Recently I spent a weekend listening to a live-stream of a health and wellness conference. Every speaker was inspiring and motivating. Some were nationally recognized personalities, such as Dr. Andrew Weil and actress, Alicia Silverstone. Some were graduates of the school who are doing fantastic work to change the lives of many for the better.
One of my favorite speakers was Michael Ellsberg, IIN graduate and author. His story was captivating. Only 6 years ago this young man was at the point of considering ending his life. At age 30 he had been diagnosed with multiple personality disorders, and dealt with many physical ailments as well. He had been prescribed many different drugs and given no hope of recovery.
There was one doctor who recommended he give up alcohol and caffeine, but Michael wasn't ready and and figured he'd rather be dead than live a boring lifestyle.
When he did his own research on line, he discovered that there was a strong correlation between mood disorders and glucose intolerance. He actually asked his psychiatrist about it and was told in no uncertain terms that there was no connection between diet and mood disorders.
Broke and discouraged about his flailing writing career, Michael moved to Buenos Aires and began to live like the locals. The espresso, the pastries and gelato were abundant and the Argentinian Malbec was cheap and flowed freely.
As things became worse he contemplated suicide. Finally he decided that a 1 year commitment to diet and lifestyle change was preferable to jumping from his 4th story apartment window.
After a tough 2 weeks without sugar, caffeine and alcohol, Michael felt better than he had felt in his entire life. His drastic mood swings subsided and as time went on his condition continued to improve.
There is much more to the story, but the point Mr. Ellsberg drove home was that lack of information was not his problem. It was lack of transformation.
Information is all around us. We can research almost anything quickly and easily with a few clicks of a mouse. Like Michael, we can go into our doctor's office armed with a significant amount of information about our conditions.
So what keeps us where we are? Why do smokers keep smoking when it is common knowledge that cigarettes kill? Why do people keep ice cream and cookies in their house and expect that they can somehow produce enough willpower to leave them alone? Why do so many parents give their children foods that are colored and preserved and sweetened and rely on a pill to help them with behaviors?
The answer is not lack of information. The answer, as in Michael Ellsberg's case, is lack of transformation. So what does it take to transform?
Sometimes we have to enlist help to transform. Sometimes it takes support and accountability. Sometimes it takes a painful wake-up call. Many times the story of someone else's transformation inspires us to do the same.
Many of the speakers at this weekend's conference had stories that resonated with me personally. I found myself tweaking some of my behaviors today, not because I learned something brand new, but because someone's story touched me.
As I listened to some of the lectures, I thought about people I know who really need the information I was hearing. I thought about calling them or emailing them and telling them to check out a website or read an article. However, I know that unsolicited advice is annoying at best and resented at worst, so I'll wait for the opportunity rather than risk turning someone off.
Whatever it takes, it is up to each of us to seek out that which propels us from information to transformation. And in the case of those who want desperately to help others, it's our stories, not our advice or display of knowledge, that will ultimately lead to lasting change and transformation.
