by

Larissa Gough

Most people don’t take time to focus on their energy, their body and health.  They focus on their career, taking care of loved ones, but their bodies are usually the last thing they think about.  They do and do for everyone else but when it comes time for them to do something for themselves, they are either too tired or there is simply no more time. “The greatest mistake a man can make is to sacrifice health for any other advantage.” Relationships, career, finances – none of these matter if you don’t have your health.

Many people have come to expect an easy and quick solution to any health problem.  They tend to take an attitude with their physicians, that says, “Here is my body, fix it up.”  They do not want to take responsibility for getting their own lives back into shape. They see it as the doctor’s responsibility to make them healthy, regardless of their personal habits.  They want to be “fixed-up” with the least amount of discomfort, expense, and time spent away from their busy lives.  Taking a pill to solve one’s ills has become an ingrained belief and expectation among many people. It is much easier to take a drug for a quick-fix solution than it is to change potentially unhealthy lifestyle habits which may be contributing to their health problem. The desire for an easier, quicker solution is a reflection of the deficiency of self-responsibility for one’s health. Frequently, people do not take up healthier life habits until something catastrophic occurs, such as a heart attack or the diagnosis of some other serious illness which forces them to evaluate their lifestyle.  This attitude is slowly beginning to shift due to greater patient education and to increased public awareness about the concept of wellness.

Make your health an absolute priority.  It is not selfish; it is intelligent. It is your responsibility. You owe it to yourself to be the best that you can possibly be. "Not only is health a normal condition, but it is a duty not only to attain but to maintain it".  (Joseph Pilates)

If you take care of yourself, not only will you feel great, but you will be much more capable of making those around you feel great.  You will be much more effective at everything that you do. If you take good care of your body -- your vehicle through your life journey -- you will perform your life tasks with minimal effort and optimum pleasure.  Consider the analogy: On a pleasant sunny morning, on a trip to the country in a perfectly running automobile with a good driver at the wheel, we never give a conscious thought to the driving but rather concentrate on enjoying the passing scenery.  How different, however, our reactions when taking a similar ride in a neglected car driven by a bad driver whose jerky starts, sudden stops, and dangerous turns not only upset our balance constantly but also rob us of the pleasure of the trip. Is your body (your vehicle) well maintained or neglected?