Make More Health Deposits Than Withdrawals
It’s that time of year again. New year, new calendar, new you?
On December 31st, many of us are like runners lined up at the starting line of the Annual Race for Resolutions. Ready, set, the ball drops, the start gun pops, and we are off! January is synonymous with clean slates and fresh starts. As we embark on a new year, a bit of hopeful excitement is in the air. Hope is good. We make resolutions, or goals, or set intentions to manifest, or have a word of the year, or make a vision board …. and January is the time to start making those aspirations a reality. January is go time. So how is it going?
Or do you fall in the anti-resolution camp? Not surprisingly, the most popular resolutions are to exercise more and lose weight. If diet and exercise don’t appeal to you, or you are generally tired of all the “healthy” hype, I understand, I really do. Moreover, I’m sure you’ve heard the dismal success rates of New Year resolutions…. they rarely make it to February, so your skepticism is warranted.
But wherever you fall on the resolution spectrum, before you throw healthy changes out with the proverbial resolution bathwater, I’m here to remind you that your health matters. Whatever you choose to do with your one life, trust me, it is a heck of a lot easier when you have your health.
One of my personal mottos is:
Your health is like a bank – make more deposits than withdrawals.
Where did this motto come from and why does it resonate with me, and hopefully you?
Full confession, I did not make up the idea of “health deposits”. The first time I heard this phrase was from a random senator on a random morning show many years ago. He had been diagnosed with brain cancer and said he was glad he had developed some healthy habits over the years and had some reserves in his health bank account because he had to make some serious withdrawals now. Why this stuck in my memory, I have no idea. I am not a particular fan of politics, senators, or morning shows.
Fast forward years later when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37. For some reason, I remembered this comment about health deposits. As I grappled with the game plan of chemo, radiation, and surgery, it felt like I was in line at my health bank, on the verge of panic as I approached the teller to make some huge withdrawals. Would they say, “Approved!” 😊 or “Insufficient Funds” ☹️?
Luckily, the funds were there and this random phrase became a guidepost for my journey. For me, it encapsulates keeping it simple and recognizes that life is full of pluses and minuses. At the end of day, we just try to do our best stay on the positive side of the equation.
What is a health deposit?
Every day, you can do small things that will have a positive impact on your overall health. I call this a “health deposit”. Like putting a penny in a piggy bank, every little health deposit counts. A health deposit is any health-promoting behavior - it adds to your health bank. What is a health withdrawal? Basically, the opposite. It decreases the balance of your health bank.
View health deposits from a broad, holistic lens.
Health deposits are more than just food and exercise – it includes anything that nurtures your mind, body or spirit in all aspects of life, i.e., your relationships, career, home environment and spiritual practice. For example, date night with your beloved, lunch with the girls, golf with the boys, decluttering your desk, a walk around the block for some fresh air….they are all coins to drop into your health bank.
Health deposits take the long view
As IIN founder Joshua Rosenthal says: “Health is a vehicle, not a destination.” The concept of health deposits is a slow and steady approach to the aforementioned “resolution race”. There are no quick fixes or magic pills here. Life is a marathon, not a sprint….pace yourself accordingly.
Just like a bank account, the goal is to keep a positive balance and enough reserves to live the life you want. Too many withdrawals and not enough deposits to your health bank = a negative balance. Insufficient funds fee, anyone? No thank you!
More deposits than withdrawals? Cha-Ching! Now you are creating healthy habits and developing a lifestyle that supports vitality and longevity.
Making health deposits will create healthy habits - and friends, if I know one thing for sure, it is that healthy habits are the REAL money zone! I’m talking compound interest and a winning lottery ticket!
So how do you create healthy habits?
Dream big, but start small.
First, small action steps are crucial. According to B.J. Fogg Ph.D., a behavior scientist at Stanford University, leading expert on habit formation and NY Times bestselling author of Tiny Habits, the way to create lasting change is by not just starting small, but TINY. For example, if your goal is to drink more water, start with adding only one more glass, not four.
The trick is to design your action steps so you are setting yourself up for success. Ask yourself, “Can I do this on my hardest day?” If not, make it easier. If your expectations are too high and your action steps too hard, when the inevitable misstep happens, so does that feeling of failure – which does not help you create new habits.
Never underestimate the power of positivity
Second, the feeling of success is a crucial part of developing habits. According to B.J. Fogg, it’s a dopamine hit that actually rewires your brain. A few of my favorite takeaways from his Tiny Habits book which dispels some common myths are:
“You change best by feeling good, not bad” and “emotions create habits”- not willpower, motivation or doing something for a certain length of time.
So, quit beating yourself up. Rather, every time you make any health deposit, visualize dropping a coin in your health bank, do a fist pump, whatever gives you a sliver of joy. It will reinforce your new habit and create momentum.
Personally, I channel Napoleon Dynamite:
YES!!!
SWEET!
Dance!
Develop a Tribe with the Right Vibe
Third, you are who you hang out with. Start surrounding yourself with people who share your same values and will support your new habits. Cultivating social connections, friendships, community and a spiritual practice are absolute cornerstones of health and longevity.
In the “blue zones” – those places around the world where people live long and healthy lives – three things they have in common are:
a strong sense of community and social connections;
a sense of purpose; and
religion or a faith practice.
Start changing your environment so that the healthy choice is the easy choice. Attitudes are contagious. Set an intention to be around people who lift you up and encourage your healthy habits.
Examples of health deposits to get you started
You are unique. What is a health deposit for you might be a withdrawal for someone else. Case in point, I did a whole host of allergy and food sensitivity testing several months ago and found out certain “healthy” foods I ate all the time were negatively affecting me: avocado, green tea, salmon, lemons, sesame seeds, oats, cinnamon and, of course, gluten and dairy, just to name a few. Yikes!!! Turns out my daily matcha green tea latte with oat milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon was a health withdrawal and not a health deposit, for me.
How do you know what is a health deposit for you?
Honestly, the answer is rather complex so seeking guidance from a professional is ideal. However, common sense and variety – just mixing it up - go a long way. First, start with just being mindful of how you FEEL. Practice listening to your body. Keep your mind and heart open to what your body is trying to tell you.
Second, and this bears repeating, common sense goes a long way. In that vein, I’ve included a shortlist of some pretty universal truths when it comes to health and wellness. Take an action step in the direction of any one of them, and you have yourself a health deposit.
Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep is a pillar of health. You really do need 8 hours.
Move your body. The best exercise is one that you will actually do. Find what you like and incorporate moving into your day.
Eat more whole, unprocessed foods – especially vegetables. If the vegetable is colorful or you make it yourself, it counts as another health deposit.
Get outside. Sunshine, fresh air and nature are free. Soak it up, even when it’s cold. That shot of cold air is actually a health deposit.
Hydrate all day. Just.Drink.Water.
Cultivate connection with your friends, family, and community. Any health deposit done with your tribe is double points!
Don’t take yourself too seriously. What is fun for you? What makes you laugh? Do more of that.
Every Day I Write the Book
Every day is a new day, a fresh start and a clean page in the book of your life. Don’t fret January. What are you going to write today?
For some musical inspiration, (remember, music makes it better), give Elvis Costello’s “Every day I write the book” a listen. It is a definite health deposit!
In conclusion, forget about what you did not do yesterday and don’t spend your time worrying about the future – both are health withdrawals.
Keep it simple friends – opt for a different mindset and just try to make more health deposits than withdrawals.
Thanks so much for being here. I’d love to hear your comments below and suggestions for future posts.
Peace and hugs,