Sticking to a Healthy Lifestyle, When Loved One’s Are Not [VLOG #66]

Click above to watch my VLOG – Sticking to a Healthy Lifestyle, When Loved One’s Are Not, or feel free to read the transcript below instead!

Transcript:

Note: The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.

Hi Beauties,

Today we’re going to talk about a very important topic, which is Sticking to a Healthy Lifestyle When Loved Ones Are Not exactly on the same page. This brings up two big areas of concern. Number one, we of course love our loved ones.

We want them to be healthy so it causes us pain when we see them eating in a way that’s not healthy. Or, they are living a lifestyle that we know on some level is not the best or the healthiest. We’re concerned for our loved ones.

Secondly, we can feel self conscious or it brings in guilt and shame for us if we feel bad for bringing a special dish to this dinner. I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, or my mom or my grandma or my dad or my uncle, whatever it is, is going to think it’s weird. I don’t want to offend anybody.

Breaking Down Our Concerns

These are two big issues when it comes to loved ones not being on the same page. Let’s break it down. The first one is this sense of responsibility, pain, anguish, and anxiety around loved ones not eating the way that we want them to eat.

This is where it goes back to this middle school rule that we’ve all heard, which is show, don’t tell. We are where we are and our loved ones are where they are. This pushing is probably going to do more harm than good.

Unfortunately, it may come across that we’re preaching to people. That we are not respecting where they are, or we’re lecturing them. It could also seem like we’re making them feel that they’re doing something wrong and none of that feels good for them. They will more often than not resist or reject our concern. The intention may be loving, but it may come off as lecturing or something that’s not really what they want to hear.

Eating The Way You Believe

The most important way to show, not tell is to live the lifestyle. Eat the way that you believe and over time they may notice. They may say, “Wow, your skin is looking great and your eyes are bright and you seem so happy and peaceful and just more energy and this is amazing”.

That demonstration of the benefits of the lifestyle I think are the most powerful way that we can draw people in. When they’re ready, they may want to hear more, but the pushing part is never going to work. Just to be the light that you want them to take on. Live it, be it for yourself and as difficult as it can be to let go of the expectations for pushing. Let go of trying to get them to change.

My Own Personal Experience

If they’re not ready, they’re not ready. I tell this example a lot. It took my dad five years to start drinking the Glowing Green Smoothie®, but over time now he drinks it and he likes it, but pushing him harder and harder in the beginning just didn’t work. It wasn’t worth it for my energy and my disappointment and it didn’t feel great for him either.

If you start to feel bad or guilty about eating in a different way or causing any sort of disturbance in a family dinner, this is where I think it’s important to be really authentic and to take it back to a non-judgemental state of simply, “This is how I feel better”.

You could say, “This is better for my digestion, this is better for my energy. You can eat whatever you want and I’m going to eat whatever I want”. I think that clarity and coming from a loving place, but still being very standing in what feels right to us, is so important.

If we degrade that and we start to modify our behavior to try to suit someone else, that doesn’t feel good for us and it’s not going to feel good for them. Everybody has to be authentic. Everybody has to live what feels right to them.

To sum this up, I want to give some tips and remember, don’t try to persuade someone to feel healthier. Instead of preaching health lessons, live them, display them, show them. You can offer healthy dishes when you’re together, which is a great way to share without feeling like you’re pushing it. If they want to eat it, great. If they don’t, great, but it’s an inclusive, loving way. Lead by example.

In Closing

Show what’s in your state, stick to what’s in our power, which is really our own behavior. We cannot control anyone else. And live in a healthy and faithful way to what feels right to you. Again, don’t try to modify your diet or your behavior because you feel bad about disappointing someone else.

Be true to yourself and that truth and that authenticity is so powerful that it really does demand respect. We come from love, we receive love, we treat others with love and that is really the basis for living this lifestyle.

I hope this helps. Let me know in the comments below or any questions you have. We can discuss this further here or on the podcast. Sending you so much love. I will see you back here very soon.

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