The impossible is possible...

We should never underestimate the value that exercise in its various forms can have on not just our physical fitness but also on how balanced or happy we feel as individuals.

All too often we fail to recognise how important engaging in exercise can be, beyond its most common 'use' - to lose weight and/or gain physical fitness.  And yet there is no doubt that exercise can help us to feel happier in ourselves and about our lives in general, it can help us to feel more relaxed and better able to cope with the various stresses that we face.  It can be a powerful regulator of the frustrations we feel, but perhaps most importantly it can help us to feel truly exhilarated and to experience emotions that would otherwise not be felt.

Experiencing sun-rise on a Summer's morning, walking through woodland in Autumn and seeing Nature getting ready for Winter, reaching the peak of a hill or mountain...

As Scott Jurek says in the attached video, "happiness is like stillness..." and "life is about believing that the impossible is possible."

Everyone is capable of change

I regularly receive comments whilst at work that I am "too optimistic" or hear expressions of surprise that I'm trying to motivate or influence behaviour change in an individual that "isn't interested" or who "will never change."

Its easy to find ourselves in a position where this is the prevailing attitude; we let stereotypes get in the way and lose sight of the individual in front of us.

Everyone is capable of change.  And not only this, everyone is capable of change all of the time.  For some this will be relatively straightforward, others will require encouragement from those they trust, aspire to or who they respect.

Without realising it we can so easily de-motivate individuals and reinforce their lack of belief in change.  Then when they do not make the progress we would expect of them, it reinforces our own beliefs in that person and their "lack of interest" to change.

I have copied the text below from a blog by Katie Slack (MI training today) because its sentiment is so true:

It comes down to the question, will we choose to be judgemental and take a harsh stance with our clients about their lack of progress towards change...Or will we stand with them - where they are in the moment - and have compassion for their struggles, while still gently challenging them with the question "What do you want to do now?"

If the people we are involved with hear our lack of belief in them, where do they draw inspiration from then?

People come to believe what they hear themselves saying

People come to believe what they hear themselves saying...every opportunity we have to influence positive behaviour change should have this sentiment in mind.

A person's belief is far more powerful than any truth or advice that we can impart.  Influencing behaviour change will always be more effective if a person genuinely believes that they can (begin) to make changes to their life. We have a responsibility to foster personal belief and invest time in ensuring that the messages we give reinforce this in the peron we are talking to.

In its simplest form this can be asking a few questions about a persons lifestyle and LISTENING to their answers. It may mean offering basic advice or providing information on how to access specialist support. Sometimes it can take the form of an extended intervention with an individual.

However the underlying message has to be of optimism and positivity. If patients/clients/individuals hear negative messages from the person providing advice this will in most cases simply reinforce the status quo and reduce the chance that behaviour change will occur.

The value of opportunism

There are so many opportunities to influence positive behaviour or lifestyle change. However in order to take advantage of them we need to be able to see that they exist, have the skills to maximise the opportunity and have the belief that our intervention can be effective.

After 8 years of working as a specialist nurse in this area, specifically in relation to substance misuse, I believe passionately in the value of interventions aimed at influencing people to make positive lifestyle changes. Indeed I could now list so many examples of this that it surprises me how resistant other practitioners can be when it comes to encouraging them to provide this support.

This blog will illustrate the power that these interventions can have as well as the many opportunities that are constantly available for applying them.