One might assume quality SOLUTIONS to many of today’s health problems would reveal answers the general population would desperately pursue. Surprisingly, solutions (in many cases) have actually caused additional conflict within the individual. You might ask yourself, “why would any person provided quality answers to health problems or concerns, avoid pursuing these options?” The answer isn’t surprising.
Quality solutions are typically based on a PROCESS that addresses the various underlying components resulting in systemic imbalances. This means the WHOLE PERSON requires evaluation to determine the various deficiencies resulting in sub par health.
Common sense would make one think this comprehensive approach would be desirable for the average person. In reality, it often creates greater FEAR in the consumer.
WHY?
When real solutions are provided to consumers, they realize their health problems no longer provide justifiable EXCUSES for living destructive lifestyles. Owning this TRUTH can be extremely intimidating.
How do I know this?
People have personally contacted me for help from around the world. One common theme (regardless of region or culture) has been a lack of willingness to begin any PROCESS once a potential SOLUTION was identified!
Why would people reach out for (unsolicited) help only to cut off all future communication?
It is my opinion many of these people were looking for justification that their health malady was an unfortunate result of circumstances and bad luck. What they wanted was reassurance from a “professional” that they were “victims.” They wanted sympathy, compassion and reaffirmation that their “conditions” were beyond their control and ability to overcome. When instead, they were offered conceptual ideas that could lead to SOLUTIONS, all communication ceased.
We live in a time and a world where most people are simply unhappy. Without an innate understanding of HAPPINESS and a desire to truly experience it, why would anyone search out and work hard to achieve quality health? Where is the motive?
Instead, we choose to invest our efforts into mastering the “skill” of self limitation that reduces our chances for QUALITY HEALTH.
We then turn to doctors (not for solutions,) but rather THEIR tools of self imposed LIMITATIONS (namely pharmaceutical substances) to make us “appear” healthy on paper. Do these pills improve our outlook on life? Do we experience any better understanding of happiness, fulfillment or meaning in life? Do these pills help create a better sense of SELF and direction in life? Naturally, there are situations where these medications are indicated and required to stabilize life threatening conditions. This, however, is not the basis or standard application of pharmaceuticals today.
I have come to realize it takes a very special person to overcome the FEAR of becoming HEALTHY! You see, good health requires an EMOTIONAL willingness to pursue a life with personal meaning. Personal achievement (defined by each individual person) is part of the equation toward achieving happiness. Happiness is a crucial component of HEALTH. With so few people recognizing this, they remain indifferent to the concept of HAPPINESS; a concept that requires EFFORT, LEARNING, PERSISTENCE, PATIENCE and SELFLESS ACTS toward others. Most people refuse to face these TRUTHS and remain confined within their self imposed boundaries. They tend to improvise their actions on a day to day basis just to survive a barrage of physical and emotional challenges.
This approach makes attaining GOOD HEALTH nearly impossible. Until the consumer admits this reality and chooses to VALUE his or her own life, doctors like myself will remain LIMITED to creating “health” on paper/lab values.
To find a solution, first we need to acknowledge the fact that there is a problem. Seriously, how many of us want to make the effort to look in deep and find a problem, when placing blame on everything and everyone is the easy out.
I wonder if it is truly the easy way out. Living an empty life with emotional and physical deficiencies sounds pretty tough to me. The belief that “this is the easy way out” is likely a major contributing reason for the growing rates of depression in our country.
Human nature is so complex and as Tink the Belle states a problem has to be acknowledged and then acted upon something which many choose to ignore …Easy fixes are what most people like such a shame when many fixes are quite easy.
People have tried “easy fixes” over and over again without long term success. Don’t you wonder what it takes for people to realize that “walking into the same walls” is painful. Maybe a change in direction could avoid these repetitive emotional and physical injuries.
Another amazing post! It is so easy to blame someone else but being honest, taking the responsibility and acting on it will truly make one enjoy life to the fullest.
Sounds so easy, yet so few seem capable of achieving this. So many factors involved in resulting poor health. Adjusting Mindset is commonly the beginning step in this PROCESS.
Great post!! This is so true, and something I’ve encountered far too often with training clients, especially during the interview process (professing they want to make the change, then giving them the tools and assistance to do so, and then when positive things start to happen and/or plans are laid out that logically go against what they want to believe to be true..they rather choose to stay comfortably complacent.
It seems people want the RESULTS, but realize they are not willing to incorporate the necessary lifestyle behaviors to get there. They typically attempt the effort again (after some type of negative reinforcement such as a poor health diagnosis or simply feeling terrible) only to once again deny accepting the necessary responsibility to achieve a better outcome. It takes much more fortitude than most people realize. If being healthy was easy, EVERYONE would pursue this path.
