Today I’m going to teach you how to go beyond the diagnosis, labels, and symptoms. For years I’ve watched so many people go through hell and back because they didn’t know this. Their definition of health was more like “HELL-TH.” It’s time to find the CAUSE of what’s NOT WORKING, and get on board with what IS WORKING…

SHOW NOTES…

Today’s S.O.L. STORY takes us back over two decades. The adventure in healing began when I graduated from Chiropractic College in 1995.

I’ve been privileged to share in this adventure of healing with thousands of individuals and families ever since then.

Healing looks differently to different people. Everyone defines it in their own unique way.

The number one question I’ve asked of my patients and clients is this: How do YOU personally define health?

Usually I get one of these two answers:

  1. It’s feeling well.

After taking care of patients with cancer, I saw firsthand the failure of this particular definition.

Never before had I witnessed such devastating sickness, in someone that seemingly “looked and felt well.”

From the outside, we can appear to look great and even feel “well.” However, be very UNWELL…SICK.

I spoke with many who felt “healthy” except for having the diagnosis of cancer.

  1. It’s eating well and exercise.

The problem with this definition is that we can eat well and exercise, and STILL be unhealthy.

I’ve got news for you, being thin or skinny doesn’t equate to being fit or healthy.

“Eating well and exercise are not a guarantee of great health. They are merely the expression of the great health that’s within you.”

There’s so much more to health than what meets the eye.

My deeper definition of health is this: Health is full expression of life.

Often symptoms can be a sign that the body IS working well.

For example, a fever is a sign that the body is working the way it’s designed to work. The immune system is healthy.

Healthy bodies have cancer cells (oncogenes). It’s when these cells get out of control and are no longer in balance with the rest of the body that there’s a problem.

The body’s meant to be in a balanced, harmonious state. It’s called, homeostasis.

It means that everything’s working the way it’s designed to work.

How do YOU know if your body’s working the way it’s designed to work?

Function is a more valid indicator than feeling – when it comes to health.

Feeling also has its place. Oftentimes we dismiss feelings like, “being tired, unhappy, and/or weak emotionally.” These can be early signs of losing health. It’s the body’s way of saying that something isn’t quite right within.

Unfortunately many will use caffeine or anti-depressants to change the way they feel. Yet, never addressing the root cause of WHY they feel the way they feel.

If this is you, I’m not shaming you. Instead, I’m encouraging you to think about what you’re doing. Please consider a new way of thinking about your health.

If you have pain, it’s not because your body’s lacking pain medication. It’s your body way of speaking to you. It’s the body’s alarm system. It’s asking for your attention. Perhaps it’s asking for rest or proper nutrients (life-giving food.)

If you’re taking anything to get rid of symptoms, be aware that there are side-effects (consequences) to everything we do.

Whether it’s a thought, feeling, and/or action.

Every time you take a drug, prescribed or not, there’s a side-effect or consequence.

What if you looked at your health more completely and thoroughly? As a WHOLE. I like to call this WHOLISTICALLY? (Yes, I did perhaps just make up this word….but it’s true.)

Look at YOU as a WHOLE individual. All aspects of YOU. And how you’re fitting in your life.

How BIG is the vision you have for your life, and health?

Health isn’t due to good luck or chance.

Dis-ease is created. Dysfunction is created.

You can focus on disease or cancer prevention, OR you can proactively create health. Working with your body versus against it.

Which is more compelling and inspiring to you?

I’m encouraging you to expand the way you’re thinking about health.

So here’s WHAT to do when you get THIS diagnosis…

What if that diagnosis is “HEALTH?” (One that’s likely “terminal.”)

But YOU can GET RID OF IT…if you DO THIS:

  1. STOP eating life-giving foods, and increase your intakes of food from a box, can, or plastic. And definitely eat MORE sugar.

 

  1. STOP moving. Stop moving ahead in your life and day. STOP moving – with exercise. Sit still. Don’t do anything, except talk about how others are doing everything Don’t move. Perhaps you may even consider staying in bed.

 

  1. STOP drinking water. Increase soda, caffeine, alcohol, and drinks that contain artificial sweeteners. This will definitely get rid of the diagnosis of “HEALTH.”

