How to be “healthy”

Many of us aspire to be “healthy”, but how many of us can clearly define what being healthy means?

Perhaps, health is the absence of disease, or perhaps it is more than that. When can we confidently declare ourselves as “healthy”? What do we need to attain, or avoid, in order to stay this way? How much is enough?

Many of us are akin to the tango between the“organic green bowl” or “fluffy pancakes”, dedicating our New Year’s resolutions to being more “healthy”; some of us know the tender, often unforeseen experiences in life that perhaps indicate that being “healthy” is to purely be alive.

What does being “healthy” look and feel like to you?

Many of us perceive health to be a singular, mutual, perfect state that is attainable, as if it were the same for each person, presenting itself broadly as having energy, clear skin, a “healthy” gut, and so forth.

“One day, when I finally do all of these things, I will be my healthiest self”, we repeatedly guarantee ourselves.

The problem with these thoughts is that they don’t ever reach a final destination.

Then follows, “I need to eat better, exercise everyday, get 8+ hours of sleep every night, stress less, see my friends, see a therapist, maintain a healthy sex life, pat a dog, supplement collagen, read, journal, have hobbies, make a smoothie, meditate…”

Just like the things we aim to prevent, such as heart disease, diabetes, or depression, a state of health and/or well-being presents very differently for us all.

It should be known that the healthiest version of yourself is never, ever, ever the same as the person next to you—it’s not even the same as you yesterday.

Being healthy is contextual. How healthy you are, is for you to choose.

Even the ways in which you take care of your body changes throughout your life.

Like everything in life, health is ever-changing. Be kinder to yourself.

Perhaps, the biggest act of self-love is acknowledging what being “healthy” feels like in our own bodies, more than we strive to be “healthy”.

We need to start here before we can proceed further.

Adapt > change.

One day at a time.

One choice at a time.

One meal at a time.

What’s for lunch?