Finding Your “Spark”!

So I have been doing a lot of thinking here lately….. My thoughts have revolved around, “What causes a person to want to change their lifestyle?” I mean, look around anywhere you go. There are people that are: overweight, obese, sick, fatigued, in pain, and diseased everywhere. Yet, you still see them running through the drive thru window, downing energy drinks/sodas, and living that current lifestyle that got them where they are.

There are also people out there that are doing these things, and are not overweight, or feeling bad, yet anyhow. I know a young lady (13 years old) that is very lean/thin, has played sports much of her young life, seems very happy and healthy, and she just recently went to the doctor for a check up. She got news back from her blood test that her glucose levels are at alarming levels. She has been recommended to go see a nutritionist, in order to get her going on a low carb. diet in order to get her blood sugar/glucose levels back in check. This is a sign of insulin resistance due to our Standard American Diet. Hopefully she can make improvements, and get into a better lifestyle now, rather than later.

I was once one of those people. I lived my life, pretty much like everyone else lives theirs. Ate a good variety of things, exercised often, and figured that would lead me to a healthy life. In my early 30’s, I noticed I was gaining weight, having more headaches, feeling more stiffness in my joints/muscles, having random vertigo type experiences when I would get up from sitting/laying, and I just wasn’t feeling like I thought I should be feeling. I almost went to the doctor, looking back I’m glad I didn’t. My mom was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) several years ago. I would have conversations with her about how I was feeling, and she told me that she also had those types of feelings years ago, signs of MS. Was I destined to have MS too, since my mom has already been diagnosed with it?

Around this same time in my life, my mom, got diagnosed with skin cancer (melanoma). Thankfully her surgery was successful, and she has not had any problems so far. But, during this time in my life is when I had my “spark”, I will call it.

This “spark” started with a strong desire to start learning what others (doctors, naturalists, holistic healers, etc.) have to say about cancer/disease. I just couldn’t believe the amount of different viewpoints that I discovered on these topics. I have spent hours over the years soaking up information from books that I had bought, articles, posts regarding cancer, sickness, lifestyle, diets, herbs, natural healing, Standard American Diet (SAD), paleolithic, and more.

This spark quickly turned into a flame, and I just knew that there was a better lifestyle out there that I could very easily take part in. I say easily because this new path is easily accessible to everyone, but easier said than done, I guess.

My point is, I had to have something significant happen in my life, to give me a reason to look into other ideas for my journey in life. I consider myself lucky, that I started feeling unhealthy at a fairly young age. Some people don’t get early warning signs like I did. Also, some people get warning signs for years, and don’t do anything about it. Others go to the doctor with their warning signs, and get greeted with a prescription drug/drugs to take the rest of their lives (creating other side effects, and problems down the road).

Since I have changed my lifestyle to a Wild and Primal focus, I have gotten rid of all of those feelings/symptoms that I spoke about earlier. I’m leaner now, than I have ever been in my life! My focus/desire/motivation/discipline is at the top of the charts! When I wake up in the mornings, and look into the mirror, I feel like a freakin super hero! Why? Mostly because of my confidence in eating the right foods. I know that everyday, I am immune from the temptations that are out there. How am I immune? I am immune because I have broken my addiction to sugar/carbs. over time. My body does not crave cereal, bread, pasta, pop, or any of the other junk out there that so many of us rely on. Not only do I not eat these things, but I know what to eat instead. That is one huge problem that I see. People try to cut out grains/carbs., but they don’t start eating the things that are good for them. They just think that there is nothing else out there to eat, and basically start starving themselves, and eventually get back to eating/living the way that they were.

It takes hard work, strong desire, strong motivation/discipline, and a little “spark” in order to make big changes to something that you have done for years. I think that becoming complacent in the way that you live everyday, is one of the main pitfalls to improving your life. Complacency is a disease in my opinion. Never be happy where you are at.

If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse!

-Pat Riley-

I continue to learn/read about the things that I already think I am an expert in. I still listen/learn from other coaches/experts. I am always willing to change something that I feel is right, as long as I have a good reason to (validated). Finding reasons to change something is obtained from learning/research, and questioning yourself. You have to find a reason to have a desire to want to improve your lifestyle, even if you think you are already on the right road.

Find your “Spark”, and cultivate that “Spark” into a FLAME!!!

I hope you can find your “Super Hero” lifestyle!!!

Good luck on your lifestyle journey!

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