Most of the clients I have worked with began with me focused on running away from something. They were all intent on avoiding discomfort rather than looking ahead towards the self, life, and lifestyle they truly wanted.
Away from back pain, a weight on a scale, a looming diagnosis, high blood pressure, an inability to play a sport or… play. Away from headaches, an image in the mirror, feeling limited and having to say no when they’d rather say yes and so on.
Perhaps that forward vision felt too far off or even unattainable. Then again, perhaps the fear or pain of what they were running from was too strong to warrant any focus anywhere else.
I watched a fascinating Ted Talk today that affirmed something I have long held to be true. This quote from Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist and presenter of the talk, sums it up nicely.
“Chasing meaning is better for your health than avoiding discomfort.”
She shared that stress has typically been viewed as bad and as something to be avoided. We’ve all learned this and have taken it to heart running from it at every turn. Therein lies the problem. There’s the pain to begin with. Then there’s the constant worry about that pain and wishing it would go away. Now there’s the knowledge that stressing about it is not good and trying to avoid that too!
She indicated research has shown that over 20,000 people in the US died prematurely last year over the belief that stress is bad for you.
The stress of stressing over stress is killing you!
As crazy as that sounds focusing on running from your pain and it’s spin off stresses may, in an of itself, be having a significant detriment to your health. Reframe and release that and you’ll be instantly healthier.
When you can reframe your view of stress and allow it to work positively for you, and when you can shift your focus from avoiding it to what really matters, what you really want, and how you really want to be then by doing so you will release stress and you’ll take a rather large leap forward on your journey of Thriving Health.
It all starts with an inner shift of what your vision of your journey of Thriving Health is. Are you running from something or towards something?
Choose exercise that you enjoy or can frame positively. Embrace those old stress responses to allow them to drive you in a positive, forward direction. Accept support and give it equally and compassionately. Live in Thriving Health.
This is one of those things that can shift in an instant.
Chase meaning and achieve Thriving Health.
I’d encourage you to take 15 minutes and watch her Ted Talk here.
Remember…
“Life is meant to be embraced, enjoyed and fully lived, not merely endured!”
To your health,
Brent
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.