The 5 Lessons that Transformed my Life and My Health
This post could probably be a book because I am so passionate about the things that have moved the needle for me but also because it encompasses the deeper realizations I've had to come to terms with while transforming my life. As I reflect on life-changing moments I’ve experienced such as my relocation to Switzerland, finding my support system, meeting my life partner, and embarking on a journey to enhance my health and body image, pursuing my passion in health, each lesson has been instrumental in my personal growth.
These things are my takeaways and I cannot downplay the significance that these realizations had in shaping my life and health journey.
5 things I learned that transformed my health
Every aspect of health is connected, from our mind to our organs, mental health and physical health. Our emotions create our thoughts, and our thoughts create your reality.
When it comes to addressing our health, people often perceive each part of the body as isolated units, failing to recognize their interconnectedness. Instead of tuning into our bodies to understand the root cause of pain, we're conditioned to simply focus on alleviating symptoms with painkillers. However, throughout my own health journey, I came to realize the profound impact of this interconnectedness, especially by listening to my body and then by making small adjustments in my routine, and observing the ripple effects on my overall well-being.
When we're unwell, it's not just a single part of our body that suffers; we experience a cascade of effects. A stomach ache can dampen our mood, induce brain fog, and drain our energy. When we have anxiety, our stomach might hurt from all the worry or we want to eat/drink/smoke to hide the stress. Conversely, prioritizing habits like quality sleep and incorporating nutrient-rich foods like Vitamin C and adequate protein intake can stabilize emotions, foster positivity, and enhance overall bodily wellness. Embracing any healthy routine enhances all aspects of your life and reveals that the benefits extend far beyond a single organ or body part—my entire being feels rejuvenated and revitalized. To me that’s serious proof of our interconnected body.
Furthermore, I've come to understand that the thoughts and emotional signals I send my body can significantly influence my physical health. The more we dwell on something negative the more other negative things seek us out. Try it out and notice how quickly your focus on the positive and the things you are grateful for bring in more positive into your life.
A symptom is a signal from your body that something is not right, it is something to be investigated not covered up or ignored. We are unique and our body knows the answers better than most- learn to tune in and it will speak to you.
In our society, when faced with issues like acne, irregular periods, bloating, or stomach pain, the prevailing narrative teaches us to fixate on the affected area rather than considering the holistic picture. We resort to supplements, antibiotics, painkillers, and other quick fixes without truly tuning into our bodies to decipher the underlying messages behind these symptoms.
Symptoms serve as signals that our bodies are operating below optimal levels and require attention to rectify the root cause, restoring them to a state of optimal health. Consider the analogy of a crying baby—when a baby cries, we instinctively understand that it's a manifestation of a deeper need, whether it's hunger, fatigue, or discomfort. Similarly, our bodies communicate through symptoms, crying out for assistance. To effectively respond, we must engage in both intuitive research to comprehend the source of the pain and devise appropriate solutions. It's about listening to our bodies and embarking on a journey of understanding and addressing their needs to achieve holistic well-being. Something I have realized and had to cultivate is an ability to listen and become in tune with our bodies needs. Do this by journaling, going on long walks and spending time alone.
Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship in your life. Lift yourself up by moving from judgment to supporting yourself. Our body is always listening to us - the way we speak to ourselves can encourage healing or create inflammation.
This lesson has been the most profound discovery for me in the past five years. I've come to understand that my relationship with myself is the magnet that attracts both positive and negative people, places and experiences into my life. Once I shifted from negative self-talk to fostering positive thoughts and prioritizing self-care to cultivate a genuine connection with my body and inner self, my life began to blossom with new avenues of excitement, adventure, and joy. Even if my small ticks, anxious responses and other small nuances didn’t disappear from one day to another it was also about learning why am I the way I am and accepting myself beyond the ideal I had set for myself.
