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Are You Living The Healthy Habit Way?
The current focus is strongly on healthy habit, the need to develop a healthy lifestyle, - and rightly so!
Health is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being: "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (WHO, 1946).
Without doubt, having good womens health is the most important contributor to a happy Life. When you have health, you experience a sense of balance and harmony. You feel wonderful on the inside and you look fabulous on the outside.
But what of the other equally important aspects of womens health which, though imperative to health and wellness, get little to no priority?
Womens healthy habit self-care is as much about the health fitness things you do for yourself, as as it is about the things you don't do. Curious?
Developing a healthy habit lifestyle, isn't just about taking care of your physical fitness, your mental health health, your healthy eating habits or even your beauty health.
No, health fitness applies equally to womens Attitudes, Mindset and Personal Style. All these three characteristics also need a good dose of nurturing to get them into better shape.
They too are important ingredients you need to incorporate when you set goals for your health and wellness.
Has that got you thinking?
Here are 4 healthy habits which you can now assess, to see how much priority you need to afford each. This simple act will get you started on your journey to true holistic womens health and wellness.
As you will see from the following, some are vital ingredients you must add, while others are rather un-healthy habits you'd be better off eradicating.
Healthy Habit No. 1: Self-Reliance
The healthy habit of self-reliance means - being able to rely on your own abilities. It is perhaps the most important attribute you should focus your attention on developing - right now. This healthy habit ensures you're placed firmly and squarely in the driving seat and ultimately, in control of your life - your destiny. Want to know the difference between women who have self- reliance and those who do not? Women with this healthy habit know they can rely on themselves. The - 'I've done it before and I can do it again' mentality prevails.
They know how to look within themselves, not outside, for solutions to any barriers, challenges or blocks they experience in day-to-day life. They then use the insights they gain to guide, encourage and support themselves in setting goals which continue to push their personal boundaries toward self-improvement in their lives.
Women who are self-reliant know how to self-manage by drawing on their own unique abilities. They understand that they - and no one else are responsible for their quality of life and that they alone can change it for the better.
I cannot think of a better example of women with the healthy habit of self-reliance than single mums. Even some women who, (within the security of the 'ideal family unit' set up), would previously have perceived themselves as being less than self-reliant, soon make the earth shattering discovery of their enormous capacity for self-reliance, upon separation from their husbands or partners. I take my hat off to single mums.
So, remember! Just as you would indulge yourself in some healthy habits in your physical, mental, nutrition and beauty health, give your self reliance a healthy workout and it will reward you in strength.
Are you a self reliant woman? If you answered 'yes' - congratulations! If you answered 'no' however, don't fret - I'm here to help, simply make a start by assessing your Self-Esteem. Healthy Habit No. 2: Keep your own counsel
Learn to develop the healthy habit of keeping your own counsel. Sometimes other people just can't help but put a dampner on the goals you want to achieve.
I'm sure you can relate to the scenario where you share your special goal or plans with someone you thought would be more supportive and encouraging of you.
To your amazement and disbelief, far from being happy for you, you get some typical negative responses such as 'you can't do that', or 'Are you sure you know what you're taking on?' Or even them pointing out the folly of your choices, decisions or actions. Interestingly, the bigger and more ambitious your goals, the more likely you will be told you can't achieve it. They are in effect, infecting you with their own un-healthy habit - negativity.
While their undermining comments, criticisms and judgments may be well meaning, they may also underpin their own realities - i.e. what they want, as opposed to what you want.
One reason might be that they don't want you to change - (even when that change is in your own best interest). Your changing will take them out of their comfort zone. If you change, somehow the dynamics between you will change also.
Such negative responses can damage your motivation and even your self esteem in the process. Doubts set in and before long you are feeling discouraged.
Are you familiar with the saying 'too many cooks spoil the broth?' Choose with great care, who you discuss your goals and plans with. Learn to draw support from people who will offer you constructive feedback and who will positively help you on your way.
Share your goals with the wrong people and you will likely encounter criticisms and comments that will not only undermine you but your judgments also. Relying on or seeking the approval of other people is a non-productive use of your time.
Ask yourself this, 'do I really need anyone’s permission to pursue a goal or to succeed? Sure it's a wonderful thing to share your enthusiasm or even to look to other people for support. However, their approval should not be the yardstick by which you measure whether you begin acting on fulfilling your goals or not.
