When chasing after the optimal health turns into the opposite.

My thoughts on this,

A lot of the health related stuff nowadays are nuts. Health has never been such a big topic that it is today. Health, fitness, clean eating, exercise, hiit workouts, diets, healthy lifestyle and so on, that's what many of us get turned on (including me a few years ago), that's because we know how important our health is and may feel the need of developing our health. And yes, health is damn important. One's health reflects one's quality of life. However, I think "healthy" has got a completely wrong association in some contexts. Waaaaay to wrong.

Much of what we see in social media makes us believe that healthy measures with big muscles and amount of protein. And oh, the latest workout outfit its important too... And seeing titles like "7-day to get flat stomach", "Detox Cure in 10 Days - Get Free of All Toxins" is ridiculous. Seriously? For me personally, that’s absolutely not healthy. There is no quick fix. There are no shortcuts. We have all responsibility on our shoulders for our own health and we have to understand that healthy is not a destination you reach, its a lifestyle. I think the key to health is BALANCE. A balance between body, mind and soul.

And something that I have experienced and scares me is;

while chasing after the optimal health - it changes to the opposite. The focus on food, different techniques, theories and workouts - the struggle after “the perfect health” turns to unhappiness and even more stress. For example, workouts should be a funny thing, associated with positive feelings, a part of our everyday life. Sometimes we lose why we do it. We just do it because we should. Because that was social media tells us to do. And middle in this, it’s easy to lose the gift - listen and hear what your body is telling you.

It’s so many different theories and philosophies. I been so confused by myself. For exemple I love Ayurveda but I also do believe in other theories, and they tells us two different things. So it’s takes us even further away from our own little guru that we all have inside us. We stop to listen to that voice, we eat how we should, we have routines how we should. But if we really listen, we have it there, we can feel what's good for one of us. What's working and what’s not.

Because we already know we all aren't the same. We all are unique. We all have different bodies. We all have different history. We all have different health status. We all get the endorphins from different activities. So I think it's so important to not doing stuff because other do it. Do it because you feel good of it, because you WANT it, because you enjoy it and been creating something that works for you.

One thing that we all know but need to get a reminder of is that social media affect us A LOT. For example, Instagram is a beautiful platform. But I think the inspiration we are looking for can turn into stress. For example, I write, you read. What I’m sharing don't have the intention to give anyone any stress - but the person who read it can feel insufficient, because that post respond to emotions that the person may have inside herself / himself. You know what I’m taking about huh? Sometimes posts / pictures gives us an inspiring feeling and sometimes an unpleasant feeling, it depends on how you feel, at least for me, sometimes I get extremely hyped - and sometimes getting stressed, even if it’s about the same thing.

I have for example unfollowed all the accounts that talks about health like it's just about that squat booty or that protein shakes. I try to surround myself with people who see it in holistic way. I want to have good vibes on social media, genuine people with positive mindset. So we keep that inspiration on a healthy and fun way. But like I always say, it's beautiful to get ideas and inspiration from others but the best is to; be your own inspiration - that is what keeps me going.

AND let’s remind each other that health is not a competition. We all are healthy in different ways and it is SO important to choose from what feels right from the inside instead of choosing from trends, norms and other people's expectations. We are all different and unique therefore our lifestyle must look different.

Healthy is not when you always have to perform on top. Or eat perfectly healthy hundred percent, neither does it mean that you have to workout every single day or have that body according to the ideal of society. Health is when you feel balanced, happy, energized, strong and can feel bliss of life.

Both you and me are worthy the best in life, feeling good inside and out, living a healthy life without stress and pressure. We are so worthy to enjoy the good of life, instead of restricting it by prohibition. Take care of yourself as if you were your own best friend. Never forget that.