Health Doesn’t Really Matter. Here’s What Does.

Health is a funny thing. It’s not really that important.

I know. That’s an interesting claim for someone in my career.

It’s something we might work towards but may never actually see the benefits of for years down the road.

And even then the cleanest diet, most perfect exercise regime, best sleep, proper hydration, and regular meditation are no guarantee of being disease free. So why do we care?

Truthfully, prevention is a hard sell for some. Okay, most. Especially in this day and age when instant reward and gratification takes precedence over the long term benefits of daily healthy behaviors.

You can’t just go to the gym once and expect to to have a sexy, beach-ready body or be healthy for life. No.

You can’t eat one carrot and expect to prevent cancer.

Nor can you take one deep breath to relieve all your burdens and stresses.

You get the idea.

Health is a funny thing.

So why do we care about health or being healthy?

As someone who teaches others the significance and how-tos of self-care it’s critical to assess this question.

For what or for whom do you want to be healthy?

We have to look to our values to figure this out. What’s important to you? Why do you want to be healthy?

For me, my three top values are love, peace, and freedom.

I need a healthy body and mind so I can love as much as humanly possible – all of my dearest loved ones, my colleagues, my patients, strangers, and even people I don’t like very much.

I need a strong body and mind so I can find peace in my heart – even in the trickiest situations that hurt or cause me distress.

I need a fit body and mind to have the freedom to run, and jump, and play, and dance, and explore, and make love, and have adventures, and travel, and experience the world with the people I care about.

Health is a funny thing. It doesn’t really matter. (Tweet it!)

It’s rare to see people striving to be healthy just for the sake of being healthy. No. Our well being is a vehicle to achieve the things we want to do in our life. Health is how we align ourselves with the things that are important to us. For me: love, peace, freedom.

So what are your values? Love? Family? Joy? Abundance? Need more words? Here are some more suggestions.

Your values become your why. For those days you don’t want to make it to the gym, remember your why. For those days you’re tempted to tuck in your dinner tarp and eat a deep fried buffet, remember your values and what’s it’s all about for you.

It’s useful to pick 2-3 values that are non-negotiable to you. Post them somewhere where you will see them often. Use them as a guide for every decision you make. Will this help me align with my values? Is this behavior supporting my values?

I’d love to know what’s your top value? How do you align with that value? Give me a heads up in the comments below.

Here’s to your health, thriving, aligned, delightful life,