Right action follows right thinking

"You have to believe it to see it". "You become what you are thinking". "You will not change your behavior until you change your thoughts". As a fall prevention educator and balance and mobility specialist, I believe this to be especially true of older adults and fall prevention. For instance, a person must believe that consistently participating in a well-rounded exercise program WILL reduce the risk of an accidental fall and they also must believe that regardless of current age or physical challenges, they are able to do the exercises.

I have worked with older clients who were true skeptics and said things such as "I don't believe that doing these silly exercises will prevent me from falling" or "I'm old, I'm going to fall" or "I'm too old to improve or change". I love this type of participant because it's great when they learn otherwise!

In fact, fall prevention research and personal training experience has demonstrated that older adults CAN reduce the risk of an accidental fall by following a consistent exercise program and progressively challenging her/his balance skills.

It's never too late to improve your balance skills. You are never too old to benefit from consistent strengthening and stretching activities. Your body WILL adapt to the new demands of flexibility, strengthening, balance and endurance training, not to mention increase reaction times.

But first, you must also know that it is impossible to get from wrong behaviors to right behaviors without first changing your thoughts.

• Believe that participating in consistent exercise does reduce fall risk
  
• Believe that you are able to do the exercises
  
• Believe your body will adapt to new demands
• Believe in YOU

Change your way of thinking and you can change your life. Just believe then Just Do It.