We have a societal problem

Our bodies were built to move and be outside most of the day connecting to nature and it's changing seasons, not sit inside in front of screens. We were meant to nourish said bodies with real food - found outdoors - not ultra processed junk found on every isle of the supermarket. We were supposed to surround ourselves with our tribe and stay together in family formations to ensure our survival, not live on our own the second we can and be strangers to our neighbours. Our offspring were supposed to stay near us till they were big enough to take on the world on their own, not end up in the care of 'strangers' within months of being born. We were all created differently so that we could contribute to the tribe in specific ways with our particular skills and talents, yet here we are, all being tought that there is (roughly) only one way forward. The list is endless..

What happened?

Evolution happened. And a lot of good has come from it. We have evolved in amazing and, some would say, necessary ways. Inventions have made it possible for us to have a life of comfort to a degree our ansestors wouldn't even have dreamt of. That said, we've also made some less than ideal turns along the way. Because we now (in the western world) spend the majority of our time inside (roughly 90% - and most of it is spent in front of screens, in cars, on the sofa or in bed - source: Shinrin-Yoku, The Art and Science of Forest Bathing), have disconnected from nature to a degree where most people can name insane amounts of clothing or fast 'food' brands but struggle to tell the difference between 2-3 types of trees (you might have seen the memes). We eat overly processed 'food' because it's easier, cheaper and full of ingredients that make us addicted to them (in 2023 in the UK, ultra processed food made up 65% of calories consumed by children - pause for reaction - source: BBC).

We live far away from our parents/families, because we can - the world is our oyster! Yet loneliness is soaring. When we have children we rely on Dr. Google for help rather than consult those who did it before us. What's more is we send these children off to nurseries and daycare options very early on, for the majority of the week, often leaving them to spend more time with 'strangers' than with their own parents (I appreciate this is slightly exagerated for some, but I live in London, where this is sadly very often the picture). Next stop is school (huge subject for another post, another time), which, as a former teacher, I can assure you isn't for everyone. Children are sent on an academic path (regardless of whether or not this works for them) to get the best grades so that they can go to the best universities and thereby get the best jobs in order to pay the mortgage and provide for their families (families they hardly ever see because they are busy working all the time in order to provide). And when our parents can no longer take care of themselves we send them to nursing homes and let 'strangers' take over, while visiting once a week on average.

I appreciate this picture is exagerated. Obviously this won't be the truth for everyone. But for many of us, at least a few of these points will ring painfully true. And we know it.

So what do we do about it?

We start with the basics. We take a good, thorough look at our lives and a good thorough look inwards. What feels right and what is out of whack with your values? In fact, what are your values? What is important to you? And do your current choices in life align with these values?

Yes? Great! Keep it up!

No? Well then it's time to make some changes. And while this task can seem daunting, it doesn't have to be, because even the smallest changes cause ripple effects.

For some, it will be a matter of starting small and adding more changes bit by bit, for others, it's diving in at the deep end - we all work differently. Examples of change could look like: Taking the stairs instead of the lift, swapping the crisps with veggie sticks, implementing breathwork and/or meditation, taking the bike to the grocery store instead of the car, going to the farmer's market on weekends, going for a long walk in the woods, reading a book, reading food labels, acting on that life long dream, working on limiting beliefs (RTT great for this one), drinking more water, assessing the relationships in your life and doing something about it, quiting the job, removing all ultra processed foods, taking up a new hobby, travelling more, having sit down family meals, preparing food from scratch, allowing room for dreaming big, meal prepping, spending (screen free) quality time with friends and/or family, managing stress etc. The list is endless.

If any of this resonates with you and you feel like it might be time to make some changes in your life, I'm right here, ready to help you move forward. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation.