The Nutritional Power of Change

One of the great nutritional challenges that so many people face is a misguided search for the one perfect way to eat. The idea seems to be that if we can find the one true diet – then there’s no more searching.

The worry is over, the mystery is solved, we’ve found the answer, and life is now predictable, easy, and we are assured of the sweetest possible health and weight that will make us fabulous forever. But here’s the catch: when we believe in the myth of perfection, secretly, we are fearing change.

And Vitamin C – Change, is as potent a nutrient as there is.

When properly absorbed by the human psyche, well-digested and assimilated change helps defend us against stagnation, depression, mediocrity, and old age. Change is the essence of the world and the engine of life.

Think of all the diets you’ve been on, the different ways you’ve eaten since childhood or infancy, the changes in your preferences with food, the unexpected twists and turns in your health, your eating, and in your way of living. It’s all about change. Beautiful, crazy change.

Part and parcel of the change equation is an interesting concept called “uncertainty.” If we’re not comfortable with change, then we are likely afraid of being uncertain. After all, being in the dark and “not knowing” sounds so unappealing and so uncool. We love experts of all kinds simply for the reason that they seem to be so certain about what they’re talking about. Uncertainty on the other hand, is seen by the world as a sign of weakness.

We tend to believe that if you’re uncertain, you’re a loser. But here’s a more cosmic possibility: uncertainty is the fuel of the world. It’s an earthly fact of life that sometimes, we just don’t know. Uncertainty asks us to trust, to find faith, to be patient, and to be humble.

When we embrace uncertainty, honor it, and welcome it, the mystery of our journey unfolds with grace. When we resist and fear uncertainty, we tend to tighten up, and stop the natural flow of our own metabolism.

What I’m suggesting is that it’s fine to celebrate the times when certainty seems to rule – when you feel as if you truly know how to eat, how to take care of your health, your heart, and the details of your world. But at the same time, equally welcome uncertainty. Can you be courageous enough to let the mystery of life reveal itself to you in it’s own time, and in it’s own playful way? Are you willing to let go of old habits and outdated thinking, and let the winds of change renew you?

Some big news from The Institute for the Psychology of Eating:

In the spirit of change, the Institute is moving in some new directions. The Professional Certification Training that begins this October in Boulder Colorado will be our last one at this location. Next year, in 2012, we’ll be holding this Training in another part of the country.

And we’re also expanding our programs to reach an international audience and better serve our friends who’ve been following us from around the globe. We are so excited about these new directions, and we’ll share more details with you in the coming months. So if you’ve been putting off taking our Professional Certification in Colorado for a later date, now is the time.

Contact us soon if you think this program might be for you. On a personal note, these changes represent for me a powerful coming of age. Like a lot of people, I want the business side of what I do in the world to be a success.

But as I get older and a wee bit wiser, I find myself even more deeply committed to the mission that I’m here to fulfill, and I’ve noticed that when I decisively put the mission before the money, when I really place my heart and soul into how I’m guided to serve others, the business side of the equation flowers more naturally and abundantly.

The mission and the message of IPE are reaching more people, and I feel so grateful and honored to be doing this work.

How have you embraced the secret power of uncertainty and what was the outcome?