Are you an enabler? When you buy ‘healthy’ or ‘natural’ items for your family and friends that are not following any particular healthy protocol, are you helping or hurting them? With Christmas now past, I had many discussions with customers over whether it’s worth giving the gift of health to those that are not on their health journey. Take for instance the person that will consume anything in site. In one hand they’ll eat dove chocolate while the other hand has the superfood chocolate. Is it worth spending $$$ on that person when there’s no discernment?
How about the parent that wants to help their adult child with their red flaky skin or with their persistent tummy aches? They are tempted to buy either an eczema cream for the inflamed skin or an enzyme for their upset stomach. Is this helping or enabling?
In the examples mentioned above, the natural items will only ease the symptoms, not address the root cause or problem. At times, these natural options can give the person a false sense of security. The person might think, I can continue to eat and drink as I please, as long as I have ‘my cream’ or ‘my pills’. I don’t have to make any mindset shifts when it comes to inflammatory foods and low-quality industrial foods.
So, if your adult child is suffering with symptoms that can be easily corrected with a better diet, is it better to appease them with a symptom reducing option? Or is it better to start a conversation about the importance of food? It’s not easy watching someone you care for suffer, even when it’s manageable. It’s also not going to be helpful if you want the journey of health more than they want it for themselves.
What to do?
What do you do? Well, you do YOU. If that means you spend more on the better treats even though you know they’ll make their way to the nearest fast-food joint, then so be it. If it makes you feel good doing it, then that’s you doing you! You may decide that you’re not going to spend your hard earned $$ on someone that isn’t ready. That’s fine too.
In the end, the person (whether friend or child) is going to do what they’re going to do. You must decide how you fit into their health journey or lack thereof. If you continue to plant seeds and encourage gentle change then maybe that’s the correct approach for that person. You may decide to take a hands-off approach and recognize you want to extricate yourself from the position of enabler. That might be best for you and the person you’re trying to help.
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Hi there still waiting for my shipment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!