“Life is not meant to be a struggle.” I had heard these words so many times, but the true magnificence of this statement wasn't fully clear until I welcomed its insight into my life -- and began to experience a significant positive shift in my overall health as a result.
For years, my body had been trying to tell me that something was off. Unbeknownst to me, chronic fatigue, persistent anxiety and intestinal pain were all physical manifestations of the absence of contentment and ease in my mind. What I needed was to empower my mind so that I could deeply heal my body.
By finally acknowledging that I had the capacity to play an active role in creating optimal health within my body and mind, I was inspired to become the most authentic expression of my highest self. In the process, I came to acknowledge and embrace these key concepts as my greatest companions on my health journey:
Nourishment Of The Mind
Nourishing the body without nourishing the mind is a fruitless endeavor. I used to bombard myself with nutrient-dense foods, never quite understanding why I didn't feel full. Looking back, what my body craved was nourishment of a different kind. I discovered that healthful, life-affirming foods were an important piece of the overall health equation, yet all the kale and quinoa in the world could not support me in my state of anxiety and mental unrest. I learned how to nurture my mind by becoming my own source of unconditional love and letting that love radiate to different corners of my life. The feeling that something was missing served as a prompt to get quiet through mediation and personal reflection and allow my internal guidance system to step in and lead me to my truth.
Accessing and honoring my intuitive voice and acting on it in ways that would elevate my personal evolution became a lifeline and, soon after, a practice. Create your own practice of self nourishment by devoting time each day to meditation and introspection. When you crave support from outside sources, commit to becoming your own support system. Seek to understand what valuable information your body and mind are trying to communicate to you at all times. What do you truly need? Consistently asking yourself powerful questions will help you access a deeper connection to your intuition, and a more meaningful understanding of how to care for yourself in the ways that only you can.
Connection To Purpose
I see now that before I had uncovered my own “why” -- my reason for waking up every morning and embracing a new day -- I was sleepwalking through the days of my life. Since I was a small child, I confidently knew that my greatest gift was my ability to connect with others, while inspiring them to believe more deeply in themselves. I was lucky to have uncovered my “why” at such a young age. To my detriment, as time went by, and without my conscious participation, that very certain voice of knowing faded, and the authoritative voice of forces external to myself stepped in. I began to do work that I was not connected to at a soul level, mindlessly going through the actions of a life that was not reflective of my own values. This sense of disconnect was quick to leave its mark on my emotional and, subsequently, my physical state.
Exploring why I felt so dissatisfied and unfulfilled became a catalyst for me to make meaningful changes in my life. Only after I surrendered to my own vision for my life was I able to reconnect to my true purpose and operate in a state of limitless flow. I came to understand that when I followed my heart, I could attract more of what I wanted into my life. Find your connection to purpose by accessing what truly motivates you. What are you passionate about? What lights you up from the inside out? Recall moments in your life that you were in pure heart-centered joy. The clarity that comes when you get honest with yourself and answer these questions will bring focus to your journey toward true purpose.
Positive Internal Environment
Good health cannot endure in environments where there is any form of toxicity. Because we are the creators of our own thoughts, beliefs and perceptions, we have the unique ability to rewrite our internal script and challenge what no longer serves our highest good. For too long, my inner bully had me in a headlock, telling me that I was not capable of stepping into my power. My healing began when I started to question why I was speaking to myself in a tone that I would never take with another human being. I started to contemplate how I could ever invite positive relationships into my life when the one that I had with myself was so falsely rooted.
Awareness of the messages I was speaking to myself on a consistent basis brought me a deeper understanding of how my subconscious thoughts were holding me back and limiting me from my full expansion. To create a healthy internal space, I modified my language to reflect my hopes instead of my fears, and I flooded myself with thoughts that would help me manifest the life I desired and the true health that I craved.
What can you learn from your own internal dialogue? The next time you have a self defeating thought, challenge its validity and then reframe the thought to serve your highest good. Every time you choose a more empowering thought, you will actively pave the way for the next right action, ultimately cultivating a healthy and solid internal space for your truth to come to light.
Express Joy
There is no denying that we live in a world filled with messages of fear and negativity. What we see and experience in this life is delivered to us, by us, since we are the ultimate creators of the reality we choose to observe. When I find myself in moments of unease and scarcity, I now know that I can choose again -- and I actively choose joy. Staying aligned with my passions recalibrates my energy and keeps me in anticipation of fresh, new experiences and opportunities for growth.
Well-being encompasses all of our parts, not just the physical body. It is important to create balance by actively nurturing your whole person, consistently and lovingly, always. Your mind is one of the most powerful tools you have available to you to create the greatest version of your life and the highest level of health. Choose to drop the struggle. Learn to love yourself. Be an expression of joy. All of the support and guidance that you need to manifest this and so much more, is within you.
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