Many people go through life everyday chasing happiness as if it is something that we can find hidden somewhere and once we find it we hold onto it forever. As if happiness is a destination rather than a journey. “When I lose weight, I will finally be happy,” “When I am a size two, I will be happy,” “I would be happy if…” “Once I can afford a new car, I will be happy,” “I can’t wait for warmer weather, then I will be happy,” There was a time in my life when I truly believed that I would finally be happy once I achieved a certain body type. While I never realized it at the time, this continuous thought process of what I needed to change about my body in order to make me happy really became so paralyzing. It took time and attention away from enjoying a lot of wonderful moments, nights out with my girlfriends, family gatherings, school etc. I was never presently anywhere because my mind was too preoccupied thinking about what more I could do in order to achieve this “happiness.” It is SO easy to get caught up in this mindset that once you reach a certain destination you will be happy. The media is constantly portraying these types of claims in the health and fitness industry. Selling a new “30 day cleanse,” diet programs, shakes or product line that guarantees results FAST. Giving the consumer the feeling that once they can drop 10 lbs. in 12 days, THEN they will be happy. The truth is, there is no one specific weight, body type, or fitness goal that is going to make you inherently happy. There is no linear relationship between how lean you are and life satisfaction. Doing any one diet or fitness protocol is NOT the secret to everlasting life and happiness. You must understand that health and happiness is a journey, not a destination. Once you can understand that you will change how you interact with life entirely. Your body (this includes your physical, mental and emotional health) is so dynamic and ever changing. The body you have today will not look like the body you had 5 years ago or the body you will have in 10 years. With life experiences like pregnancy, climate change, life stressors and circumstances, it will always be changing and adapting. THIS IS NORMAL, and this is okay. Actually, this is wonderful! Our bodies are AMAZING things. They have the ability to adapt to any circumstance or situation, grow and support a human life, ability to heal and protect itself, the list goes on. Your body fluctuates and your health fluctuates. When are mindset is that we need to be at a certain place to be happy, worthy of love etc. small fluctuations will result in stress and anxiety (which raises cortisol levels which leads to weight gain). Understanding that your health and wellness is a journey means that you understand that your body will fluctuate. You give yourself the freedom to not feel guilty or shamed when things change. This means more balance and less self-sabotaging behaviors. This means working with your body, not against it. This means finding which wholesome foods make YOU feel good, what type of physical activity makes your body feel strong and empowered. Doing things that you love and enjoy to build a life of HAPPINESS. Have you been pursuing happiness as a destination rather than a journey? Feel free to discuss in the comments below xo
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