You Don't Appreciate Your Health Until You Don't Have It 

Last week I had stomach flu.

Now, that may not sound like a particularly profound experience, but it's been so long since I've been sick that when I woke up in the middle of the night with a spiking fever and my stomach completely in knots, I honestly wondered what was going on. What I assumed would be a rough day or two turned into nearly a week of feeling miserable. Classes had to be covered, client sessions had to be rearranged, and my normal routine disappeared overnight.

As inconvenient as it all was, one thought kept coming back to me. It's something I say to clients all the time, but this week it took on a little more meaning:

If your health isn't your biggest priority today, just wait. One day it will be.

I usually say that as part of a much bigger conversation. Too often we wait until something forces us to pay attention to our health. It might be persistent pain, a serious injury, a heart attack, diabetes, cancer, or any number of diagnoses that suddenly shift our perspective. The things that seemed so important yesterday are quickly replaced by doctor's appointments, medications, treatments, and one overwhelming desire: to simply feel healthy again.

The problem is that most of us don't arrive there overnight. We get there one small compromise at a time.

We ignore the shoulder that has bothered us for three years. We accept that our knees always hurt going downstairs. We carry an extra twenty or thirty pounds because we'll "get serious after the holidays." We know we should schedule a physical, have comprehensive blood work done, or follow up on something our doctor mentioned, but life gets busy and we keep putting it off.

If we're honest, most of us already know what we've been neglecting.

The issue usually isn't a lack of knowledge.

It's the assumption that we'll always have more time.

Occasionally someone pushes back when I encourage them to invest more time and energy into their health. They tell me it feels selfish to spend time exercising, preparing healthy meals, prioritizing sleep, or protecting time for themselves.

I've never seen it that way.

In fact, I think the opposite is true.

When our health begins to fail, it rarely affects only us. It affects our spouses, our children, our friends, our coworkers, and everyone who depends on us. If the diagnosis is serious enough, most of us would gladly trade our wealth, our career, our status, and just about every possession we own to have our health back. We instinctively understand, in those moments, that health was never just another priority on the list. It was the foundation that made everything else possible.

That's why I don't believe taking care of yourself is selfish. It's one of the most generous things you can do.

When you're healthy, you have more energy for your spouse and family. More capacity to lead at work. More resilience when life gets difficult. You show up differently for the people around you because you're functioning from a place of strength rather than simply trying to get through the day.

Now, I don't know exactly why I so rarely get sick. Certainly some of that comes down to luck, exposure and genetics. But I also know that for decades I've tried to stack the deck in my favor. I move every day. I spend time outside. I prioritize sleep. I eat nutrient-dense foods. I stay hydrated. I work on my mobility. I use the sauna regularly. And I try not to waste too much energy worrying about things I can't control.

None of those habits guarantee perfect health. Life doesn't make those kinds of promises. But I do believe they improve the odds, and after spending a week feeling lousy, I found myself appreciating those ordinary healthy days even more. It's remarkable how quickly we take feeling good for granted until it's gone.

So let me leave you with one question.

What part of your health have you been quietly promising yourself you'll deal with someday?

Maybe it's finally addressing that nagging pain instead of simply avoiding the movements that aggravate it. Maybe it's losing the extra weight you know is affecting your joints and your long-term health. Maybe it's making the doctor's appointment you've been putting off, improving your sleep, or finally committing to a consistent exercise routine.

Whatever came to mind first...Don't ignore it.

That's probably where your health is asking for your attention.

Because the goal isn't simply to live longer. It's to live well. To have the energy to play with your kids, hike with your spouse, travel, work, serve others, and say "yes" to the opportunities life puts in front of you.

Your health makes all of that possible. Take care of it before life forces you to. Your future self, and the people you love most, will be incredibly grateful that you did.

In health,

Coach Parker