Our most common question when people visit us is “What does good health mean to you?” The answer does not always come immediately, but when it does, it is truly enlightening. The answer helps us to think clearly about what people actually want from a service like ours.
The reason to ask the question is because words like health and wellbeing have lots of connotations. We all have a slightly different opinion on the definitions which reflects our values and the way we want to live. Our standard question uses the word ‘health’. We often extend the conversation to include ‘wellbeing’ because for many people the two words have very different meanings. If you have never thought about what these things mean to you, I would encourage you to contemplate them. Why? If you have a clear purpose for your health and wellbeing, you are more likely to make good decisions about managing those things. Many people tell us they have never thought to ask themselves those questions.
A snippet of responses from some of our clients:
“Being able to do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it.” – 67years old
“Having more energy to interact with my whānau and mokopuna. And to be able
to do the things I want to do.” – 62years old
“Enjoying the simple things in life and having a calm inner self.” – 55years old
“To be able to ride my bike as fast as I can.” – 16years old
“Being a strong person mentally, physically and spiritually.” – 26years old
“Being comfortable in my own skin and not taking things too seriously.” – 58years old
“Waking up in the morning feeling great and looking forward to the day.” – 63years old
“A feeling of pride and confidence in myself. That I am healthy and strong, I am less fearful in general and more likely to live my life the way I want to and to pursue my dreams.” – 41years old
So, what does good health mean to you?
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