Get moving

"My experience has been that when people get a wake-up call about their level of happiness in life, their first realization is that they are responsible for their own happiness, and their second realization is that they will need to pursue certain activities.  I have seen many people who, having been stuck for years, finally "get it," wake up, and say, "I do not have to live like this.  I am going to do something about my life."  Then they get busy, and a year later.  I hardly recognize them.

"But for that to happen, you have to find the "push."  You have to overcome the entropy and lack of movement that has dominated you for so long.  You have to "do something."  So how you do that?

"Other than those who might be clinically depressed or suffering from a real illness of some sort, there are two broad types of people reading this book.  The first is the type who, upon reading what I have written so far, gets up and moving.  She says, "This makes sense.  What have I been doing?"  So she'll call a support group, join Weight Watchers, sign up for that community college class, take up rock climbing, call a therapist, or do whatever she has been avoiding that takes a little effort.  If that is you, God bless you.  You are on your way.

"The second type is the one who reads this and finds that it resonates, wants to pursue change, but will probably not do anything.  Is there hope for him?  Absolutely, but not on his own.  If this is you, you need two things: energy and structure.  You have shown how, when left to your own devices, you are not going to self-motivate and do not have the needed discipline.  So you have to find energy and structure from the outside.

"I suggest that you get a buddy, an accountability partner, a group, a therapist, a class, a trainer, a coach, or whatever it is going to take to get you moving and continuing to move.  At this point in your life, if you do not have outside structure and someone motivating you, you will slip back into passivity.  But think about this this way: if to get active enough to get someone to push you or to join a class is being as active as you can be, that is great.  That can help you from there.  That is all you have to do, but you have to do it.  Otherwise, you are in danger of continuing to do nothing and being lazy about your happiness." - Henry Cloud in The Law of Happiness

Henry Cloud puts this need for energy and courage in a nice way.  Many times we need encouragement to do the healthy, right thing for our lives.  Getting help takes courage and is not a weakness.

Renee Madison, MA, LPC, CSAT is a counselor in Colorado.  She can be reached for appointments at 303-257-7623 or 970-324-6928