From Trigger to Choice: How Feeling Good Can Change Your Life

"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." — Carl Gustav Jung

It’s not the events in our lives that define us, but the choices we make in response to those events. That’s what shapes who we become.

Viktor Frankl once said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

The quality of that space — the moment between a trigger and our reaction — depends greatly on our emotional and physical well-being. Stephen Covey built on this concept in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, emphasizing that we make much wiser choices when we feel good — mentally, emotionally, and physically.

So what does it actually mean to feel good?

As I write this, I realize that phrase carries a double meaning:

1. I feel healthy and energized.

2. I’m in tune with my body and its needs.

And both are essential if we want to thrive.

According to Harvard research, the six pillars of well-being are:

• Nourishing nutrition

• Regular physical activity

• Restorative sleep

• Healthy stress management

• Avoiding or limiting harmful substances (like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs)

• Positive relationships and social connections
  

That’s exactly why, in my Slim & Strong course, we explore all of these areas. Week by week, we build new habits and take meaningful steps toward a healthier, more empowered version of ourselves.