Teenage facial breakout, we see it all the time, right? Yes their hormones are changing but lasting breakout is not necessarily "normal."
We often see people gaining & retaining weight after marriage, after starting up college, after having a baby born (not just the women, men, we've all seen sympathy weight gain), etc.
Maybe type 2 diabetes is common in your family. It may increase your likelihood of developing it but it doesn't have to be your fate.
For the women reading this, we may think that heavy bleeding and cramps are normal because of how many women experience it but that doesn't have to be our norm either.
We see these examples (and may have experienced some of them, I know I have) and others all the time and so yes, they're definitely common but we don't have to accept it as normal. I only bring these examples up as an invitation to step back and examine your life. Look for things you may have accepted as "normal" but are really just common and might actually be holding you back from living the optimal version of yourself. I honestly believe that we have the potential to optimize our lives with every stage we are in. Our bodies want to be healthy. It may just be time to get new & better information & resources. In my family, we are trying to get more into the business of thriving and spending less time simply surviving.
Since changing our lifestyle over the past couple of years, I think I was worried about telling people about what we typically don't eat, mostly because I didn't want to be a burden for others in social gatherings involving food. But at the same time, I have been wondering how to really make this lifestyle "who I am." I finally figured out that how I make it "who I am" is to share it with others.
It may sounds silly but I realized that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of and that I want to share what I'm experiencing with others because I want them to enjoy the same health and happiness that I am! I am certainly not perfect, but I am happy with where I'm going and what I'm working on in this stage of my life. If you have differing opinions and experiences than mine, that's totally fine. I'm glad you're figuring out what works for you. I just want you to be the best you!
You know how they say that it "takes a village to raise a child." Some of us may be adults now but we are those children still being "raised." We still need to surround ourselves with people who will help us make what's "normal" common again. How do we do this? I would suggest sharing your goals with people who will help you reach them. Are you with me?
What things in your life have you possibly accepted as "normal" but are really just common? Who is most likely to help you make positive changes in your life?
