Each of us individuals is on our own unique health journey.
We all came into this world with our own genome, uniquely expressed to create the form and function that is each of our own human bodies.
From this point in space and time, we moved forward through life with our own life circumstances and our own decisions, such that we’ve arrived today with a body that has a unique set of characteristics, both healthy and unhealthy.
It’s those unhealthy ones that we are here to address as we move forward through our own health journeys.
This post is here to explain exactly how we are going to do this.
Science
Over the past years, I’ve been focused intently on understanding the health of the human body, including its relationship with this remarkable planet of ours. Through the broad scientific lens of biology (under which I group other, more specific subjects: physiology, neuroscience, biochemistry, psychology, etc.) I’ve done a fair job of understanding how complex systems work together to create and sustain life.
I say fair, because there is always so much more to learn. I could spend many more decades studying intently, and perhaps get to a good understanding. But there will always be so much more that could be understood.
Still, given the great complexity of the human body, I’ve worked hard to understand the diverse pathways that lead forward through time to healthy or unhealthy outcomes across the human population, including the specific mechanisms that explain why pathways progress the way they do.
Most importantly, I’ve worked to understand how our behavior ties into the entire picture; that is, how does our behavior drive the progression of poor health and disease, as compared to achieving long-term states of good health.
The science tells clear stories, and I am eager to share it with you.
But before I do, we must look at the second piece, for it may be even more important than the science.
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I am forever a proponent of using rigorous scientific processes to understand, to our best ability, the truths of this world.
However, when it comes to what we need most in this world, often times science is insignificant to give us the answers we need.
Science is powerful, but it has serious limitations.
One way to look at it is this: science can give us answers regarding why we become unhealthy and what we could do to be healthier. But none of it really means anything unless we actually take action.
Action – the kind that leads us in a positive direction – is what we really need.
The science is here to guide us – to give us direction – as we move forward through the journey.
As for creating that movement, we need something different.
How to change your behavior patterns
How we get ourselves to create the change we envision is one of the oldest, most sought-after questions.
So, if I could sit here and type the words that would provide you with a concrete answer to definitively get you to change your behavior patterns such that you can move forward on your journey to better health, that might just make me the most important person on our planet.
The thing is, there just isn’t a clear, definitive answer. There is no big solution that we’ve all overlooked over the centuries.
Still, I believe I can help create the change that you’re seeking, because what I do have is this:
A process for creating positive change, one that I call upon whenever I need to take action.
It’s a process that I’ve gathered from all sorts of walks of life, and one I have distilled down into four simple steps.
Four simple steps to call upon whenever you need to take action in the right direction.
Whether you’re trying to decide what your next big step is towards creating health transformation, or whether you’re facing just one small decision during the day (What should I eat for lunch? Should I partake in the birthday cake? What should I do after work?) – this process is here to call upon to help you make the next best decision.
That is, it is here to help guide you forward, helping you make the best decision available to you at the time as you meet yourself where you are.
And, most importantly, it’s one that when followed regularly, over time, will lead you through the health transformation you’re seeking as decision after decision adds up.
The Process
Step 1: Pause
I know, I just told you we’re here to move forward, and now I’m telling you the first step is to pause.
That’s confusing – so, let me clarify.
What we really need to do is take the right course of action. Not just any action is going to get us to where we need to go.
We need solutions that are going to make a difference. To come up with these solutions, we need to create some space.
Space – that’s where the magic comes from. That’s where we find our solutions which are going to make an impact.
This is in contrast to the prevailing mindset of the world that, if we want to get something done, we have to keep pushing. Something not working? Then work harder. Keep pushing.
No longer. There is a place and time for hard work. Believe me – we’ll get there.
But that comes later. Right now, we need to create some space. We do that with a pause.
Need some help with the pause. Try this
Notice yourself overwhelmed with what to do?
Exhale. Let it all the way out.
Inhale.
And exhale again. Completely.
Just breathe.
Repeat as many times as is needed.
Step 2: Tune In
Now that we’ve created some space, it’s time to understand what is truly at play here.
We can begin with some questions to help guide us:
- What exactly is the problem? What factors are at play that could be driving the problem?
- What potential solutions do others have?
- What place are you in? Are you capable of taking on more at this point? Or would you actually benefit from releasing more right now?
- What solutions do you have?
These, along with others, are all important questions.
Let’s take a look at two specific ways you can think about tuning in, asking the right questions, and gathering the right answers.
To others:
What are other qualified individuals saying? What does the data say? What is some information out there that you could potentially use here.
Note, this is where “science” comes into play.
Many other intelligent human beings have worked hard to provide us with answers. Those answers are out there for us to find if only we are willing to take care to find them.
So, go find them. And, whether or not you find a potential path forward from an expert or other source on the outside, I want you to do one more thing:
Listen again – this time, to your own self.
Tune in – what is going on in your own body and mind?
Try this: Once again, find your breath.
Cycle through a few inhales and exhales. Use your breath to center yourself in your body.
Now, your task is a simple one: just listen.
Not to what’s happening out here. Listen to what’s happening in you.
Your body has so much information for you, although it has its own language for doing so. Spend some time learning to tune inside, getting familiar with the important signals that your body sends about what it needs.
Step 3: Take Aligned Action
At this point, you’ve created some space and gathered some information.
Now it’s time to respond with action that you believe is going to create meaningful results.
Note that this response comes in different forms:
Feel the need to take strong action?
Perhaps you found some information and you believe in it strongly. Perhaps an expert gave you some guidance and you are feeling confident it will benefit you and you also feel motivated to take a big leap.
Now it’s time to go for it! Take another exhale. Breathe. Then take the leap!
Or, perhaps you feel the need to take more subtle action.
Maybe you didn’t find any big answers. Maybe you only have a small piece of information and you aren’t too confident if it’ll create results.
That’s just fine too! If this is the case, perhaps you try proceeding cautiously, trying out some new foods or a new exercise plan mindfully.
Whatever the case, it’s no matter
Your task now is the same: take action.
No matter how big or small, do something.
Step 4: Learn and Repeat
You did it. You faced the challenge that was directly in front of you. You took time to listen and understand – to those around you and to your own self.
Then, you responded with action that you understood to be the best course of action aimed at your desired outcome.
Now, it’s time for the final piece.
Learn from what you just did and repeat with another cycle.
How do you begin?
- Pause – you just took a first step. That’s great! But now let’s not get carried away and start making more unnecessary noise.
- Tune in – what happened when you took action?
- What did your body tell you about this action? Did it feel uncomfortable (a positive thing) or cause pain or serious distress (not a positive thing)? Did you feel good doing it?
- What results were achieved?
- Respond and take action – take the next best course of action: maybe it’s time to go and find more information so that you can take your next step. Or, maybe your body gave you all the information you need.
- Repeat again, and again, and again until you reach your goal.
Looking back on The Process
Moving forward through our own health journeys may be challenging, but that’s no matter.
We are going to keep moving forward.
Some days, that may look like taking big steps.
Some days, that may take a significant effort.
Other days, we may not have what we feel it’ll take to keep moving forward.
But trust me here:
If you show up, day after day, using this process for whatever comes across your path, you’ll end up on the other side in a better space than you were before.
It’s a delicate dance between creating more space in your life for answers and pushing yourself forward – one that you can choose to embrace today, keep by your side to call upon whenever you need, forever moving forward on your journey to better health.