Ask the right questions to find a healthier you
Last week, I wrote about the power that words possess when it comes to developing a positive mindset. People with more positive outlooks tend to be more successful, they recover sooner from injuries and illness and they stay active and engaged with life even when they are sick or hurt.
Simply changing one’s habitual language has the potential to change one’s mindset and actions and, finally, to change one’s life.
Words evoke emotions within us that manifest themselves in physical ways. “Devastated” brings on a very different feeling and biochemical response than something like “a tiny bit disappointed.” “Enraged” feels different than “miffed,” just like “OK” feels different from “fabulous!”
People who have greater control over their lives have control over their words and are able to use them for intensifying life’s positive experiences and neutralizing the negative ones.
Another tool for guiding mindset is the use of powerful questions.
I’ve heard it said that life is nothing more than a series of questions that run through our minds at all times. From the moment you wake up and consider whether you should hit the snooze button, to the moment that you wonder whether it’s time to go to bed, our entire day is guided by the questions we ask and, more importantly, the answers we generate. It would make sense then to use this to our advantage and get better at asking more powerful questions with the intention of generating more meaningful answers.
According to world renowned performance coach, Anthony Robbins, successful, healthy people simply ask better questions, and as a result, get better answers. It is the answers, after all, that guide us.
The two types of questions that I’d suggest focusing on to help control your mindset are limiting, disempowering questions and powerful, guiding questions.
People who are “stuck” tend to ask things like, “Why is this happening to me?” ... “Why can’t I ever follow through with anything?” ... “Why does it have to be so hard and boring to eat right and exercise?” You can see how the answers to these types of questions keep the focus on the problem without providing any solutions. They also reinforce the notion that one has no control over their situation.
People who succeed and are healthy and happy become very good at using powerful questions like, “What can I do, right now, to start moving myself in a new direction?” ... “How can I enjoy the process to make things the way that I want them to be?” ... “What kinds of things can I do to help me follow
through with an exercise program when I have no time?”
These power questions all lead to very specific answers that act like a road map to your desired destination. They also make it plainly obvious that YOU control your fate. Whether the fate we’re referring to is your health, wealth, relationship, job satisfaction or anything else.
There are answers and they are within you.
Here are some responses to the power questions above:
1. I am going clean up a room in my home to dedicate to exercise.
2. I’ll create several playlists of my favourite music that I only listen to when I’m exercising or doing my physiotherapy routine.
3. With the help of a professional, I’ll create three plans for different days when I may or may not have “time” to fit something in, with the idea that something is always better than nothing.
Finally, I’d like to point out that people are very motivated to do things to help others that they may not do for themselves.
Ask yourself the question, “What can I do this week to help someone in need?” The feeling that you’ll get from taking the focus off yourself, in a philanthropic way, might be just the thing you need to get yourself going.
After all, if you can help someone else, surely you can help yourself.
People who succeed ... and are healthy and happy become very good at using powerful questions ...
Medical Exercise Specialist Ernie Schramayr helps his clients manage medical conditions with exercise. You can follow him at erniesfitnessworld.com; 905-741-7532 or erniesfitnessworld@gmail.com