Putting Your Health First

 
What priority is your health?  Where are you spending your time?  Chances are, even if you tell yourself your health comes first, your actions don’t reflect that kind of commitment.
 
A first step in putting your health first is to create a vision of what you want your health to be like now, a year from now, and 20 years from now.  This tends to put your lack of action into perspective and to create motivation for change.
 

 
Next you need to determine what you need to do to get the health you want:
 

• Eat healthier
• Consistently take your medications
• Get enough sleep or rest
• Go to the doctor and be your own health advocate
• Get your health screenings
• Seek alternative medicine
• Exercise
• Reduce your stress
• Simplify your life
• Create a safer and healthier environment
• Manage your health and safety risks
• Floss your teeth
• Engage in rejuvenating activities – meditation, reading, soft music

 
Once you determine what you need to do, you can make an Action Plan.  You can have Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Actions.  For most people, to truly make these actions a priority, they need to schedule them in their calendars.
 
Now that you’ve committed the time to take care of your health, you can identify any resources you’ll need to be successful:
 

• Time
• Energy
• Equipment
• Support from your family and friends

 
Finally, it’s helpful to determine what is going to get in your way and create solutions to barriers you may encounter.
 
With all this in place, you will be well on your way to maintaining your health.
 
If you find you are slipping way from your plan, ask yourself:
 

• Is it worth what I’m losing?

• Is it worth losing precious time on this earth as a healthy, active person?