Do you ever feel like your journey to wellness bears resemblance to trying to find your way out of a labyrinth? Each path is like one of the overwhelming numbers of dietary and exercise options out there, but we lack the signposts to direct us to the solution that will work for us. Unfortunately, many of the paths lead to dead ends and we have to keep doubling back and trying different options until we find a lifestyle that works for us. However, if we remain stuck in the labyrinth, over time we get despondent and just start to accept what ails us and manage as best we can. We get stuck in the labyrinth.
I was stuck in my own labyrinth for a very long time. I suffer with the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, often debilitating symptoms that can last for years and wear down your soul. I’ve tried no end of diets during my relationship with this disease, consulted with numerous doctors from many different branches of medicine, from Chinese to Ayurveda, Shamanic to conventional. In the end it took me about 8 years immersed in the jungle of Costa Rica to really discover what worked for me and to discover that diet alone is not enough. Let me share my learnings with you.
Invest:
The amount of effort you invest should align with the amount of change you wish to see. Change takes time, effort, commitment and purposeful practice to break old habits and forge new ones.
Change what you consume:
What we consume determines the lives that we live. A change of your diet is not enough, you need to review everything that you consume from the TV you watch and the books you read, the friends that you surround yourself with both in person or virtually, to the things that you buy.
Recognise your uniqueness:
We are all beautifully unique individuals and we deny our individuality if we think that a mainstream solution will be perfectly aligned to our needs. It takes time, trial and error and a lot of patience to determine what works for us and then it takes practice to embed as a habit.
Banish negative thinking:
Negative thinking is one of the biggest destroyers of change. The way that you talk to yourself has a huge impact on your wellness as you can never get away from your own voice. Make creating a positive mindset habit a priority on your wellness journey and think your way to success! Remember, the greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. Choose a positive response every time!
React appropriately:
When there is a gap between expectation and reality, we begin to suffer the experience of stress. The thing is stress is not what happens to us, it is our response to what happens, and response is something we can choose. So, you can choose to adjust your expectations, choose to react differently, choose to sit within that stress or find a path out of it.
Remember, your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same. It is only our own limiting thoughts and actions that hold us back. Want the change enough and invest enough energy into achieving your goal and you will find your way out of the labyrinth.