A concept that was introduced to me by Anita Moorjani is the idea that the behaviors for a healthy life style are less important than why you are doing them. Many of the teachers I read and follow talk about and focus on cultivating self-love. It’s self-love that can motivate us into changing our lives for the better, holding healthy boundaries, and setting goals that are going to bring us into the next better experience that we are seeking. However, I have not heard it quite the way Anita frames it, and I LOVE this:
Any choice you make for yourself, weigh the reason: is it because you LOVE YOURSELF, or is it because you FEAR SOMETHING? Even the most healthy habits, whether it’s diet or exercise or meditation/mindfulness, if done out of fear can backfire. Anita talks about how she ate all the “right” foods, did yoga and pilates, used all the “right” supplements, meditated and focused on being positive and successful – because she was afraid of getting cancer, and she did. If you are doing the “right” things because you are AFRAID, then every “right” behavior is actually bringing you closer to what you fear.
However, if you do those same behaviors because you LOVE yourself, they will create the positive change you want to see in your life.
Like so much of what I’ve learned, this comes down to perspective. Where is your attention? Are you avoiding your FEAR or pursuing your LOVE? Stop running from what you fear-because of the physics of experience, you are bringing it closer with every step.
So, what if, like Anita, you find yourself doing the “right” things for the “wrong” reason? Don’t abandon your healthy lifestyle choices! Change your motivation. Do some journaling to understand why you do the things you do, and make an effort to change your “why.”
Self-Love is at the heart of transformation. Focus on loving yourself and the changes you need to make to be healthier and happier will come MUCH more easily.
You got this!
Talk soon,
-Michael
