Everything is labeled “healthy” these days, and everyone has an opinion on what is and isn’t worthy of that label.
The problem with “healthy” as a label and a goal is that health is completely subjective.
What makes one body thrive might make another one explode. For example, milk doesn’t do my body good. Neither do whole grains, yeast, or running. All these things hurt my body, but I tried to make them work for me for so long, because I was told how important and “healthy” they were, and subsequently how “unhealthy” I must be for not having them in my life.
By labeling some food, activities, and behavior as “healthy”, we automatically label people who don’t eat, do, or act a certain way as “unhealthy” – or even unworthy of health.
We create a caste system that puts down one behavior and raises another, all using this term “healthy”, a term no one can fully define. Because of this, “healthy” has become a loaded term, one all too often used to validate our life choices and degrade the choices of others.
Because “healthy” is subjective and hard to define, it’s an unachievable, ever-changing goal that sets us up for failure.
Our fear of our own mortality makes us obsessed with stopping the natural deterioration process, so there’s always the next exercise fad to jump on, the next nutritional revolution, the next step in health.
Don’t aim for the subjective health goals of others. Aim to thrive for yourself.
I challenge you to take “healthy” out of your vocabulary for a week and see how it changes the way you perceive your daily choices.
Replace healthy with a less loaded term, one that you can define and embrace. I choose thriving. I don’t aim to eat, act, or be healthy, I aim to feel like I am thriving in life. Flourishing. Prosperous and robust.
Here are some words to try using instead of “healthy”:
- thriving
- positive
- flourishing
- prosper
- robust
- fresh
- revived
- fulfilled
Try it for a week, and see how you feel. Then let me know in the comments below.
With love and light,
Lauren
I love this! Years ago I had a horrible back injury that I came to realize was brought about by using an elliptical trainer and doing yoga, I would tell people this and they would proclaim “Well, you must have been doing them wrong! Those things are GOOD for you!” (you know, “healthy”) Then I was a trainer in a method that taught people not to beat on their bodies- I did that for years, I felt amazing, I was strong and happy in my body and rarely broke a sweat. Then I moved away and gained some weight and kind of panicked (because, acceptance and body love is a journey) and went back to the elliptical. When my hips started tightening and my back got cranky I added yoga and like I had cooked up a recipe – voila! Near identical injury. Getting an MRI tomorrow and preparing to remember that my life, my body, my fitness may never look like the world’s idea of “healthy”.
Thank you for this timely reminder.
I’m so glad this spoke to you and love that you’re finding your own version of thriving.
This is something I’d never thought about before, but it makes so much sense. I’d add the words “satisfying” and “pleasurable” to the list!
Yes! Love those two. Thanks for sharing them!