(This article was written for, and will be published, in the first copy of 2018’s “Lenawee Neighbors” magazine.)
The holidays are over and a new year has begun, once again. Many experience an emotional “let down,” as they face the reality of everyday life once more. The holidays, for some, are a time of escape –a virtual fantasy land of sorts – attending parties, indulging in decadent food and drink, and socializing with friends and family. These individuals had the intoxication that felt so good, only to crash, now that the holidays are over.
For others, the holidays may have been a dreaded time, as perhaps they are alone, or have lost loved ones. They are intensely reminded of
the sadness they feel that remains unresolved. This group of people are ready to get on with the activities of everyday life again, and probably
welcome the new year with open arms! Whether you see yourself at one of these two extremes, or perhaps somewhere in between, the new year gives us the opportunity to make something in our lives better this year than what it has been in the past.
Life Balance Being a Health Coach, people often think that I mostly help individuals with their physical health and nutrition. It’s true that I believe a positive, happy life begins with a foundation of being physically healthy and knowing how to maintain good physical health. After all, as the familiar saying goes, “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” That’s why my primary focus when working with a client is to address any apparent health issues first, and then to create a plan to work with the client to begin resolving the issue. However, the end goal when working with a client is to help them achieve balance in the many aspects of their lives. When there is balance in one’s life, there is harmony, peace, and happiness.
For example, an individual might have an obesity challenge that they decide needs to be addressed because they are experiencing all kinds of negative symptoms due to being obese. In a couple of months, working with me (the health coach), they lose weight and feel great. The person also created new eating habits and are on their way to good physical health. But now that the “health thing” is under control, we begin to discuss what aspects of life feel happy, fun, and satisfying – and which ones cause stress and lack of clarity. Let’s say our client realizes that he is very unhappy with his job and it causes him consistent stress.
Focusing on the goal of “happiness,” the client now agrees to begin discussing his job with me. After a few more sessions, we create a plan together, and my client commits to working with me to resolve his job stress. Because everyone is unique, a solution may be something as simple as changing his perspective about his job and learning how to manage the stress, to something as extreme as working a plan to phase out of this job and begin an entirely different career.
Create Your Own Plan for the New Year
I think we all agree that “happiness” is our ultimate goal in life. Happiness is a wonderful, emotional “high” we get when we are experiencing things in our lives that line up with our inner hopes and desires. The more aspects of life that we are happy with, the more balanced our lives are, and the more happiness we feel. And, also – the better we are able to handle the challenges in life when they appear.
Start by choosing just one of these four areas of life where you feel most out of balance: Relationships; Career; Physical Health; or Spirituality. Next, find some quiet time alone with pen and paper and write down all your thoughts about why you chose to focus on this aspect.
Make a list of the things you would like to improve and then visualize those challenges being resolved and how that would make you feel. Now, ask yourself if you have the ability to create a plan and implement it yourself, or if you need to seek out support from a family member, friend, or other professional. Who do you know that may have some insights into the area you desire to change?
Go For It!
Know that you are powerful, and that you always have the choice to improve or make changes to make your life happier. Finding where your life is out of balance is the first place to begin, and then the sky is the limit on the changes you make. If you have the desire and the motivation, you are already half-way there!
May you find happiness in your life in 2018! Anything is possible! 
Coach Ronnie
