The breakthrough thinking behind Health Shift.
The psychology behind healing.
Hello, health heroes, and welcome to another Thursday newsletter.
As you know, my book Health Shift is just about out, and I am a roller coaster of emotions —thrilled, relieved, trepidatious. At the suggestion of my publisher and thanks to the general curiosity of you awesome readers, I wanted to share a little behind-the-scenes of how this book process came to be. Most importantly, I want to talk about why it matters, and why something as small and inconsequential as this book can actually change your health and life altogether.
If you’re a reader of this newsletter, then the book is for you! The topics I’ve been covering here for the last several months are a part of the Health Shift framework — something as behavioral and psychological as it is physical.
I’m going to share a handful of posts like this as the launch date gets closer, with a peek behind the curtain. These posts are more than reflections—they're invitations. Starting today, you’ll get a deeper look at the ideas that shaped Health Shift—and you’ll be able to start shifting your thinking (and your health) right this very minute.
Also, you’re invited to the friends and family book launch! More info to come.
For much of my career, I worked within the well-intentioned but often fragmented system of wellness programming—encouraging individuals to participate in health initiatives, monitoring year-end reports to determine their effectiveness, and designing strategies for improvement based on participation data and program performance.
I led statewide efforts like Wyoming on Wellness, where we curated a digital hub for health resources built entirely on limited funding, minimal support, and an unwavering belief in the power of accessible, preventive care.
During this era—the percolation period, as I now call it—a more profound question began to surface: What if we’ve been focusing on the wrong thing all along?
What if instead of funneling people into programs, we helped them filter through options, identify what truly aligned with their needs and preferences, and take action based on insight, not impulse?
What if we shifted our collective attention away from promoting isolated solutions and instead taught people how to build a foundation—strong, sustainable, and self-directed—based on the simplest truths of health: nutrition, movement, sleep, and hydration?
These weren’t just questions for me—they were the beginnings of a new philosophy. One that acknowledges the science of physiology and psychology but also respects the practical realities of daily life, personal responsibility, and individual agency.
This is the foundation upon which Health Shift was built.
Why Are We Struggling?
Living in Wyoming, where independence, toughness, and self-sufficiency are part of the cultural DNA, I often asked: Why, then, are we struggling so deeply with our health?
The answer, I discovered, is both nuanced and deeply human. Despite our external strength, many people felt overwhelmed and unsupported—frustrated by the contradictions in health advice, fatigued by chronic stress, and quietly resigned to the belief that illness was inevitable.
What I learned through research and direct experience is that our default way of thinking isn’t rational—it’s emotional. Cognitive psychologists have long observed that reason takes effort. It requires energy, intention, and emotional regulation.
When we’re tired, stressed, or discouraged, we don’t reach for the most logical solution—we reach for the most immediate relief.
That’s why even the most resilient individuals fall prey to modern health traps—slick marketing campaigns, misleading health claims, and reactive decision-making. It’s not a lack of intelligence or character—it’s a lack of strategy.
We’ve written about this a lot, namely in these articles, if you want to dive in a little deeper.
The Hidden Barrier: Locus of Control
One concept that helped crystallize my understanding of this dynamic is locus of control, a term from psychology that describes whether a person believes the outcomes in their life are primarily shaped by external circumstances or by their own actions.
An external locus says, What will happen, will happen.
An internal locus says, I will choose a course of action and shape what happens next.
Most people are somewhere in the middle—and that’s a healthy place to be. But in the context of health, leaning too far toward external forces leaves us passive and vulnerable. It leads to resignation: I can’t eat better because I don’t have time. I can’t rest because I have too much to do. I can’t get healthy because I don’t have support.
These beliefs are common. They’re also often untrue.
In reality, we have far more control over our health than we’ve been led to believe. But control doesn’t mean perfection—it means choice. And choice begins with awareness.
Awareness as the Starting Point
Many of us live disconnected from our own bodies and emotions. We override exhaustion. We dismiss pain. We rationalize poor habits. We tell ourselves stories to justify our behavior—stories that, over time, become barriers to change.
And while it’s easy to blame the food industry, the healthcare system, or our own lack of willpower, what’s missing is a framework for making clear, confident decisions about health. One that respects emotional realities but guides us toward thoughtful, self-directed action.
Health Shift is that framework.
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for any length of time, you know my “fixes” are not quick, easy or fall anywhere in the category of ‘lifehacking’ — because the Health Shift mindset is a process, not a miracle cure.
It is not a program, a diet, or a prescription. It is a strategic process that helps individuals evaluate their health status, understand the full range of available interventions—lifestyle, complementary, and medical—and choose their next best step with clarity.
Hero Girl and the Core 4
To bring this concept to life, I created a symbol of personal power: Hero Girl. She represents what so many of us aspire to be when facing a health challenge—capable, curious, open-minded, and equipped. Not superhuman, but intentional.
She’s a reminder that you can be the hero of your health story—not the passive patient, not the confused consumer, not the burnt-out bystander.
And the first step in reclaiming that role is returning to what I call the Core 4:
✅ Movement
✅ Nutrition
✅ Sleep
✅ Hydration
These are not trends or quick fixes—they are free, foundational, and within reach. And when done consistently, they change everything.
(Hero Girl is our mascot around here, and though she’s all over this newsletter, she’s also in the book — I am so excited to see it all brought to life!)
This Is Not Magical Thinking. This Is Strategic Action.
Health Shift is rooted in the belief that healing doesn’t come from wishful thinking—it comes from powerful thinking. From aligning logic with intention, physiology with psychology, and emotion with action. It’s about seeing clearly, choosing wisely, and executing consistently.
It’s about taking ownership—not in a punitive, pressure-filled way, but in a deeply empowering one.
If there is one message I hope readers take away from the book, it’s this:
You are not broken. You are not powerless. You are not alone.
You may be misinformed. You may be overwhelmed. You may be exhausted. But those are conditions that can change—with the right support and the right strategy.
Health Shift is that strategy.
It is a new way of thinking about health—one that puts control back where it belongs: in your hands.
And that’s where the fundamental health transformation begins.
As I mentioned earlier, you’re welcome to the friends and family book launch I’ll be hosting in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on May 17! More details to follow, but you can keep an eye out for updates here on my book launch page. I’ll also be sharing more info here in the newsletter, so keep an eye out.
Thank you all so much for your curiosity, questions, and readership. I couldn’t do it without you.
In good health,
Dr. Alice
A little more about Dr. Alice Burron and Strategic Action Health:
Dr. Burron is a co-founder of Strategic Action Health, dedicated to helping organizations help their employees make better health decisions. Come check us out here!
Catch us on Instagram: @the.health.navigator and @dr_burron
You can also connect on LinkedIn, if you want to be professional about it. 👓
And if you’re not subscribed to Health Shift here on Substack — it’s time! This free newsletter is packed with valuable information and approaches to help you on your journey to better, faster healing.
Health Shift: Your Strategic Guide to Making Strategic Health Decisions book will officially launch on May 17, 2025! Mark your calendars! And if you’re in Cheyenne, join us for our party at Blacktooth Brewery. Have a beer on us! More information is coming soon.