Masters of Health Magazine April 2019 | Page 27

EARTH DAY NETWORK

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works year round with tens of thousands of partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

www.earthday.org

Create Change

with Earth Day Network

www.earthday.org

Be mindful of your language.

A self-healer tends to speak in the future tense about when she expects to get better instead of perpetuating a condition by saying things like, “My back always goes out at Easter” or “Diabetes runs in my family so I can’t do anything about it.”

There’s no question that serious illnesses and complex injuries can bring us down by keeping us from our favorite activities. Use the downtime for relaxation: catch up on movies or books, take naps, and go for walks instead of fuming or worrying about what you are NOT able to do. While you cannot control the healing process, you can control how you think about your health.

It is not enough to simply make up one’s mind to be healthy. Rather, having a sense of control or choice in one’s life and a sense of self-fulfillment can generate positive emotions and the will to thrive that are the core of good health.

QUIZ: DO YOU HAVE A

SELF-HEALING PERSONALITY?

Answer “True” or “False” to the following statements:

1.I enjoy being with other people, especially friends and significant others.

2.I look forward to exercising on a regular basis.

3.When I feel angry, I usually find an appropriate way to express myself.

4.I can ask my family or friends for help when I need it.

5.I am able to say “no” when someone asks me for a favor.

6.I often feel stuck in situations and relationships.

7.I tend to worry about events that have not yet happened.

8.When I get into a situation that is uncomfortable or me, I tend to give up.

9.My life consists of more obligations than pleasurable moments.

10.I believe that my mental outlook has little or no effect on my health.

If you answered “TRUE” to statements 1-5 and “FALSE” to 6-10, your personality is wellness-oriented and self-healing.

If you answered “FALSE” to any of the first five statements and “TRUE” to any from

6 – 10, it’s time to explore how these patterns are affecting your ability to recover from an injury or illness.