Do you want to be healthier? Have you got weight you want to lose, a physical weakness that doesn’t allow you to do the things you enjoy, or are you sick quite often? Do you have a problem with your physical health?
A problem is just something you want to be different. You want to feel more energetic, comfortable, and strong. It’s possible! But first, it’s important to accept that fact that problem solving is a process. It will take some steps in a new direction to get to a new place.
Often, we try to solve the wrong problem. You may feel stress and think you need to change jobs but the real problem is you aren’t getting enough sleep so you can’t perform well at work. Find out what the real problem is.
Then, get a pencil and paper and write down how you’re trying to solve the problem.. The page may be blank. That’s good information. Are you doing something that is working? Do you need to give your efforts more time? Is there another way to approach the problem?
Here are 3 tips on how to pursue and solve your physical health problems
Be Proactive instead of reactive
To solve a problem, you must be proactive. It isn’t always easy or feel natural, but it’s necessary to get the thing you want instead of the problem you don’t want.
I realized how important being proactive was while training for a marathon. Don’t stop reading if you don’t like to run! The principles are the same if you want to feel better, lose weight, or get stronger.
To run a marathon it takes more than showing up at the starting line. I had to be proactive and figure out what it would take to get what I wanted. It was necessary to have a training plan, the right shoes, and a running buddy. I also had to be proactive planning Friday night fun before each Saturday morning long run.
Being proactive is simply thinking ahead and doing what is necessary to get what you want.
Have your own plan
The plan that will work to solve a problem is one that works for you. It must be easy enough for you to stick with and hard enough to create change. Your plan will not be exactly like anyone else’s.
There were plenty of plans available to train for a marathon. One promised to get me from the couch to the finish line. There were plans for beginners, intermediate or expert runners. Some were much more involved than others. There was a beginner plan which called for running 5 times a week but I felt that was too much, so I modified it to 4 days, cutting out some of the miles. This would be my plan.
If your plan looks too big and scary, back off on what you want right now. I could have thought ‘It’s crazy to run that much! I want something different!’. Instead I agreed with the amount of work it would take and modified it slightly to fit my life.
Marathon training taught me that it’s easier to increase the difficulty of following the plan over time. It got me used to a small amount of discomfort before I moved onto the next level.
Problem solving is a process. If the process doesn’t work for you, you will not be able to solve your problem.
Persistence
Once you come up with a sustainable plan, you need to stick to it. Keeping your body well over a lifetime will mean commitment to whatever steps are necessary. Being persistent every day towards a healthy body is key. It’s not a sprint, but a marathon.
I had to be persistent with my marathon training plan, too. If I got sick or had an emergency, I had to modify the plan and not give up on it all together. It was all about asking, ‘so now what?’ when things didn’t go according to plan. Would I modify my runs this week or work harder on it next week?
It’s the same with your physical health. There is no point at which you can give up pursing your health without consequences. Your body is the tool you use to move through life. Being as healthy as you can is a choice.
Bonus
Another way to keep physically healthy is to have the right mindset. People at every age can be healthy and strong. Our gender, economic status, or ethnicity are not limitations to our wellness. We will act according to what we believe about ourselves. Finally, keep physically healthy by using your spirit. Hope for your body’s ability to be strong and heal itself, have faith in its potential, and love your body.
Problem solving is a process.