Healthy Is Up To You

As many of you know, I am the Birmingham Association of Health Underwriters President-Elect. With that duty comes the responsibility of acquiring speakers at our monthly meeting to come and present something on a topic we can all use to further our education.

This month, I was able to procure Dr. James Fox to come and talk to us all about wellness and wellness programs. While this may seem like a topic of little to no interest for people, the reality is that it applies to everyone whether they were in the room or not.

Thinking about wellness made me think back over my life and the health I have had...both good and bad. I've been through kidney disorders, weight problems, inactivity, and the usual cuts and bruises we all get through life. The message we heard and the message I give a hearty "Amen" to is that wellness can no be packaged in a cure all and be expected to be entertained much less activated by those who are delivered this "miracle" option. Ask any company who has had a wellness program in place that failed miserably and I am thinking that the reason for that failure was that the plan was not personal for the individuals who really needed it.

Another main point that Dr. Fox made was that wellness is up to the individual. The person must want to change before change can begin. It's like the person who has an addiction and needs rehab. You can take them there 100 times, but until THEY want to change the trips there are just chances to see old friends, have a place to sleep, eat and be left alone.

With that in mind, let's look at some things we can all consider as we look at wellness as a program within ourselves, our families and/or our places of business:

1 - Get input from those who will be putting in. Let's be honest, the best laid plan in the world is worthless if the plan is never acted upon. The best way to get a plan acted on is to be sure that everyone involved has a say to start with. No one likes to be told what is good for them or what they need to do to change. Start off right by involving everyone in the planning process and success has a better chance of following.

2 - Have a way to monitor. Whether it's a goal of financial gain or a personal goal to achieve something, everyone agrees that setting the goal and then monitoring progress is the key to achieving those goals. Monitoring must be scheduled and consistent to see results and allow for feedback. A wellness plan without a way to monitor is just a list of "do it if you feel like it". This part is where a good plan gets weighed way down because activating the plan took so much work. Many feel the hard part is over but the monitoring is what makes a difference. Weekly meetings? Reminders? Charts? Whatever you and the crew decide is best, let that be your measuring tape and make sure everyone checks in regularly.

3 - Accountability. Ask anyone who has successfully lost weight or quit a habit and the majority of those people will tell you that one key to their success was having someone in the trenches with them. Partner people up who have similar goals they want to achieve. Give them a lifeline when they want to stop after 3 days. There is no better cure for feelings of "I can't" than to have someone right there with them encouraging them on to "I did it".

4 - Honesty. Ask anyone who has been a part of a weight reduction program. The scale doesn't lie. We can lie to ourselves for months, but when we hop on that scale the truth comes out. We have to be like that scale with ourselves. When we blow it on our part, we have to own up, push off the guilt and start fresh tomorrow. Pretty soon we will get used to being honest with ourselves and be able to string days together where we don't have to lie to ourselves because we are sticking with it...honestly.

5 - One day does not an entire goal make. Many times as we start to change something on ourselves, we get all excited up front and ride that wave for a few days and then WHAM! We get blindsided by a setback. In wellness it is definitely that way. We want to lose weight and we do so well for weeks and then our birthday comes or whatever and we eat like we want and see ourselves heading back in the wrong direction. The same could be said of that one cigarette or that 2nd beer. Don't beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a new day and you can get right back on track. This is where the accountability and honesty come into play quite a bit.

6 - It's not about wellness for the now. When you start a wellness program you are determining that these changes you are about to make are not just for now and today's goals. You are looking at a much farther reaching process of a lifestyle change based on good and solid decisions for yourself. Remember, achieving the goals along the way are not the end result and reward. It's a life that has been changed for the better and for years to come.

So, while wellness programs in businesses may help a company show that they have healthier employees and insurance companies should consider that before they increase their premiums, the ultimate goal should be healthy employees...period. A bottom line means nothing if your crew is filled with people having heart attacks, being overweight, and living shorter lives. Employers can give their people much more than a paycheck. With a solid wellness program that is alive and active and properly administered, the employer provides something that can last a lifetime whether those people work for you or not.

For those who feel they can just plop a wellness program in front of people and expect them to be excited enough about it to be a part of it, think again. It's up to each person to have a say and have the desire to do it. No one can be made to change. However, let someone decide to change and then give them some tools to help them change...no one can stop them.

Do you have some ideas for wellness in your life or your place of business? Contact me. I'd love to hear them and even work on them with you.

The video I picked is "Break My Stride" set to some great "moving" movie scenes. Enjoy.

It's October, So Think Pink?!

It's the month of October. While the children in our lives get excited about what Halloween costume they might be wearing and we all feel that little cool in the air, there is another reason to make October a little more special each year. October, for the last few years at least, has served as the official month for breast cancer awareness. Companies and retailers get out their pink colored products and display the fact that they help support a cause for research and cures for breast cancer. We start seeing emails come to us about various events and fund raisers that are happening all over to help raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

For my very first year, I have decided to take part in raising funds for this cause AND put my body in the action through the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Birmingham, Alabama. I am not much of a runner, but figured I could put together a decent showing for 3.2 miles of distance without causing myself too much physical pain or general embarrassment. How it all happened is kind of a nice story, but I will just post some points for all of us to consider as we go through October and help those around us to be more aware of this good cause:

1 - We have all been effected by someone with breast cancer. If we stop for just a moment, we can think of someone we are either directly of indirectly in touch with who has been effected. Any kind of cancer brings its own set of concerns, but for women this one ranks at the top. The physical and psychological effects can be devastating. Some have died as a result of having it, while others have battled on after some severe surgeries. I can think of no better reason to support a cause than to possible be able to help in some way those I know.
2 - You don't have to do it all by yourself. The reason these companies offer special products and these races are offered is so that the collective good of many people can allow us to at least give something. $5.00 may not seem like a great amount, but multiplied by thousands of people all working with their own $5.00 a life could be saved. We don't have to give it all by ourselves. A small part makes a big difference.
3 - Giving time is just a valuable as money. Maybe funds are tight and even $5.00 seems like a hurdle. We all understand that. However, there are ways you can give of your time to these causes. Maybe join a team in a race or offer to volunteer to help raise money in someone's behalf. The only thing I would consider a bad move in this process would be to not move at all. Be creative and do what you can to help those in need.

Those are a few things we should keep in mind as those around us all become more aware. Hopefully we do as well. As for my participation in the Race for the Cure, I have stated that I would not only race but also attempt to raise $100. I also joined a team whose goal is $1000.00. The reality goes back to what I stated earlier. Everyone working together with their small piece adds up to a big piece that can make a difference. With that in mind, please go to my personal race page here and donate directly for me and my $100.00 goal. If you would rather give directly to the team "Counting Our Blessings", please go here. In fact, if you are feeling good about yourself, join the team and come run with us on October 15, 2011. It's early on a Saturday but when it's over I plan on feeling pretty good about doing all I could do to help.