Last issue, we talked about one of the most common self-defeating things we tell ourselves: “I don’t need a road map to get where I’m going.” Of course, that unconscious thought results in us spending a great deal of our lives and careers lost! This month, we’re going to talk about the second damaging thing we tell ourselves: “What I’m doing isn’t really hurting me.”

We say:

“I’d love to have more energy, but overall, I’m okay.”

“Yeah, I should have something more nutritious than a pot of coffee for breakfast.”

“I know I should park further away and walk, but I’m in a hurry.” “Sleep is a luxury I can’t afford. That’s what retirement is for, catching up on all the sleep you missed out on for forty years.”

“I’ll see a doctor when I need one, check-ups are a chunk of time I can’t afford right now.”

“I know I need to quit smoking, but I always gain weight, so--”

Whew! How many things are you putting off right now because you’re telling yourself, “It really isn’t hurting me”? Deep down, you know better. With the accumulation of time and unhealthy choices, yes, you ARE hurting yourself. The good news is that there are many “little changes” you can make that will make a big difference in your health and in your life.

Drinking water is a good example. My neighbor, Raleigh is 6’7, 250 pounds. He loves Mountain Dew. Whenever I saw him he was drinking one, even on the treadmill at the health club! I lovingly reminded him that he might want to consider cutting down on the green stuff, but alas, he enjoyed it too much.

Raleigh was feeling lethargic and tired all the time, despite working out daily--and drinking 12-14 cans every day for the boost! He knew better, but he was telling himself “it wasn’t hurting him.”

The picture changed when Raleigh had a kidney stone and experienced the worst pain of his life. He was told to reduce or take pop out of his diet and drink lots of water every day. Several weeks out of the hospital, he told me, “I can’t believe what a difference it makes! My skin is clearer, I have more energy and I’m sleeping better than I think I ever have, plus I don't have constant heartburn!” Today, Raleigh and I greet one another in our cars with a toast of our water bottles.

Drinking water is one of those little things that makes a big difference in your energy and health--and isn’t it advisable to do it before you have to experience a kidney stone or other health challenge?

If you could do something that would only take ten minutes here and there in your day--ten minutes that would increase your energy, get you focused, clear your head a bit and release your head and neck muscles--would you carve out those ten minutes? Research has now proven that walking ten minutes three times a day makes a big health difference. Doesn’t ten minutes seem less daunting and more do-able than an hour or even 45 minutes? Start walking.

Sleep is another area where small changes can make a huge difference. When you get busy, where do you find more time--from your sleep time? I had one client who continued carving out sleep time until she was getting up at 4:30 am each morning to juggle her day. My first assignment for her was to force herself to stay in bed until 5:00 or 5:30 am, even if it meant giving up some workout time! She still marvels at what a difference it has made in her patience and energy level. (So does her staff! )

Small choices make a big difference. Consider Dan Sutton, CFP. Last spring, I presented an advanced program for the Leadership Academy, which was a continuation of a program I had presented the previous year. I asked, “What habits have you changed or added since our program last year that have made a difference?”

Dan answered, “Well, you said to make small choices, the ones that we could reasonably make. So, I decided that I could reasonably turn down french fries with my lunches. I started ordering fruit or coleslaw with my food instead. In the last year, without really changing anything else, I lowered my cholesterol 28 points and lost five pounds.” It was one lunch at a time that enabled Dan to do this!

Many successful, goal-oriented individuals have a difficult time giving themselves permission to slow down and take a break. They know they should, but they tell themselves, “It isn’t hurting me.” They fear that if they slow down, they will lose momentum. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, conscious choices to take care of yourself enable you to handle your daily responsibilities with more clarity, higher energy and less wear and tear on your body and emotional psyche.

Here’s an idea for taking care of your emotional psyche given to me by a broker/partner with Piper Jaffrey in Minneapolis: creating a new “recent memory.” Whenever he hangs up from a “bummer” client call, he phones a client he knows will have positive things to say or share. It boosts his energy immediately. “It’s better than leaving my energy low after that last call--I’d take that into my next call otherwise. Besides, it doubles as a connect call with a good client.” A small choice-a phone call-that lifts his energy and spirit. Is there a similar call you could make today?

When you tell yourself, “I’m not that bad off. I could feel worse. I’m not hurting myself and besides, there just isn’t enough time to do anything about it,” at least acknowledge what you’re also saying: “I an choosing mediocrity. I am choosing to risk my health over the long term, and I am reducing the quality of life today.” Giving yourself permission to take care of yourself is not an indulgence, it’s a necessity.

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