Consistent
Healthy
Awareness
Now
Grow
Empowered
Grow and Let Go
Now that we have discussed commitment to make CONSISTENT, HEALTHY choices through AWARENESS of the HERE AND NOW, therefore taking the essential steps towards getting on and staying on the path towards health and wellness, where do we go from here? Simple. Once we begin to make habits of applying daily awareness and making consistent, healthy choices, moment-by-moment, we let go of everything that does not apply. Self-doubt, negative thinking, and judgement of self and others are just a few of the pieces that can contribute to anchoring us down to the same daily routines that contribute to unhealthy habits and choices. And unfortunately, sometimes, that anchor has become our “friend”, the one consistent thing in our lives, and letting it go can be way easier said than done.
Remembering that perfection is not the goal here, deviation from the path will occur. But once you commit to a daily healthy lifestyle, balancing fun, laughter, healthy eating and drinking, stretching, exercising, family time, and working hard with passion and zeal, your body and mind will be so much more aware of how it feels once you stray. The scales will tip. Elimination diets follow this same concept. Once you eliminate a food that you might be sensitive to, such as gluten or dairy you might not immediately notice the positive effects on your mood and energy. But, reintroduce that food into your diet after a month or so and most people say that they can immediately feel how it negatively affects the body such as feeling sluggish, abdominal cramping, bloating, etc.… Now you have the motivation to continue to “grow and let grow” because you have experienced what true health feels like. You’re proud of yourself, you feel better about yourself and this will reflect throughout your life, your day, as well as how you interact with others and how they interact with you.
So, try the same with positive thinking. Challenge yourself to be aware of one negative or judgmental statement that you say to yourself daily. Whether it’s, “ugh I’m fat,” “I don’t look good in this,” “I hate my hair”, or “I’m so unorganized.” Pick one statement and commit to changing it to a positive statement every day. Your positive outlook will grow.
I have read articles and talked with couples that have successful marriages or partnerships of 50 years or more. And often one of the common denominators, or pieces of advice, are “avoid negative people and situations.” It is quite impossible to grow in an environment that suppresses one’s growth and happiness. Continuing to build on the foundation that you lay down each time you make consistent, healthy choices with moment-to-moment awareness, allows you to let go of that which is holding you back. And once you’re free from that anchor, fly free my friend, the possibilities are endless and Empowerment of yourself and others is just the beginning!
By Denise Nichols, OTR/L, PRPC, BCB-PMD