don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege, one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans, for in our hands lies the ability to shape our world, for good or for ill.
President Barack Obama, Address to joint session of Congress, February 24, 2009

President Obama identified three priorities in his recovery plan outlined to the American people—education, health care and energy. The president's budget, entitled, "A New Era Of Responsibility: Renewing America's Promise," describes the nature of investments in these three areas relative to overall recovery spending.

I have a suggestion for all Americans: Create YOUR OWN stimulus plan based on REAL wellness advances in education, energy and health care. I plan to describe how this might be approached In a work to be called, Create A Personal Stimulus Plan To Complement President Obama's New Era Of Responsibility.

I agree with the president that these are "extraordinary times," but throughout human history the most extraordinary time for the individual (as opposed to a nation) is the time he or she has. No matter how "extraordinary" another age or historical period might have been, it does not matter as much for YOUR life as this time does. To belabor the point for just a moment, nothing that took place before, during or since the Stone Age, the Copper Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age or the modern age matters as much TO YOU, living now, as the choices you make that affect the quality of your life.

So try to remember that the present is the most extraordinary time you are ever going to get.This is the time to live in a manner that promotes your very best chances for happiness, health, meaning, exuberance and a life of reason with love given and received. Those are the life quality areas you shape day after day and can improve with a personal stimulus plan for your own continuing education, energy needs and (hopefully) limited health care requirements.

So, in your hands, at this time while you live, lays the chance to shape a small part of the world—the part you inhabit, for good or for ill. A REAL wellness lifestyle is something you owe to yourself. President Obama believes, and I agree with him, that you owe it, as well, to your family, your community and last, but not least, to your country. Choose REAL wellness.

REAL wellness is a commitment to behaviors, throughout each day, that boost quality of life. No medical system can ever do that, no matter how improved or reformed—it can only do repairs. REAL wellness is not reactive (i.e., designed to avoid risks of illness); it is positive (i.e., designed to advance a better degree of functioning). REAL wellness is a mindset wherein you see yourself as the key variable, the accountable agent to make life as agreeable as possible. REAL wellness entails attention to meaning and purpose, to happiness, to reasoned decision-making, to environmental awareness and to ethical choices. The latter is even more important in our present culture wherein top business leaders, politicians and others have distorted, squandered, plundered and manipulated the public trust. In his speech to the joint session of Congress, President Obama made reference to "a national culture of irresponsibility." Do not be a part of that culture—create a personal stimulus plan, a recovery plan, for the needed new era of responsibility and exuberant well-being.

While "the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others," as President Obama noted, the individual's first concern should be the state of her own life pattern. This state, the quality of your life, IS affected by but NOT entirely dependent upon the state of the economy. If your body is falling apart, this should be "a concern that rises above all others." Translation: Your lifestyle should be your priority number one, always, in good times, bad times or any times!

All Americans can benefit from a guide in the new era of responsibility. I am creating a REAL wellness guide as a personal adjunct to the president's national agenda to renew the nation's promise. It is organized to support the three great priorities of energy, education and health care—but on a personal level. It is what YOU can do to boost the quality of YOUR life in these three great areas.

I think it will be helpful for everyone and invaluable for you if you are not already in top form, mentally and physically, provided you are ready to think about and work on your conditioning, nutrition, interest levels, reasons for living and relationships.

Enjoy and be well. Always look on the bright side of life.

(Note: The guide referenced, designed for employees in companies with worksite wellness programs and for others interested in shaping or fine-tuning a lifestyle of REAL wellness, will be entitled, Create A Personal Stimulus Plan to Complement President Obama's New Era Of Responsibility. Members of SeekWellness.com will receive a notice of availability of this book within the next two months.)

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of adaptations and challenges. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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