You Are the Authority on Your Body and Your Wellness

There are times when it makes sense to seek out input and guidance from a skilled health expert.  The specialized knowledge and support a trained practitioner provides may be just what you need to get focused, develop a plan, and stay motivated as you work towards your health goals.

But what about your own intuition and self-knowledge about your body?  Do you view yourself as the ultimate expert on your body and your personal wellness? 

Perhaps you're still trying to figure out what omega-3s, antioxidants, and free radicals are all about.  Maybe you're unsure about the exact steps you need to take to achieve and maintain the best health possible.  Even if you're not an expert on all things health-related, one important fact holds true:  you have an intimate awareness of your body that no-one else has. 

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You know how you're feeling at any given time.
 
When it comes to your body and your well-being, you know how you're feeling at any given time.  You know what you're experiencing on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.  It may be that your body and your life look great to everyone else, yet you don't feel so great on the inside.  Even though everything looks great on the outside, you can sense internally that something is "off" or out of balance. 
 
Physically, you might find that even though you're following what seems like a healthy diet, your energy is lagging and you're not functioning at your very best.  It could be that as you're getting older, what worked for you before is no longer effective, and you're noticing weight gain or other changes in your body. 

Or, perhaps your physical health is fine, but you feel dissatisfied with other areas of your life.  For instance, you might be feeling emotionally drained or intellectually unfulfilled. You might also notice that when you're not at your best inwardly, it affects you physically in the form of muscle tension, headaches, skin issues, and other symptoms. 
 
 
You are the authority on your body and your wellness.
 
As you pursue greater wellness in your life, input and guidance from different sources can be an invaluable aid.  But whether you're reading something online, checking out books, listening to what the "experts" are saying, or working one-on-one with a health practitioner, always remember this:  you are the authority on your body and your wellness. 

Even as you consider and possibly integrate information from other people and sources, be confident in claiming your authority over your body and your wellness.  That means you:

• don't need to implement something just because it's the latest trend
• aren't obligated to adopt any health practice you don't feel good about
• have the right to choose what food you will/won't put into your body
• have the freedom to explore and experiment with different approaches
• are free to question and/or reject anything you're uncomfortable with
  
• can change course any time if what you're doing isn't working for you
  

 

Be open to exploring new approaches and trying things out.

Trusting yourself still leaves plenty of room to tap into the knowledge and wisdom of others.  Be open to exploring new approaches and trying things out.  Feeling a little skeptical about a particular recommendation, regimen, or idea?  There are times when the only way to know whether or not something is going to work for you is to put it into practice.  Keep in mind results won't necessarily materialize overnight.

When you find yourself hesitating to move forward with a particular plan or approach, take some time to identify where that hesitation is coming from.  Do you have doubts about the quality or validity of the information presented to you, or are you nervous about taking action?  The reality is change takes effort, and it can be challenging to break old habits while cultivating new ones.
 
 
Know yourself and trust yourself.
 
Ultimately, you need to know yourself and trust yourself.  Even as you strive to improve different aspects of your health and your life, it's important to respect and honour yourself. 

The more you view yourself as the authority of your body, the more tuned in you'll become to what you're experiencing, what you need, what works for you, and what doesn't.  With that knowledge, you'll be better equipped to judge what is and what isn't a good fit for you as you work towards achieving greater wellness in your life.