October 2002

People in our society tend to look for the easy way out. A short cut is always better than working through. A prime example of that is how we handle losing weight. We are always looking for a new diet or pill to make losing weight easy and faster. We are always looking for the secret. Well, I will give you the secret right now for free! In order to lose weight: decrease your fat intake, increase your water and exercise. But most of us do not want to do that because it is too hard. I don’t want to drink water; I prefer coke. I like my fast food. I don’t have time to exercise. There are a million excuses. You know them better than I do.

People do this with therapy as well. I have clients who want to a “quick fix”. The reality is that it took many years to get to where you are. It will take more than a week and half to get healthy. Or give me a pill so I will be better. Now, sometimes, we need medication as part of treatment, but that is only part of it. If you really want to get healthy, you need to work hard. You need to invest yourself in the process. Work on your issues not only when you are in front of your therapist, but also when you are living your life. Keep a journal. This will help you to process and vent.

Another great way to feel better is to exercise. Of course, check with your doctor before you begin any type of exercise. But one quick fix for depression or anxiety is exercise. When you begin to exercise, endorphins are released into the body, which is a naturally occurring morphine in our bodies. We feel better, happier, more content after we exercise.

But that is not all of it. You still have to work hard. Sorry, there is just no way around it. Of course, one benefit of working hard is how good we feel about ourselves after. Wait a minute, perhaps that is the secret: do all of the hard work and you will feel better! Nah, who wants to do that?