“The more comfortable you get, the closer you get to losing what you’ve got.”
Too often in a lifespan we begin to take life for granted. We take our health for granted. We take our family members, friends, or even spouse for granted.
As we grow and hopefully learn through our experiences or the experiences of those around us. The more we learn the more we realize we don’t know; there’ is always more to learn.
Whether we are open to those learning experiences or closed off, the world will continue to go on around us regardless or how resistant or accepting of change we choose to be.
I recall growing up watching signs and symptoms of chronic consumption of alcohol leading to a series of complications affecting both health, finances, poor decision making, and loosing privileges that previously existed. I’ve had friends and family of friends pass away due to an accident associated to alcohol intake and making poor decisions that led to the worst possible outcome.
Watching family members pass away from lifestyle led cancer and emphysema related to lifestyle choices and yet still not motivating enough to encourage change in those who are still around.
In order to break the chain of learned poor decision making; separating yourself from those who make poor choices might empower us to live a better life. While role modeling for those who look to us for direction.
We never truly appreciate what we’ve got until it’s gone.
A simple reminder of this is to reflect back on the last time we were sick with something such as a common cold, the flu, or at this point COVID-19. At least for myself, I miss and appreciate the ability to breathe well, taste well, or we cannot perform with a healthy amount of energy.
There are other pathologies that tend to stick around a lot longer than just a few week.
- Diabetic neuropathy leading to an amputation
- Lumbar radiculopathy living with “pins and needles” down your leg
- Sarcopenia and osteoporosis
- Different types of cancers
- Stroke and chronic cardiovascular diseases
By the time these pathologies onset, many tend to question “why me” or accept it as fate; while others see it as an opportunity to a dramatic lifestyle shift in attempt to regain their health and independence against a debilitating pathology.
It’s never too late to start improving your health through routine and habits, but it’s a lot easier to do it before your health fails you.
Becoming Complacent:
I recall listening to an NPR podcast a few years ago and the headline of the episode came up recently on the radio: (Hidden Brain) The topic, Hedonic Treadmill. It’s one reason why we might be excited for something new whether it’s a new house, new car, new bag, new friend etc.
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/897673162
The hedonic treadmill is a baseline adaptation after the initial dopamine hit of excitement. Eventually we are no longer appreciative of what we have and we might begin looking for the next “thing” or “experience” only to find that was not the solution either. We never get to enjoy what we have and reflect on the progress we have made because we begin to take it for granted.
The same goes for health, when we are healthy we take advantage and potentially abuse our bodies until it no longer can take the abuse of self neglect.
I highly suggest checking our the NPR talk on the hedonic treadmill to learn more.
Getting Too Comfortable:
Getting too comfortable leads to complacency, complacency leads to diminishing returned. Eventually progress made will lead to regression. This is for our physical health that although is never forever, the regression can be mitigated as we age. Our educational health alike can be managed through cognitive challenges and constant learning (building and maintaining brain synapses), our relationships with others too fade without constant efforts. Unfortunately sometimes it is too late and you miss the signs of inevitable change.
The Alternative:
Personal growth comes from a mindset shift, if you’ve been following me or familiar; personal growth has been a topic of interest for the past several years. I have learned that the more I understand myself and how I am bound to respond to things emotionally, the better I can audit myself. The more I understand myself and the psychology of how others operate around me, the better I can interact and help those willing to listen and pursue more out of life.
If you want to live the best life for the rest of your life: Follow us!
Have questions feel free to ask!
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Website: DylanJEngland.com
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