“New Year, New Me” is a phrase often uttered at this time with new health and wellness goals. The “new me” implies there’s a complete change of the current person. This time of year sparks new resolutions and reviews of long-term goals. Health and wellness almost always makes the list. Often neglected are the steps to accomplish those resolutions. I’m here to tell you the first step to meet your health and wellness goals.
First off, do you know WHY you want to change your body or your health?
Purpose
You may want the obvious, a healthy life. Your idea of healthy could be in the realm of a resilient immune system and a tough mind. This could look like a body that’s able to fight a cold before you even feel it or a body that’s able to fall asleep at the right time. That feeling of rejuvenation after a workout or overcoming the stress of a major project from work gives you confidence. This confidence comes from knowing your body has the ability to rebound. Additionally, you possess the mental skills to surge and relax with little negative long-term effects.
Perhaps you fear the inability to do your everyday functions you’re able to do right now. Did you stop to wonder what happens if you couldn’t easily take the stairs to your favorite restaurant? Have you thought about if you couldn’t visit your family and friends? Or perhaps traveling to the Mayan temple on your bucket list? Today’s technology has allowed us to make anything possible. But the freedom that comes with a functional and strong body we currently makes us dream bigger, do more, and do so for a longer period of time.
Aside from health, you may have a personal goal to complete a half marathon, climb Mount Rainier or compete in a fitness competition. Unless you’re a superhuman, there’s a very small chance you can roll out of bed and scale a mountain without training. These performance feats only come with a level of agility and endurance that mitigate risk of injury. My experience with half marathons taught me some training is better than no training. However, the fear of limited mobility no thanks to stress fractures, muscle strains, and permanent joint damage is a concern. Never mind the mental stress of the inability to control and move my body on my terms.
Lastly, how can we ignore that appearance may also be a factor in wanting to ensure your health and wellness are on the right track. We don’t really want to admit this because we know there are so much more important reasons to want a healthy lifestyle. And yet, there are days when we don’t feel confident in our clothes, our bodies literally weigh us down, or our bodies don’t fit in the chair. Personally, when I lived in Japan, I never felt more self-conscious about my body then when I sat in a chair. The seats are smaller even in on Japanese air carriers. My time shopping for clothes made me feel like a giant that didn’t fit in. My entire time there I didn’t buy any clothes aside from socks – and even though it had to be the largest size available.
You may have all these reasons – and more – to change your lifestyle and that can feel like a lot all at once! You’ve done more in other areas of your life but why is this area so hard?
No matter your reason(s), there’s one indisputable requirement that will continuously be referenced in the midst of your health and wellness journey and goals, if you want to make your vision a reality.
Love and appreciate your body as it is right now.
That’s right. In this moment, at this time, as your body is right now.
At first, it may not make sense. You want to change your body so why would you love your body before the change happens? One way to love is to accept. Acceptance doesn’t mean tolerate or secretly belittle. Your vision for yourself can still change when you love it and accept it as it is. This doesn’t mean you’re not working to increase its capacity, its endurance, or its functions.
Acknowledgement of Health and Wellness
In the area of health, where has your body and mind served you? The key is to acknowledge all functions of health, big and small. If you have recovered from any surgery from wisdom teeth removal to knee replacement your body has served you well. If you managed the emotional and mental turmoil of a death in the family or found a way to make new friends your mindset has served you.
In the area of functionality, breathing, digestion, bowel movements, sight, hearing, the ability to feel hot and cold water… your body has served you.
In the area of performance, walking, running, climbing the stair, getting up from a fall, reaching for the beans in your pantry or putting your suitcase in the overhead compartment, your body has served you.
In the area of appearance, everyone has a favorite part of his or her body. For a time growing up, there were people who made negative remarks about my thighs. I remember feeling hurt and grew to not like my legs. All I could think about was wanting smaller thighs all throughout my adolescent and early adulthood. I was so focused on the negative remark, I grew to not like my legs, arms and most of my body.
It wasn’t until I remembered my father was praised for his “chicken legs” that I started to look at myself differently. His friends and family always paired his skill with his appearance. Chicken legs seemed to accompany praise of his record breaking running speeds from track and his agility in football – and he was proud of all it. I started to think the same way while playing rugby in college. I may have had thick thighs, but I was also one of the fastest girls on our team. And nowadays, I’m acknowledged for my leg muscles and curvy silhouette. Find your favorite part of your body. Then emphasize and highlight that part(s) with your words and your clothes. You’ll find yourself loving your looks in time.
Your wanting to change is really more of your desire to improve. Loving yourself, as you are right now, is a beautiful way of honoring your body instead of rejecting it. And frankly, if you cannot accept yourself as you are, how are you allowing others to accept you? Like most programs and personal development processes out there, the first step is self-awareness and acceptance of what is reality right now. And perhaps your motto can move to “New Year, Improved Me.”
What health and wellness goals do you have for yourself?