Why You’ll Be More Successful If You Treat “Health Improvement” Like Home Improvement
When it comes to health and healing, it’s important to remember that it’s a process that takes time—and that’s okay! Just like a home improvement project, healing requires careful planning, consistent effort, and realistic expectations.
Are you really going to get great results if, on a whim, you decide to landscape the yard? You rush out and end up buying a whole pallet of mulch because you realize that you forgot to measure so you don’t have any idea how much you actually need. Then you rush home and unload all the bags of mulch yourself because you didn’t think to phone a friend for help. Realizing that you can’t leave the mulch sitting in the driveway, you haul the bags all over the yard. You open the bags and dump them in places you didn’t intend because you didn’t start with a plan. Maybe it’s too much, maybe it’s not enough. By the end of the day, if you’ve even managed to get that far, you’re covered in dirt, you’re sore all over, and your yard probably still needs a lot of TLC because you didn’t have a plan!
We frequently hear in new patient consultations that people want instant results. They decide they want to be healthy, jump on the bandwagon of all the current trends, and expect to be 100% healthy by the next morning. Unfortunately, that’s not how the body works. If you’re not planning your healing process and setting up the right steps along the way, you’re likely setting yourself up for frustration—and potentially even more setbacks.
Healing Is a Journey, Not a Sprint
Think of your body like a house in need of repairs. Maybe there’s a leaky pipe, some drywall damage, or an outdated electrical system. While you might be eager for everything to be fixed and perfect after one weekend warrior session, you know that most home improvements don’t happen overnight. You wouldn’t expect the plumbing to be fixed in an hour or the walls to be patched without some drying time, right? The same goes for healing.
Many people come to our office hoping to fix their pain or discomfort with one adjustment, but that’s rarely how it works. Whether it’s chronic back pain, headaches, your digestive system being too fast or too slow, or a recurring injury you’ve been dealing with for years, the damage didn’t happen in a single day, so the solution won’t happen instantly either.
Plan Your Healing Like You Would a Home Renovation
A successful home improvement project requires a solid plan (and maybe a good contractor!). You probably shouldn’t start tearing out walls without first figuring out what needs to be done, the tools you need, or how long it’s going to take. Similarly, healing effectively also requires a plan—one that includes chiropractic care, corrective exercises, and breaking any bad habits that might have contributed to your discomfort in the first place. And you’re more likely to experience success if you also consult an expert, like your friendly neighborhood chiropractor!
Here’s how your “health” improvement project might look:
1. Initial Consultation and Diagnosis (Planning Phase)
Much like you wouldn’t start a home improvement project without assessing the space, your chiropractor will take time to understand your unique health issues. This means employing a variety of testing to identify the root cause of your discomfort. Once your chiropractor has a clear understanding of your needs, they can develop a customized plan to guide you through the healing process.
2. Chiropractic Adjustments (The Work Begins)
Just like starting the demo phase of a home renovation, starting a series of chiropractic adjustments will begin to address your structural alignment, working to restore balance and alleviate pain. However, just like demolishing a wall, this part of the process might be a bit uncomfortable at first. Correction strain is a real thing! As your spine moves back toward a healthy alignment, you’ll want to keep your ice pack handy because you may be sore. But remember—just because it feels rough doesn’t mean it’s not working. The adjustments will begin to bring relief, but they won’t be able to fix the underlying cause of your health issues on day one.
3. Corrective Exercises (The Ongoing Work)
Think of corrective exercises as the installation of new plumbing or electrical work. They’re the foundation for preventing future problems and ensuring that your “new and improved” body can start to function how it was designed. This part of the project takes commitment and consistency, and it’s essential for your long-term success. Skipping or neglecting these exercises is like putting up the drywall but forgetting to paint. If you don’t follow through with all the steps, you’ll never finish the project.
4. Breaking Bad Habits (Maintaining the New Space)
You could remodel a home beautifully, but if you continue to make the same mistakes (like leaving tools scattered on the floor or ignoring a small leak), the improvements will quickly be undone. Likewise, if you don’t address the habits that contributed to your health issues in the first place, like poor posture, improper lifting techniques, consistently choosing foods that don’t properly nourish your body, or unhealthy stress management habits, your progress may stall or even reverse. Healing involves making long-term lifestyle adjustments, and that takes time and effort. And here’s the secret: the best way to break your bad habits is to focus on creating new, healthy habits. Add in the good things, and you won’t have room for the old (bad) things!
Set Realistic Expectations
Just like with any successful home improvement project, you need to give yourself adequate time. It’s human nature to want a quick fix. But remember: the body doesn’t work like a fast-food restaurant. Just like restoring a house to its prime requires ongoing maintenance, your health is a journey. Depending on the severity of the issue, it can take weeks or months to feel fully restored. Patience is key. The small steps you take today can lead to lasting improvements tomorrow.
Trust the Process
Healing doesn’t happen in a rush. But if you plan carefully, stay committed to the process, and take the time necessary to heal, the results will be well worth it. If you’ve ever tackled a big home improvement project, you know the satisfaction that comes with seeing the final product after all the hard work. The same satisfaction will come as you progress through your healing journey.
At Family First Chiropractic, we are here to guide you every step of the way. We’ll help you create a plan, get you started on a series of adjustments to address your nervous system interference, and help you learn the exercises and habits that will strengthen your body long-term. We know that healing takes time, and we’ll be with you every step of the journey. With the right tools and mindset, you’ll soon be on your way to feeling better than ever.
Are you ready to start your healing project? Great! We’d love to help you take the first step. Click Here To Schedule your initial consultation and together we’ll discover what you need to help you meet your health goals.
In Health,
Dr. Jeremiah
