Wednesday, December 1, 2010

You Should Be Committed

Some would say I should have been committed long ago! Commitment is a word that I think too few pay attention to anymore. We jump from job to job, relationship to relationship, fad to fad etc. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes change is needed, but in this day and age, we go into things half-heartedly so often that the chances of success are fairly poor from the start. I am thinking on this concept today as I celebrate 20 years of marriage to a woman who probably should be committed for marrying me, and for putting up with me for the past 2 decades haha.

When it comes to our health, we have a habit of looking for the quick result with the least effort. When you think of commitment, the terms "quick result" and "least effort" don't go hand in and with that word, do they? Of course not. So often we look for health in a capsule, the fad diet, the 20 second ab workout, or the electrical stimulation unit that will gives us a 6 pack. I can see the attraction, and I understand the desire to find the "secret remedy" to optimum health, but it doesn't exist.

All things that are worthwhile take an investment of time, and to consistently invest your time requires commitment to a goal. The goal has to be so great as to keep us focused on it and running toward it, and this time of year is a great time to start looking at your 2011 goals.

Don't wait until 1/1/11 to start setting goals, start now. Start writing them down, reworking them as you get clearer about what you want. Set goals for yourself in multiple areas of your life including physical, mental, social, financial, and spiritual. Ask yourself, "What would I like my life to look like in those areas at the end of 2011?". Then create a plan that will get you there. It's easy to say I'd like to get to Alaska, but if you don't have a map, you may never get there. It's easy to set goals, but without a plan (map) we probably won't get there. Without a plan, goals are just pie in the sky wishes. Plan your work, and then work your plan.

To keep committed to your goals, have them written down where you can see them regularly. You might find that you need to have them in multiple places: on your laptop, in your PDA/phone, on a tablet in your bedroom by the bed, taped to your bathroom mirror (not your rear view mirror please!). Read your goals every day and see yourself achieving them, see what your life will be like when you achieve them, experience in your mind what it will feel like to be successful with each specific goal. I find that reading them on Sunday nights, before I start my week, causes me to make daily/weekly plans to get me closer to my goal, so maybe give that a try.

Anyway, to live a really wellness oriented lifestyle, it means more than watching one's weight. It encompasses being the best you can be, being what you were created for, pursuing your purpose in life. To do that, we have to stay committed!

I hope you find these ideas help you in your goals to live a wellness oriented life!

Until next time...BE WELL!

Dr. Bruce