Healthy Living DIY

When you think of making healthy choices, what's the first type of choice that comes to mind? If you're like most people, your brain will automatically make a beeline for the section on food.

And that's good. The state of our nutrition has a lot to do with how we feel, plus our energy level, resilience, and general state of health. We know that already. And we've talked about it in the previous three articles.

However...

Making good choices about what to eat simply isn't the whole healthy enchilada!

Perhaps you saw this news a few weeks ago or perhaps not. A major research study published in the July 18, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association explores the issue of whether or not certain "best practice dietary recommendations" reduce recurrence of breast cancer or not.

The verdict is in.

If you're at all into the weight loss thing (we call it "lightening up" around here), then I know you're interested in making the most of that feeling of satisfaction that let's you know it's time to stop eating.

If you're at all into enjoying your life to the fullest, then I know you're also into recognizing life's most satisfying moments.

If you're into managing stress well, notice this: satisfaction signals your physiology that it's ok to relax!

Satisfaction can be gained legitimately by identifying those things you really thrive on and bringing more of them into your life. Without the benefit of true satisfaction, many people find themselves doing quick fix after quick fix in an attempt to make up for the emptiness and loss they somehow always seem to feel inside.

How well do you know yourself? Have you taken the time to identify what really pleases you?

Check out these 3 tips for a more satisfying life:

Results. Every day, no matter what we do, they just keep showing up.

Sometimes we like them. Sometimes we don't. But either way, those results just keep pouring in.

Many of you know me as a pretty results-based person. Just like our little friend Yoda, who says, "Try not. Do or do not, there is no try."

It may surprise you to hear me suggest that the results you achieve on any given project or endeavor may not be all that important. But that's what we're up to today. Recoginzing that there is another factor so much more valuable that seeing its truth can render nearly any apparent failure inconsequential.

Here's the cool part. The best way to really identify this other factor is to rack up a huge lack of the results you were looking for. In other words, to bomb out, blow it, or "apparently" fail.

(The only real failure is when you quit. If you've really failed, you won't get this. Might as well go take a nap. However if you've "apparently" failed -- but not given up -- then you're still in the game and I'm talking to you!)

It's true. And that other factor is ...

One day last week, a coaching participant and I were on one of our regularly scheduled calls when she made a particularly enlightened observation! Not unusual for her, by the way. :-) I told her it was likely to show up as an article soon, and today's the day!

Before you read any further (or decide not to), I have a couple of very simple questions for you:

1. Are you completely 100% satisfied with absolutely every area of your life as it is today? So satisfied that you have no further goals or intentions for the future? So satisfied that if things in every area of your life were to continue exactly as they are today for the rest of your life, you would be just delighted?


2. Are you confident enough in the problem-solving skills you have right now that if life were to hand you a big surprise (say, a mudslide wipes out your home), you'd need no further outside input to rebuild the foundation you've set for yourself today?

If so, then here's about how I imagine your life looks:

• Your retirement is fully funded.


• You enjoy perfect health.


• You wake each morning fully rested and excited to meet the new day.


• Your work (and yes, you surely do something) stimulates, interests, and challenges you.


• Your personal relationships are deep and fulfilling.


• You delegate or defer low-priority tasks, and those that are better done by someone else.


• You are supremely skilled at walking that razor's edge between focus on high-priority tasks and opening yourself to new information and feedback.

If this is you, then congratulations! You've probably already had the insight I'm about to reveal.

On the other hand, if there's any little tweak that might better your situation, then you could be very interested in "Jane's" enlightened observation.

Last week, we spoke about busy-ness. One of the most important pieces of healthy living, I believe, is knowing when to stop even your most productive, most virtuous busy-ness and...

Relax!

Which is what I hope you'll consider taking up as your mission on this last "official" weekend of summer 2007. If your friends and relations are surprised by this new twist in your behavior (as you're oh-so-busily collecting Vitamin D with your feet up on a lawn chair), tell 'em you're just following the sensible healthy living guidelines recommended by your wellness coach!

Here's to a blissful & carefree weekend!