Are You Making the Best Choices For Your Future Health?

I recently shared this quote on a call with the ladies in my August Healthiest Month Ever Challenge as a reminder of this so-called “pain paradox of decision making”:

“The short term easy leads to the long term difficult,

while the short term difficult leads to the long term easy.”

 –Rory Vaden

Each day we are forced to make decisions with our health – what to eat, what to drink, whether to be physically active or not, what time to get to bed, and so on.

When it’s time to make each decision, we find ourselves in a fork in the road.

In the moment, it can be hard to take the “healthy” road because frankly you just don’t “feel” like it or it’s too hard or it’s not convenient.

It’s more fun to sit a little longer to watch TV than it is to shut it off and get to bed a little earlier.

It’s less painful to take the elevator or escalator than it is to take the stairs.

It’s more convenient to go out to lunch than it is to pack a healthy one the night before.

It’s tastier to choose soda over water, pizza over salad, or donut over fruit.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that it’s never okay to stay up late to watch the women’s Olympic gymnastics team go for gold, or take the elevator, or eat the pizza.

Rather, let’s return to the quote: “The short term easy leads to the long term difficult, while the short term difficult leads to the long term easy.”

What this quote actually means is that continual “short term easy” decisions are going to lead to the long-term difficult – physical and emotional pain, not to mention frequent doctor visits, pricey medication, and a shortened life.

On the other hand, the “short term difficult” leads to the “long term easy” – a higher quality of life, thriving health, happiness, longevity, and it costs less in the long term to live a healthy life.

My hope is that you keep this quote in mind each day as you reflect on the fact that every decision you make comes at a cost. You either pay now or you pay later, but you always pay.

When you come to that fork in the road, you ask yourself, “Will I pay now?”

I encourage you to pay now. Choose the short term difficult and you’ll get to bask in the long term easy.

It’s your turn to take care of you,