Wellness From Within: The First Step

Taking the first step

Once you have determined your personal wellness goals, it is time to decide what changes you must make to achieve them. Be patient with yourself. Creating wellness is an ongoing process. As you make more beneficial choices and fewer harmful ones, you gradually tip the scales toward wellness. You can reach your wellness goals, even difficult ones, one step at a time.
The most important step is the first one. Ask yourself which change will benefit you the most. Are you willing to make this change? If so, get started on your path to wellness by making this your first step.

There are a number of ways to go about changing your habits and lifestyle.

• Practice a beneficial activity more frequently. You could remember to smile more often, especially at people who look like they need cheering up.
• Launch a new activity which is beneficial. You might stop at a park on your way home from work and spend a few minutes to relax and unwind.
• Replace an unhealthy choice with a beneficial one. Instead of ordering a carbonated beverage or another cup of coffee, have a glass of water or fruit juice.
• Eliminate a harmful choice. If you are a smoker, quit. This could be the most important health decision you ever make.
• Reduce harmful practices gradually. If you have a strong sweet tooth and are not ready to completely eliminate sugar from your diet, just eat less of it as a start.
As you begin to make the changes needed to achieve and enjoy your wellness, keep these important points in mind:
• Achieving wellness is a continuing series of small steps, taken one day at a time. Since wellness isn't going to happen in a day, make a commitment to continue discovering the most appropriate methods and actions for you.
• Look for opportunities to make choices regarding behavior, fitness and work style. As you become consciously aware of lifestyle choices, you will notice opportunities you were unaware of before.
• Understand that only active participation gets results. Each day is a fresh start as you take steps toward meeting your goals.
• At the end of each day, review and acknowledge what worked. Learn from what didn't work. Allow yourself to be human, not perfect.
• Set a goal to try one new positive action each day or each week, depending on what works for you.
• As you develop a fuller understanding of the process involved, you will find that you are able to set more specific goals.

Calling on the reinforcements

Although the decision to change your lifestyle to support wellness must come from you, there are many sources available to help you along the way. The more you learn about health and wellness, the easier it will be for you to know which changes to make and the best way to implement those changes. Educational materials, resource organizations, local programs and a wide range of healthcare practitioners are some of the resources available to assist you.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

Check your local library or bookstore for books, cassettes, magazines, videos and other self-help information. Scanning the topics of health, wellness, psychology, nutrition and exercise will get you started.

LOCAL RESOURCES

Most communities have regularly scheduled lectures, workshops and seminars on health-related topics. Check your newspaper and the community educational system to find out what's available in your area.

ORGANIZATIONS

Many special interest groups exist which promote various aspects of health and wellness. In addition, there are organizations, such as the American Holistic Health Association, which can link you to useful health information sources.

AHHA's resource lists include referrals to various types of healthcare practitioners, research services for conventional and alternative treatment of specific diseases, and catalogs of self-help publications.

HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS

Find practitioners who are willing to help you reach your wellness goals--those who can coach you and your team effectively. Establish a partnership relationship with these practitioners by being an active participant.

The patient/ practitioner partnership

Healthcare assistance is available from a wide variety of practitioners. Acupuncturists, chiropractors, dentists, marriage and family counselors, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, nutritionists, nurses, and psychologists are just a few. No one medical or health professional has all the answers for all conditions. Discovering what each has to offer will expand your choices.
No matter what type of practitioner you choose, your participation is vital. Even in an emergency you can still participate. In most cases you will have ample time to ask questions and then make well-informed choices.
You and your practitioner each have specific roles and responsibilities in making your team the best it can be.

Communicate your concerns to the practitioner:

• Bring notes regarding your concerns and what led up to this visit.
• Have a list of your current medications and dosages, as well as any nutritional supplements you are taking.
• Describe your symptoms and concerns briefly, but thoroughly.
• Share what else is going on in your life and how you feel about it. (Divorce, death of a loved one, job change, etc.)

Understand the situation and ask for options:
• Listen carefully and take notes.
• Ask questions until you understand what you need to know.
• Ask what options are available, what the practitioner recommends, and why.

Make an informed choice:
• Learn as much as necessary, contacting other sources of information if needed.
• Consider consequences of proposed treatment options.
• Get a second opinion if appropriate.
• Understand how much each will cost and what your insurance will cover.
• Choose the treatment and/or actions you believe will work best for you.
• Determine the best source to provide this treatment.

Take action:
• Commit to the chosen treatment program and/or the changes you are going to make.
• Be an active participant. Do your part.
• Work with all members of your "team."
• Be open to changing or modifying your program, if what you chose isn't working.

Assess the situation and explain it to you:
• Read what you've written.
• Listen carefully to what you say.
• Review your symptoms, carry out exam, order necessary tests.
• Look for correlations to what else is going on in your life.
• Form an opinion regarding your condition and possible causes.
• Explain these to you in understandable terms.

Explain options for addressing the situation:
• Present treatment choices and/or action needed.
• Explain expected benefits and possible side effects--now and in the future.
• Suggest what you can do to help yourself.
• Tell you what might happen if nothing is changed.
• Acknowledge that there may be other options.
• Be open to your desire for a second opinion.
• Answer your questions.

Support your recovery:
• Provide the chosen treatment.
• Refer you to appropriate practitioner.

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