3 Simple Steps to a Healthier You

How healthy are you?Most of us feel we have too much on our plates, both literally and figuratively. So, we start on a journey from here (wherever you are) to there (wherever you want to be) - pursuing a personal version of vibrant health and happiness.

Usually, this path to wellness is seen as an uncomfortable journey that requires a lot of inner willpower. As Mick George sums it up, "Anytime we say we 'have to' do anything, it means we are living our life reluctantly." There is a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

This is why we see diets and health programs fail again and again as we try to adapt ourselves to someone else's idea of normal. No wonder there are so many obstacles in our way; we simply feel powerless and misunderstood.

My focus at BodyVision Health Coaching is to give you the tools you need to create your own path to wellness. There are three steps to this process. The duration of each step depends on your personal needs. You can use the free workbook, get on our lists, join the membership, take our group course or sign up for one-on-one sessions where we can delve deeper into empowering your specific life situation.

In all of these, we'll be using the process outlined below:

1. Discovery. We begin at the beginning. Before taking action, we need to thoroughly discover your current status quo.

What is your lifestyle like now? What have you tried in the past? What worked well and not-so well? How would you like to feel when you reach your goals? What values are showing up for you in the vision of 'my best self'? What obstacles do you have or can you foresee? What obstacles are perceived and which ones are real?

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The discovery phase of the three-step plan is thorough and matter-of-fact, somewhat similar to planning a trip. Tools, questionnaires and surveys are helpful, and I share the most efficient ones with you.

2. Strategy. Changing your ways is not just a matter of finding and using willpower; it is about designing an environment of success.

This process can be as simple or complex as it needs to be. A straightforward action plan might be cleaning out the fridge, dusting off that diet book that worked so well years ago or joining the gym next door.

Other, more subtle strategies might include setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, using positive affirmations, time management skills, appropriate goal-setting, problem solving techniques, basic nutrition education, mindset, revisiting outdated belief patterns and trying new things we may never have thought of trying before (a cooking class, salsa dance group, asking to borrow a neighbor's bike, etc.).

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Strategy is taking what has evolved from the "discovery" session and taking the next step forward. Your strategy can include four to five goals at a time, such as getting to bed on time, bringing a bottle of water to work each day, buying a new pair of sneakers and changing to low fat options when grocery shopping. Strategy is the place to be creative, not restrictive.

3. Implementation. Implementation is not about right or wrong, it is about putting your strategies to the test, observing the results and improving over time.

Expect and plan for pitfalls and challenges. The founder of the most important wellness coach training school in the U.S. admitted, in front of hundreds of workshop participants, at a Harvard Medical School event, that it took her 10 years to find just the right meditation style for her character and needs!

Goals are there to be reviewed, improved or rewritten entirely. Starting a yoga class and hating it may just lead you to something better for your needs. Implementation is the most misunderstood and overlooked part of embarking on something new. If things don't work out, simply revisit and revise the discovery and strategy steps; rinse and repeat. You'll be on your way to a better life, becoming a better person in the process.

Written by Tatiana Abend for YourTango.com.

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