The Power of Making Lifestyle Changes and Improving Your Health, Happiness and Quality of Life

LIFESTYLE: The Ideal of a Life Style. The Interests, attitudes, behaviors, and orientations of a person, a group, or society are the criteria used to define a concept. The word was first introduced by Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler in his famous study, The Case of Miss R. (19 29). In this study, Adler distinguished between the essential nature of human interests and the extrinsic or secondary characteristics that could be developed through socialization.

As we know from the work of Dr. Burns, the LIFESTYLE concept is not limited to the domain of individual psychology. Burns argued for a comprehensive approach to evaluating a persons’ lifestyle, noting that: “LIFESTYLE is a generic concept, applied to diverse situations, for diverse individuals in diverse circumstances, with diverse standards of living standards, in diverse times.” Adler likewise agreed with Burns’ position, but he distinguished between two types of LIFESTYLE: a “civic” lifestyle style and a “private” lifestyle style. Adler saw LIFESTYLE as a means to an end, writing that: “by making available to people ideas, images, hopes and goals, it makes possible the process of making a self-aware community of more effective citizens.”

Adler, Burnham, and Butler offered several definitions of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle is “an ideal directed toward the development of the individual and his ability to live well.” A healthy lifestyle is “an environment that facilitates the growth of strengths and abilities and removes obstacles to achievement.” And it is necessary for people to be LIFETIME: “a state of full well-being achieved after a long and healthy history of experience.”

I was intrigued by Burnham’s and Butler’s definitions of a healthy and luxurious lifestyle. I had also been studying different lifestyles in my own life, and like Burnham and Butler, I sought out information that would make me a happier person and my new love lifestyle a happier one as well. So I began to research these definitions. What I discovered is that not all people living in LIFESTYLE environments are happier.

I also discovered that there is no such thing as a “healthy” or “luxurious” lifestyle change. Therefore, I did not feel pressured to adopt any of these lifestyles. This was very refreshing to me, because I did not want to go through the pain and suffering that comes along with adopting one lifestyle or the other. Instead, I wanted to embrace LIFESTYLE and find out what it has to offer me.

This is not a comprehensive study by any means, but it did help bring to light some of the challenges involved in changing your lifestyles in order to improve your health, happiness, and your quality of life. After doing further research on the internet, I came across many other people who have experienced long-term success with making positive lifestyle changes and improving their health. Some were able to do this without joining a formal organization. Many were able to make their way into healthier relationships. Others were able to solve health problems they never had a problem with before. If you want to live a longer and more productive life and improve your overall quality of life, I encourage you to research LIFESTYLE.