Previously, I wrote about the obstacles to Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle and how they can keep us from making or sustaining the healthy life we desire. In order to overcome these addictions, we must learn to focus our attention what we want and why.

When I work with a new patient, the first thing I want to know is what’s important to them. Unless we can tap into a source of motivation, converting their unhealthy habits into a healthy lifestyle is unlikely. After interviewing thousands of patients, I’ve seen that while individual motivations vary, there are some common themes.

The top 5 reasons to live a healthier lifestyle are:

1. The inability to participate fully in life. There were many occasions in my life when, because of my ailing health, I was unable to do the things I wanted. When your knee is the size of a football it makes just about everything more difficult if not impossible. The desire to do the things you want can be a powerful motivator in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
2. Becoming a burden on their family. Many of my clients have had to deal with their own aging and sickly parents. While they do so with compassion and a loving heart, they don’t want their children to have to deal with the same stresses, financial and otherwise, that they have with their parents.
3. The cost of not taking care of their health. I say this all the time; everyone is going to pay. Either we invest a small amount in our health now or we pay a huge price in the end. And that price includes more than just medical cost. It’s not how long you live, but the quality of your life until you die. One of my favorite posts is a picture of a farmer with the quote; “If you think organic is expensive, have you priced cancer lately?”
4. They just want to feel better. Some people are just tired of feeling crappy. They are tired of taking medications that have worse side effects than the original problem. They have come to the realization that, while it may temporarily reduce their pain, covering their symptoms with drugs actually prevents them from achieving full and glowing health.
5. They want to look better. This is one of the most popular reasons people seek a healthier lifestyle. Let’s face it we are a society that is obsessed with the way we look. And there’s actually some merit to that. An individual’s outside appearance, weight, skin or even their vibrancy are strong indicators of what’s happening on the inside.

Now that we have the motivation to aspire to a healthier lifestyle, the next step in our A.W.A.R.E formula is determining the route to get there. See you next time!