Today’s guest blog post comes from Bernie Salazar. Together with Rebecca Scritchfield, a weight management expert, he co-created. “The Nurture Principles” – Five mantras to help people change their lives and find wellness within. You’ll also recall Bernie as the Biggest Loser season 5 at-home winner.
I never realized exactly how much of an impact my relationships had on my overall health. Have you? Often times we forget to communicate to the people in our lives that we are taking the time to nurture ourselves and truly focus on getting healthy.
With the “old Bernie,” food was king! Almost all of my family functions revolved around food. Dates with my better half always included a restaurant, outings with friends consisted of drinks and appetizers, meetings with co-workers didn’t officially begin until the desserts were present, and my dog’s chubby figure was a direct result of me sharing my in between meal snacks with my “best friend.”
The relationships we maintain are a critical part of our transformation and often are the ones that are most often overlooked. The fact of the matter is our relationships must change if we are to be successful, not just in the immediate but long term.
So how do we communicate to our loved ones that we are taking the time to nurture ourselves and get healthy? The approach I found to work best is:
1. Write a few words to describe each of the relationships in your life.
2. Assess whether the relationship is a healthy one and if you think adjustments are needed to help you reach your goals. (Prepare yourself for the realization that some relationships may need to end.)
3. Identify and record how each relationship you have is going to nurture the new you.
4. Communicate your findings with your loved ones, share how your new relationship will positively impact your new life.
5. Finally, discuss with them if the terms of this new relationship works for them and ask how you can in turn be supportive of their needs and wants.
By introducing the “new you” to friends and family you have increased your accountability to follow through and make the changes you have said you will make. You will soon realize that the new relationships you have with your family, friends, and even pets will all serve to support and nurture your dreams of being a better, healthier you!
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