Holistic companion

Have you ever noticed that you immediately respect some people while you do not respect others in a lifetime? Do you know people who say that they will do something but never do it? And do you say that you'll do something while you have no intention of doing it? Or do you often say things out of politeness, but never mean them? Most people in many cultures commonly begin conversations with the familiar automatic 'how are you - fine, thank you very much'. People say this even when they could not care less about how someone is. The words are just empty words. People don't mean them. Gentlemen, be careful with these words. Say them only when you mean them from the heart. Otherwise you'll immediately make yourselves sound automatic and artificial. We all feel when people say what they don't mean. When we say that we'll do something, we create an expectation in our listeners. If I tell you that I'll call you at a certain time, I'm setting you up to expect my call. If I say that I'll call and have no intention of calling while I say it, I'm false or too cowardly to tell things straight. I mean well, of course - I want to be polite because I can't bring myself  to tell you that I don't want to call you. But if I have no intention of calling, would I not be more polite and respectful if I didn't say anything if I couldn't bring myself to say that I wouldn't call? If I tell you that I'll call and don't, I project the image that I'm not trustworthy. You cannot count on my word in fut... Read More

To break bad habits is not merely a matter of knowledge or skill.  If it was, then all information campaigns on how to improve health would have made illnesses a thing of the past.  We would all be slim and rich and teenage girls would not get pregnant.  Sadly, many people do not create lasting changes and repeat their failures again and again.Why? How? Have you ever tried to break bad habits? The key to creating and maintaining behavioral change is in getting and staying motivated.  Some people make lifestyle changes that last a few weeks at best.  The attendance figures at health clubs in January show you the people who begin very motivated and lose the passion.  Other people wish that they could do something, but never work up the motivation to begin.  The title of comedian Totie Fields' book I Think I’ll Start on Monday: The official 8 1/2oz Mashed Potato Diet sums it up.  She also said: “I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is two weeks". Can crisis motivate us to change? Conventional theory suggests that the highest potential for change is in crisis.  This seems logical, since nothing is normal during a crisis and the abnormality is the opportunity to make important decisions about the future.  People often try to make radical shifts when they face financial or other disasters.  But if crisis really is the highest potential time for change, then why do 90% of coronary bypass patients not make long-term changes to their b... Read More