4.03 Understanding that Healthy Living is a Skill
Enter the HeartStrong.com program with the idea that you are learning a new skill, no different than other skills like learning to play an instrument. The more you work at it, the better you become, until one day you can play that instrument proficiently! It takes at least 2-3 years to learn to play an instrument well…it takes the same before you will look back on your journey and realize that you are good at living a healthy lifestyle. To understand the concept more, check out Playing the Guitar.
When learning a new skill they say that “practice makes perfect.” It is quite true that the more you work at something, the better you will be. You need to make your health a priority in your life and think about living a heart healthy lifestyle EVERY DAY. Thinking about it every day keeps you focused on what is important. Leading a healthy lifestyle will not just happen overnight. You need to build up that skill. The more you work at it, the better you will be.
When you first learned how to ride a bike, no doubt you fell many times and perhaps had some scrapes and bruises along the way. But you got up and kept trying. And now riding a bike is second nature!
Expect that you will falter here and there along your Heartstrong.com program, just like falling off a bike. It is near impossible to be perfect with any healthy eating or physical activity plan since you never know what life might throw at you. Being mentally prepared for setbacks will help you to overcome it, get back on track and come out even stronger. Everyone will get off track periodically, but getting back in the right direction with the right attitude is what makes all the difference!