Before we dive into today’s blog, let me put out a small disclaimer that this post may be a bit “woo woo” for some. I understand if you read today’s post and it doesn’t resonate with you. My intention is to give you just the right amount of “woo woo” to make you question things you’ve tried in the past versus things you may try in the future as part of working towards total body wellness.

As the year 2021 winds down and the year 2022 ramps up, I can guarantee there are going to be all kinds of programs hyped up in the world of weight loss and wellness. You may be feeling called to try something new as the new year arrives. Maybe you haven’t achieved the results you were looking for on a personal level with your wellness goals, or maybe you’ve hit a roadblock with some of your professional dreams. 

If you’ve been feeling frustrated with meeting goals over the last year or more, take a step back and think through why your results may have been lacking. Sit down and take a personal inventory of things you’ve tried and think through everything within the realm of mindset (stress management), meals, metabolics (structured exercise), and movement.

Sitting in stillness can be the thing you need to change gears, shift directions, or work through your more recent hurdles. While being still and quiet is one of the most challenging things for me to do, I find that my best ideas and greatest clarity come from just being alone with my thoughts. And actually, I don’t often “sit in stillness” when I have my best ideas. I’m often out walking in nature without the distraction of a podcast or music.

Dr. Jade often talks about the importance of understanding your purpose. What does living out your purpose have to do with meeting your goals? Living out your purpose may feel most fulfilling and easiest to do when you are feeling and performing at your personal best, not to mention the level of confidence you bring to the table when you are comfortable in your skin. I think linking your goals to your purpose is critically important when trying to live each day as your “best self.” 

The ability to reach your potential and tap into what Dr. Jade often refers to as your “superpowers” may require taking different steps for you than for your friends or family. 

If you approach learning from a spiritual or deeper level, nobody can ever teach you anything you don’t already know. The “experts” – the coaches, the dietitians, the personal trainers, the psychotherapists – can only help you get in touch with what you already intuitively know to be true.  

When you start to feel lost or confused about how to move closer to your future vision, I would suspect your first instinct is to search for direction.  Maybe you are wondering who can guide you to find the answers you are searching for. No one person has all of the answers, right?

The role of the expert or coach, in my mind, is to bring knowledge that you already have to the forefront from within the conscious mind. The expert is a helpful resource when you are in need of education. The coach can be a valuable resource by asking more open-ended questions to draw out what you intuitively know to be true.  However, be cautious of letting a coach or expert override what you intuitively feel would be best for you.

I believe now more than ever in the importance of advocating for yourself and your health, and searching for answers until you feel you’ve found the solutions that sit best with you. If something isn’t working in your life, there must be a disconnect somewhere. 

Maybe some of your labs aren’t in the right spot and require some medical assistance, or maybe you’ve been opposed to tracking your data through things like food logs or step trackers. Or maybe making time for stress management and self-care feels way less important in comparison to putting in 50 hours a week at the office or running kids all over town for their own extra-curricular activities.

Before you make your next purchase in hopes of finding “the next” program that will be the answer in leading you to the life of your dreams, step back and reflect on the following questions:

• How many times within the last year have you turned inward and chosen to look within to find your own answers while sitting in stillness?  
• What causes you to make poor decisions when it comes to proper self-care if you intuitively know what is best for you?  
• Why are the wrong choices sometimes made even when you’ve clearly stated your goals out loud or have written them down?  
• Why does your whisper seem to be absent when trying to make a difficult decision, but the whisper turns to a roar when you’ve experienced some sort of failure or difficulty?

Remember, while advice and guidance from trained professionals and coaches can be helpful, sometimes the biggest learning takes place when you counsel your inner advisor. Like so many of us, ignoring what you intuitively know is best for you can easily spiral into self-sabotage or giving up on your goals, but I want to remind you that there really is a program or resource out there to help you move forward and closer to your wellness vision. 

However, before you purchase your next program or set some new goals for the New Year, sit still for a bit! Turn inward and ask yourself some deeper, harder questions. Let’s see if 2022 brings about some real changes in your total wellness and allows you to live out your purpose with more confidence and ease!

Photo by Léonard Cotte on Unsplash