It is time for us to get on-board the Self Heath Movement
As our definition of health has changed over time, our approach to health also needs to change.
Biomedical model of health views health as a normal state that gets disrupted from time to time by occurrence of disease. Initially, it was believed that the wrath of God was responsible for the disease to occur and people tried to appease the Gods by giving offerings. With the advances in science, microbes were discovered to cause disease and sick people now turned to doctors for pills to treat the disease.
As our technological march continued, occurrence of infectious disease has reduced but the occurrence of chronic diseases has increased. These diseases are not caused by microbes and the biomedical model of disease was found insufficient in the treatment of these diseases.
Living in an age of ambient unwellness
‘Health’ and ‘disease’ are no longer two separate and distinct categories. Just because someone is not sick, it does not mean that they are healthy. Also, you could be a productive and thriving person in the society despite having chronic diseases like diabetes or cancer. As Sam Kriss has written, we are now living in an age of ambient unwellness.
With the changing times, our approach to health should also change. After all, health is the ever-evolving process of achieving individual potential in the physical, social, emotional, mental, spiritual, financial, professional and environmental dimensions (8 pillars of health).
What this means is that every aspect of your life has profound effect on your health. Also, your health is like a shadow that follows you everywhere. Without it, you can neither work nor enjoy.
An intelligent person understands that health is a person’s most valuable possession and takes time to know how to help themselves to thrive as a human being.
Knowing how to be healthy, although simple, is not easy. It is a skill that needs patience, persistence, continuous learning and responsible execution.
Countertrend of making hard choices
This is an age of convenience taken to extremes. Car windows for example used to be hand rolled into position but to make it more convenient, electric windows were developed. Even holding the finger on the button till it rolls down all the way was considered as ‘not convenient enough’ and automatic windows were developed.
Thankfully, there is a countertrend that is also gaining momentum. People are choosing to make hard choice despite the availability of easy choices. People are running marathons, making sourdough from scratch. Self health is one such countertrend of making hard choices.
Self health is a path that no one else can take for you but you. It is about becoming self-sufficient in managing your health. It requires an explorer mindset which combines self-learning and taking action.
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.
Dr Angela Davis
The only approach to health that works — Extreme ownership
The best thing that can be done to a problem is to solve it. False.
The best thing that can be done to a problem is to dissolve it, to redesign the entity that has it or its environment so as to eliminate the problem.
Such a design incorporates common sense and research and increases our learning more than trial-and-error or scientific research alone can.
Russell Ackoff
Jocko Willink wrote a book called Extreme ownership. Extreme ownership is taking 100% ownership of everything including the outcomes of your choices and everything that affects it. It is one of the most fundamental building blocks of your value system.
Mark Manson in his own way also mentions this.
“Taking responsibility for everything that occurs in your life, regardless of who’s at fault. Decide that everything that happens in your life is because of you — your choices. Take responsibility for them”.
Taking personal responsibility helps you move quickly into action taking mode. Focus on solving problem instead of focusing on the problem itself or acting like a victim and getting involved in blame game. These waste time, energy and effort.
When you take responsibility, it is a beginning of clarity. When there is clarity, there is no misunderstanding. You define your boundaries, your purpose and what steps to take.
Mistakes just become data and you iterate. You forgive yourself because you know exactly how the mistake occurred and move on with the iteration. There is no self-recrimination.
Most people will go out of their way to avoid responsibility. Taking responsibility is a learned skill. Leaping isn’t easy, but it’s far better and safer than the alternative. Ownership is empowering.
It is time to take responsibility for your health and make choices that has positive effect on your health. This is what Self health is all about.
You have the freedom to choose and you should choose to enroll in this journey of Self health.
Your health IS your responsibility.
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Originally published at http://buddhasapprentice.com on February 22, 2022.
