THE VALUE OF SEEING A BIG PICTURE

Mount Rainier, photo by William Jacobs from Pexels (via Canva)

“My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing.” —Marcel Proust

MISSING THE MARK

Tanya was in a tizzy. The yellow circles on her recent blood-test report showed that results for several of the tests were moderately elevated. She was also confused and disappointed by her healthcare provider’s lack of direction on what she should do next. Still, she was determined to find out more, and at the suggestion of a friend, she contacted me seeking insight and ideas.

In reviewing Tanya’s results, I realized that the format of the report was probably the reason for her confusion. While some results were elevated, as a group they were not high enough to warrant medical intervention. Her healthcare providers had decided that no medical recommendations were needed.

While the healthcare providers were technically correct, they had missed the big picture. Their priority may have been to comply with medical-treatment standards, but Tanya’s priority was to find out how to improve her health. Given that each party was pursuing a different objective, it is not surprising that Tanya’s concerns had been overlooked.

Unfortunately, this situation is common. The big picture can be missed as more visible routine activities—like performing medical lab tests—overshadow less visible person-centric objectives, such as improving overall health. In these cases, a lack of awareness and collaboration can stymie a successful outcome.

In a similar vein, if we center our attention only on the activities of health building, the big picture for achieving overall healthiness can be missed.

BEYOND HEALTH BUILDING

Though it may not be obvious, the big picture for healthiness derives from two views:

• a skills-building view that focuses on mastering health-building practices and
• a person-centric view that focuses on attaining a harmonious state of being—possibly the most important objective of healthiness.

This desirable state is when all aspects of the human mind and body work together as a balanced, cohesive whole. Seeing the big picture enables us to recognize that health building—which is more visible and familiar—also makes attaining a harmonious state of being possible.

How is health building a means to an end? Like the base of a mountain, the healthiness that results from health-building practices forms the foundation for a harmonious state of being. In other words, attaining this state would be less likely in the absence of the foundation that mastery of health-building skills creates.

Though we don’t often see or talk about such a state of being, its benefits are numerous and powerful. It enables us to enjoy high energy, a capacity to function well in life, resistance to common illness, and little need for medical treatment. It also enables us to pursue the things that matter most to us in life.

Just as a panoramic photo can inspire us to travel to a scenic destination, a panoramic view of healthiness can inspire us to travel to a higher state of being. Keeping the big picture in mind also helps us to achieve it.

A GALVANIZING EFFECT  

The big picture inspires. It helps us prioritize resources and activities and stay on track. It lets us know how far we’ve come and how far we have to go to claim the prize. It positions all parties to understand their roles and pull in the same direction for the benefit of attaining a common goal.

Attaining a harmonious state of being enables us to navigate life with equanimity, confidence, and control. It is personally enriching and enriches those around us. As more of us achieve this state, our communities will be enriched, and the effects can be far reaching. The efforts we make on our journey to this destination pale in comparison to the life-long rewards that we will ultimately enjoy.

This state of being is available to all of us, but if we don’t see it we may not achieve it. If you or your company want to move beyond limiting viewpoints, contact us to find out more.

Joyce M. Young, MD, MPH 
Managing Director, Advanced Wellness Systems
Lead Expert for the High Health Network

 Photo by Sumali Ibnu Chamid via Canva