SMARTsteps to Better Health

A Different Kind of Wellness Program, I Promise : )

The Challenge

While many face differing unpleasant circumstances and life challenges, often there is a unifying theme, bad choices in the moment; and we make a lot of them.   While there are many faces to the accumulation of these bad choices, high blood pressure, diabetes arthritis, cancer, obesity, violence etc., the consequences go beyond ourselves to also affect the communities in which we live.  Not only is there a great economic burden because of the high cost of health-care, but we seem to be creating a season where more and more parents are burying their children, which is not the natural order of life.   This must change.

My Observations

In my quest to better understand these challenges, I have observed the following:

1. While knowledge is power, it is no guarantee:  The formula for wellness is simple; adequate rest, good nutrition, and regular moderate physical activity.  However knowledge of the right road does not ensure that the right road will be taken in the moment.  Sometimes we choose the wrong road, knowing that it will provide more pain and suffering in the end.
2. The importance of emotion: Several of my observations concerning emotion can be summarized in one question; “Do you make your best decisions when swimming in anger?” Most answer no to this question, and realize that decisions made in this state usually lead to more pain.  If we are to make better choices we must do better at managing our emotions and managing stress.  This suggest that they keys to better health lie outside of the traditional health-care and healthy living resources.
3. The importance of words/networks: The source of most behaviors, the building blocks of a life, is emotion, which is rooted in beliefs which are rooted in images and words that are perpetuated by the groups (networks) that surround us.  These groups include our families, and the people we encounter where we work and play.  As and example, if your friends are stressed, you will likely be stressed as well.  Similarly, if many of your friends exercise, you are more likely to exercise.  “Birds of a feather, flock together”.  We must be aware of our social networks and how they may be influencing us.  Even better is to construct a network that helps you. 
4. The target is flourishing: No longer should we be trying to get to a place of being less miserable.  Its not about going from -5 to -3 but going from 2 to 10.  We inherently know this.  Most are looking for a better way to live, for a way to be happy, to feel good about being themselves, to be “authentic”.

My Personal Mission: Community of A’s and a is for “Authenticity”

All that I have seen and learned to date concerning wellness has been (by divine guidance), summed up into one program that I initially called 12 Steps to Better Health and a Better Community, and is now called SMARTsteps.  If you have found it difficult to make the right health choice in the moment, this is the program for you.  It is a twelve week program where the participant is given just 3 tasks to complete each week.  The tasks cover the domains of stress, nutrition, physical activity, and personal development.   The first nine weeks create positive energy, and the last three weeks create positive direction with the ultimate goal of strengthening individuals and  families; fundamental building blocks of society. Contained within the program is a tool known as the Citizen Report Card which serves as a framework for the creation of sustained positive direction. With this tool, participants will grade themselves from a “D” to an “A”, based principally on their behavior in 15 “Classes”.  The goal over time is to create a community of “A’s”.

Not all of the information presented in this program will be new, but most will be seen in a slightly different light.  As an example, realize that “Low Fat” means very little because all excess calories consumed are turned into fat.  This means you can put on pounds just by eating sugar.  You must be concerned for the total amount of calories consumed.  Also strong light before going to bed (e.g. TV or computer work) can affect the quality of your sleep which can also make it difficult to loose weight.

Toward creating a community of A’s, I have a lot of it figured out.  But there is still much to be uncovered which is why I need you.  By participating in this program you help me understand the best way to communicate what works best.  Every-time I go through the program with a group the program gets better.  If you are concerned for the current path of your life, members of your family, or community, consider using this program and engaging others.  You may be the seed that turns things around.

If your still interested, doing the following will facilitate what will become a very interesting journey for you:

1) Watch the YouTube video on Properity that describes “Why We Need Us” (to watch click the hyperlink).  This is a 5 minute video that will explain why I’m trying to be my best, and get you to do the same

2) Watch the video “Forks over Knives”.   (to watch click the hperlink) This can be found on Netflix or you can click on this link to Hulu were you can watch in on your computer for free.

3) Join LinkedIn, and ask to join my network (James Blessman).  When you send me a request, mention SMARTsteps and I will send you an invitation to the SMARTsteps group.  This will allow us to share insights allong your journey and answer any questions you may have.

4) Click on the links below, and beging to complete a step each week. 

Enjoy your journey : )

For a SMARTmind

SMARTstep Week 1 , SMARTstep Week 2, SMARTsteps Week 3

For SMARTnutrition

SMARTsteps Week 4 , SMARTstep Week 5 , SMARTsteps Week 6

For SMARTactivity (exercise)

SMARTstep Week 7 ,SMARTsteps Week 8 , SMARTsteps Week 9

For SMARTaction (social health)

SMARTsteps Week 10 , SMARTsteps Week 11 , SMARTsteps Week 12