I have a major confession to make.
So major that I’ve been hiding it for a while because I was afraid of what you’d think when I told you.
Ready?
I really, really, REALLY hate talking about food, exercise, weight loss, food sensitivities, gluten-free, sugar-free, everything-free diets, fitness apps, the hottest new workout, the best way to make a green smoothie… blah, blah, blah.
Hate it.
In my opinion, it’s all a load of crap.
Now if you’ve been in my world for a while – or if you’ve worked with me in my private coaching or Effortless Eating Program – what I just said and what I’m about to say won’t come as a total surprise.
But if you’re completely new to my world, you may be thinking “Um, I thought you were a health coach, Lara. Aren’t you supposed to love talking about that stuff? I’m pretty sure that’s why I read your blog and your emails: to learn about food and exercise.”
Here’s the deal…
I don’t actually hate food and exercise.
I adore both in the sense that they are major, joyful and essential parts of my life.
I love cooking. I love farmers markets. I love my morning runs and yoga classes. I love going out to new restaurants, learning about different parts of the world through food, and eating kale and quinoa.
I just hate the obsessive culture around the “wellness” industry – one that’s fad driven, extreme and oh-so-preachy.
It pisses me off makes me crazy because it shifts the attention to the business of health and away from YOU, the individual who – like all of us – just wants to understand what choices will help you feel your best and rock your life (whatever that means for you).
Not only that, but it often presumes that eating certain “very special” things will solve all of your problems and make your life perfect.
I’ll say it again: That’s just crap.
Food is just the beginning.
Making the right food choices for your body absolutely lays the groundwork for feeling confident and in control of your life.
It makes total sense, when you think about it… What you put into your body is entirely up to you. It’s one of the few things in life over which you have nearly complete control.
But in order to THRIVE – to do what you want to do in your life, to achieve what you want to achieve, to make the difference you want to make, to be the mom/ daughter/ friend/ aunt/ sister you want to be, to rock the world or even just one person’s life in the way that only you can – you have to go waaaayyyy beyond food.
I’ve always – like since sixth grade always – been fascinated by psychology and what makes us humans tick.
And I’ve learned over the years that taking the time to understand what makes us tick can help us move through our lives, careers and relationships with more ease.
I’ve also been on my own journey of self-exploration over the past decade or so, motivated by wanting to be the best, healthiest, most effective, most helpful, most present and happiest person I can be.
And let me tell you…I’m skeptical by nature, so some of the tools I’ve discovered are things I NEVER would have believed had any true effect.
What I know now is that tools “softer” than the sciences of nutrition and exercise are just as important to my happiness and my ability to rock whatever I’m focused on in my life at any given moment.
Things like meditation, soul-centered goal setting, self-compassion, gratitude, taking breaks every hour, noticing the leaves when they change and the beauty of the spider webs on the rhododendrons at the end of my block, simple morning practices, mindfulness and even subtle shifts in the language I use to describe my life. (My favorite is replacing “I have to…” with “I GET to…”. Try it.)
And while I refer to these things as “softer,” there’s hard science to back up their effectiveness at increasing well-being and human performance. My analytical side just did a happy dance. 😉
What it all comes down to is this: Tiny tweaks = major change.
Which brings me to what I see as my mission and what it means for you:
- To help smart and ambitious women who are up to big things in the world (i.e., you) fuel their extraordinary lives.
- To help you see and nurture your awesomeness by giving you practical tools to increase your sense of well-being, happiness and feeling of mastery in your life.
- To push you – always with compassion – beyond your self-imposed limits and to shine a light on where you’re holding yourself back, so you can live, work and play with more confidence, joy and presence.
- To test out and curate the tools – both practical and a little “woo-woo” – that will help you do all of this, so you don’t have to waste your time on things that don’t work.
In a sentence, I’m part food strategist, part life coach and part cheerleader.
Yes, some of what I teach is related to food and exercise – because I believe that’s the foundation to a happier, healthier, more awesome life – but much of it comes from other places.
I collect tools and insights from the worlds of psychology, fitness, food, education, business and personal development like my 11-year old nephew collects Legos. And I piece them all together in a way that makes them easy to fit into your busy life.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, corporate executive or super mom (or all of the above), my job is to help you kick. more. ass.
And to feel centered, present, in the flow and happy while you’re doing it.
If any of this sounds like what you’re looking for, I’d love to hear from you.
Tell me in the comments what you’re up to in the world, what you’re interested in learning about and where you’d like support around stepping into your extraordinary life.
What comes next for me, for you and for you + me is still revealing itself; but my ultimate goal is to be of service to you – the woman on the front lines of your life, juggling all of your many roles with more grace than you probably realize.
I look forward to continuing our journey together in 2015.
P.S. Don’t be shy – tell me what you imagine for your life in 2015. Think big…like your ideal life kind of thing. I want to hear about your dreams so I can help you grab them.
P.P.S. You may have noticed that my website is a little different now. Dalch Wellness didn’t seem big enough to contain everything I love and everything I want to support you with in your life; so now it’s just me. Lara Dalch and LaraDalch.com. Welcome to my new online home. I’m really glad you’re here. xo
With so much holiday love,
