Finding Your Courage - New Food or Old?

I was faced with an interesting question from my younger son the other day. He meandered into the kitchen and said was it all right if he used my The New Raw Food Detox Diet book as a plate for his chocolate cake. There were so many things wrong with this question I didn't know where to begin. Not that Natalia Rose, the author of the eponymous book, is against chocolate, but I don’t think huge teenage-sized slices of chocolate cake qualify for good nutrition. And to use her book as a plate!

On the bright side, he did have consideration for the floor and sofa – using anything as a plate was an advance on normal teenage eating habits. But it will be a while before he will venture in having one of the recipes in the book. “Another salad” the boys sneer when I am having my delicious raw food meals and to them home cooked food should be just that – cooked. A raw vegetable meal must seem like bush tucker to them.

And I can remember a time when I felt the same. Good nutrition was something I grew into and only when somebody showed me that:

* the meals could be delicious – I could try small samples of what was on offer;

* they were easy to prepare – I saw it done; and

* they started me off on the first small steps with the right tools to help – like Natalia’s book.

But in order to take advantage of any of this I had to be prepared to let go of my notions of what raw food was and take those brave first steps in trying and doing. And open myself up to new possibilities and a different sensory experience with food. It meant letting go of some of my old ideas and putting into practice some new ones.

This mirrors the experience of anything in life where we want to go beyond our existing boundaries. It helps if:

* Someone shows you what to do

* Your mind is opened up to new ideas

* You are in a safe space to try things out

* You are shown the small steps that can get you on a new road

* You get the confidence to try things out for size and decide what you want

This is true of coaching for a new life as well as new eating.

So ask yourself now:

* What do I want to change?

* Do I really want it?

* If I really want these changes, but I’m not doing it, what am I afraid of?

* How can I find a safe space to try things out?

* Who can support me in this?

* What’s the next step I could take?

Perhaps your first step is to decide what you want and then get a team of people around to help and support you. Friends, colleagues and coaches will have a blend of skills to help and provide a support structure – but you must make the decision to move forward!

(c) 2009 Liz Copeland