Health Risk Profile Assessment

This week in my finance class I learned of a Harvard study that showed that you can reduce your medical expenses by 75% each year if you will do these three things:

1. Regular Medical Examinations
2. Establish a Health Risk Assessment
3. Take Reasonable Steps to Reduce these Risks

As I took a Health Risk Assessment I discovered some interesting and surprising things about my health. I never would have known the risks that I had if I were never to have taken this assessment. I have shared these things with Kareena and we are working together to reduce my health risks. There was nothing really serious but I was given some simple behaviors I could modify and improve. It amazes me that doing these three simple steps listed above can make a 75% performance difference.

Then it hit me. What would happen if I were to do a spiritual health risk assessment? What would I score in that test?

So I decided then to perform a spiritual health risk assessment. I asked myself questions about the quality of my relationship with God, the quality of my preparation for taking the sacrament and temple attendance. Just like with my physical health risk assessment there were many things I found that needed improvement.

In my studies on how to improve these spiritual areas I read a quote that can offer motivation for improvement. When we are tempted by casualness and idleness this quote by Elder Dallin H. Oaks will empower us to "shift our paradigms":

“When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the fulfillment of righteous responsibilities, we should remember that when we are involved in the work of the Lord, the obstacles before us are never as great as the power behind us. We should reach out and climb. Hand holds will only be found by hands that are outstretched. Footholds are only for feet that are on the move.”

As we put into action various steps to reduce our spiritual health risks we will find a significant decrease in the "spiritual expenses" paid. :)