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BCMS ALLIANCE

Planning

for More

Than Just

Your

Financial

Health so, we often neglect the very thing that retirees cherish the most – their health. It’s already a struggle
We spend a lot of time and effort working towards a financially stable retirement, but in doing
to keep up with the demands of work, family and community, but we can’t discount the importance
of actively investing in both our short-term and long-term health.
By Sue Bernstein, MS A proven strategy for making healthy lifestyle changes is to focus on modifying daily habits. Small
adjustments in routines or activities can result in large, long-term gains. While we all know that
habits can be difficult to break, here are a few tips:

1. Talk to your future self. What would you say about your current path? What are you currently
doing or not doing that your future self would regret? What should you be doing now to thrive
instead of just survive?

2. Figure out which things in your life you want to change and most importantly, why you want
to change them. Knowing why it’s important to make a change and how that change will impact
your life overall will help motivate and inspire you to get past tough moments. As you encounter
distractions, focus on your motivation.

3. Tackle one habit at a time. Making small but consistent changes in one area will strengthen both
that habit and your confidence in your ability to be successful. When you’re ready, tackle the
next habit.

4. Count your wins, not your failures. Focus on making progress rather than aiming for perfec-
tion.

5. Use your missteps as lessons. If you go off track, ask yourself what happened and what you could
do differently next time. This will guide you to future successes.

6. Connect with your emotions. Contemplate how your emotional states are propagating bad
habits such as unhealthy eating, excessive drinking and poor sleep.

7. Have a support system. Find others with whom to join forces; an accountability partner, com-
munity group or coach can help you stay focused on your ultimate goals.

Just as with financial planning, working on long-term wellness is best started early and worked
on consistently. Small steps can lead to great gains. Fortunately, good habits are just as strong and
hard to break as bad ones. As healthcare providers and health advocates, we play an important role
in helping people develop healthy lifestyles. Your personal changes are likely to motivate others and
as a positive role model, you are also more likely to remain on your own health path.

Sue Bernstein, MS is a Health Transformation Coach and Consultant and the Recording Secretary
of the Bexar County Medical Alliance

10 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • April 2021