Doing the same thing over and over generally tends to result in the same outcome over and over. That’s common sense. But when we are so immersed in our usual same-old, same-old, a couple things happen. One is that we lose our confidence and our ability to make meaningful change diminishes. Another is that we become accustomed to what has become the norm, even if it’s an unhealthy or unhelpful one. This is how getting stuck in a rut happens.
And when it’s a question of your health goals? Well. The advertising industry and big Pharma would have you think that your only option is a prescription. Influencers try to get you to buy their supplements or gadgets. The people around you, especially if they have the same issues you do, will try to convince you that change is not possible.
But you do want to change and you know you can do it. You just don’t know how and you lack a meaningful support system that works for you.
And that, dear reader, is why you want to work with a health coach.
It may be that you have a goal but you don’t know how to achieve it (or you can’t figure out a goal and you’re tired of going around in circles). Maybe your stressors are keeping you in a constant state of fight or flight and you need to learn to find and cultivate a more mindful and calm lifestyle. It could be that the tiny habits that regulate your life are adding up to big problems. And on the subject of big? Maybe big stories (“everyone in my family gets diabetes” or “it’s only a matter of time before I develop the same condition that wrecked my dad’s later years” or…) concern you. You want to do something different but change is tough and you don’t have the support system you need in order to create and sustain the healthy life you so truly desire.
A health coach can help you to change course and shift any of the above dynamics. Change is good. You know you are ready for it.
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Here is how a health coach can help you with any of the above-mentioned issues.
Goals?
You have a goal. The problem? You don’t know how to get there or you don’t have the wherewithal to stick to the path without meaningful support. It can be frustrating when you actually do know what you want and you do know how to get there… but you really need a cheerleader and a thought-provoking-question asker and an accountability resource in order to advance.
Or… you do not have a goal. The problem? You know you need to do something differently but you’re not sure what, or how to do it. You may have a list of things you want to change but you can’t quite narrow things down into do-able steps. You are, in a word, overwhelmed. Where to begin?
That’s what a health coach if for, essentially. Your coach is going to ask you the thought-provoking questions and provide the accountability. They’ll inspire you and know when to press and when to let you figure things out while they are at your side providing encouragement. And if you don’t quite know what your goal is, or where to start if you have multiple goals and are overwhelmed? That’s also an area where your health coach can be of service.
Getting started and staying on the path is a challenge for most people. That’s why the fantasies peddled by influencers are so appealing. But you can only go so far on supplements and snake oil. A real human being who is credentialed to help you will take you much farther.
And credentials do count, as I discuss in this post on how to find the right health coach for your goals:
“An ethical coach will have a clear explanation of their background and they really should (I think, anyway) have a specific health coaching certification. Depending on your goals, you might also look to see if they mention any training or specialty certification related to your interests and goals.”
—Find A Health Coach: How To Find The Best Coach For What You Want To Accomplish (The Updates)
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Stressors:
Stress and overwhelm can wreck your health and diminish your quality of life. If you don’t want to go on antidepressants or other medications, then what? Sometimes, your best bet is to evaluate your lifestyle and revamp your practices. When every day is a battle to keep your nervous system in check, therapy with a duly-licensed professional therapist is certainly an option. But you might also want to look into creating change with the support of a health coach.
Depending on the coach’s interests and experience, they can be a great resource for creating ways to build a calmer life, even if you can’t necessarily change your current situation. There are so many ways to shift out of an overwhelmed state of being, but it’s hard to see that when you’re in the midst of ongoing stress and strain. Your coach can help you to develop a breath work plan; you can explore ways to eat better with a coach; your coach can guide you as you create a sleep hygiene plan; and a really good one can do all of these things and more while helping you to construct a self-care project that is both do-able and successful.
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Tiny habits:
It’s the little things that count, isn’t it? Small choices can add up to big problems if they’re unwise or unhealthy. It can be hard to pick through the minutia of a busy life and figure out where the issues begin, but a health coach can ask you the right questions and elicit some valuable pearls of wisdom that can change that dynamic. Do you reach for a sugary snack when busy and stressed? Is your self-talk detrimental? What about your computer and smart phone habits? There are a thousand and more ways to undermine wellbeing that are common to everyday life. You don’t even notice any more.
What you do notice is that you’re tired and wired, or you’ve gained ten pounds seemingly out of nowhere, or your concentration is shot and you just can’t focus.
It’s not enough to simply identify the small habits that add up to big issues. You need other options to replace the same old, same old. With your health coach, it becomes easier and easier to identify the micro-aggressions you perpetuate against your own wellbeing and to replace these habits with new ones that enhance your life and your health.
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Big stories:
I’ve written about this before and I’ll keep writing about it without reserve: you do have more control over your health than you might have been led to believe.
One area that can really call for extra attention are the family stories. Does “everyone” end up with diabetes and this is considered inevitable? What about weight tales? Or attitudes towards Pharma drugs or, as is becoming ever more popular, supplements? What did you learn about health and what you can do about yours from your family? Is it time for you to change that narrative?
Once again, your excellent health coach can help you to sift through the stories and pick what strands to keep and which threads to toss. If diabetes runs in the family, you can make healthy choices and either avoid it or stave it off for much longer than expected. If weight or body image are cast in stone myths in your family, your health coach can help you to rewrite the tale. Your health coach isn’t going to persuade you to not take your prescription (that’s definitely not in the scope of practice for a health coach, nor is it ethical) but they can help you to shift your lifestyle so that your doctor gives you the go-ahead to stop taking this or that drug. And a good health coach is going to steer you away from supplements, not sell them to you.
Change:
It’s not always easy to change and we all know that, health coaches and clients alike. But when you have a plan, a strategy, and the right support system in place? Change becomes easier and easier. And change is good, especially when it relates to leaving behind unhealthy practices and getting set on a productive, functional, and realistic healing path.
You can do it, you know.
Are you ready for some change?
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Dr. Paula Bruno, Ph.D., L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, an AOBTA-CP traditional Chinese bodywork therapist, a health coach, and an author. She maintains an active and growing practice at her Austin, TX office. Dr. Bruno is also available for distance appointments for wellness consultation or coaching.
In her first career, she was a Spanish professor.
Dr. Bruno’s specialties as a Chinese medicine practitioner include: • Musculoskeletal health (acute or chronic pain relief; Ehlers Danlos syndrome & hypermobility support) • Digestive support, gut health, and weight loss • Aesthetic treatment, including scar revision • Men’s health • General preventive care and wellness support for all persons.
She is the author of Chinese Medicine and the Management of Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: A Practitioner’s Guide. Dr. Bruno also maintains a second website, holistichealthandheds.com, with resources and information curated specifically for people with hEDS and HSD.
When you are ready to discover what traditional medicine plus a vibrant and engaged approach to holistic health can do for you, either contact Dr. Bruno or book an appointment online.
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Note: Material on this web site site is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease, illness, or ailment. A Chinese medicine practitioner in Texas identifies syndrome patterns but does not diagnose illness. Material on this web site does not purport to identify syndrome patterns.
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