Why, Why, WHY?

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. [00:00:11] Speaker B: What'S worthwhile healing Mind, body, and spirit. I'm Ramsey Zimmerman. I choose peace of mind, vitality of body, and joy of spirit over stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm. Together, let's explore and pursue the many ways to build holistic health and wellness. Hey there. [00:00:31] Speaker A: It's Ramsay here. If you are trying to improve yourself, there must be a reason or several reasons. Do you know what they are? Do you know why you want to make improvements? Do you even know why you do the things you do now? When we were kids, we asked why, why, why all the time. We drove our parents or our big sisters nuts. At least I did. But at some point, we tone it down or stop asking why and just roll with it. But what are we rolling with? Are we rolling in the right direction or are we just rolling downhill? When you're looking to make improvements, you need to know why. And in order to really figure that out, you need to ask yourself a bunch of questions. And they all boil down to why. Now, I know Asking why can feel risky. Sometimes it is easier to just keep pushing forward. Asking why might interrupt the flow. It might unravel a story we've been telling ourselves. And honestly, sometimes that story was the only thing keeping us moving. But if that story is not entirely true, if it is not honest or meaningful or connected to who you really are, then it is not going to help you in the long run. You're drifting, not growing. The good news is that asking why can also change everything. When you know your why, when you have a reason that is rooted in love or purpose or clarity, then you have something to lean on. When things get hard, you are not just doing something because you should. You are doing it because you chose it, because it fits, because it aligns. That kind of why gives you energy. It gives you direction. It does not have to be complicated. It just has to be real. And let me ask you some questions. Are you fulfilled, I mean, deeply, quietly fulfilled with how you live and how you show up? Or have you settled into a version of life that feels more like resignation? Are you doing things for good reasons? And what makes a reason good? Are you doing things for yourself or because someone told you that you should? Do you even remember who told you that? Or was it the faceless voice of the world whispering a thousand things about what you're supposed to want? The answer to your question of why is probably not simple and straightforward. There are layers. We all have mixed motivations. That does not make us fake. It makes us human. Sometimes the reason we give ourselves for doing something is just the surface layer. It's not the full truth. And it is usually not the most powerful one either. This is why I think we have to slow down, especially before we take on something hard and ask ourselves why. Not once, but maybe three or four times in a row. Not because we're indecisive, but because we want to know what we are really anchoring to. Because if you are going to do something worthwhile, change a pattern, improve your health, pursue a goal, you're going to need a why that can hold up when the easy answers fall apart. You need a why that does not disappear when you're exhausted. You need a why that you believe in when nobody's watching. And here's something else. Asking why is not always a pleasant experience. It can be a motivator for sure. It can fire you up, but it can also be a disruptor. Asking why might stop you in your tracks. It might reveal that you are doing something for reasons that you no longer feel right or never did. That is uncomfortable, but it is also a gift. Because if you do not ask why, you end up moving through life on autopilot. You might be doing what others expect of you. You might be repeating habits you never agreed to. You might be living a story you did not write. You can even look like you are growing on the outside, checking boxes, building habits. But without a rooted why, your effort will start to feel hollow or forced or brittle. And when things get hard, and they always do, you will not know what you are pushing for. You will just know that you are tired. That is why asking why matters so much. Not just once, but repeatedly. It is a way to find out what is real. It is the way to take back authorship over your own life. Knowing and understanding why is what will give you the strength to push through when things get hard. And for today, that is enough. [00:04:43] Speaker B: Where to Go from here? Visit whatsworthwhile.net to learn more about me Ramsey Zimmerman and please reach out to me and let me know what you think. I don't want this podcast to be some message in a bottle thrown out to sea. I want to hear back from you. Please send me a message or an email or hit me up on X, LinkedIn or Instagra. And please leave a rating and review for the what's Worthwhile podcast on Apple, Spotify, Iheart or Amazon. Thanks.