Focus Forward!

Focus Forward on your future versus living by default.

The world can be a very scary place. I have a fear of heights. If I were walking on that bridge I would be frozen if I started looking around. Focus forward and be determined to put one foot in front of the other.  Your health is like that too.

Most of us live by default, taking care of the business at hand, instead of planning for your future. But when it comes to your health, prevention is the best medicine.

We all do preventative health, like taking vitamins or brushing your teeth or vaccinating our kids. We know the value of prevention. But it is easier to live by default. For example, not making a plan to include exercise in your daily routine is so much easier than failing to do your exercises.

None of us want to face failure! When you make plans you run the risk of failing to complete it. So we just don’t plan for our future. I call this living by default.

We get busy! Or we fill our days with things to do. But what if you set a priority on your future health? How would that change what you do every day?

Sometimes we need a motivation and sometimes our body gives us a hint like high blood pressure. Your doctor puts you on a prescription for blood pressure and you start to think about what you are doing that contributes to it. Doctor says cut down on fatty foods and avoid salt and of course lose weight.  We might watch our diet, we might try to avoid adding salt. What if your doctor said, “High blood pressure is the first sign of heart failure.” Would you take it more seriously? Would you start to look at your genetics to identify who died of heart disease? What did they do wrong?

Many chronic conditions are a result of things we do in our everyday lives that contribute to our future health over years. For example: take weight gain.  Most of us gain a little more weight each year of our lives. When you live by default, you have the attitude of ‘I’ll get around to it later.’ When you focus on your future health, you don’t let it build up. You see what is happening and take action.

Sometimes you are motivated by your own body. Personally, I have arthritis in my knees and when I gain weight, my knees hurt and I start doing less due to chronic pain. I don’t want to live that way.  I make a conscious choice to change it. But many people need a support buddy.

A support buddy is key to avoid living by default. You can do this through a social media group or individual counseling. My point, “Focus Forward!” on your future for your family. Your family needs you at your best!

Genetics is not everything. You can overcome your genetics through healthy living. Make the decision to make your life a high priority.

Remember – Knowledge is Power