Do you ever feel like everything has to be perfect in order for you to make any progress in your health or wellness goals? Like you need to follow that diet to a T, never miss a workout, or have all your ducks in a row before you can truly start feeling better?
We live in a world that often pushes us towards an all-or-nothing mentality, especially when it comes to our health. But what if I told you that this pursuit of perfection might actually be holding you back from the vibrant, radiant health you’re seeking for yourself and your family?
Striving for perfection leads to a heart that never fully rests, not health, and I don’t want that for you.
Our bodies are a gift from The Lord! He has given them to us to take care of to the best of our abilities. They are not ours- they belong to Him.
An approach to health that prioritizes perfection and leads to unrest does not glorify Him, nor does it steward our bodies well.
With each of my clients, I take an approach that focuses on stewardship instead of perfection, which starts from the inside out and gives them the foundational keys to a radiant life.
But that approach never starts with ticking off every box to emulate the perfect picture of help. It starts with stewardship, and I think it’s time we talk about it as a community.
The problem with perfection in health:
While we’re on our journey toward wellness, we’re often drawn to the latest health trends or protocols that are promised to be a cure-all for our symptoms. And while these trends can have validity to them, what we actually need to truly heal isn’t going to be found in them alone.
(Ok, prepare yourself for some hard truths here.)
Intermittent fasting won’t help you lose weight if your blood sugar is always crashing.
Supplements won’t decrease your anxiety if your days are chaotic.
Probiotics won’t heal your gut if your digestion isn’t properly supported.
More rules and restrictions won’t outweigh a stressful home environment.
Most of these “solutions” are just temporary band-aids.
Even if perfection was the goal (it absolutely is NOT), these “solutions” wouldn’t get you there. We have to look deeper.
I don’t want to throw band-aids at your health challenges. I don’t want to perpetuate a need to know all of the answers. Instead, we need to focus on addressing the root causes of our health issues and creating sustainable wellness rhythms that support our basic health principles.
To achieve true wellness (a continual work, by the way), we must work on our spiritual health as much as our physical health. This is what health stewardship is all about – taking care of our whole selves, body and spirit, in a way that’s sustainable and life-giving.
So, how do we move from perfectionism to whole-body stewardship?
Focus on what you can control, let go of the rest.
- Your time
- Your thoughts
- Your actions
- Your words
- Your priorities
- What you allow in your life: food, media, relationships
- Your presence for the moment
- How you treat others
Focus on these things, and loosen your grip, on the rest. We’ll all experience things outside of our control, especially when it comes to our health. But there is so much that we CAN control, and our efforts are so much better spent there than worrying about what we can’t.
Renewing your mind to support your body:
It’s SO easy to get tunnel vision when it comes to our health or our kids’ symptoms.
But here’s the thing: our fears not only consume our mind, but our bodies as well.
Fear will only keep you stuck. The anxiety spiral is real, and staying in that cycle of stress will not only prevent you from showing up the way you need to, but it will affect your overall health too.
Instead of dwelling in fear, we need to work on identifying negative thought patterns and replacing them with truth. This is where the spiritual aspect of health stewardship comes in. We need to use the spiritual weapons He has given us, renewing our minds with scripture.
Try reframing those thoughts that are keeping you stuck.
Out of the thousands and thousands of thoughts you have each day – what do most of them sound like? Are they negative, frustrated, fearful, or defeated? Or are they hopeful, determined, confident, and trusting?
Counter the worry, the anxiousness, and the defeat with things you know to be true. What do you believe to be true about who you are? What do you believe to be true about who God is? What do you believe about His plan for you and your family? And most importantly, what does scripture say to be TRUE?
When we train our brains to lean on these truths, we find that applying them in our lives becomes so much easier. It will still be an imperfect effort, but that is exactly what will create the change you’re looking for.
Remember it’s a process.
This is a continual work. Another lie we have been led to believe is that health is a destination, but the truth is, it’s a lifelong journey of small, consistent choices and mindful stewardship over our bodies and minds.
I don’t just want your symptoms to go away. I want you to feel good in a way that goes deeper than appearances, challenges, and the ups and downs of life. This is what true health stewardship looks like – caring for your whole self, body and spirit, in a way that brings lasting wellness and peace.
What can you let go of today to shift into stewardship over perfection? How can you shift your focus from perfection to progress? Your path to radiance starts with these small, intentional steps of stewardship, not perfection.
