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I am going to make a bold assumption and hopefully some of
you will recognize what I am talking about. We, that is, people,
would like to live in an environment that is supportive and
healthy. We desire this “Healthy Environment” at
work, in our communities and at home. If we don’t experience
our environment to be healthy or supportive, we might begin
to look for external solutions or external sources to blame.
This could include our blaming the management for our stress
on the job, blaming politicians for the plight of our communities
and blaming other family members for our unhappiness at home.
It turns out that creating a healthy environment is a lot
like creating our personal health. Initially we may seek “external”
solutions to save us. We seek out doctors, healers or a miracle
product including, but not limited to, diets, medical procedures,
supplements or bath products. Our goal in this pursuit is
to improve the quality of our life and we are hoping that
the next workshop, capsule, exercise routine or spa will be
the answer.
Wherever we are looking to create health, the power to become
well remains within each of us. Health is primarily a matter
of personal accountability. While we can be supported by “external”
sources, the real power to heal is within. If we remain sick
in spite of our best efforts, we always have a choice in the
way we respond and this could be one of the most influential
elements in our attaining optimal health.
The biggest obstacle to creating our ideal health is our
own “victim” response to the situation. When we
are weakened or threatened by illness or an undesirable environmental
condition, we sometimes ask questions like, “why me,
why this, why now?” We look for all the reasons why it
is the fault of someone or something else. Over time, these
questions can turn into despair and hopelessness as we discover
that there doesn’t appear to be a good reason that we
deserve this “negative” condition. While these initial
reactions are human, allowing them to persist can create lasting
attitudes and habits that continue decreasing our health.
We often forget that we have other choices.
Seven Steps to Better Health
Step 1: Assess your situation
The first step is to assess your situation based on your experience,
not the labels that others might associate with your condition.
What is the current reality that you are living with? Whether
it is a personal condition or an environmental condition,
what are you experiencing? Once you are clear on what you
are experiencing, you may seek other’s perspectives to
gain further insight about what you are experiencing; however,
remember that you are an expert in your experience, while
others may be experts in their own experiences.
Step 2: Clarify your intention
There is no fairness when it comes to health. We have DNA,
family history, and living conditions that we were born into.
We may work for a wonderful company but then it is purchased
and the new owners don’t have the same values as the
previous ones. The organization appears negative. While we
don’t like the circumstances, we have the option to ask
ourselves how we plan to respond to our situation. Before
we can even respond, it is important to clarify our intention.
Given the characteristics of our condition, and what we can
and can’t control, we ask, “What is our ‘ideal
scene’ for improvement? How do we want to react and what
are our next steps?”
Step 3: Identify those who share your intention (Support
System)
While it is up to us to make our own changes and take personal
accountability, we don’t need to go at it alone. However,
it is critical that we choose people who share our intention.
These are people who can support you, challenge you and care
for you in a way that assists you in attaining your intention
and “ideal scene” in a loving and accountable kind
of way.
Step 4: Create options for change
When focusing on a change, use your creativity and the assistance
of your support system to develop as many alternate strategies
and approaches for making that change. The process of creating
options becomes the foundation for steps five and six. While
some people may get confused by having too many options, the
wise person knows that there is no right or wrong option;
there are only the ones that serve us and the ones that do
not. Finding out which ones serve us may take experimentation.
Step 5: Take action and track results
Act on your intention and begin by taking small steps. It
is particularly important to track the smallest of improvements
along the way and use this information as a feedback mechanism
to ensure you that you are on the track of achieving your
intention. You may or may not actualize your intention 100%,
but that is not the point. There is no success or failure
in the game of improvement. There is only progress.
Step 6: Develop recovery plans
One aspect of taking action is making changes in your life.
The changes include developing new habits of attitude and
behavior which are more self-supporting. However, it isn’t
uncommon to revert back to old habits when we are stressed
or overwhelmed by life’s challenges. That’s okay.
Develop a recovery plan so that when you revert back to an
old habit you get back on track as quickly as possible. It
may be helpful to review your intention and remind yourself
of the progress that you have made.
Step 7: Celebration
Determine how you will acknowledge your progress. Remember,
you don’t need to wait until you have reached 100% success
to celebrate! Make it fun and remember to also celebrate the
support you received along the way.
A Role Model for the Healing Journey
A man in his early thirties, a husband and father of two
young children, was severely hurt in a car accident. He suffered
extensive trauma, having one leg amputated and losing functioning
in the other. This man talked about what his life would be
like when he got out of the hospital, how he looked forward
to fishing, watching his children play, giving his kids rides
on his lap, and working in his tool shed. He consistently
told his girls how much he loved them and helped them to understand
how they too could help him. He even asked his daughters to
decorate his room. He practiced using his wheelchair, willingly
went to his physical therapy appointments and always showered
his wife with praise and adoration for her love and support.
It was obvious that she was falling more in love with him
and despite the many ways his injury would limit their life,
their relationship grew. He was always open to talk, share
his feelings and ask for help. He also used his experience
to help others who were faced with a similar hardship. Remarkably,
he took time every day to give thanks for his life and swore
he would live every day to its fullest.
This man was a model of personal accountability and its role
at the core of the healing journey. In many ways he was healthier
than most of the staff that cared for him. He defined his
own future, looked for possibilities, set strong goals and
intentions for himself while consistently remaining open to
learning and risking failure. His mobility and his leg had
been taken from him, but he grabbed hold of his life with
passion. He not only healed himself, but those around him.
Accountability Action Plan
What aspects of your personal or environmental health
are not to your liking? What would you like to change? What is your current reality? Without feeling any sense
of remorse, judgment or resentment, what is the status of
your current condition? Given your situation, what is your intention for improvement
and change? What is your ideal scene for how you want to
be living and responding? Who shares your intention and ideal scene and who can
be part of a support system for you? What actions can you take to improve your situation and
how will you know when you are making progress? What is your recovery plan when you go back to old habits
that don’t serve you? How will you celebrate success along the way as you are
making progress?
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