The year’s end always brings with it some reflection on the year past and special attention to the year ahead. We think of all the things we want to accomplish or change in the new year, whether personal, professional or health wise. We have the best of intentions and feel truly inspired. And then the new year comes. A week goes by - we’re doing great. Two weeks go by - not so great, and down the tube those intentions go.
A course I took last year through Yale’s coursera affiliation was on behavioral change. We focused on three areas - nutrition, physical activity and mental health. While I thought it would be fairly straightforward, ultimately it was not about those three topics. It was about behavior, and how darned difficult it is to change, whether it’s about your nutrition, your physical activity or your mental health.
Learning this was a bit liberating and helped rid me of the guilt of each planned but unexecuted 5 k, or my pledge to rid myself of sugar once and for all. I learned it’s not just the goal, but also the behavioral changes that must accompany it in order for it to last.
What I also thought about was how I might be a better health and wellness coach by focusing on behavior change as much as talking about the healthiest foods to eat, trusting your body, noticing how food affects you etc. That’s what enhanced coaching can look like. So a great goal for me in 2024 is to help people get to the other side of behaviors that defeat their goals
As we grow older food is such an essential elementofr lasting health. Reserves are limited and replenishment isomer important than ever. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that just might help you shift your behaviors toward feeling really good about healthy eating.
Goals of Past and Future
My personal goals are many, starting with strong connections with my family and building lifelong friendships. These are a natural part of living to me. On the professional side, my goal is to make a difference and to find the right words and information to accomplish that. I want to inspire people the way my longtime chiropractor and friend Dr. Peter Kevorkian inspired me to do what I thought was impossible.
Yes, I Walked through Fire
Wikipedia describes fire walking as the act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones. It has been practiced by people and cultures in many parts of the world, with the earliest known reference dating from Iron Age India c. 1200 BCE.
It was a cold night in late Autumn several years ago. About 30 people were invited to attend a Fire Walk, and I asked Peter if I could come and observe, never for a moment thinking I would be a walker. He welcomed me in, where I met several people who had walked before and others who had not. Men and women of all ages joined together for light conversation. After a while, Peter led us through the history of fire walks. Along the way he assured me and others there would be no pressure for anyone to walk; it would all be by choice. It allowed me to listen and observe without fear or commitment. The suggestion was that firewalking tradition has taught humans we are much more capable than we think we are.
I looked around the room. One woman wore a bandana over her shaved head, the result of chemotherapy treatments. She was there to test herself. She came from Mexico with a friend. I learned later she was searching for her sense of power over her body. Another couple sat side by side; she a former walker, he a newcomer.
We went outside where a few people were preparing the fire. Flames were shooting high in the air, snapping and crackling as we sat on the cold ground watching, mesmerized by the bright flames, feeling a sense of warmth and awe. Slowly the flames grew shorter and within an hour settled down into a huge bed of coals and embers. The people raked them into a big circle with metal rakes. I watched.
One person walked across. His barefoot walk was light and deliberate, not rushed and anxious. He rested on the cool grass. A second person, and a third. It began to run through my mind….could I do it? Should I do it? Do I want to do it? The answer was yes. At the same moment I made my decision, another woman advanced toward the embers. I know and trust her. We took each other by the hand; our barefoot walk was light and straight, crossing the 12 foot span of embers. We totally amazed ourselves. The cool ground felt like a perfect ending. Peter’s kind guidance, not pressure, is what carried us across those embers that night.
That is what I want to offer you. When I coach I will always ask you what’s new and good. because I want you to think about your successes. They are reminders of your power.
When have you done something you didn’t think was possible? Did you feel mighty? As the year comes to a close, take some time to reflect on your personal power, your accomplishments, not your weaknesses. The law of attraction reminds us that life brings us more of whatever it is we focus on. You don’t have to walk through fire, but if you find your power through an action you once thought was impossible, life will change for the better.
We can surprise ourselves by what we can accomplish. If you want to make your health and well being a priority in the new year, give me a call at 508-359-6804 or visit my programs page to explore some ways that might be for you.