Editor's Note: Wellness author Don Ardell talks about the "importance of a big opening." He made one at the 2003 HENOD conference April 24 in Newark. This presentation was not designed to provide advice for educating others, he said, "this is for you" – the health educators at the conference. A summary of his presentation, from his daily web column, follows:
by Donald B. Ardell, Ph.D.
© 2003 by Donald Ardell (used by permission)
Donald B. Ardell produces the Ardell Wellness Report.
His website is: www.seekwellness.com/wellness/
He can be reached at 813-831-4567 or at donardell@tampabay.rr.com
Bring me honey of Hymettus, bring me stories of Attic salt;
I am weary of the commonplace, to dullness call a halt!
These dinner speeches tire me, they are tedious, flat and stale;
From a hundred thousand banquet tables comes a melancholy wail,
As a hundred thousand banqueters sit up in evening dress
And salute each mouldy chestnut with a signal of distress.
— Isaac Hill Bromley, "Our Chauncey," 1877
I have a modest attention span to begin with, but when confronted by a dull speaker, it's all I can do to remain awake, let alone pay attention. For this reason, I have always tried to be interesting when invited to the podium to expound on matters relating to wellness or self-management for lifestyle artistry. Late last week, I was in Newark, Delaware, to speak to health educators about "behavior change." As usual, I was determined not to tire the audience, not to be flat or stale and to do all I could to prevent melancholy wails or other signals of distress. Lacking honey from Hymettus or stories of Attic salt, I was determined to LOOK interesting, to capture their attention from the get-go and to start off with a flourish and go from there with great material.
Believe it or not, I appeared in a burka! After my introduction, I arrived burka-clad (accompanied by suitable music) from stage left, as audience members looked on, to considerable applause and amusement. (Whether the applause and laughter was mixed with expressions of horror, delight, fascination or something else I really couldn't tell, as it's difficult enough to find the podium behind the veil of a burka, let alone assess audience reactions.) In any event, it was clear from the start that I was not boring them – at least not yet!
My first words were, "My purpose this afternoon is to make connections between freedom and wellness. I want you to cast off your burkas!" I then advanced the slide of my PowerPoint Presentation from the title picture . . . to a dramatic, colorful photo of a burka-wearer's face, below which were the words, "Cast off your burkas." Then I added, "I know. You say, 'I don't HAVE any burkas!' Well, maybe you do. I'll explain."
I believe there are times when you have to be bold, courageous and willing to risk in order to maintain your freedoms – and in order to sustain wellness behaviors. One way to improve the odds that you WILL be bold, courageous and willing to take risks is to do weird things in public once in a while, like showing up for a lecture in a burka! As I said, my purpose is to make a connection between freedom and wellness – and I say, once again, to all of you, "cast off your burkas!"
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Don Ardell
just your average dignified scholar |
At this point, I removed my burka, under which all could see my second costume, which was a rather weird-looking Uncle Sam Wellness costume I designed myself. Then I added, "Of course, those of us in somewhat enlightened Western cultures cannot LITERALLY cast off a burka, since almost nobody would wear such a thing. Like myself, you probably think it's a monstrosity. Yet, in the interest of political correctness or sensitivity to those who might CHOOSE to wear one, I say, 'cast off your burkas in a metaphorical way.' However, once you do that (remove your real or metaphorical burka), you need to make an unequivocal statement of where you stand!"
At this point, I donned a wig, sunglasses and a graduation cap and explained, "This is my 'Uncle Sam Wellness' persona. I hope you like it. I selected it for three reasons:
1. I heard women find a man in uniform irresistible.
2. I'm a Ph.D. and a scholar — it's important to appear dignified.
3. The whole country has been having a giant wargasm lately, so I thought I'd get into the spirit of things.
"I'm kidding, of course. The real reason for this outfit is that it sort of connects with my interest in promoting the Bill of Rights and other freedoms as a part of wellness. You see, my intent today is to suggest that an important part of 'real wellness' is to be fully free – and that most of us have to work hard to be really free, that we have to guard against taking freedom of speech – and other freedoms for granted.
"Therefore, besides offering a good deal of panache and style, this outfit puts me in the mood to talk about wellness as a mindset that includes liberation from intimidation, intentional or otherwise. Such a mindset is, in my opinion, a health habit right up there in importance with exercise and sound nutrition, stress management and all the rest.
"Do you agree?
"Maybe you have opinions at odds with the majority. Or, maybe you ought to DEVELOP a few ideas at odds with the majority. Expressing such views, if they lead others to make better choices, could be a valuable contribution. However, you won't know about these untapped powers within your capability if you keep your best perspectives covered up, revealed only to yourself. For example, maybe you have a few somewhat subversive ideas at odds with convention, or different from those held on high by your family or at odds with the religious dogma of your culture, the prejudices of your friends or the conventions imposed by other influentials in your life.
