The Weekly Fill: Why Doing Everything Right Doesn't (Always) Work
4 minute read | If you're looking for the best health plan for you, *READ THIS!*
Last week, I told you we would talk about rest (and why I think you might be resting too much).
But I had a more profound thought as I was writing that email.
Notice: My deep thoughts love conversation, so please share your thoughts after reading this post.
I want to talk about your essence or your health essence (I may be making something up, but it makes a lot of sense to me).
The definition of essence, as defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, is:
"the real or ultimate nature of a thing: the properties that make a thing what it is."
For example, freedom is the essence of democracy.
I understand essence to be like a characteristic, a part of you. It's whatever most sums up the heart and soul of something or its most true qualities.
It's even (or most importantly) the motivation behind why you do what you do, which is why this topic has become so important to me.
Why to-do lists and health programs don’t work…
As I started to write the email on rest, I realized that telling you what to do only takes you so far. To-do lists and practical steps are great, but telling you what to do, even creating intentions around doing them, doesn't mean you will.
And even if you complete the list, you might not benefit from them.
Health isn't about what you do; it's how your body responds to what you do, and that stems from your overall lifestyle and how you live, not what you do.
That's the power of essence.
Health essence accounts for what you need and living life in a way that supports those needs.
Health essence proves health is not created because of what you do, but it creates what you do.
Health is not about what you consume. It's what you put out. It's the lifestyle you live.
Your essence creates your actions no matter how much you try to force change in your actions.
Forever and always, whatever your essence is, it wins.
And your health essence, or lack thereof, creates your outcome.
I started having these thoughts on essence when working on healing my unhealthy masculine energy and learning to step into my healthier feminine side.
Naturally, I scoured resources for lists to live out my feminine side. While there were lists I quickly recognized, it wasn't about what I wore or even how much sourdough bread I could make. It wasn't the action as much as the motivation, regardless of the action.
Certainly, the action helps—don't misunderstand that. But it's more than just what you do. It's the motivation.
Sure, you can wear floral dresses, quit your 9-5, and cook more sourdough. Those may all bring out more of your feminine side, but if you don't get the essence of feminine energy, you won't get the benefit no matter how many of the 'right' steps you take.
The benefit comes from the essence more than the action.
This topic also proves that you don't have to completely alter your life to embody the true essence of femininity or health.
I may be cooking more sourdough, but I'm not giving up my career or athleisure wear. And I don't have to.
Just like you don't have to completely and drastically change your life to live healthily.
When it's part of you - your essence - what is happening around you doesn't matter because what is in you naturally changes how you respond to what is around you.
You don't have to change your job, but nourishing your health WILL change how you work.
You don't have to change your life, but nourishing your health essence WILL change how you live your life.
Here's the thing: I think we quit too many things…
We quit because we think the “thing” we do hurts us or doesn’t produce results. Your essence is changing how you respond.
I'm not saying you shouldn't quit your 9-5. If it's toxic or not what you want, by all means, quit.
The point is that we spend too much time trying to alter our external environment and not enough time fostering an internal relationship with ourselves that ultimately changes how we respond to our external.
I like to think of your essence like a pair of lenses. What essence you live out changes what you see. Stop spending endless energy trying to change your view and take the easier approach to change the lens you are looking through.
You might be surprised by what is available right in front of you.
What thoughts does that stir in you?
I pivoted inside Health School and incorporated more about this topic. I also give you the six laws of health essence here.
If I had one dream for the health space, it would be…
that I could help you stop wasting so much time focusing on what you should be doing and just do it so you can focus on living.
That is the vision for the Nourish 30 challenge: to push your body and, in the process, help health become your essence, which allows you to get out and live.
If you like this subject, make sure you sign up for my Revive + Thrive workshop next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. You'll receive a replay if you can’t make it live and access to the Nourish 30 Challenge.
**The Revive and Thrive workshop is free for paid subscribers of The Weekly Fill. It’s one of the benefits of your subscription! Get the challenge, workshop, encouragement, and daily support throughout the challenge by becoming a subscriber.
I'd love to have you!
In the meantime, keep me posted on what you think about this topic. I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
