Chasing after health is a brave thing to do. Many of us have are familiar with the feeling of shame when we fail on a diet or don’t exercise for a couple of weeks. For some reason, my predisposition is to feel unworthy to carry on eating well or exercising after I have failed. The idea of health and fitness became a perfection issue which was so impractical. It spirals from one failure to months of eating badly and sitting on the couch. Looking in the mirror becomes a reminder that i have let myself go and the overwhelming feeling of shame escalates. In this space, regaining my footing, amidst shame and condemnation, is where courage is tested.

Brene Brown says that “rising strong after a fall is how we cultivate wholeheartedness in our lives and teaches us the most about who we are.” The courage to eat right again and to get back on the exercise bandwagon starts with understanding that `whether we do so or not, we are enough, our self-worth is not defined by our actions but by knowing that we are worthy of health and wellness`. Is this easy? Oh, my goodness no, purely because we must engage in the feelings associated with our past experiences and rewrite our stories. In my opinion, our first chapter; self-compassion and our second chapter; getting back in the arena.

The truth is that chasing after our health is challenging and we often get our ass kicked, but that’s something we know now and choose to chase after anyways. Our courage translates to being in the arena with our thought process, knowledge of health, intentionality about what we eat and how we move. Are we going to fall short? Yes, and Yes, but are we going to get back up, engage in the feelings that come along with it and rise strong? yes and yes and yes.

Brene Brown says “we can choose courage, or we can choose comfort. We cant choose both, not at the same time.” The comfort we face when it comes to health is often but not limited to coming up with excuses, always sitting around and not moving, always choosing the fast food instead of good fuel for our body etc. This is not about perfection, winning or losing, in this culture of health, it is just showing up. Adding more vegetables to your plate, taking that 20-minute walk, reading books or watching videos that will promote a healthier mindset.

I am absolutely a work in progress, my biggest issue is moving out of a space of shame. When I fail at my own self-imposed goals i must remind myself that i am worthy of health and wellness. I am enough and I can rise strong after a fall. I am courageously brave!!