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Health is a Journey

By Jenny Steadman October 9, 2015
In January, I challenged you to a New Year's resolution of kindness. You can read the article here.

It’s easy to make assumptions about people by the way they look.   

We know not to do this but, I confess I can’t always help it. I catch myself and correct my thoughts. It’s easy to assume that someone who is thin doesn’t have food issues, works out a lot and is generally happy. It’s also easy to assume that someone who is overweight is constantly struggling with food, has never been to a gym and is generally unhappy, if not miserable. The thing is, these snap judgments have nothing to do with these other people. They have everything to do with what I think of myself.

I’ve spent decades with these quick assumptions jumping into my head and it is work to change this habit, just like any other. I’m a work-in-progress just like you, just like all of us.   

Having been on my own health journey, I now know, and truly understand, that physical appearance has absolutely no bearing on the rest of our lives. Media and cultural stigma have put these thoughts in our heads. I know I didn’t think them up by myself. How could I? When I was my heaviest (over 50 pounds ago), I went to the gym, ate what I thought was a healthy diet and was generally a very happy person. When I was my lightest (almost 20 pounds ago), I was obsessed with food and generally unhappy because I was constantly worrying about what I should and shouldn’t eat.   

We all have our struggles. No one’s life is perfect. If you find yourself judging other people, I can only imagine how you judge yourself. As your weight fluctuates, as you try different diets to see how they affect your body, as you go through exercise phases and general levels of stress in life, give yourself a break.

Health is not a destination. It is not a number on the scale, a dress size or the finish line at that race you’ve been training for. There is no finish line. Health is a journey that takes you through different ups and downs, straight-aways and detours. The seasons change, life events happen and our bodies show the wear and tear of it all. This does not mean that you are never able to heal.  

I challenge you to take a look at the road you are on. Is it full of up-hills with obstacles in your way? Are you on a detour that is taking longer than you hoped? Cut yourself a break. Eventually, you will get over that boulder, hit the top of the incline and head downhill with little effort. But that isn’t the finish line … life keeps going.   

If you find yourself judging yourself or others, take a second to acknowledge the thought and turn it around. How could you rephrase that thought to turn it positive? By fueling your mind and body with positive thoughts, you can help heal your relationship with yourself. Those ugly thoughts you have about strangers are things you would never say out loud, yet I know you look in the mirror and say similar things to yourself. You may be the driver on your journey of health, but you are also the passenger. Be kind. It’s a long drive.