Wow! You’ve almost made it through an extraordinarily difficult year. Take a deep breath in ….. And let it go….. Feels good, right? One more time? In …… and out ….

Now that I have you 10% more relaxed ….Maybe I can encourage you to visualize …. I’m sure you don’t want to think very far into the future with how much you’ve gone through this last year …

Humor me for a second … Imagine this:

Is it possible that 2021 could be one of your BEST years ever? (Certainly it must be up there in the top 5 when contrasting to 2020!)

If it’s possible…. How could you make that happen?

What do you want out of next year and why? Instead of thinking about New Year's resolutions (that almost always fail), let’s take a different approach.

Let’s invert the problem, and THEN figure out the pieces and behaviors that need to be in place to get there.

Instead of seeing a series of roadblocks that need to be overcome (very frustrating) ….

I think of inverting a problem on its head to the end-goal, and work backwards from there….

I’ve used this method to heal my back, my depression / anxiety, and 100s of patients with similar issues in the past ... It works very well...

“LOVING TRAVEL!” Example of this method:

Let’s say you want to walk 5 miles (the WHAT) so you can enjoy traveling in [insert favorite destination here] once the pandemic is under control (the WHY).

We’ve identified the WHAT and WHY, and the problem (currently you can’t walk that distance comfortably).

What are the pieces that need to happen to get you to that point, and in what order?

Well, first you need to internalize your WHAT and WHY. Admit that you are ready to make a change. Admit that behaviors will need to change to get you there. (What you’re currently doing isn’t working).

After that, you may need to be assessed by a Physical Therapist to see why walking is painful in your case.

Then you will need to gradually work on your home program and troubleshoot roadblocks with your therapist.

Week-after-week, you will gradually increase your walking distance.

Potentially lose a few pounds through whatever method works best for you (intermittent fasting often works well.)

Before you know it, it will be Summer of 2021, and you will be gleefully strolling all the cobblestone streets / beaches of [Insert favorite travel destination here].

It all starts with inverting the problem, and breaking it down into manageable pieces …

(By the way, that is the essence of Physical Therapy.)

Let’s take another example:

“WEIGHT-LOSS” Example of this method:

You decide that:

“I want to lose 20 pounds by September of 2021, and keep it off forever, (THE WHAT and WHEN) so that I can feel and look great walking my daughter/granddaughter down the aisle at her wedding.” (THE WHY)

Again, we’ve identified the problem, and several key components necessary to figure out each step required to get there.

It’s time to meditate on why you’ve had difficulty losing weight, and keeping it off.

Is this unique to the pandemic? (Increased social isolation, increased sedentary lifestyle, late-night / stress eating, etc.)

Or is this something you’ve struggled with your entire life?

These are two very different problems.

If it is the former (pandemic-related weight gain), first start by reflecting on what is unique about the pandemic that has caused you to gain weight. Which of those things do you have the most power to change?

If it is the latter (life-long struggle), begin by reflecting on what HAS worked for you in the past, and then we can begin building from there.

One of the best things I’ve learned from the most successful patients who permanently lost weight is:

You need to put in some sort of interruption signal to an undesirable behavior. Most patients have told me that their weight gain (during pandemic times) is from increased stress eating … if that is you ...

Right before you reach for that [insert favorite high-calorie snack here]... PAUSE…. BREATHE IN… BREATHE OUT….

Ask yourself these two questions: “Why do I want this snack right now? Am I bored? Tired? Stressed?”

And more importantly, “Will eating this snack get me closer to my goal of (Pain-free walking / Looking good for my grand-daughter’s wedding).”

This is a substantially different mindset than using willpower. If you ask yourself those questions, and you STILL want to proceed, you absolutely have that choice.

This method has been studied extensively in smoking cessation. It is an effective method for weight loss, as well.

...And maybe in addition to the stress eating, your “back is out” again.

Maybe you’ve got out of practice on your home exercise program, or something has changed ...and those exercises are no longer helping.

Well, that’s not making it any easier to be active and move towards your goal, is it?

If this sounds like you, it's time to make an appointment with me so we can figure out what needs to change. This way, you can still find a way to be active through the long winter ahead.

Why am I bringing up these things now?

The sad reality is that most people wait until December 31st to begin even considering their health and wellbeing in 2021.

By then, they may become another statistic of failed New Year's resolutions. Let’s change that. Let's break the cycle.

Identify your problem / goal. Flip it upside down. Figure out what habits and behaviors you will need to put in place to be successful.

Will 2021 be your best year ever? I think it can be…. And I can help you get there. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed at the end of the year, eager for change…. Simply reply to this email … and let’s talk!

Happy Holidays,