It seems simple to “cultivate a relationship with yourself” when you write it out but its not, it takes constant practice. For me it really took months of actively shutting out my judgmental thoughts and shifting to choosing positive thoughts for me to create this habit of choosing to uplift myself even in the difficult moments. Constantly and actively going through loops of feedback and reflection on my actions and thoughts to learn more about myself and understand where I am coming from, my fears, limiting beliefs and weak points.
Often, we neglect nurturing our relationship with ourselves—appreciating, accepting, loving, and being kind to who we are. However, it is precisely this inner work that bolsters our self-worth and self-esteem. It's essential to prioritize these aspects daily as a means of honoring ourselves, acknowledging the lives we've led, and recognizing the strength and courage it takes to authentically show up as our unique selves each day. Ultimately, bringing us closer to our goals and the future self we dream of becoming.
Your childhood traumas and survival instincts are fears and protective habits that drive your choices today. To transform your life you need to discover your limiting beliefs, reframe your mind and allow yourself to have what you want.
The more time I've spent sitting and reflecting on what defines me, the more I've realized that every fear or habit of mine originates from patterns in my childhood. Being raised by a single mom in a divorced family, and losing my father early in life, these experiences have left imprints on my childhood and shaped who I am today. My fears have always felt like scars, tarnishing what could have been strengths—a perception of being "a damaged soul." However, I've come to realize that we all have deeply touching experiences that make us vulnerable, and these experiences actually provide strength and teach resilience.
Simultaneously, my hardships have taught me gratitude, the power of intention, and the ability to achieve anything I set my mind to. Delving into my trauma and discovering that my subconscious has formed patterns, habits, and routines to help me survive and shield me from pain has enabled me to discern when I'm reacting from fear and when I'm acting from safety, love, or conscious understanding. To truly change and become the person I am today, I've had to sit down, sometimes alone and sometimes with a coach (my mom, who is also an amazing transformational coach), to meticulously write down my limiting beliefs and replace them. Reprogramming my mind in a meditative state has helped me release those survival mechanisms programmed into my subconscious.
The first step is making the subconscious conscious—if you're not even aware of a pattern or reaction, you won't be able to address it. I urge you to spend more time observing your actions to understand yourself better and identify your limiting beliefs so you can reframe your mindset.
Once you understand what's holding you back, you can start letting go of those barriers and gradually allow yourself to feel happy, worthy, and deserving of what you desire—whether it's your goals, your dream partner, your health, or the life of your dreams. Trust me, the journey to self-actualization will always be between you and yourself.
Optimal health and wellness is about limiting choices and making things simple and part of your lifestyle. Once you make that mindset switch that its not a diet or a choice that it is a non-negotiable and everything else is secondary then it just becomes second nature. If you create your wellness routine to include regular exercise, adequate sleep, minimal toxin exposure, grateful mindset, and real home-cooked food, and JOY for life you will see an extreme change in your overall health.
Mindset also involves how you position things in your mind to synchronize with your body and brain in order to achieve specific outcomes. Particularly concerning healthy routines, I've found that understanding your motivation and deliberately limiting choices, shifting from having it as an option to making certain activities a non-negotiable part of your life, is crucial. Initially, it might feel forced, especially if it's something you haven't done before. However, once you witness the changes and benefits to both your body and mind, reverting to previous habits becomes difficult. By eliminating the option of not exercising and establishing a rhythm where activities become second nature, obstacles to a healthy routine can be overcome.
For me, motivation was deeply intertwined with my lifestyle. I wanted to feel good, feel confident, and embrace vitality, once I saw the potential then there was no option for me to not do these things especially when I realized how good they made me feel. Reflecting on your experience through journaling or meditation also makes you conscious of the small shifts allowing you to notice the changes which will create positive reinforcement on why you should continue to practise them.
Prioritizing your sleep, actively being grateful and noticing amazing things in your life, choosing to cook at home as much as you can, removing any toxins which include toxic people, toxic thoughts and toxic environmental stressors and imbuing your routine and relationship with yourself with love becomes a form of self-care. Then in moments of difficulty or chaos, this foundation guides you back to your true self and the joy in life.
