Becoming more dedicated to being well – does the specter of what that actually will be like kind of scare you? Are you worried that you’re just not perfect enough? Does it seem too hard? A damn boring, tedious way to live a life?

Let me set your mind at ease so you can move closer to seeing the things you’ll do to be well as pretty cool vs. pretty awful. I know, I know — to date, the wellness arena has mostly felt more like something you have to choke down instead of something you seriously want to dig into. I’m trying to change that, ‘kay? Help me! (Help ….)

The effort to finding your live well life can be made easier, can even be – dare I say it? – enjoyable. Sure, you have to make changes, and, sure, at times, you get tired of it. Two steps forward, maybe three back. But, guess what? You still made progress. And there is flexibility in how you make that progress. So if you didn’t like those two steps all that much, choose two different ones.

I am not perfect; I don’t follow any hard and fast rules. Everything is flexible. EVERY thing. I passionately am in love with chocolate. And, well, a few other items that aren’t so great. There are days when I want to curl up with a book, not pick up my body and get it moving. I make excuses. I don’t do what I know to do.

But, fortunately, I also know the value of —and what it feels like to lead — the life I generally lead so, sooner or later, I get myself back on track. (I also unfondly know what it feels like to be sick and suffer.) I take the not-as-healthy stuff a little too far, my energy lowers, I don’t feel that great, and, soon enough, I have “the talk.” As in: “Self, you know better. Is it worth it not feeling your best? Did that brownie really taste all that great?” (Sometimes it did. But, mostly, it just really wasn’t as good as I was imagining.)

Generally, I love what I do to stay well. It is so worth it. I know that I will kick and scream far more and it will feel way worse (and cost me money and time and suffering and stress and …) if I fall into disease and my life grows limited. So that helps keep me on track.

I also know that it gets easier and easier. I don’t feel deprived by what I do. I don’t drink a glass of water and sink to the floor in despair over the soda I’m not having. (Okay, that was a little dramatic, but it was funny to visualize.)

For that example: When I stopped drinking soda as part of my quest to heal from Lyme Disease, it was hard at first. But, today? Man, I love water. Out of curiosity every once in a while, I’ll take a sip of some soda. I instantly think – Wow, how does anyone drink that stuff? So, now, skipping soda is blasted easy. My taste buds changed in the process. They crave fresh, clean water. The soda taste buds apparently died off. (Poor little departed souls, may they rest in peace.)

In the past, I’ve had people comment, when out to eat, things like, “Cindy, WHY do you always have to be so good??” And I’ll look at what I’m choosing and feel a bit confused. I’m getting exactly what I want. I’m not giving lingering, longing looks to other things on the menu. I prefer what I’m eating. Again, the taste buds for something healthy now are in full bloom. The bulk of the ones that thought deep-fried whatever was tasty don’t exist. And, if there is something not-as-healthy on the menu but I really want? I have it.

That’s how it goes, step by step. This getting-healthy-stuff isn’t the worst thing in the world. Unless you choose to make it so. Stay open-minded, consider it an interesting challenge, be curious and acknowledge the gifts you start getting from it.

Do wellness YOUR way. Find the steps you’re willing to take, take them, stop and reevaluate: Is this a life you love? No? Then tweak. Every element has a way to add something to it so it feels easier, better, more fun. You love what you’re doing? Great, continue on. You do this, and you build wellness so it fits you. And that’s the magic behind it lasting so it actually does the good you want it to to do. Going all in, then going all out doesn’t do you one bit of good. Stop that. Reinvent with me. ‘kay? ‘kay!