A SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH TO WELLNESS WILL HELP YOU RECEIVE YOUR BEST RESULTS... EVER!

A Solution Focused approach to Wellness. What a novel idea!

When I was earning my Masters in Counseling there was one specific type of therapy that really caught my eye…Solution Focused Therapy. The reason for this was simple; it just made common sense. The basic concept of Solution Focused Therapy is this: When a client has a challenge that is causing them issues, help them create “solutions” to deal with that problem, versus continuing to discuss the “problem” and hope somehow miraculously the problem deteriorates and disappears.

All too often we are like the fly that tries to get outside by continually ramming itself into the window. Here are some examples:

“I eat two meals a day to cut calories”

“I never eat breakfast to keep my calories down”

“I eat two meals from a fast-food restaurant a day, but they are small”

“I never drink water because I don’t want to hold water”

“I am addicted to sugar and caffeine, but it keeps me amped so I can do more”

“I don’t have time to workout twenty minutes a day, so I just eat less”

“I jog daily and eat less”

“I consume no fat in my diet”

Unfortunately the fly is not successful, and may even die while trying to get through that window (or attain the goal!). We are no different; if what you are trying is not working, it is time for a real solution, a real change.

If you look at people who are successful in anything, they are solution focused, not the problem focused. Let me illustrate: If you wanted to be the most successful race car driver in the world and you were struggling with your skills and speed on the corners, would you focus on the wall or focus on the road? Well, obviously, you would focus on the road. But, if you were to focus on the wall, not only would your performance suffer but the majority of the time you would end up “in the wall”.

Being solution focused, not problem focused, will create better results every time.

So what is the solution concerning our health and well-being?

In America we now realize we have quite a challenge. We are sicker than ever before and we are bigger than ever before. But just discussing the fact that we are heavy and sickly is focusing on the PROBLEM, not the SOLUTION. If we continue to talk about all of the things that made us heavy and sick, we will most certainly continue to remain heavy and sick.

People are beginning to realize that the TRILLION dollar industry of pharmaceutical drugs is not the solution. People don’t become healthy by taking prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Drugs treat disease but they do not prevent disease or make you well. The average senior citizen today takes on average, seven drugs a day, four prescription and three OTC. All of these drugs are toxins that have side-effects, yes, all of them. If you combine this with the fact these drugs are only 30-50% effective, I believe you can see this is no long-term SOLUTION.

The race car driver knows he is going to hit the wall, so he is just going to hit it gently, or so he thinks.

Now, in the Health and Fitness Industry, the major voice heard can be saying, “exercise more, and eat less”. Unfortunately, this is no solution at all and actually breeds a larger problem, accelerated aging and disease. As human beings we are complex beings and to have this industry pitch such a simple plan is a farce. If we don’t improve the quality of our exercise and nutrition we are not embarking on a SOLUTION. The race car driver works hard on driving fast, but not well, ultimately hits the wall.

Your well-being is of vast importance, and it certainly isn’t a time to implement the saying “if you don’t first succeed, try, try, again!”

Stay focused on the quality of the basic elements of health. By following these basic elements your chance of becoming diseased (over 75% of degenerative diseases are created by lifestyle) will be minimal. (Even if you are on the road to disease or are already diseased, your best chance of success is still implementing a Solution-Focused-Approach)

THE SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH

QUALITY NUTRITION AND WATER INTAKE

QUALITY SLEEP

QUALITY EXERCISE

If your focus is on these three areas of your life, you will quickly see a decrease in all of the “issues” that are creating PROBLEMS.

By being solution focused by increasing your intake of quality nutrition and water; you will now consume less convenience/fast food and sugar/sweetener/caffeinated drinks which will decrease your chances of obesity and various cardiovascular diseases.

If you are focused on improving your quality and quantity of sleep, you may find that numerous physical and mental issues will subside.

If you focus on improving the quality versus the quantity of your exercise, you will find that problems, such as low-energy levels, insulin resistance, slow metabolism and poor bone density will vastly improve.

I believe that in American the majority of us can live to be 100 years old or older while taking no prescription medication, all while living a life of great quality. But how?

Don’t run into the wall, focus on the road.

Be Solution Focused!