 

  1. STOP sleeping. Stay up.

 

  1. Spend time worrying and stressing. Increase your stress level.

 

  1. Concern yourself with everyone else’s business. Don’t look at your own life. Spend time thinking about everyone else, and talking about them.

 

  1. STOP taking care of YOURSELF. Take care of everyone else. Put your needs at the bottom of the list. Whatever YOU feel doesn’t matter.

 

What you do, think, feel, and practice on a day to day basis affects this diagnosis. In fact, it’s really a CHRONIC problem. But we can likely manage it.

As CRAZY as this sounds, this is happening for so many people (unconsciously.)

We put a label on everything. And often take a drug to get rid of the label, or work against ourselves by doing things that are destroying the thing we say we desire. Now that’s crazy.

If you’re going to label yourself, why not carry the label of “GREAT HEALTH?”

STOP thinking about (or doing) things to get rid of it!

Everything you do each day affects your HEALTH. Period.

Everyone defines the label of “HEALTH” differently.

How do YOU define it?

Again, I define it as full expression of life.

This requires showing up, speaking up, stepping up, stepping into what I believe.

What you do every day MATTERS.

What you think about you become about.

If you desire to make a change in the diagnosis of “HEALTH” or “ILL HEALTH”, it starts on the inside…out.

Health (Life) is an inside, out game.

When you allow your inside to begin to engage with your outside in harmony, balance, belief, and behaviors that match up with what you say you desire, your life will transform.

Whether you get a full healing and regain your health or not, what you do MATTERS.

WHO YOU ARE MATTERS MOST.

What’s RIGHT with you matters more than what’s WRONG with you. When you begin to tap into what’s right with you, the wrong things that aren’t working have a greater opportunity to work.

Go beyond the diagnosis, labels, and symptoms.

Find the CAUSE of what’s NOT WORKING, and get on board with what IS WORKING…and watch what happens in your life.

I’m sharing this because for years I’ve watched so many people go through hell and back because they didn’t know this. Their definition of health was more like “HELL-TH.”

It’s time to go back to the “HEAL” of health, and begin to restore it.

YOUR SACRED S.O.L. STEP FOR TODAY:

  1. Grab your SACRED S.O.L. D.A.T.E. Journal (Daily Action To Engage with yourself), and write out your personal definition of HEALTH.

How do you define health for yourself? What is your heart telling you right now?

Allow this to not only become your health philosophy, but also your life philosophy.

Life without health is HARD. It’s time to live with EASE.

  1. Circle your definition, and ask yourself if you’re willing to EXPAND your definition to go beyond where it is today.

Please do this for yourself right now.

Health is so much MORE than symptom management. It’s LIFE. It’s YOUR LIFE, my dear!

It’s time that you begin to live it. Regardless of the labels.

As long as life is flowing through you, there’s always hope for healing.

There’s so much more to health than a DIAGNOSIS.

I’d LOVE to hear from you and how it’s going for you SIPPING. ON. LIFE. Let me know how you’re doing.

Yes, you have to do your life for yourself, but you do not have to do it all by yourself.

xo Dr. Shannon. Inspiring minds that want to grow and hearts that want to know, so you can love you, your life, and your life’s work well. ONE SIP AT A TIME. 

A special thanks to the following souls for helping me launch our WOMEN SIPPING ON LIFE podcast… 

Intro/Outro done by Uni V. SOL 

Outro music by Jay Man: Mind Over Matter (www.ourmusicbox.com) 

Podcast cover design and web site done by: Pablo Aguilar (www.webdesigncreator.com) 

Podcast cover photo by Kate Montague of KM Captured (www.kmcaptured.com)

Women Sipping. On. Life. (with doctor shannon) is YOUR daily podcast for something new. Different. Satisfying. Soul quenching. Unscripted. LOVE. Practical Solutions. Powerful coaching that equips and empowers you to show up. Speak up. Step up. Step into your life. Fully engaged. Loving your life + life’s work well. Starting from the very first sip. Uncover and discover your TRUTH, so you can drink it all in. Live it all now. Naked. Unafraid. Unashamed. Unapologetic. Unconditionally loved. Heart + Soul. Become the great lover of your life. ONE SIP AT A TIME.