Let us face it. It is not easy to do some of the things that keep us healthy. Like exercise, eat right, or sleep on time. It may be easy to get started, but sustaining healthy habits can be tough. The reasons for this are multifold: not-so-healthy options stare at us wherever we look: in grocery stores, advertising commercials, fast-food joints, and office parties. Societal pressure to have “just one drink”, or “this awesome piece of dessert” is constant. And life often feels too busy to make that extra effort to move, cook or rest. It is no wonder that achieving health goals can be challenging.
If you are struggling to lose those extra pounds, resolve a nagging health issue, reverse type 2 diabetes, or simply do the things that make you feel your optimal best, there is something you need to do first, before anything else. You need to uncover your WHY. And reversing type 2 diabetes, losing weight, or feeling better are not a good enough WHY. You must dig deep and find the thing that pulls at your heart strings, that keeps you up at night, that you want more than ANYTHING else. Let me share a client’s story with you to illustrate this.
Marie was, when I met her, in her mid 50s. She was dealing with bloating, low energy, poor sleep, allergies, and uncontrollable sugar cravings. The kind that had her raiding the pantry in the middle of the night. All these things bothered her, and she really wanted to get rid of the bloating, the cravings and feel more energetic.
When I dug a bit deeper and asked her why this was important to her, she thought for a bit and then said: “My mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She is in a care home and does not recognize me or my siblings. It has been very difficult to watch her gradual decline and literally lose her while she is still alive. I have 4 children and I will do whatever I can to spare them the same fate. I want to go for hikes with them when I am in my eighties, play with my grandchildren, instead of having them visit what’s left of me in an old-age home.”
Marie had uncovered her deepest WHY, her motivation for being her healthiest and best self. With my help she got rid of her cravings, optimized her diet, lost the tire around her waist, and improved her energy levels. And she didn’t stop there. She used her boundless energy to explore the world, certify as a personal trainer and help other people get fit.
Once you know your deepest motivation and you keep this visible, it becomes a whole lot easier to make the right choices. Your WHY will be different: maybe you want to uplevel your career, start a successful business, rekindle your marriage, be a better parent, give your life new direction and meaning. And for that you need a healthy body, a sharp and focused mind, confidence, and plenty of energy.
To uncover your WHY, start by asking yourself the following questions:
If you had a magic wand and you could change anything you wanted about your current health status, what would you change?
If you didn’t do anything about these issues, what do you think would happen down the line?
What, on the other hand, would happen if you got this under control? How would you feel, what would be different about your life, what could you achieve that you currently can’t?
The key is to find the motivation that is worthwhile enough for you to be making consistent effort. To identify your deepest dreams and desires and think about how being in optimal health will help you manifest the vision you have for yourself and your life.
I promise you, making healthy choices will become a whole lot easier when you have your WHY figured out.
(Monique Jhingon, Functional Nutritional Consultant and Author)
