Rochelle Hanson

By Rochelle Hanson

“The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” Thomas Merton

Are you the only one in your family who is trying to be healthy? Does dinnertime with your family seem more like a battlefield than a safe haven of peace? If you’re having a tough time convincing your spouse to eat more greens and your kids turn up their nose at your health conscious creations, there is only one thing you need to do: Learn how to let it go. Easier said than done? Here are three tips to help you along the way.

Bite your tongue. Not literally. Just remember that love is not forceful. When you see your loved ones indulging in food that you know is not good for their health, don’t say a word. This skill takes practice. If you’re anything like me, and “soap box” is your middle name, learn to keep your mouth closed. Rebuke your inner self. You may be Queen of the Kitchen but you do not need to be the food police. If you constantly harp on your friends and family about what they choose to put in their mouth, they will quickly learn to ignore everything you have to say, whether it is valuable or not. Choose your battles wisely.

Enjoy your food. Make your healthy lifestyle contagious. When your loved ones see how much you love healthy food and how fabulous you feel when you wake up in the morning, without you having to say a single word, they will be interested in what you are doing. When they see you in the kitchen making green smoothies and dancing cause they taste so good, you won’t have to convince them to try it. They will ask you for some. You just stay focused on what you are doing, and your family and friends will eventually come around.

Be Patient. Give it time. Remember that good things come to those who wait. You may have been one of those people who had the ability to dive into a healthy lifestyle head first and keep swimming, but don’t put that kind of pressure on your family. You will stress yourself out, which is no good for yourself. You will stress out your family, which will turn them away. You may have to go the healthy journey alone for a while if no one in your family supports you. Remember that it’s worth it. In due time, the people you care about will catch the flame you have burning, and the world will get a little brighter because you chose to wait.

So don’t be discouraged. While you’re waiting for the people you love to catch up with your forward thinking, keep reading this column, and join my wellness group on Facebook. You’ll find lots of health conscious happy people over there.

Rochelle Hanson is the author of the free ebook, Breaking Cravings. She is currently enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is studying to become a Health Coach. Rochelle offers practical tips on natural health and wellness both in this column and on her blog Simply Natural Ideas. Write to [email protected] for a free health consultation or connect with her on Facebook.

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