I was almost not going to write anything today, because I’ve got a big announcement coming tomorrow.

But.

This week happened. And now I can’t not write. And stop thinking about it, for that matter.

You see. Last week, I had 6 new people come into my life.

With 6 new stories, 6 new situations, and 6 totally different people, in all life stages. All looking for a lifestyle change that’s a bit more permanent, without living their life like they’re always on a program or a diet.

I loved them already. Just for that.

Each one of them is amazing and I knew the next 6 weeks of our work together one-on-one are going to be world-rocking for all of them. But, I didn’t quite put it together at that point.

And then, I did a talk at  one of the local sororities. So many darling and beautiful girls. So many honest and open questions. And then had this women’s networking event that I was being honored for last night, and again. So many women. Much older. Yet, with the same kinds of questions and seeking something more than just what to eat and not eat.

And this morning, reconnecting with yet another lovely soul who’s facing a more terminal illness and wanting to take a more natural and vibrant approach.

My heart and mind have been buzzing all week. Talking, texting, emailing, speaking. Welling up with tears sometimes (them out of honesty) which makes me do the same (out of happiness).  All of them have one big HUGE piece in common, and one big mission that lies ahead for them.

That being healthy is not just eating “good” and “healthy” foods. It’s not just checking that box. Yes. Had my veggies today. Yes, drank water too. Yes, I worked out today. There. I arrived. Yo, healthy. I’m here.

It’s underneath all of that.

It’s what’s happening in you head. Mentally and emotionally.

And. Want to know a secret? It took me YEARS to figure this one out. If you want to live healthier, happier, more freely, more joyfully and in a much more fulfilling way, you can’t ignore these components. You will continually keep doing diet after diet, and program after program until you are willing to be open and address some of these things.

But let me tell you one thing. After working with hundreds and hundreds of clients at this stage in the game, EVERYONE has these underlying, quieter sort of things that happen to them internally. I mean, everyone.

They are the conversations that no one really talks about. The repeating negative self talk. The guilt. The obsessions. The fears and anxieties that pop in and out daily. Or our unconscious and immediate need to cover up any emotion that feels foreign or uncomfortable or anything but perfectly happy and content.

But, we’ve been trained. Socially. Individually. To numb ourselves. Distract. Switch gears. Ignore. Cover up.

With drinking. With chocolate. And sugar and coffee and processed food. Or, damn. Even if it’s healthy food. It’s still the same thing. You can still numb out and not actually acknowledge what’s happening in your head by downing larabars or handfuls of nuts at your desk. Anyone? Thought so.

You can still have a terrible relationship to food even if you’re eating totally healthy. And that will keep you from feeling energized, losing weight or whatever your initial goal or motivation was in the first place. Guaranteed. It’s not the whole picture. Just a piece in the game. A big, big one. But, still just a piece.

So, I always ask people.

All of these curious women this week, seeking and wanting more out of their healthy lives.

We do this to ourselves (and most likely, unknowingly), but at what cost?

All of those things that we bury deep down, gloss over and don’t really acknowledge. So, what if you stopped? Or at least, started to become aware of those things that are happening internally.

To take yourself out of automatic pilot and observe some of your habits, day to day decisions, patterns and routines. The things you do without a second thought. So you have enough of a pause to start asking yourself why.

Why you reach for chocolate at 3pm every afternoon. Why you need that mid-morning snack. How you justify certain things in your head.

Scary right? Because they you would actually have to start to feel.

To be more honest with yourself.

More open.

More in tune with your emotions– good and neutral and not so good too. All of them. Equally. So that you can find better solutions to the actual problems. Address stuff head on and more productively. So you can move through challenges and blocks or just release them because they’re just not real or true.

It’s actually a way easier route. And worth starting to practice.

Because when you do start to pay attention and be more present and mindful about lots of things in your daily life, you automatically become more in tune with your body on the whole, by default.

You have a better, more loving, trusting, happy and loyal relationship to yourself. Which helps you have a better relationship to everything else in your life.

Try it.

I dare you. Beg you. And am wildly and lovingly rooting for you.

This has been an official Simply Real Health public service announcement. Eat better, feel healthier and free up your life, in every sense of the word. Because life is too short to live any other way.

And for more info on the personal coaching plans, see here.

Photo by Carina Skrobecki