I was about 11 years old when I suddenly realised that I could not see what the teacher wrote on the blackboard. Everything was vague and unclear and I had to move to the front of the class to be able to see. Not only was I unable to see what the teacher wrote but even my friends’ faces were becoming blurred. Not seeing clearly was insidious and did not happen with a bang. But the realization that I could not see did hit me with a bang. I was absolutely horrified! And as a child I was the master of catastrophic thinking. Was I going blind? How am I going to continue life and get to my dreams if I can’t see clearly?
Luckily I had entry to modern medicine and with my heart beating like it wants to get out of my chest my parents took me to an optometrist. And suddenly I could see clearly again. A pair of glasses was the answer. And this is a whole new story as this was long before Harry Potter made glasses for kids fashionable – this was a time were girls that wore glasses did not get passes…
Here we are at the beginning of not only a new year but also a new decade. 2020 lends itself to be so much. In my mind this is a chance to go to the optometrist of life. As we get older we tend to get so busy with daily living that we tend to forget to invest in our personal health development. Getting older and declining health is sneaky and does not always happen with a bang. And sometimes it is terrifying if ill health prevents you from reaching your goals.
One have to keep in mind that you can’t reach your goals if you don’t develop yourself and your abilities by investing in your health to have more vitality of body and mind.
One of the missions that I’m on at this stage of my life is to try to help people understand the basic theme of healthy living – and yes there is a formula for a healthy life. So over the next few weeks I will start you on this formula for a healthy life.
Changing your life begins with small steps. You will find it hard to change everything about your entire life all at once.
The choices any one of us make are always subordinate to the choices available us. Knowledge gives us choices. Even if you want to eat healthier, you may need to improve your knowledge of which foods are better for you. Knowing what you need to improve or develop gives you guidelines for what to focus on regarding your health. It also helps to categorize your health goals into areas for improvement based on what is important to you.
Your goals may be more focused on your personal life and happiness this year. A change to your lifestyle may mean you need to improve or develop the skills required to achieve success throughout your life.
When you are considering what to focus on this new year, think about these areas for health development that leads to a lifestyle that supports life:
Increasing physical activity
Dietary patterns – love the food that loves you
Not smoking
Sleep
Reducing stress
Love - Strengthen Personal Relationships
Letting Go of Limiting Beliefs
It’s never too late to use lifestyle as medicine, but the earlier, the better, because frankly, the greatest opportunity to cultivate health with lifestyle practices is while health is still perfectly intact. Otherwise it’s a little bit like putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Medicine can do some incredible things in the modern era, but we cannot unscramble an egg, and so we really want to make sure you don’t let anything get too badly scrambled in the first place. The earlier you intervene, the better.
You can get there from here. You can say, “I’m going to eat well, no matter what. I’m going to be active, no matter what. I’m going to get enough sleep, no matter what. I’m going to steer clear of the temptations of toxins like tobacco and excess alcohol. I’m not going to let myself get stressed out, and I’m going to remember to hug somebody I love every day.” You can do it. And the other thing that’s really great about lifestyle as medicine is that it’s a family plan. This is medicine you share.
May this be the year that you say: “Yes, I want this skill set, and I’m willing to invest and take the time I need to learn.”
We at Zenzile Life will embark on this journey with you to be your life optometrists and provide you with ways to have clarity in life and health. We believe that to be able to prioritise your health is a critical skill that will pay you back every day for the rest of your life, and pay back the people you love because you will all be beneficiaries of it. It will not only put years in your life but also life in your years.
Our wish for you at Zenzile Life is welcome and support you to a life of clear vision and health in 2020 and the decade going forward!
This post is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered therapy. This blog is only for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered therapy or any form of treatment. We are not able to respond to specific questions or comments about personal situations, appropriate diagnosis or treatment, or otherwise provide any clinical opinions. If you think you need immediate assistance, call your local doctor/psychologist or psychiatrist or the SADAG Mental Health Line on 011 234 4837. If necessary, please phone the Suicide Crisis Line on 0800 567 567 or sms 31393.