"Maybe, in some way, you could be FREER than you are now – and weller in the sense of self management for lifestyle artistry, which is another of my topics today.
"One of my heroes, Harry Browne, the author of How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, holds that 'freedom is the ability to live your life the way you want to live it.' That's the first sentence of his best-seller book, the title of which I just mentioned.
"For this reason, in order to pursue wellness joyfully and with the greatest outcomes, begin by casting off any metaphorical burkas that might be inhibiting your best possible self! Prepare yourself so you will act boldly, courageously and with a willingness to do high-risk things, if necessary, to maintain your freedoms.
"How can you prepare for such a thing? There are many pathways to wellness and freedom, but one that we all need to adopt is the proven method for earning the chance to play in Carnegie Hall – practice, practice, practice!
"For starters, I recommend you practice being a wild and crazy guy or gal, on occasions. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bit more practicing to do!"
At this point, I removed my Uncle Sam Wellness costume, thereby revealing my third outfit, a body suit with organs and veins shown in bold colors. Maybe you had to be there, but it did get a rise and a collective smile from the crowd which, since I was no longer looking out from being behind the veil of a burka, I could see clearly now.
I began at this point to wrap-up the introduction and put it all in context. "Well, I hope I have established a bit of credibility by doing what I encourage you to do, namely, practice! That is, I'm practicing for the time I might have to be unconventional to go against norms, customs and traditions that inhibit my ability to be as well as possible, including to live my life as I want to live it. That's a part of wellness, in my opinion. What do you think – might I be on to something here?"
"Consider that, to be fully free and as well as possible, you might wish to do some weird things in public, once in a while. It will prepare you for Carnegie Hall, in a manner of speaking. That is, by being different now and then, you will build up your nerve and be more likely, if necessary, to act boldly, courageously and in a risk-taking fashion should doing so be required to remain truly free – and you'll be in a better position to help others do likewise. My experience tells me it WILL be necessary.
"By the way, I know you will be glad to hear me say that there are many other, no doubt better, ways to do this! You probably don't need a burka, an Uncle Same Wellness outfit or a body suit. Yet, it's up to you to decide what departures from the norm will work best in your case.
"Did I pass the test – or do I need to get even more weird? Did you figure out the symbolism of the three costumes?
"Casting off the burka symbolizes boldness and courage.
"Wearing an Uncle Sam Wellness outfit symbolizes freedom and wellness.
"The body suit is to remind you, despite the focus on freedom and on mental health and meaning and purpose, we are still flesh and blood, that we only have one body – and just one life to lead. Carpe diem.
"And now, to distract you no more, allow me to become slightly more dignified, and conventional."
At this point, I put on some regular clothes that I had stashed under the podium, and proceeded with my talk, segueing with an explanation of my basic point: "Most folks will NEVER achieve anything remotely like a wellness lifestyle – unless we can get THEM to cast off THEIR metaphorical burkas. Given the quantity and variety of burka-like customs, beliefs and conditions out there, even in freedom-loving America, this will be a daunting task, to put it mildly. However, I have a few suggestions along these lines. Let me now tell you about them."
While a few heroic, talented, courageous and/or fortunate citizens among us sustain healthy behaviors, most fail. What makes the difference is a strong sense that wellness is worth the trouble. How can we convince the suffering masses that it makes sense to work at the kind of behavior change called wellness, or self-management for lifestyle artistry?
Here are the seven propositions I offered for conference participants to ponder and discuss. The idea was that these might stimulate discussions about new strategies for success in raising the value of behavior change.
Proposition One:
It is unkind to promote wellness to most Americans. Under existing conditions, doing so is unintentionally cruel; and, what's more, you should take care not to display too obviously your own wellness lifestyle if you are among society's lifestyle elite. Going on about how wonderful you feel just makes the average, "norma" citizen feel even worse. Maybe we can't, as true believers, help ourselves; that is, refrain from whooping it up about how great it feels to be fit and all that. Just the same, we should at least attach warning labels to our enticements for wellness behaviors: "Caution: Attempts at healthy lifestyles could lead to serious backsliding," or something along these lines. Let's warn people about the high failure rate of any attempts to sustain healthy lifestyles.
Dr. Judd Allen, head of the Human Resources Institute that seeks to create healthy cultures, responded to a draft of this proposition by pointing out that while "it is true that almost all lifestyle change efforts fail, the best alternative is not to shy way from these issues, but rather to help people go about their change efforts systematically and with supportive environments. The challenge at this point is to make such an approach fun and workable." This situation reminds me of some unknown comedian's remark: "If you can't be a good example, at least be a horrible warning."
Proposition Two:
If you think medical care is expensive now, hold your hat – or pocketbook. It's going to get even worse. Absent the advent of major reforms in the existing system, I predict that, by July 18, 2007, only fifty Americans will be able to afford health insurance. If your picture has not appeared in Fortune Magazine in recent years in connection with the listing of the world's richest men and women, you almost surely will not be one of them. Due to rising costs, some people will initiate behavior changes, but fear of illness or financial ruin is not likely to motivate behavior change, let alone sustain such changes over a period of time sufficient to enable health and life status advances.
