Traveling the Longest Yard

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.  Knowing is not enough; we must apply.  Being willing is not enough; we must do.”  Leonardo da Vinci

Are you overdue for a vacation?  Well, I was, until this past week, when I took a much needed and very long overdue one and, in the process, was reminded of some of my own “wisdom” that I had not heeded.  You see, when I facilitate well-being workshops, I often share that if you wait to take a vacation until you “need it,” you’ve waited too long, because most of your vacation will be spent in “recovery” rather than “rejuvenation” or “renewal.”  We all “know” that while recovery is sometimes necessary, prevention of the need for recovery is a much-preferred option.

I call the phenomenon of the distance between “knowing” and “doing” as “the longest yard.”  It comprises the one-foot distance between head and heart (knowing to believing) and the two-foot distance between heart and hands (believing to doing).  And there are many things (beyond taking a vacation before we “need” it) that we as well-educated, well-resourced, and really smart professionals “know” but don’t necessarily “do” – often starting with our own health habits.  An in case you hadn’t noticed, the intermediary between “knowing” and “doing” is “believing,” and this involves emotion.  It is therefore no accident that the word “motion” is the foundation of that word, as it is emotion that truly motivates change.

It was in that context that I set as part of my intention at the beginning of my vacation that I was going to end the week “healthier” than when it started, and I defined “healthier” as a specific number, as in my weight.  What was different from previous such aspirations is that this time I declared my intention to my PeerRxMed partners, so some emotion (pride, determination …) was now involved.  And that helped me overcome some habitual vacation eating habits starting with limiting how much of the “Tos Trio” (Fri, Dori, Chee) and their many relatives that I ate. 

Well, I’m glad to share that when it comes to this particular intention, I was able to not only travel the “longest yard,” but actually enjoyed doing so and the momentum created, combined with a new “spring in my step” post vacation, has continued on as I’ve returned to work. 

How about you?  What health habit/s have you been feeling challenged in trying to address?  Perhaps a vacation combined with an explicit intention shared with your PeerRxMed partner may be just the kick start you need.  Even if you don’t succeed, at least you still had a vacation!  And taking that before you “need” it is one health habit we all could do a bit more of right now. 

PS:  My next vacation is already scheduled!  One “lesson learned,” at least for now ….