When a person rarely gets sick, he/she is deemed as healthy. However, being healthy is more than just the absence of physical sickness. To be healthy, a person must be able to “function at an optimal level” in each of the six dimensions of health (Donatelle). These dimensions include physical health, social health, intellectual health, emotional health, spiritual health, and environmental health. Reaching optimal health in each of these dimensions results to many benefits. For instance, being physically healthy means that a person will be able to perform his responsibilities and roles as a member of his/her family and the society as a whole. Being physically healthy also means there is more time to enjoy life and less time spent on hospitals or clinics. It also means less money spent on medications, and this money can be spent for other purposes. Achieving maximum social health is also beneficial in the sense that successful interaction with peers can be achieved. This interaction is vital to fulfill an individual’s need for social belonging. Moreover, being intellectually healthy allows a person to make logical and clear decisions in life, which is also vital in developing a good quality of living. As for the emotional aspect, achieving optimal health on this dimension is beneficial because this allows an individual to experience emotional stability and develop self-confidence. These two are important when making connections to other people and when performing roles within a society. Furthermore, reaching optimal spiritual health is also beneficial because it gives an individual a sense of purpose and meaning. Likewise, optimal environmental health also benefits an individual because it fosters a sense of gratitude. It enables a person to appreciate the environment that surrounds him/her.
In order to achieve one’s optimal health in these areas, behavioral change is needed. This is where the importance of applying the Transtheoretical Model comes in. This model presents six steps in the process of intentional behavioral change (Donatelle). At the start of the process of changing behaviors to achieve maximum health, a person enters the precontemplation stage. During this stage, the person is not yet ready to live a healthy lifestyle because he/she is either uninformed of under informed about the consequences of his/her current behaviors (Donatelle). The next stage, contemplation, is when the person becomes ready (Donatelle). The intention of being healthy is already established at this point. Next is the preparation stage. At this stage, the person’s plan (e.g., stop smoking, going to the gym, etc.) is ready and he/she intends to take actions immediately (Donatelle). The action stage is what follows next. This stage is where the actual modification of behavior happens (Donatelle). The last is the maintenance stage, the part when significant modifications already occur. At this point, the person is working to sustain healthy behaviors and he/she avoids going back to his/her old unhealthy ways (Donatelle).
Clearly, being healthy in all dimensions of one’s existence is beneficial. It is the key to live a good quality of life. Although challenging, the six steps to behavioral change would be helpful in living a healthier lifestyle.
Over the course of three weeks, I focused on improving my physical health by eliminating the use of cigarettes. I have been a smoker for many years, and although I have often contemplated on quitting, I failed several times – probably because of the lack of determination. However, my latest attempt is different. I set out a plan to totally eliminate smoking and replace it with a healthier behavior – exercising by going to the gym. This is challenging in the sense that smoking is a lot easier as long as I have the cigarettes. It can be done anytime of the day without preparation unlike going to the gym which requires more time and effort. Despite this, I believe that I’m able to achieve my goals because I am ready and eager to finally quit smoking. I scheduled my gym time twice a week, and I also work out few minutes at home on other days. When I feel like smoking, I read materials about its negative effects. At times, I also spend preparing my gym clothes and other stuff to keep my thoughts occupied. In addition, when I get tempted to smoke, I divert my attention by thinking about the physique that I wish to achieve and plan out how I could do it. The biggest positive factor that affects my current behavior change is my knowledge about the cons of smoking.
My behavior change, replace smoking with a healthier habit (exercise by going to the gym on a regular basis) is beneficial in so many ways. First, quitting the use of cigarettes saves me from higher risk of diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and lunch cancer (“Health Effects”). At the same time, it helps in weight control (being overweight is linked to many diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension), strengthens muscles, reduces stress, improves mood, and boosts the immune system (“Benefits”). This means that as I quit smoking and start going to the gym instead, my chances of dying prematurely is reduced, while my physical and mental health improves in the process.
Works Cited
“Benefits of Exercise.” University of Mary Washington. University of Mary Washington, 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Donatelle, Rebecca. Access to Health. 13th ed. California: Pearson Education Inc., 2013. Print.
“Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, 1 Oct. 2015. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