Proposition Three:
If you want to increase public awareness of the importance of behavior changes, run for public office. Do so on a platform that promotes wellness values, mindsets and principles, in addition to whatever other local issues you choose to embrace. No need to make this decision anytime soon – just consider the option for a later stage in your life. Never forget that you do not have to gain the most votes to "win" big time. You will "win" by knowing that you have reached large numbers of people who otherwise might not have heard about wellness values. You will also shape the debates about a wide range of policy issues from a perspective that otherwise would not arise during the campaign. In short, you will win friends and influence people for wellness, self-managing values that tend to sustain healthy behaviors.
Proposition Four:
Challenge those who express ludicrous ideas! Do this in a charming, pleasant way, of course. Question perspectives and viewpoints you think are bizarre, dysfunctional, dangerous or simply jejune. Doing so will be a service to others and society, and an expression of your own integrity. An example might be a cliché such as, "I believe there is a reason for everything." How many times have you heard that? By challenging such assertions, you will contribute to the "smarting up," not the continued "dumbing down" of society. The point is not to convert others to your point of view; rather, the objective is simply to offer a rational perspective that others, including bystanders, might mull and ponder over time.
Proposition Five:
America desperately needs a reformed health or sickness care system. I favor a national health insurance scheme that provides catastrophic coverage for all, but with costs tied to positive wellness incentives. For example, if a taxpayer completes a wellness assessment (which, of course, must be defined to assess positive health indicators, not just signs of illness, disease and risk factors), a substantial tax credit or co-pay reduction would be allowed. Even more important would be a set of incentives for further cost savings and/or service entitlements based on evidence of personal responsibility initiatives consistent with and supportive of health status advances.
I recognize not everyone is enthusiastic about a federal role in organizing the medical system. Maybe with Homeland Security and everything else, the national government is not the best manager for a reformed system that covers everyone. I can't forget what P. J. O'Rourke said on this topic: "If you think health care is expensive now, wait till you see what it costs when it's free!"
Proposition Six:
Humans need to evolve more effectively. Why should changes come about so slowly? How about some experiments designed to speed up the process, and shape things in ways that enable our successors to turn out a bit better? At present, so many of us seem pain driven. That is, we will not make changes until the pain of changing is less than the pain of staying the same. As long as the pain of staying the same is less than the pain of change (or is PERCEIVED as such), we don't make changes. This is no formula for sustaining behavior change, is it? However, it surely does account to some extent for the sorry state of American health. What do YOU think? Would an administration that opposes cloning also block conscious evolution – even if only for wellness purposes?
Proposition Seven:
For better results, sustained behavior change might be tied to the quest for the meaning of life. OK, maybe not THE meaning of life, for after all there may be no overall single meaning applicable to all. There certainly does not seem to be one that we humans worldwide or even in America are likely to agree on. Right? So, how about promoting a quest for a process of seeking more meaning, a part of which could be the search for happiness, or at least more of it? I propose we encourage people to think of meaning, purpose and happiness in four structured parts:
- The ground floor of meaning, that is, subsistence/safety and security seeking. For most, perhaps, this is the orientation that gets attention throughout life. It means your job, career, and all that connects with securing the means to get by, preferably in a little style and comfort.
- Meaning at the leisure level. This entails some concern for living wisely, agreeably and well (a phrase attributed to John Maynard Keynes). Maslow called this level "belongingness" in his famous "hierarchy of needs" construct.
- Meaning found in the development, refinement and expression of talents, gifts and uniqueness. It entails self-fulfillment and earned self-esteem.
- Meaning from reaching out and being of service. This could entail meeting needs of others, or the pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of society.
At the conference, a discussion of these propositions was followed by twelve suggested areas that would, in my opinion, give the best results in terms of wellness advances.
At about the same time as I spoke in Newark, DE, the HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announced a $15 million grant to promote "Healthy Communities," which will be increased to $125 million next year. Thompson noted that 7 of 10 deaths and the vast majority of serious illness, disability and health care costs are caused by chronic diseases, such as obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease/ stroke and cancer. How do these diseases come about? Thompson listed "risk factors," such as poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and tobacco use and exposure. If people were wellness enthusiasts, that is, pursuing and sustaining positive lives because they are their own reward, would these risks exist? I doubt it. That is not really a vast sum for such an ambitious undertaking, I know, but it's a welcome if modest start. After all, the healthy communities endeavor is about health-enrichment, not disease treatment. This kind of funding might do some good for the goal of promoting sustained changes for healthy behaviors.
My speech was much longer, but the propositions noted above were at the heart of the matter. Think of how much time you saved by reading all this, instead of listening to it! Be well and look on the bright side.
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