I am reading this amazing book right now about functional medicine. I hadn't even heard of the term "functional medicine" until recently and wanted to know more about it, so I bought a book by Mark Hyman. The main concept the book revolves around is that you can "create health". Brilliant! It's not that I didn't know you could do things to lower the risk of certain diseases, but the concept of being able to create health blew me away. It's so positive and filled with potential. When I want to eat something unhealthy (which is a few times a day) I now think, "will this help me create health?" and then it is much easier to resist the craving. Ok, I'm never going to give up cookies, but I am better now at making healthy choices than I ever have been before. Thinking this way makes me feel powerful and in control of my health. I know that making diet, exercise, and social tweaks won't necessarily guarantee my good health, but it can't hurt. I figure it gives me the best chance at being healthy.
I love the idea of creating something. It just sounds "big" and filled with possibility. It sounds fresh and new. It's empowering. In my programs, I talk about building resiliency skills or becoming self aware. But doesn't it sound so much more exciting to say that you can create resiliency or create self awareness?
I know it's just saying the same thing in different words, but maybe hearing that you can "create resiliency" will resonate with some people in a way that "building resiliency" doesn't. Just like the idea of "creating health" resonated with me. I've always been a big believer in introducing a concept in a variety of ways so that it is more likely to reach people and make sense to them. This idea of "creating" something is just one more way to do that.
Thinking this way is so freeing. I might be genetically predisposed to diabetes, but that doesn't mean that I have to resign myself to the fact that I am likely going to be diabetic one day because of this predisposition. I'm not just going to sit around and wait for it to happen. I can choose to think that even though there is a family history, I can create health by making healthy diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices for myself.
It is also possible to create resiliency, at any age. We don't need to be born "strong" or "confident". We can create resiliency one building block at a time. Just as if we were building a house out of Lego. We can build a strong foundation by being aware of thought patterns and making any necessary changes. By being mindful of what is going on with ourselves and around us. By being grateful for the many beautiful things in our lives that we may not have been aware of or noticed for awhile. By becoming self aware and accepting of who we are. By challenging ourselves to always grow in different areas of our lives and become our best selves. To create our best selves.
I find thinking this way so inspiring. I hope that reading this has inspired some of you to take action and get started on creating - whether it be creating a physically healthier you, a more resilient you, or doing something that will help you become the best version of yourself. Creating something wonderful takes time, but you can start today.
No matter what you would like to create, practicing being mindful is a good place to start. My next blog post will be about a few things you can do to practice being mindful. One of them even involves chocolate......