Thanks, Doctor Jonathan. This is truly one of the great posts. I think you have hit on a problem that crosses every aspect of our lives – health being one of the most important. It seems to me that people are focused on form as opposed to substance these days. They are more concerned about the way things appear than the way they really are. I see the same thing in journalism today. As a retired lifelong journalist, I used to love to be in the newsroom and feel the energy crackling as people pursued the truth and worked to get to the bottom of a story. Now, I have to confess shame as I read mainstream media and see little concern for finding truth but only fevered searching for arguments that favor the writer’s/publication’s point of view. The truth has been thrown out the window in the quest for marching in step pushing a point of view. It makes me sick.
Thank you Tony. So much of what you say is true. It takes a little self confidence and moral perspective to be willing to stand back and judge health and life objectively. We are not raised with the concept.
Thank you, Christy. Change is difficult for most because they associate “change” with “sacrifice. If they corrected their MINDSET to view life from a purposeful, passionate perspective, the changes would be welcomed. This alternative concept in thinking is often the difference between “living life” to the fullest and barely “surviving life” day to day!
Thank you for sharing this so honestly Dr. Jonathon. And there is a lot of analogies here with running, and there is not an easy path (or magic pill). It really takes hard work to achieve that quality health. It might mean simply saying no to a donut offered by a friend and then having to explain why. It is a daily exercise that becomes a lifestyle.
Carl,
If people (in general) were happy and fulfilled with their journey in life, few would choose to follow self destructive patterns. Most people simply exist with little meaning in life. This concept reduces motivation for change to nearly ZERO. Anything that brings “pleasure” (no matter how temporary and harmful) becomes an acceptable alternative option. This is a “survival” approach to life rather than a PURPOSEFUL and PASSIONATE approach to life.
Great post. It is one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with, loosing weight and keeping at it. I will forever be trying to succeed in this part of my life. Thank you for all you do for not only me, but all of us. xxxkat
Keep pursuing your dreams for quality health. The hardest part is DILIGENTLY implementing the action plan. The scale only becomes a reference tool to be sure the action plan is on target. Never let the scale outweigh the importance of the method used to achieve the LONG TERM GOAL.
It is easy to ask for solutions or causes until we don’t want to hear the truth. Truth can be a bitter pill to swallow.
As for the eating healthy. am I right to say patient’s need to remove the emotional or psychological ties we may have with food. We should be eating for nourishment, and an occasional guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, most of us don’t find that balance.
Very true, Andrew. Food can certainly be enjoyable, but we tend to use it more for “comfort” than true enjoyment. When people lack relevancy in life, they frequently gravitate toward food. It provides a social environment for some which can be an important asset. Over indulging, however, to overcome emotional challenges (ex. stress) is a line that most people cross. Food, at this point, becomes a temporary “pain reliever” that frequently leads to addictive dangerous outcomes. Finding purpose and passion in life and implementing a lifestyle that achieves fulfillment, replaces the need to remain on this addictive dangerous path. So few are willing to open their eyes to this REALITY!
When it comes to health, the emotional component is rarely incorporated into a quality solution. Simply telling people to take greater responsibility misses an essential aspect. So many people lack of a sense of SELF it is difficult to explore quality options. Empowering the consumer is an important step toward resolving this dilemma.
One might assume quality SOLUTIONS to many of today’s health problems would reveal answers the general population would desperately pursue. Surprisingly, solutions (in many cases) have actually caused additional conflict within the individual. You might ask yourself, “why would any person provided quality answers to health problems or concerns, avoid pursuing these options?” The answer isn’t surprising.
To find a solution, first we need to acknowledge the fact that there is a problem. Seriously, how many of us want to make the effort to look in deep and find a problem, when placing blame on everything and everyone is the easy out.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I wonder if it is truly the easy way out. Living an empty life with emotional and physical deficiencies sounds pretty tough to me. The belief that “this is the easy way out” is likely a major contributing reason for the growing rates of depression in our country.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Human nature is so complex and as Tink the Belle states a problem has to be acknowledged and then acted upon something which many choose to ignore …Easy fixes are what most people like such a shame when many fixes are quite easy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
People have tried “easy fixes” over and over again without long term success. Don’t you wonder what it takes for people to realize that “walking into the same walls” is painful. Maybe a change in direction could avoid these repetitive emotional and physical injuries.