Develop the healthy habit of learning to Keep your own counsel - and keeping your goals private and confidential. Above all, learn to trust yourself by giving you permission to succeed!
You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change"(Jim Rohn)
Developing a healthy habit can make you lose the 'worry' habit. Many women worry about yesterday - but yesterday has gone and since you are powerless to change it, why worry? What was done, is done and you cannot undo it.
The un-healthy habit of worrying about 'today', wouldn't even be an issue, had you made structured use of your time by having a goal and a plan of action for dealing with 'today'. All your energies would then have been diverted into executing your plan of action.
Instead, you're worrying because that is all you have left yourself to do. Why engage in the un-healthy habit of worrying about tomorrow, when your fears and dreads about tomorrow may never materialise anyway? What a waste of a precious resource - your time
Ask yourself this, 'is the un-healthy habit of 'worry' really worth the effort and energy you expend when you worry about things that have already happened; things that might happen; and things that might never happen?
Worrying is a fruitless exercise and a waste of your energy as well. It saps your enthusiasm, your motivation and hold you prisoner - you are in effect a slave to worry.
If something is causing you concern, spend your time productively. Look at it - analyse it through your journaling activity, use your own personal resources and the resources at personal goal setting to find your solution.
Then set yourself a goal to fix it. Please trust me when I say, that developing and consistently using these healthy habit ways to approach challenges, barriers or blocks you encounter, will see you lose the 'worry' habit in no time at all. Make a vow to replace your 'worry' habit with a healthy habit. Why not set a goal to bring in this positive change, within the next three months. Just so you have no excuse, here is a peek at an example of how you could write it - do make it your own though.
Example: 'Starting (DATE - e.g. today), by (date - e.g. date by which you will have achieved your goal), I am confident in my ability to manage challenges, barriers and blocks in constructive ways'. Next, state the positive benefits of achieving this goal and what it will mean to you personally. Now put your action plan together for achieving it.More Goal Setting Guidance And Goal Forms Here.
See! Not that difficult when you know how - is it?
Healthy Habit No. 4: Who's your best Friend?
What do best friends do? Best friends are healthy habit friends, they speak positively about you and they have a healthy regard for you.
When your best friend speak with you, s/he talk in a way that does not demoralize or demotivate you. S/he don't go around telling you that you're 'thick' or 'stupid - even when at times you tell yourself these things.
Your best friend will always see the many positive sides of you - your skills and achievements, even at times when you are tempted to give in to bouts of negative self talk about yourself.
As well as having a high regard for you, your best friend has a a strong liking and respect for you. S/he will want nothing but the very best for you and will go out of his or her way to help you get what you want. When you do, s/he will be right there to give you a 'clap on the back' over your achievement.
Best friends are always there to praise you for your loyalty and for your kind words of encouragement when they themselves make mistakes no one else seem willing to understand.
Your best friend will reward you more than words can ever say, for your non-judgmental, kind and considerate treatment of them, even when their mistakes are alarming whoppers.
Your best friend surprises you with little reward tokens and thank you gifts - (or even really big thank you gifts), to say 'well done', sometimes when you least expect it.
Who's your best friend? you of course. Make the decision now to commit to a meaningful relationship with yourself and one in which you will demonstrate all the positive attributes of a best friend - qualities of respect, fairness and tolerance among the many other things.
Please lose the self- destructive critical habit of putting yourself down and undermining your confidence in the process. Excuse me for asking but when was the last time your negative self-talk about 'your fat bum' - for example, harmed anyone other than yourself?
I would also point out that what you devalue about yourself, is something of great value to someone else.
Make a start by replacing all negative and un-healthy habits with a new healthy habit of focusing on your many strengths and talents, by telling yourself how fantastically well you're doing and how proud you are to have such a wonderful friend 'as you'.
It may feel false to start with but answer me this, would it really make you feel better telling yourself the opposite? Remember the saying "what you put in, you get out?"
Being your own best friend is a healthy habit you should seriously nurture. It is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself. Cherish the wonderful, warm, humane and beautiful person you are.
When you truly believe this, you will radiate an outer beauty - just like the inner shining star that you really are.
Why not set a goal of being your own best friend within three months. "I've continued to recognise the power individuals have to change virtually anything and everything in their lives in an instance. I've learned that the resources we need to turn our dreams into reality are within us, merely waiting for the day when we decide to wake up and claim our birthright". (Anthony Robbins)
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