Why Do We Wait Until There’s a Big Problem When We Could Potentially Prevent It?

Why Do We Wait Until There’s a Big Problem When We Could Potentially Prevent It?

 

Why do we wait until there’s a big problem to do something about it?

 

OK, in theory it makes TOTAL sense why we might do this.  We might be plodding along happy as larry, or not but not really realising it and not realising we could be feeling better.

 

We just think things are ‘fine’.  Until they’re not.

 

Which camp do you fall into in this scenario.  The camp who eats well and exercises for the health benefits and longevity.  Or the camp who realises, fudge, i’ve got myself in a pickle, i’ve gained weight or i’ve got health issues…I should probably do something about this.

 

No judgement to be made either way.  I used to be in the second camp for sure.  It’s only in the last couple of years i’ve done a big switcheroo.

 

I have mental health tools and techniques…because I had mental health problems.  I only found them because I was trying to change something that wasn’t working for me anymore.

 

Now they are tools and techniques I use everyday, so I feel good, to continue healing and to prevent issues in the future.

 

I only found out about my adrenals and thyroid issues because I went to a functional medicine practitioner because I wanted to be healthier.  I didn’t really realise there was a problem, but because I went down the preventative route I found the issues WAY earlier than I would have by going to my GP because there was a real problem.  Which MEANS, I can do something about it now, without it getting to the stage where it’s FAR harder to reverse the damage.

 

But it got me thinking.  Where else in our lives do we simply wait for there to be a problem without doing some simple things to stop there being one in the first place?

 

I often hear from people who were doing all the things that make them feel good, start feeling good and then stop…because they don’t ‘need’ to do it anymore.  Then they wonder why the old patterns come back.

 

The brain will always follow the path of least resistance.  The path of least resistance is the neural pathway that has been rehearsed and practiced the most. 

 

So what do you know makes you feel good?

 

What do you know causes you to spiral and not feel so good?

 

What keeps you in a good headspace?

 

Is it journaling? Meditation? Breathwork? Yoga? Is it singing and dancing round the kitchen?

 

When you figure out what that is, would you wait until you had an issue to do it?  Or would you do it to make sure you didn’t get there?

 

It’s easy to think we have to do ALL THE THINGS when it comes to a personal routine but that can be overwhelming in itself.  So what would you pick that you know would make a difference for you?

 

How do you feel if you haven’t moved in the day?  

 

If the answer is ‘ooooh actually not great’ thrn incorporate that into your day.  Yoga, dancing, exercise.

 

How do you feel if you’ve been caught in a thought loop all day?

 

Most people would answer ‘not great’ to that one to be fair so you might want to incorporate a simple journaling technique into your day like gratitude journaling or using prompts.

 

How do you feel when you’ve spent a week eating rubbish?

 

How do you feel when you’ve not drunk enough water?

 

How do you feel when you’ve been isolated for too long?

 

Why not do something before it becomes a problem?  

 

Some of these make up what I call my mental checklist.

 

I have a reminder that flashes up on my phone 3 times per day so I can course correct.

 

Notice if i’m feeling isolated and reach out to a friend.

 

Notice if i’ve been on a slippery slope of comfort eating and decide to eat some veg.

 

Notice if i’ve missed a couple of days of journaling or meditation.

 

But essentially it keeps me doing all the things that I know are amazing for my mental health.

 

It also means I never get stuck in self blame or shame or frustration with myself.  If somethings going on and I can’t put my finger on it then i’ll grab my journal.

 

But it keeps me in a really good mental headspace.  AND has long term benefits.  Lots of the tools I use work with the nervous system so it increases my window of tolerance and capacity to cope with day to day stuff.

 

It makes me calmer.

 

Less reactive.

 

I’m human it still happens sometimes of course, BUT if one of these things are off it usually tells me why!

 

So instead of getting to the point where you’re forced to do something about your mental, physical or emotional health, what could you put in place right now to make sure that doesn’t happen?

 

Fx

 

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Fran Excell, Subconscious Success Mentor – Helping Business Owners Overcome Stress & Self Sabotage at www.franexcell.com

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