Bridges to better
Breaking rules for lasting change.
I have a funny relationship with rules. Maybe you can relate?
“Why” matters to me. So much so that if you can’t give me a good reason for a rule, there’s a good chance I’m going to struggle to keep it. I’m not saying this is right. It’s simply part of who I am.
Don’t get me wrong – I understand that there are a lot of times in life that simply obeying is best because the authority giving directives is worthy of trust. I tell my nearly 2-year-old, “You must hold my hand in a parking lot.” He does not know why. Even if I tried to explain it, he still would not understand. What he knows is, “Mommy loves me,” so he holds my hand.
As I grow, I see just how little I truly know. I am highly educated and love the depth of knowledge I have been privileged to learn concerning the human body and how we live and operate in and through it. All the same, the more I learn the more I want to know. I want to understand so that my family, myself, my patients and you (my livableYOU peeps) can benefit from the “whys” of our body, mind and spirit. The trouble is, there are aspects of health and wellness that are not well understood. Yet, you and I are submersed in a world where opinions are spouted as facts and we are dared to question their validity or worth. Well, friend, I welcome you to question and explore right along with me.
For years as I have sat with person after person it is clear that rules are not the answer for wellness. There is no magic pill. No all-in-one super-food. No perfect plan that fits everybody every time. We are complicated. More often than not, a conversation that starts about food ends on the topic of broken relationships. Or someone worried about anger and worry winds around to underlying fears about body image and rules about food. These common struggles are the heart from which livableYOU was born.
We don’t need more rules. We just find ways around them or beat ourselves up for not keeping them. We need people that come along side us to help figure out what works and what doesn’t without scolding or shaming us along the way. We need loving, small bridges to better.
Small bridges to better are just simple little things, that when done often enough result in better wellness. Adding love to those small bridges breaks the rules, crushes the shame and shakes off the anxiety of screwing it all up. You are more than the sum of what you think you’ve done right and the difference of what you think you’ve done wrong. You are created with purpose and only you can be you. Striving for better wellness is for the sole purpose of helping you make the mark on this world that only you can leave.
Rules are set up to make you feel like you must earn your worth.
Hear me clearly:
No food, exercise, size, thought pattern or other work can change your worth.
You are of immeasurable worth just as you are.
Simple things that build small bridges to better wellness give you the freedom to be the best version of yourself you can be today without any concern of how that compares to yesterday or tomorrow. Nothing is against the rules because there are no rules. Rules are made for fear and Love removes all fear. Love answers your why when you are ready and able to hear it.
Are there foods that make my body feel sluggish or even damage organs that are vital to my survival? Then love says, “Avoid those so you can thrive.” That’s not a rule. That is learning and responding in love.
Are there drinks that cause me to deal with bloating, irritability, or other unwanted issues? Love says, “You don’t need those.” Again, no rules. Just loving guidance with a why you’ve already experienced.
Are there habits you’re trying to change, but keep falling flat on your face? Love says, ”Let’s take a look at what else is going on. Once we address things like sleep and how you talk to yourself, then maybe we tackle that other concern.” There’s no shaming or scolding here. Instead, grace to deal with one layer at a time.
On that note, let’s build a few loving, small bridges!
Loving small bridge 1 – enjoy water.
Fatigue, irritability, dry mouth, body and joint aches are just some of the symptoms of dehydration. Showing love to myself (and others depending on the irritability level) can be done by simply enjoying water. Maybe today’s bridge is 2 glasses, tomorrow’s is 5 and Sunday’s is 3. The numbers don’t matter. You and I are working to build small bridges that carry us over to better wellness.
Loving small bridge 2 – enjoy color.
You can’t scroll social media, watch a video or see a magazine without somebody telling you about the AMAZING WONDER PILL or other best-kept secret that supplies all your body needs to be well. It’s simply not so. This world was created to celebrate beauty within variety and that extends to our foods. Add color to your life by trying veggies and fruits of varied colors. Our bodies were made to thrive on nutrients found in food. Food is packaged naturally in a way that helps deliver what we need and what is needed to get it to us in the best way possible. Stop stressing over how much, where it was grown, macros and micros. Take a breath and enjoy color on your plate.
Loving small bridge 3– enjoy what your body can do.
If you missed last week’s opportunity to celebrate All Is Ours Day, I invite you to go back and celebrate today. Exercise can be intimidating and overwhelming. Instead of creating a reward/punishment mentality, simply move to enjoy. Then while you’re moving, celebrate what you can do because we forget too easily that today we may be living the very life someone else is hoping to one day enjoy.
What loving small bridge can you build today toward your better wellness?
written by Kelli Keller
