How do you rate your present state of health? There may be several aspects to consider, of course, such as your physical, psychological and philosophical health. We all want to care for our well-being, but sometimes we get wake-up calls. You may, for example, carry a cold for months; feel emotionally exhausted; lose a sense of purpose or whatever. Then it may be time to reassess our lives and work. Let’s explore how you can maintain the various aspects of your health.

1) You can maintain your physical health.

On a scale 0 – 10, how do you rate your physical health? Nowadays many people take more responsibility for their bodies. They exercise, eat better food and go for yearly check-ups. How do you maintain your health? Do you ever get warning signs?

“My wake-up call came three years ago when climbing several flights of stairs,” explained one 50-year-old. “After the second flight I suddenly felt out of breath. This was something I had not been aware of before – probably because I normally took lifts! My professional life consisted of flying twice a week, eating unhealthy snacks and doing little exercise. There were two options. I could carry-on with the same schedule – which would mean getter fatter. Or I could take care of my body. I chose the latter. This called for developing a sustainable life-style – rather than a crash programme. So I began running on weekends and slowly increased the exercise. During the day I ‘grazed’ on regular healthy snacks - rather than eating heavy meals at lunch and the evening. Finally, I changed job. The flying had become a chore, with trips to the airport increasingly exhausting. Now I feel much better and actually have more energy.”

You will have your own ways of maintaining or improving your health. So try completing the following sentences.

The rating I give myself regarding
my physical health is: _____ / 10:

The specific things I can do to
improve or maintain the rating are:

*

*

*

2) You can maintain your psychological health.

On a scale 0 – 10, how do you rate your psychological health? To what extent do you have a positive attitude, feel encouraged by people around you and do fulfilling work? The key for many people, of course, is feeling in ‘control’. Being able to shape their future plays a key part in determining their psychological health.

“A great breakthrough for me came when learning about the concept of ‘controlling the controllables’,” explained one person. “Whatever is happening around me, I need to focus on what I can control, even if it is simply ‘choosing my attitude’. Laurens van der Post reinforced this view when describing his time as a prisoner of war. One night he was informed he would be executed the next morning. Gathering his courage, Laurens asked if he could choose the method of his death. He preferred to be shot, rather than beheaded, a request that was granted. ‘Then something irrational occurred,’ reported Laurens. ‘I felt a sudden rush of freedom, as if I was in charge.’ Learning to control the controllables provided a different perspective on my own life and work.”

So how is your psychological health? Do you have a sense of autonomy? Do you get enough stimulation? Do you get encouragement? Are you able to recover from setbacks? Do have lots of positive energy and look forward to each day? Try completing the following sentences.

The rating I give myself regarding
my psychological health is: _____ / 10:

The specific things I can do to
improve or maintain the rating are:

*

*

*

3) You can maintain your philosophical health.

On a scale 0 – 10, how do you rate your philosophical health? Do you have a sense of purpose? Do you feel true to yourself? Do you have clear life-goals – a picture of success? Do you feel able to follow your values and work towards your long-term vision? Everybody wants to enjoy a sense of meaning in life. Sometimes this comes from working to improve the quality of their lives, encouraging their children or making a positive difference in the world. Sometimes it comes from serving something greater than themselves – be it following a faith, a calling, a tradition or whatever. People want to see a link between their overall purpose and their daily practice. Looking at your own life and work, can you make this connection? Try completing the following sentences.

The rating I give myself regarding
my philosophical health is: _____ / 10:

The specific things I can do to
improve or maintain the rating are:

*

*

*

There are many models for considering your overall well-being. One approach is to keep maintaining your physical, psychological and philosophical health.

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