Real Life Wellness: WELLNESS AND ILLNESS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER

By Bill Hemmer
Every time I make this statement, I get looked at like I’m an alien sent from a distant galaxy to rule the world. Well, I promise you I’m not. I’m just a man trying to help as many people as I can live better, more joyful lives. So, what the heck do I mean by that statement?

I recently flew to Oakland, Calif., for a wellness seminar. I try to go to as many seminars as I can to give me new ideas and confirm that I’m on the right track. But this guy just blew me away! His name is Dr. Donald Epstein. He is a Chiropractor that has been in practice for almost 30 years and has developed his own technique and system to help his patients. But his approach to wellness is different than anybody else I have ever seen.

Picture this…a person on their death bed, they have battled a long illness and are just about to leave this world. But they have made peace with themselves, their family, their friends, their God and their life. How well do you think that person is? I believe they are very well! They still have their illness, but they have separated their illness from their wellness, therefore they can have both of them working within their self at the same time.

This concept just blew me away! Our entire culture has been based on the illness model of healthcare. For many people, your illness becomes who you are as a person. You become a person that is obese, or with fibromyalgia, or heart disease, or with a back problem. The illness becomes your main focus in your life and your days and nights are spent worrying about your illness and you don’t spend quality time developing the other parts of your life that can lead you to your own Wellness.

That was the other thing that was re-affirmed in this seminar, only you can bring about your own wellness. Because only you know deep down in your heart what you need to do to make yourself well. For some people it is a better diet, others more exercise, others less stress from family or job, others better environment. You and only you can determine what will make you truly well.

So, to increase your level of health you must decide that your illness is only a small part of who you really are and you are not going to allow this small portion of your self image dominate your existence. Once you come to this decision, then you must ask yourself the all-important question. What do you need to do to become really well? You know. Don’t let your brain get in the way. Just let your spirit give you the answers you need and don’t try to over analyze the answers you get. Just let them come.

Once you realize your illness is not all you are, you can then take the next steps to bring true joy and fulfillment into your life. And your level of anxiety and concern will also begin to decrease because your illness is no longer all you think about.

Next week, I’m going to begin to talk about the next great discovery I made that weekend, the six stages of human behavioral change. This book finally explained to me why I have struggled so much throughout my own life. I bet it will help you too.