Change does not live in isolation

April 29, 2020
My work and the work of my colleagues is about change. Whether it be nutrition or training or behavior; change is the desired outcome. Research and practice both either observe or promote change. It is the thesis of our industry.

When people come to us for help to achieve some goal, they are hiring a facilitator for change. Often, though, there is a misconception that change will happen in a vacuum. The reality, however, is much more complex.

Change is transactional; our behaviors and actions affect our environment and others. In turn, our environment and those in it affect our behaviors and actions. We are all interconnected and therefore our path toward change can never be predicted with any certainty, there are too many variables.

Despite the persistent nature of change we tend to cling to the familiar, to crave homeostasis. It is in our nature and if we ourselves are creating action toward change our environment and those in it may resist. This is all part of this transactional nature. Push and pull. Give and take.

The more we can accept that our desire for change does not live in isolation, the more we can accept the fluidity of life and the non-linear action of process. Be aware of your effect on environment. Be aware of your effect on others. And be aware of their effect on you.

Author

Jeb Johnston

Share this post:

Related Posts

    emotional reaction and food choices
    Mar 4, 2020
    I sat this morning readying myself for my morning writing practice as I normally do, a quick perusal over top news stories. I like to run through headlines and see if there’s anything that sparks my interest and would be relevant to readers.
    May 21, 2020
    Signal to noise ratio: a measure of how much useful information there is in a system, such as the Internet, as a proportion of the entire contents I learned a lot about intuitive eating and the HAES movement from our latest episode of Barbell Mesearch.

    Ready to Break Free from Diets, Numbers, and Negative Self-Talk?

    At Food on the Mind, we help you leave behind restrictive diets, harmful habits, and self-doubt. Sign up to our personalized 1:1 coaching and together, let’s develop skills to rebuild your relationship with food, your body, and your mind. This is more than a program — it’s a blueprint for lasting transformation. Together, we’ll build the most empowered version of you.