Where do We Begin?

I have always been curious about how to be healthier. At first, I believed being healthy was all about exercising enough and eating healthy. I thought that being thin was everything that mattered. But thankfully, I matured and came to see that being thin is not everything.

As information became so accessible online, I felt inspired. There were so many books, experts, and now countless health podcasts that offer valuable knowledge. It felt like a whole new world opening up to me. But that inspiration turned soon into something else for me: overwhelm.

The health world has taken remarkable steps forward.  More people are becoming aware of the importance of caring for their health—which is a good thing.  But at the same time, it has never felt more confusing. 

The internet is full of advice. Experts often offer completely different or even contradicting recommendations. One tells people to fast. Another one to never skip breakfast. The third one recommends cold plunges. And some say sleep is the only thing that truly matters.

So where do we begin? How do we know what is right for us?

Our time is precious. We are busy women—caring for our children, supporting our family, managing work, and carrying the mental load of everyday life. We don’t have endless time, energy or resources to try everything. That is why I feel drawn to something simpler: awareness. We are not all the same. What works for one person may not be ideal for another. 

For a long time, I found myself listening to everyone else’s advice, while slowly losing connection with my own inner voice. I was searching outside for answers that, in many ways, were already within me. Looking back now, I can see that in each season of my life, I was doing the best I could with what I had. But at the time, it rarely felt that way. I often thought I wasn’t doing enough, and I doubted my own instincts.

During my health coaching studies, I was asked a simple question: What made you feel good as a child? For me, the answers were: writing, praying, reading, and exercising.

When I return to these practises, I feel more like myself again. Some days, a walk is enough. Other days, it might be reading a book before bed, writing my thoughts down, or having a moment of gratitude. Sometimes, it is something that a health coach might not even recommend—like my morning coffee.

I know I might not be “doing it right” by drinking coffee on an empty stomach. But almost every morning, my husband brings me coffee with oat milk mixed with a bit of peanut butter, and we share a few minutes together before the day begins—and the rush of waking the children up and getting everyone out the door. I have come to realize that these moments matter too. Not everything has to be perfect. Some things are simply an indispensable part of our routine and the season we are currently in.

Life, especially with young children, is not predictable. Some days flow easily, others not at all, to say the least. Sometimes we are tired, or a child is sick. Sometimes things simply don’t go as planned. So maybe the question is not: what is the perfect routine, the best diet, or the next thing I should try?

Maybe the real questions are: Am I listening to my body? My intuition? Or just following the next trend? What truly supports me in this season of my life?

Perhaps it is about learning how to feel at home in your own body—to have a good connection with yourself. Not by doing everything or chasing every new idea, but by choosing a few things that truly support you—and taking small steps in that direction.

Maybe we don’t need a perfect routine. Maybe we just need a few anchors—and the flexibility to adjust as life changes. Maybe the goal is not to collect more advice, but to reconnect with our intuition—and slowly learn how to trust ourselves again. I say maybe, because there is not a single mold for all of us to fit into. We are all unique.

Recommended Resources

If you would like a starting point, you can take a short assessment to discover your sustainable wellness score. It’s free, provides instant results and guidance, and can help you reflect on your wellbeing.

Along the way, there have been books, ideas, and voices that supported me at different stages on my journey. I have found that I often take something specific from these sources depending on where I have been in my life — and that in itself is a part of the process.

• Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter — a story from my childhood that shaped how I see the world
• The work of Guðni Gunnarsson — connecting movement, awareness, and personal development
• Works by Eckhart Tolle — which introduced me to the idea of presence and awareness
• Becoming by Michelle Obama — a reminder of our shared humanity
• Positive Psychology and the Law of Attraction — perspectives that explore the impact of mindset
• The Dear Gabby Podcast by Gabrielle Bernstein — a modern and accessible way to engage with personal growth

I also value reading beyond my usual preferences through book clubs and shared recommendations, as this often brings unexpected insight. Keep in mind though that no book or teaching replaces the moment where we begin to hear our own voice – and choose to trust it. 

If you have resources that have helped you on your own journey, I would love to hear about them. Feel free to drop me a line through the Contact Me form above. We all learn from one another.

With care,
Rannveig