Reading this article will make you feel happier?
We live in an age where there is more information at our finger tips than ever before in history. Most of us have access to the internet via various platforms, 24 hours a day. Videos, blogs, podcasts, news and so much more.
In the area that I am particularly interested in, health and wellbeing, much has been written or spoken about how you can improve your health and wellbeing. So much information is out there that it would take several lifetimes to read, listen or watch it all.
Each source of information has at it’s core an assumption that by consuming the message, you will then take action, take on board the information, enact the ‘simple tips’, change your ways and as a result feel healthier and happier.
So, what’s wrong with that?
For many people this may be just the thing they need. A short, well informed, well-constructed message that gives them the key to unlock the door to the life that they want to live. Or a nudge towards behaving in a way that they think will be of benefit to them.
However, as previously mentioned, there is so much information out there, scanning through this ocean of data can become, if we are not careful, a task in itself. I am not sure that is an efficient use of time or energy.
Essentially, becoming a part-time research student, discerning the most effective research, advice and guidance can actually take you further from the core objective, to live a life that is healthy and promotes wellbeing, and leave you a slave to social media, always looking for that new shiny piece of information.
So, what is the alternative?
I came across a nice concept the other day that helps to explain my point. The GI JOE fallacy suggests that contrary to the GI JOE TV show from the 1980’s, knowing is not half the battle. Merely knowing something is not enough to change your behaviour.
In other words, you can read some excellent information about how to make lifestyle changes that will lead you to feel healthier and happier, but this information is only a set of words on a page, or pixels in a video. It is the enacting of the information that leads to the improved health outcomes.
Therefore, to answer the question at the top of the article, it is not the reading of the article that will make you happier, but the enactment of the information. More than that, to be truly effective it needs to be specifically tailored to you, that comes from you, in a way that you understand and that you are motivated to take action on.
This is quite a tall order for any article, regardless of how skilled the author is. Another way to get this type of bespoke, tailored guidance is by having someone to talk to, who you can collaborate with to understand what you need and then empower you to take action. A close friend, partner, family member, colleague at work, a counsellor or a life coach.
What types of skills should you look for in this person?
Here are a few ideas:
Someone who is able to build rapport with you
Someone who has empathy, sympathy and compassion and knows where each has it’s place
Someone who is able to communicate clearly with you with good active and reflective listening skills
Someone who can ask great questions
Someone who has a passion for health and wellbeing and has some effective strategies that can lead to sustainable outcomes.
A final point needs to be made about the speed of change.
Change can happen overnight, but it is more often a process that takes time. There may well be set backs and challenges along the way. Having the support of someone you trust, who will be there to support you and motivate you can keep you on track when things feel tough.
So, has reading this article made you feel happier?
My intention has been to highlight the potential for disappointment if we expect that by just reading/watching/listening to information on health and wellbeing it will make us feel happier.
It is through the action we take that we realise the potential for positive behaviour change. We can use an article as a starting point to then reach out to partners, friends, family, colleagues, counsellors or life coaches who have the right skills to support us in finding out exactly what we need.
It is through the patient self development work that is inherently unique to you that real and sustainable change comes.
If you would like to start a conversation about how you might make improvements to your health and wellbeing, I would be really interested to hear from you.
As a certified Health and Wellbeing Coach, with training and experience in supporting people to make sustainable changes to their lifestyle, I can help you to move beyond knowing, to doing and being.
