Change your habits, change your world.
I feel torn about New Year's Resolutions. On one hand, the cliché of the annual cries of “new year, new you” make me a hint nauseous. The tradition of treating our bodies poorly through foods and drinks that don't serve us, reduced sleep and agreeing to obligations we hate in November and December and then deciding to finally take better care of ourselves because the calendar says January seems, well, strange.
On the other hand, I LOVE new beginnings and fresh starts. You won't see me promote the idea of eating and drinking with reckless abandon up until an arbitrary date changes however I know there is a lot of momentum around making positive changes at this time of year so heck, let's ride it. But do me a favor-this time, I want you to look at it differently.
The reality of true, systemic change happening for you is not about the next fad diet, cutting out dairy, running 10 miles a day or any other exact action. It's really about regularly shifting habits which, by the way, can be really hard to do (otherwise we all would be happy, healthy and well adjusted).
Consistent, supported and directed habit shifting is what creates authentic change which then converts into effortless new healthy habits. I know this because I've tried to change my life in both ways. I've done the extreme, all-at-once massive change in behavior that resulted in me returning to my old ways within 1-2 months (or weeks, really). Every damn time. However once I started learning to trust my intuition and let it direct how/when/what I eat, how I exercise, how I practice self care, when I say yes, when I say no, how I shape my days, my weeks, months and years, real change took root. It “went slower” and didn't have the dramatic effect of the “I'm never eating a carb again and I'm moving into the gym and I'm quitting my job” way of doing things but boy, has it been effective.
After being in the health and food world for a decade as well as an avid personal growth junkie, I am able to essentially provide my clients with a cross between a nutritionist and a life coach. And I can tell you that nearly anyone that struggles with food, is struggling somewhere else in life (self care, self kindness, boundaries, career happiness, supportive relationships, etc). That's the place where I like to dig in to guide my clients to make change at the root. Anyone can count calories and exercise but if you don't address the underlying issues of how you treat yourself, you will never live the healthy and happy life you want.
The reality is that any time we are creating change in our lives, whether it be to reduce weight, reduce stress, increase joy, or build better self care, we do better when we have unbiased support and accountability. As a certified Health Coach (Cassie Green Health), that's exactly what I offer. My clients have completely shifted their lives by participating in my highly customized Six Month Program. We create goals together and meet bi-weekly to discuss action steps, challenges and successes. I am with them every step of the way and although I sometimes push them to the edge of their comfort zone, it's always done with love and kindness. If you want to make true change, real change, the kind that shifts the trajectory of your life, I suggest we meet. I offer a complimentary health consultation so we can see if we would be a good partnership to move you towards living a life that is brimming with joy that you love wholeheartedly!