b’vive.

I wanted to be a matcha person.

You know the type. She looks so calm and steady, holding a warm green latte like she has her life just a little more together than the rest of us.

So I ordered one totally ready for my new sh*t together self to appear and spoiler alert: I did not love it. 

And then, I immediately went into negotiation.

Maybe I just got a bad one.
It’s really good for you.
All those antioxidants…
People swear by this.
I should like this.

And whoop there it is. That word we like to use against ourselves: should.

The pressure to like what’s good for you.

I hear it all the time from women I work with, from friends, from myself on a random Tuesday holding a drink that tastes like dirt.

“I know I should be doing this.”
“I’m trying it because I know it’s good for me.”
“I don’t really like it, but…”

Because there is a belief that if something is good for us, we’re supposed to make it work. We get a gold star for doing the “right” thing so even if it doesn’t fit let’s definitely force it because trying harder is always better.

Because it’s “good for us.”

Just trying it on.

What if trying something new didn’t mean doing it perfectly. Or even committing to it.

What if it just meant… gathering information?

Not:
Is this the new version of me?

But:
Do I actually like this? Does this work in my real life?

Because those are very different questions.

What if we think about it like trying on shoes.

You slip them on, feel your toes, maybe walk around a bit. How do they feel?

As we learned from Cinderella, you simply cannot fit your foot into a shoe that doesn’t fit.

If a shoe doesn’t fit, we don’t usually force it. We try a different size, a different style or we move on. But when a wellness habit doesn’t fit, we often respond with a this-has-to-work attitude.

So maybe instead of “I’m going to start doing this new thing that sounds daunting but I’ve been told is good for me . . .”

We think about it as something to try on.

That can look like one specific action that we try:

• Prepping one breakfast the night before
• Taking one walk after dinner
• Making a list instead of keeping it all in my head

Not forever. Not perfectly.

How does it feel? Are you ready to walk around a bit?

You’re allowed to choose what fits.

I shared my matcha experience with a friend. She likes matcha (so clearly has her life together). And she suggested trying it with a little sweetener next time. Maybe I will.

And maybe I still won’t like matcha, but that’s kind of the point.

Trying something new doesn’t obligate you to become the kind of person who commits to it.

You’re allowed to choose a different way to get the same benefit.

You’re allowed to not like things, even if they’re good for you.

You’re allowed to decide what works for you.

And when you start to notice what actually fits your life, those “good for you” choices start to feel a whole lot easier.

I hope that this idea of “trying it on” is one more way you can live better than perfect.

Be well.