CHANGE?

You want to be healthy. You can imagine feeling great, looking your best and having all-day energy. The kind of person who leaps out of bed, does productive work all day and has time to enjoy family and friends. In your vision you exercise every day, eat your greens and move like someone years younger.

The thing is, it’s more a daydream than reality. Endless energy and sticking to a vague idea about eating well seem less and less likely the more you try. I mean, most people you know probably struggle to feel their best. They may not remember what truly being healthy is. Outside of the world of fitness trainers, whose job it is to be in shape and the lucky few with the right genes, most people are tired and unhealthy, right?

Read on to learn about real change, as detailed in the book, EMPOWERED: The Path of Optimal Health.

Reframe

If you find yourself wistfully staring out the window and trying not to think about how many times you’ve tried and failed to take better care of yourself, that’s okay. I’ve been there. In fact, I shared my personal struggles with food in my book, Enjoy Every Bite. I know how hard it can be to try again and again.

Of course, all of the understanding and encouragement in the world won’t make a difference if you are not committed to change how you take care of yourself. Clearly, knowing what to do isn’t enough or you’d eat your veggies, move every day, sleep more, watch less tv, say your prayers, call your mom, etc. The secret is reframing your mindset and creating a new way of being, step by step.

Move Beyond Excuses

You may believe the healthy people you know or see in the media are beyond the challenges you face. You might think they never feel too tired to workout or too lazy to prep a nutritious dinner. You probably contend they are luckier or more gifted than you. Ha!

It's time to take an honest look at your health and acknowledge the flimsy gauze of excuses you’ve allowed to cover up your real self. You are ready. All you need to do is decide to become who you are. You feel the pull of a desire to be who you deserve to be and are reading this post. Let’s get started!

The First Step

Now, let’s find out how committed you are to become more empowered. Grab some paper and a pen. Writing this out rather than typing it on a device elicits deeper truth because the act of writing is more visceral.

Give yourself a minimum of 20 minutes alone in a quiet atmosphere to complete these questions. Write freely and without judging what emerges as you go through this process. You are perfect as you are right now, this is simply allowing you to pull the veil away from the beauty inside of you.

1.   Are you as healthy as you want to be?

This first question deserves more than a simple yes/no response. Take your time. Let is all out. 

Think of this first question as a brain dump. You can use this one to release all of the surface-level chatter, which can swirl around your head. You are here to get beneath the turbulence. 

2.   What would perfect health be for you? 

Remember to free write. No judgement! How would you look? How would you feel? What would you eat? What would you do that you haven’t done? Even, where would you live? How would you spend your free time?

Take this wherever you want to go. Think big!

3.   What are the costs of not being in an optimal state of health?

This might be the most important question of all, because you can use what you reveal to fuel your wellness journey. 

What have you missed? What can’t you do? Who have you let down? Where will your current state of health lead? In other words, if you keep doing what you have been doing, how do look, feel and act in a year, or 5 years, or in 10 years?

Honestly, if you’re doing this right, you might get a little angry. That’s okay and a normal response. You are digging to get to your truth. You might get a little dirty.

4.   Which part of your life does your lack of perfect health most threaten?

This is the point at which you may start to feel a heaviness in your gut. Let it be! Ignoring your true feelings or rushing past them or quitting now will limit your progress. Stay with me!

You might be surprised that simply writing out how your lack of energy has limited your career is freeing. It is okay to admit to yourself that the extra weight you carry has hurt your marriage. The guilt you may feel about being unable to play with your kids is understandable.

Keep going my friend! Here comes the good stuff.

5.   How would you benefit from having the health you want?

If you haven’t done this in one sitting, please reread your answers to question two. If you are a little shaken at this point, that’s okay. Remember, you are re-creating your reality now. You are not denying the past or your health up to this point, you are choosing a new path forward.

Allow yourself to really feel excited as you answer this question. In fact, stand up and move around to raise your energy. Really! Stand up! Good posture! Take a deep breath in, allowing your abdomen to expand and your chest to rise. Exhale through your mouth. Do that three times.

Close your eyes and let your imagination run free. How do you feel in a week or a month from now? What do you look like? Notice your facial expressions, posture and the way you move. What are you thinking?   

What are you doing? Are you buying new clothes because the old ones are too big? Have you started to date again because you know how amazing you are? Has your energy given you the chance to volunteer? Are you taking a cooking class to learn how to prep healthy meals? Get excited! Allow the bright, vibrant picture to expand. 

Now, imagine yourself doing something you have never done before because of your vibrant health. Feel the rush of joy, happiness and peace. This is who you are.