Your Health matters

If I ask you the question ‘What’s your
health worth?’ I’m guessing you have some
kind of pat answer ready. Like: ‘A lot.’ But
if I were to push you on it, to get you to
really explore the question, what would you
come up with?
Here’s my Coach’s request for you: Get a
sheet of paper and write down all the
things your health allows you to do. Then
price it out. For example: every day that
you are healthy, you get to earn x amount
of dollars from your job or work. This one
may be the easiest to calculate. Now write
down the other things that make your life
worth living, like ‘enjoy your hobbies, play
with your kids, grandkids or pets, be
intimate with your partner, get dressed by
yourself, make your own meals, etc.’ What
are those things worth to you?
Don’t be surprised if many items your
health allows you to do are way more
valuable than what you earn from your pay-
cheque. In fact, it may be very difficult to
put a price tag on many of the items on
your list. Some of them might even be
priceless.
So, if your health is such an important
commodity, why, then, do you not value it?
And by ‘value it,’ I mean honour it; by
‘value it’ I mean DO something to take care
of it. Why do you think things like: I can’t
afford to eat healthy food. (Bunk.) I can’t
afford to join a gym. (That is NOT the only
venue for exercise.) I can’t afford to work
with someone who can help me figure out
how to really take care of my health for the
long-term. (Seriously? You can’t afford not
to.)
Looking at the economics of that last
argument for a moment, health care costs
in North America are rising astronomically.
Why? Because Baby Boomers are getting
older, and younger generations are being
diagnosed with diseases that used to
hallmark senior years. But up to 90% of
the risk factors associated with diseases
that we blame on aging (cancer, diabetes,
heart disease) are related to nutrition and
lifestyle choices you make Every Single
Day and are entirely under your control.
And let me ask you: do you have to wait
until you have a diagnosis before you value
your health? Please take a moment and sit
with that one, and be honest with yourself.
Because, too often, it’s the way it
happens.
If you would rather get healthier, and stay
healthier longer, do you know what you
need to know? Are you doing everything
you can? If you’re not, next week’s blog
will focus on some of the reasons you may
not be doing what you say you want to do.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time, I wish you vibrant health
and a beautiful day,