What’s Your Mt. Everest

Maybe your life is like mine; there is so much going on that from time to time, you just feel like you’re hanging on for the ride. Days are spent in reactive mode as you are constantly trying to put out fires. If that is an occasional experience, we can often cope without much harm but when that is the norm, there are some heavy consequences to our health.

It is easy to slide into this sort of approach to life and you probably know a few people who have slid into this rut.  When we are reactive, we feel a loss of control and direction and that causes a stress response.  In contrast, when we are able to focus and take control of our time we enjoy more peace. We become conscious creators of our desired destiny.

The Bucket List

Have you ever written out your “bucket list”?  You know, all of the things that you would like to experience before you “kick the bucket”?  More than likely your list might include visiting a foreign land, parachuting out of a plane, or climbing Mt. Everest?  But what about things that are a little less dramatic, but nonetheless even more meaningful?

My bucket list includes things like witnessing my great-grandchildren be born.  I’d love to be able to dance and sing at my Golden Wedding anniversary. I’d love to volunteer to serve others throughout the world to lift them out of poverty.

It’s no surprise to anyone that when a new patient enters my practice, I have them fill out some paperwork. Page 1 is all about the basics, like their name and date of birth etc., but page two is where the “magic” happens.  I ask patients to really think of 3 to 5 things that they have been unable to do since they lost their health and the 3-5 things that they look forward to doing once they are better.  I love the variety of responses.  Lots of people want to go to Disneyland with their kids, be able to run a half-marathon, play with their grand kids or even spend more time in the garden.

A Better Life

This exercise is actually an important part of the healing process.  You see, most people think that they are coming into the office for pain relief but when we go through this exercise they realize that what they really want is to get a higher level of function and health. Let’s face it, if it was just about pain relief, I’d say chiropractic makes a pretty expensive aspirin.  There is more to it. We want more than symptom relief, we want a better life. One that has a purpose. One that is driven by a powerful mission. We all want to experience big things. We all want to leave a legacy. And we know that we need healthy bodies to make that happen.

So when you are in the middle of the stress and you are feeling a bit out of control, pause and reflect on what it is all for.  Are you currently focused on your Everest? Are you consciously creating the life you want? Are you actively building your health so that you can leave your mark on the world?

Don’t end up with regrets and unfulfilled potential. Get up and get after it!

Featured image photo credit: www.stock.adobe.com