I recently had a conversation with one of my wonderful business mentors. We were talking about the importance of commitment when it comes being healthy and she said “so many people just don’t value their health”.

That statement really got me thinking. I was initially surprised at the idea that people would not take action if they were not feeling well. But I think in some cases, she was right.

Happily, most of the people I see do value their health and take action to improve it by investing in the guidance of a health professional.

But there is still a large number of people who know when something is wrong. That could be painful joints, depression, unhealthy weight gain or chronic exhaustion. And what do they do? To put it bluntly, they complain about it and don’t act. Others adapt and this becomes their new normal. This means they experience pain at a constant, low level, feeling negative, cynical and sad, becoming pre-diabetic or dragging themselves out of bed and remaining tired all day.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Jim Dethmer is an inspiring leadership coach that talks about how the majority of people operate from a passive mindset most of the time. They think things happen to them and don’t act to change things that are not right. He calls it a ‘victim’ mentality.

This mindset also appears in my clinic. I hear people talk about their health problems as though they are happening TO them. As if they have no role to play in the health problems they’re experiencing.

Now, it could be due to lack of awareness about what’s actually wrong with them. This is where education as a practitioner plays an important role. Explaining the importance of healthy eating, for example, and its direct relationship to health is my responsibility and part of my ‘care’ role.

When people begin to understand that nutrition, movement, hydration and sleep play a direct role in how they feel, I’m left asking what is stopping people from taking that necessary action? When care for our own health looks like self awareness, commitment and discipline, we begin to change our health outcomes for the better.

When we become aware that skipping breakfast leaves us feeling tired and irritable mid morning, or not consistently exercising affects our mindset, then we can commit to change. Once we have changed, the rewards - the energy, the mood boost, the weight loss - provide all the motivation you need to keep going.

As I see in my practise time and again, those who take that first step always find it easier to take the second and third steps. And that’s something to care about if you ask me.