I have experienced profound loss in the past year. The kind that leaves people feeling helpless on how to comfort me. In going through the process of recovery, one of the things I’ve focused on is what I do have vs. what I have lost.
One of the things that kept cropping up on my list was my health. Initially I rolled my eyes and chuckled to myself, because it’s common nomenclature for people to say ‘At least you still have your health’. But then I stepped back and put that into context.
What actually are the key things in your life that are so crucial to your quality of life as well as your resultant ability to take care of yourself?
Your health.
When it’s compromised it affects every aspect of your life. Your ability to live your life fully. Your ability to function at a level you want. Your ability to work, or, at least your ability to perform well. Not least of all it also affects your well being, affecting your mental well being and your relationships.
In applying it to my role as a Financial Planner, it quickly translates into a client’s ability to continue to work, to stay independent, and to reach their financial and life goals. It translates into viewing money spent to eat healthy, be physically active, and practice things that allow for mental well-being not as an expense but as an investment.
This could include hiring a physical trainer to help you establish good habits for exercise.
Or a nutritionist to help you establish good habits for healthy eating.
Or a counselor to establish and maintain mental well being.
Spending money on these services translates into better health and our ability to live a life we want to live and should be considered an investment in ourselves, similar to how we view education as an investment in ourselves.
So when you do put it into context, it’s not an ‘at least’ statement at all.
It’s a ‘Thank Goodness’ statement.’ e.g. ‘Yes, this loss happened, but you have many things in your life that are as precious, if not more. Most significantly is, Thank Goodness, you have your health.’
Don’t believe me?
Go to any Assisted Living or Rehabilitative Care facility and ask the residents what they think about the preciousness of having good physical and mental health.