Start eating healthy: take your first steps, and avoid perfectionist thinking.
I remember a quote from Aziz Ansari. He talks about how when he needed a new toothbrush, he took to the internet and searched “best toothbrush”. The search engine auto-filled his query and he realized how many others had shared his “toothbrush purchase insecurity”. “Every toothbrush I bought on a hunch has been fine. I've never been disappointed in a toothbrush. Why waste my time trying to find the best? Have you ever run into someone with no teeth and asked, "What happened?" And they replied, "Bought the wrong toothbrush. Should have done more research."”
We don’t live in a culture which allows us to be happy with what we have. In effort to avoid wasting precious time and money on programs, products or books that don’t meet expectations we look to reviews on the internet or even recommendations from professionals to provide reassurance. We must recognize that our quest for “the best” is perilous as there is always something bigger or better around the corner.
I'm not suggesting that ambition, planning or taking it slow to make a decision is bad, or that we need to settle. The idea I want to get across is this: perhaps our aim to be perfect is self sabotage.
Realize that if you want to do something, just start! Worry about perfection and fine tuning later. Remember you are human, and perfection is not a realistic goal to start with. Expecting the best right off the bat can serve as demotivation if you trip on your first step. Babies don't wait until they're three years old before they start trying to walk. First they must crawl, fall, step, walk then run.
I am very excited for this to be my first post as it parallels my philosophy on changing eating habits. So as a message to lovely readers and to myself, put aside the pressure to do and be the best, and just be. If you arrived on this page – you have already shown interest in making some dietary changes and to take your health in your own hands. Just start, choose something small and manageable to begin with – but start now.
