of daily tasks.

The problem I have with that argument is that it is subjective. Not enough to one person could be too much to another. The terms that we use so frequently to describe our routines (or lack of) don’t mean much to the person next to us. In fact, that is part of the problem. I can’t truly understand what you mean by too much or not enough when I have a completely different sense of the words.

What does not enough time mean? Bob has 24 hours in a day. How many hours do you have in your day? Bob have meetings, emails, phone calls, presentations, coaching sessions, errands, deadlines, etc. You name it, Bob has to deal with it. So, why can Bob get his exercise in and Steve can’t? Does Steve have less to do than Bob does? No, but Steve has not taken charge of his schedule in order to use it to his advantage.

The question now is why? Why doesn’t Steve take advantage of his schedule? Why doesn’t Steve get as much exercise as Bob even though they have the same amount of time as Bob? The possible answers:

1. He doesn’t want to
2. He doesn’t know how
3. He doesn’t think he can

I am using exercise in this example because it is something that most of us should be spending more time doing. Not only should be we spending more time on exercise. We should be making more time for ourselves so we can exercise. We all know what the benefits are. We all know how much better we feel when we do it. We even know the consequences of not doing it. In fact, the results we want are the exact opposite of what we are getting now.

So how do we change this? Well, as I just said, we all know how to change it. Do it. If you do it, you will get the result you are looking for. Most people that are not getting their desired results are in this situation because they don’t want to change, don’t know how to change or don’t think they can change.

As your coach, I help find out which of these categories you fall into. If you don’t want to change, why don’t you and what can we do to change your mind. I can’t make you change, so clearly you have to make the decision for yourself. If you want to change, but don’t know how, I can help you figure out the best way for you to change and make it happen. If you don’t think you can change, I can help you find the motivation to overcome that thought and move forward despite not being confident about it now.

Wellness/Success Equation

The difference between success and failure is execution. Potential for success is wasted if the action steps are not taken to reach the goals that will bring success. This sounds like something used in the business or sports world, but it can be used anywhere in life. All three of these words have specific meanings in multiple settings. I have broken down the scenario in business, sports, relationships, and of course in health.

Potential in…
Business = the knowledge and job skills to someday make a significant impact on company or industry
Sports = the talent to compete at the highest level and win in the future
Relationships = a common ground that could lead to future enjoyment between two people
Health = the awareness that you can live healthy through your habits

Success in…
Business = making that impact on the company and/or industry
Sports = competing at the highest level and winning
Relationships = enjoying and benefiting from a fulfilling connection
Health = living healthy

This seems simple enough, right? We all understand what success is. We have touched in this before and explained that success is as simple as reaching your goals. So why is success so difficult? Is it that our goals are too lofty? Well sometimes, but there is something much more simple that is missing from this equation. This missing ingredient is so simple that, on paper it looks like a no-brainer. What is it? The missing ingredient is execution.

Execution in…
Business = training and working
Sports = practicing and playing
Relationships = spending time with the other person
Health = living healthy

Execution, put as basically as possible, is doing it. The difference between success and failure is doing it or not doing it. We all have the potential to “be” healthy. Just like in these other areas where success comes from specific actions, if you do healthy things you will be healthy.

Having a Healthy Day

If you’ve gotten email or left a message for us, then you’ve heard the phrase, “Have a healthy day”. We are not the only ones to use this. I have heard fitness and other health centers use this to close their outgoing messages. While having a healthy day is not unique to Byrd Wellness Concepts, it is a high priority.

The reason that having a healthy day is a priority is self-explanatory, but I still wanted to revisit it. As a health coach, I am working daily to help people have healthy days. You’ve heard me say that health is something you do as opposed to something you are. Not only is it something you do. Hopefully it is something that you choose to do. It’s not enough to want the results; you have to take the actions in order to have a healthy day.

I like to use the phrase as a reminder to all that we are able to choose what kind of day we are going to have. I myself need a reminder at times, just like my clients. We are all human and have certain obstacles that make it more difficult to live healthy. By focusing on the day to day routine, we can get over those obstacles and keep progressing.

That is why the daily reminder of having a healthy day, each day keeps us focused on the choices we have. Despite the challenges and the fact that some days are more difficult than others, we can do something today that will help the cause.

So...Have a Healthy Day!