I spent a lot of my weekend in “inner growth” mode. Reading, listening to podcasts, practicing kundalini yoga, contemplating.
And somewhere in the middle of a meditation session a thought arose: I don’t love nutrition. My eyes popped open for a second. Wow. That there was a thought that required some further investigation, seeing that nutrition is a major part of the work that I do. Professional crisis in the making? Are we breaking up?! What about nutrition do I not love?! And what DO I love?
The last question was easy to answer. I love the science of optimizing human potential or in other words: becoming more and more true to yourself, breaking through subconscious blockages and self-imposed boundaries, being at ease in your skin, expanding, joyful, accepting, able to tap into a higher level of consciousness, feeling truly connected to others.
Compared to that, you must admit, nutrition science is boring. It’s a bit like exercise. You may not love it, but you do it anyway.
But here’s the deal: nutrition, like exercise, plays a part in the self-optimization journey. For some it plays a huge part.
For example, the child I’m working with who has chronic digestive issues and developmental delays. For this child the right nutrition intervention is resulting in significant improvements in his social and cognitive development
Or the 21-year-old who is no longer feeling anxious and depressed because of certain simple dietary shifts.
Or the CEO whose diet tweaks have resulted in better sleep and enhanced energy and focus.
These people are, thanks to nutrition interventions, better positioned to achieve their potential and live their best lives. Similarly, understanding how to use food to heal and restore health, energy, and brain function helped clear the path for me to thrive.
What the thought “I don’t love nutrition” really means, is that for me personally, my love and attention has shifted beyond food. It lies in the realm of personal growth and expansion. I feel good, I know what works for me, I understand my body and my unique requirements. I have my supplement routine dialed in. My personal nutrition does not require much focus anymore.
But… I still love good, healthy food. And I like nutrition as a tool to helping people professionally. I love teaching people how to use nutrition to optimize their physical and mental performance so that they can move on to bigger things and truly live their best lives.
Phew. Professional crisis averted. Clarity gained. Back to meditating. 😄
