As a nurse I see first hand on a daily basis the impact that our health has on our happiness, relationships and wealth building. I don't mean to say that people who have health problems can't be happy, I am saying that it has impact on our happiness. I meet people on a regular basis who feel guilty or saddened by their current circumstances and the way their relationships are diluted because they can no longer contribute in certain ways that they used to. Now, we are all up against father time and accidents but those are things we cannot change, so lets focus on the things we can influence. While on that thought, lets not make ourselves older by making poor choices with our diet, exercise and sleep habits.

I remember a couple years ago seeing a patient in an Emergency Department that appeared to be in her 90's. She carried her oxygen tank around, her skin was like leather and had a host of other health problems. When I started reading her chart and saw that she was in her mid 60's I was shocked. It was obvious that she smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol and ate a poorly, as stated in her history. I then contrast that to another couple I saw in the hospital and at first glance I assumed they were in their mid 60's. After talking with them for a few minutes they made a joke about being too old, I chucked as and then said "What, 87?" in amazement as he told me their ages. I asked how they do it and the gentleman's response was very vague but just stated that you just do your best to take care of yourself. The key term there is care. You must care in order to raise curiosity and ambition. Through discussion I found out that they are both employed full time, they eat homemade food as often as possible and exercise every day. These are people who understand the basics to healthy living and live by those principles.

Without health all other assets lose at least some value. You must preserve and maintain your health to the best of your ability. Today is the youngest you will ever be, and the first day of the rest of your life. Do everything you can to make sure you are able to enjoy the gifts this life has to offer you.

The healthy couple was in the hospital because of an accident, the unhealthy lady was in there because she could no longer get enough air, because her lungs had lost their elasticity from smoking. They were both experiencing something unfortunate, but one was on her way to recovery in her 80's while the other was looking for some support on the way down.

Everybody wants to know some great secret to finding health, wealth or happiness. The truth is there is no secret. The key to finding health, wealth and happiness is enjoying the grind. Finding joy in the struggle as well as the achievement. It's depressing to think you will be happy when you become wealthy and then spend years struggling to achieve it. Then you find out when you become wealthy that you're still the same unhappy person with many of the same problems, ideas and desires. The process of discovery, learning, gaining, losing, jumping, falling, embracing, climbing and continually doing your best to do a little better in every area of life is where the health, wealth and happiness come from. If you come up against a barrier, it will cause some frustration and anger or maybe fear and anxiety, but as you go through the process of breaking down that barrier you'll find joy, health and wealth.