Keep Doing You
I spent a big part of my early years while learning and researching about healthy and holistic living, trying to change EVERYONE around me.
My family, my in-laws, my friends, my co-workers, my clients – literally everyone I knew. But what ended up happening was that I was often made fun of, looked at like I was the “odd” one out. I was looked as if what I was talking about and teaching about didn’t matter, that I was over-reacting, or that I wasn’t a Doctor and that I didn’t know enough… or the opposite – that I was a know it all!
It was so frustrating to me and in the beginning made me so angry because I was sitting by idly watching the people I cared about most and even some I barely knew breaking down their body day by day and habit by habit. BUT I was the only one that was negatively being affected by their habits…
The people I would try so hard to share information with or offer up meal plans to or books or articles or seminars etc thought I was crazy and they went on to continue to eat and drink and live the way the were quite happily and with immense joy. It was only I that was feeling the stress from it all.
So I stopped…
Instead of jumping in at any chance to offer suggestion or support; I sat or stood there silently and said nothing. I just couldn’t do it any longer
and what I realized is that the most powerful thing I could do was to stop focusing so much on what I was saying to people and instead focus my love for health and our bodies and life onto myself and my own little family.
I had to let myself be free of constantly wanting to jump in and fix everything – I was exhausted and quite honestly felt like I was banging my head against the wall.
It is amazing how much greater a teacher you become when you simply lead by living your own life and “doing” you. The less I said and the more I fully stepped into my own body and my own work the more clients I attracted and the more questions came my way.
It wasn’t until an unhealthy lifestyle or stress or suppressed “stuff” showed up in the form of a disease or their body began to feel very out of balance and unwell that many of the closest people in my life came to me asking for reasons why and how to create a shift.
I still didn’t jump to “change” them. I listened and offered some support and most usually connected them with other practitioners along the way to help build a tribe and a health community for them, because again, what I realized is it not my job to fix or change anyone. Only YOU the individual can do that and you need to be ready for it.
Sometimes your role isn’t to “teach” anyone anything, but rather to encourage them to think.
So today my message to you is to “keep doing you”
Nourish your body with what it needs; good food, hydration, proper nutrients, exercise, fabulous people and experiences, good books and laughter and just know that by doing this and by doing you, you are teaching the world more than you could ever know
From my healthy living journey to yours,
Jenn xoxo