LikeLike
Another amazing post! It is so easy to blame someone else but being honest, taking the responsibility and acting on it will truly make one enjoy life to the fullest.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sounds so easy, yet so few seem capable of achieving this. So many factors involved in resulting poor health. Adjusting Mindset is commonly the beginning step in this PROCESS.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post!! This is so true, and something I’ve encountered far too often with training clients, especially during the interview process (professing they want to make the change, then giving them the tools and assistance to do so, and then when positive things start to happen and/or plans are laid out that logically go against what they want to believe to be true..they rather choose to stay comfortably complacent.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It seems people want the RESULTS, but realize they are not willing to incorporate the necessary lifestyle behaviors to get there. They typically attempt the effort again (after some type of negative reinforcement such as a poor health diagnosis or simply feeling terrible) only to once again deny accepting the necessary responsibility to achieve a better outcome. It takes much more fortitude than most people realize. If being healthy was easy, EVERYONE would pursue this path.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Doctor Jonathan. This is truly one of the great posts. I think you have hit on a problem that crosses every aspect of our lives – health being one of the most important. It seems to me that people are focused on form as opposed to substance these days. They are more concerned about the way things appear than the way they really are. I see the same thing in journalism today. As a retired lifelong journalist, I used to love to be in the newsroom and feel the energy crackling as people pursued the truth and worked to get to the bottom of a story. Now, I have to confess shame as I read mainstream media and see little concern for finding truth but only fevered searching for arguments that favor the writer’s/publication’s point of view. The truth has been thrown out the window in the quest for marching in step pushing a point of view. It makes me sick.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tony. So much of what you say is true. It takes a little self confidence and moral perspective to be willing to stand back and judge health and life objectively. We are not raised with the concept.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Owning up to the solutions needed to overcome an obstacle involves making changes – and many people fear change. You bring up many great points here!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Christy. Change is difficult for most because they associate “change” with “sacrifice. If they corrected their MINDSET to view life from a purposeful, passionate perspective, the changes would be welcomed. This alternative concept in thinking is often the difference between “living life” to the fullest and barely “surviving life” day to day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for sharing this so honestly Dr. Jonathon. And there is a lot of analogies here with running, and there is not an easy path (or magic pill). It really takes hard work to achieve that quality health. It might mean simply saying no to a donut offered by a friend and then having to explain why. It is a daily exercise that becomes a lifestyle.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Carl,
If people (in general) were happy and fulfilled with their journey in life, few would choose to follow self destructive patterns. Most people simply exist with little meaning in life. This concept reduces motivation for change to nearly ZERO. Anything that brings “pleasure” (no matter how temporary and harmful) becomes an acceptable alternative option. This is a “survival” approach to life rather than a PURPOSEFUL and PASSIONATE approach to life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So well stated Dr. Jonathan about survival. I really your posts and you sharing your knowledge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] https://allabouthealthychoices.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/solutions-are-they-subconsciously-part-of-th… […]
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Thought provoking post – I like it! I have shared your link on PainPals regular feature Monday Magic Inspiring Blogs for You! Claire x
https://painpalsblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/16/monday-magic-inspiring-blogs-for-you-43/
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you for passing this message on to your readers. I hope it provides a new perspective worth considering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post. It is one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with, loosing weight and keeping at it. I will forever be trying to succeed in this part of my life. Thank you for all you do for not only me, but all of us. xxxkat
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keep pursuing your dreams for quality health. The hardest part is DILIGENTLY implementing the action plan. The scale only becomes a reference tool to be sure the action plan is on target. Never let the scale outweigh the importance of the method used to achieve the LONG TERM GOAL.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks Jonathan xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is easy to ask for solutions or causes until we don’t want to hear the truth. Truth can be a bitter pill to swallow.
As for the eating healthy. am I right to say patient’s need to remove the emotional or psychological ties we may have with food. We should be eating for nourishment, and an occasional guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, most of us don’t find that balance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true, Andrew. Food can certainly be enjoyable, but we tend to use it more for “comfort” than true enjoyment. When people lack relevancy in life, they frequently gravitate toward food. It provides a social environment for some which can be an important asset. Over indulging, however, to overcome emotional challenges (ex. stress) is a line that most people cross. Food, at this point, becomes a temporary “pain reliever” that frequently leads to addictive dangerous outcomes. Finding purpose and passion in life and implementing a lifestyle that achieves fulfillment, replaces the need to remain on this addictive dangerous path. So few are willing to open their eyes to this REALITY!
LikeLike
So true.,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dr. Jonathan, I appreciate that you always intersect the psychology of change and physical health.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When it comes to health, the emotional component is rarely incorporated into a quality solution. Simply telling people to take greater responsibility misses an essential aspect. So many people lack of a sense of SELF it is difficult to explore quality options. Empowering the consumer is an important step toward resolving this dilemma.
LikeLiked by 1 person