What Is Quality of Life? 7/6/24
I’m confident you know of the research and data surrounding earlier onset of metabolic disease, undernourished youth in our society, and obesity – so I will save you part of the headache. While we will dip into the muck that influences our quality of life, let’s first identify the good.
When I hear “quality of life”, I imagine us being limitless, smiling, positive adventures, no physical performance restrictions, enjoyment of physical performance, good sexual health, good relationships, a powerful momentum, complete freedom.
While career, finance, and education have large roles in most of our lives, I want to focus on our internal influence. I want to think of our internal influence as an adjustable light switch for our feelings and behaviors – bright or dim. How you feel and behave impacts your daily engagements and relationships that compound and develop over time.
Let’s talk about food. Overeating or binge eating from stress, overwhelm. It’s ironic. Within a moment of sadness, or where we feel nothing at all, food is there. It doesn’t judge, and we can manipulate the degree of control we have or don’t have when around it. It could be whole foods, or it could be Friday’s favorite takeout spot. Either way, time is toyed with and you get what you want…well, within that hour, or day, or week. You choose how long your future self remains a hostage for. I’ll include some negotiation tactics at the end. I know what it’s like to eat well beyond the point of satiation. Let’s reflect.
Do you know what it’s like to:
a. Make yourself re-wear the same clothes that do not reflect who you are?
b. Not feel noticed?
c. Not feel loved?
d. Want to be “normal” like the other people in your friend group?
e. Skip events that you want to be a part of – or maybe you show up because you can crack another fake smile?
f. Suffocate your natural beauty with extreme makeup because it feels like your last chess move to step out into the world?
g. Feel shame?
h. Be irritable and resentful towards loved ones when they don’t fulfill an expectation you created in order to feel better about yourself?
i. When you’re around people who have more confidence than you do? Maybe it is because they practice taking care of themselves. I didn’t really know what it was like on “that side”.
Then there are doctor’s visits. Weighing in, feedback from lab testing, compounded anxiety, and not getting the proper information on how to navigate this thing we call health.
You may feel like you’re in limbo - a grey area of some sort. You anticipate it coming to a head, but yet you go through the motions which seems like the most legitimate path. Each moment can become more and more burdensome.
These are just a few fragments that I’ve found to influence quality of life, aside from other major life events. It seems like noise within our heads is along for a ride during any and all of these experiences. Know that you aren’t alone, and working with a Health Coach can help your quality of life.
Negotiation Tactics
If you notice a weight gain and are overeating or binge eating, I want you to reference the following.
Stop. Stop in your tracks completely. Ask,
Why do I want this?
How will it make me feel?
Will this bring me closer to or further from my goals?
Will I feel pride or shame after?
Tell yourself there is more than enough of everything, forever.
