// What’s Your Why

Recently I read an article about a women who turned her weight struggles around when she finally asked herself, why. Why am I like this? Why have I done all the things that keep me in this place? Why do I obsess over my weight and body? Why do I value being a certain size? Why do I crave chips when I’m stressed? Why do I fear my body? 

And I realize, why, is a powerful question behind everything we do. I’ve always said, it’s not what people tell you, but why they tell you. It’s also one of the most powerful questions to ask of yourself, “what is your why?” 

Biologically, the part of the brain that leads decision making is actually the limbic brains (it’s not the rational brain, it’s the emotional section of the brain, it’s where all human behavior begins.) When we talk to the inner brain (the WHY part) we can change the decisions we make. 

What you do simply proves what you believe about yourself and your place in the world…. so your actions will tell you what you believe. It’s a big reason behind my talk of having an intention, having a mantra, and/or having positive affirmations you repeat to yourself every day. 

In meditation, it has been found to make us “feel better.” A large part of that feeling better has to do with the fact that the brain can change the brain. Meditation and mindfulness practices can increase emotional intelligence, and our ability to process how to respond to situations versus just reacting. It can provide you with greater insight, patience, attention, while reducing stress and boosting focus. But more so meditation can help you not only answer some of those “whys,” but also instill a healthier pattern to live by, and start to heal some of the “whys” to what we do. 

In closing // 

Asking yourself why can help you find your purpose, your drive, your motivations. It can help you find negative patterns we might keep ourselves in that lead to frustrations and inner conflict, as well as coping mechanisms that we use in those situations. It can help in work, love, lifestyle, and basically everything else as we have free will. We ultimately do things not because we have to, but because we want to. 

Use meditations, use journaling, or use time with a friend or therapist. Seek out why, and find a more powerful way to live and work.