My Health Self-Actualization

Hi! Health Coach Hanna here. As we start off on this personal bio of mine, it's important for you to know that I did not go through some life-altering health challenge or condition that inspired me into becoming a health coach. For this, I consider myself lucky and unique and I can’t wait to share why. 

As you likely see all over the internet and from other coaches, many people really have to hit rock bottom to come to their wits end, decide to do something, and take control of their health. Don’t worry if you feel like that’s a place you’re in, I think it’s really powerful to decide to make a change towards your health REGARDLESS of where you’re at on your journey amongst all the noise. 

This absolutely doesn't mean I led a perfectly healthy lifestyle and didn’t experience health challenges. In fact, most of the time, it was quite the opposite, I was just lucky enough to become observant at such a young age, which likely rerouted the health trajectory I was headed down, saving me from my “rock bottom” situation.

I call this my health self-actualization. But it wasn’t that simple. 

For starters, I grew up in a household very much indulging in the "Standard American Diet" – think highly processed snacks readily available at my little 7 year old fingertips… daily and ANY time I wanted. Goldfish and Cosmic Brownies were staples. It really was the standard, wasn't it? 

As I grew older and my parents split, my dad became this quiet role model for me. I always saw him taking care of himself in ways no one else was, trying new things for a particular health benefit, and learning new information that most people would find crazy at the time. Meat is actually highly nutritious for you and doesn’t cause heart disease? Eggs are where it’s at for breakfast? Not Mini Wheats? Deadlifts? I was highly observant of this, and quickly adopted a natural interest in health and life optimization into my high school years.

I knew he was doing something right. He completely “180’d” his health trajectory after a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis with simple diet, movement, and lifestyle changes. He came off his medications, defying a condition the doctors said would impact him for the entirety of his life. He’s now 60 and MORE capable than he ever was at 35. Catch him deadlifting 300+ pounds nowadays. 

Interestingly enough, my mother has always been quite the opposite when it came to her health. She suffers from chronic conditions, and lacks proper nutrition and lifestyle choices – very much worsening her symptoms and overall aptitude to conquer life. 

I observed these two differing lifestyles and truthfully, LIVED THEM BOTH. Thinking about it now – I believe it’s what saved me. I was inadvertently experimenting, and let me explain what I mean by this. 

At the time, I was in high school going back and forth week to week from my moms to my dads, being exposed to these distinctly opposite sides of the health spectrum. From the activities I'd done in one week to the foods I ate the next, the difference in energy and mood, my love for life, overall stress management, and how I felt in my body were noticeably different. I’d go from trail running, learning deadlifts with my dad in our garage gym, and eating nourishing nutrient rich meals for 7 consecutive days to fast food as the go-to dinner the next 7 days.

I intuitively found myself at a crossroads, seeing arguably the most influential humans in my life walk through their lives in such different ways. It made it impossible for me to NOT pay attention.

It became evident how it felt to consistently thrive. I knew the inputs to the equation, and I wanted to do better because I KNEW how to do better, as the weeks spent with my dad revealed to me. But, it seemed that so many environments tested me.

I was a Varsity cheerleader in high school and also cheered competitively at an All-Star gym, and later went off to cheer in college for a D1 school. As you may or may not know – competitive cheerleading is intense! It requires flipping, lifting humans on top of other humans, and some serious endurance to do all of that in a routine. My dad was always in my ear encouraging the power of quality fuel. At the same time, I was surrounded by peers who didn’t think twice about eating Chick Fil A for dinner, grabbing some ice cream after, then neglecting sleep to go out drinking all on the same night.

While I knew better, in these situations, I’d think “Am I taking this too seriously?” or have thoughts like, “I’m young, should I really care this much about the food I’m eating?” I’d naturally partake in these social affairs because “it’s college, this is the norm and I should be enjoying it.” But in reality, I knew it was backwards, especially as an athlete that was expected to perform. 

I lived and felt both sides, and it was really eye-opening. Kind of like diets, I’d stick to certain habits for however long just to neglect them due to societal expectations. I felt like I had this secret internal identity and hidden values that I wasn’t abiding by when they mattered. Ultimately, I decided it wasn't worth the alternative. 

I had two shining examples of what it meant to be intentional about your health vs. how it looks to neglect your power in feeling better, and living life based on conventional norms. It really woke me up. 

What this also taught me though, was BALANCE. Because of the massively different approaches to health I was exposed to, I’m now able to see the bigger picture and navigate occasions where I can give and take. Because there still IS more to a happy life than diet and exercise, BTW.

However, as I eventually drifted away from the status quo of my peers, I realized if simply being intentional and putting value around my health and lifestyle choices NOW equates to feeling amazing as I age, helps tend to my excessive stress tendencies, has the power to reprogram genes involved in health, then that’s badass. 

From this upbringing of mine, I was influenced by what I saw as two possible destinies. And I learned that while the right path may feel harder, posing the question of, “do I want the choices I make to serve me or control me?”  easily got me to my answer. The difficulty was so temporary when I compare it to how I feel and live now. 

I think what I’m trying to get at is – truly giving a shit about your health can be isolating, especially when there are so many conflicting opinions, environments, upbringings, voices, etc.

You may be at a point where you feel you feel confused and at a crossroads when it comes to your health – maybe you don’t have a solid support system, maybe you feel defined by a diagnosis and haven’t realized you can make a change, maybe you finally just want to establish sustainable habits that move the needle in YOUR life, or simply want to start learning how you can do more to take your health into your own hands. 

Knowing there’s a choice in feeling good is powerful. It’s what inspires me to help others, because the fact is it can be a lonely ride, but a worthwhile one.

Whether you feel like you’ve already hit your rock bottom, are quickly on your way, or like me, who had an “oh shit” moment and just wanted to take positive action, I genuinely want to help you find your power in shifting the narrative while meeting you where you’re at. 

You are in the driver’s seat.

If you read all of this, THANK YOU! I hope it made even just a sliver of impact on the outlook you have on your own health <3

In health,

Hanna