You would think I would have my elevator speech down by now. After all, I have been on my own for two years and have been asked, “So, what do you do?” a thousand times. However, I only recently figured out how to summarize by business and my purpose. (And by recent… I mean this morning.)
Somehow, my effort to simplify health had me and, unfortunately, those who asked me, rather stumped. Ironically, I think the word “health” has been the instigator of my hang-up.
I am at the point where I hesitate to even use the word when I describe what I do. In today’s society, health seems to be associated with weighing a certain amount, eating a certain way, exercising a certain amount of time, and following a laundry list of rules and recommendations for sleep, stress, and work-life balance. The intentions are good, but I question the effectiveness of these “health” strategies (and, therefore, avoid using any of them in my life or my business).
What happens when people focus on weight? They get discouraged.
What happens when people feel they should eat a certain way? They don’t and feel guilty.
What happens when people think they need to exercise a certain amount? They often get an all-or-nothing mentality (and choose nothing) or obsess about it so much that it dictates whether or not they have a good day.
I have a hard time with this. In my book (figuratively speaking… hopefully someday it will be literally speaking), this isn’t health at all.
To me, health is living a life with purpose and meaning. It is liking who you are and who you are becoming. It is trusting your body and realizing how amazing it is. It is enjoying food and letting hunger be your friend instead of your enemy. It is moving and sleeping enough so you stay energized and “filling your cup” with the good things in life. It is becoming stronger – not so much by lifting weights, but by choosing to forgive and learning from your mistakes.
I know. It’s deep. But like it or not, that is where “health” has to go – where I am willing to go – to help people discover their best selves – their true selves – again.
Now to just get good at summarizing all that in a sentence or two…
Actually, you know what? Go ahead and try me.
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