Healthy Living DIY

...a lot of people I know don't consistently make those warm, fuzzy choices. They know what they'd like to do. They know how they'd like their life to look. But they perceive limitations, conflicts, and a whole bunch of great reasons why what they'd like to see ... seems like it just can't be!

My job as a wellness coach is to support the motivated person in getting past all those limitations, conflicts, and great reasons.

Not to kid anyone here, motivation is a real key factor. We humans are tolerant and adaptable. In fact, those characteristics are often praised. Yet the more tolerant and adaptable an individual is, the harder time they may have changing their stress-promoting ways.

You see the life you'd like, you know you're not living it, yet you put up with it anyway. You tolerate. You adapt. You're not going anywhere, because you're committed to tolerating things exactly the way they are right now. Even if you "talk about" how you'd like to lose a few pounds or find a better paying job, you don't have the motivation to do anything about it. Tolerating what you don't want is more comfortable than trying out something new.

Often, the motivation a person needs to stop tolerating and adapting to unsatisfactory life circumstances comes in the form of a "kick in the pants" that forces you to change or re-evaluate your circumstances:

• Expected or unexpected, desired or undesired, change in a major relationship
• Expected or unexpected, desired or undesired, change in employment
• Landmark birthday
• Friend or relative becomes ill or has an accident
• The person themself becomes ill or has an accident
• Well-publicized tragedy hits too close to home
• Kids leave the nest

How about you? When's the last time you asked yourself the big questions?

Several popular wellness models bring to light the different aspects of wellness we might consider. Although it isn't described in the language of "wellness," one of the first is Abraham Maslow's 1943-era Heirarchy of Needs.

Maslow explains that human needs are often met in sequence, and that a person can't attend to so-called higher-order needs until the most basic ones are satisfied. His priority levels go like this:

1. Meet basic physiological needs such as breathing, food, shelter, sleep.
2. Meet safety needs of employment, personal health and safety, family safety, and protection of property.
3. Meet belonging needs of family, friendship, and intimacy.
4. Meet esteem needs of self-confidence, respect for others, respect of others.
5. Meet self-actualization needs including creativity and spontanaety.

It's useful to consider Maslow's theory as you review your wellness goals. Health itself occurs in level 2, right after food and breathing. Anything that directly impacts your health and safety has got to become a high priority if you are to survive long enough to address the rest of the chart!

In the next post, we'll review two other popular wellness models. Tune in and check out how you're doing.

Meanwhile, if you're seriously considering a wellness project for this summer, check out our Healthy Living Community Wellness Team. The next segment begins Tuesday, May 15th. You've still got time to join in!