Starting a journey toward better health and wellness begins with a crystal-clear sense of why you're doing it. In Element 01 of Your LifeBook, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, OPTAVIA Co-founder and independent Coach, emphasizes how crucial it is to pinpoint your WHY for making lasting changes on the road to optimal health and well-being. 

Think of your WHY as the anchor that keeps you moving forward on this journey, turning new healthy habits into second nature. Here's how you can really pinpoint and activate your WHY: 

• Take some time to reflect: Your WHY must truly resonate with your own story. The more it feels real and personal to you, the more it'll motivate you to overcome hurdles and reach your goals. 
• Be ready for change: As you hit milestones in your health journey, your goals will shift, bringing in new WHYs. Let your WHY grow and adapt with your transformation, keeping that continuous progress going. 
• Put it down in writing: Once your WHY is clear, write it down three times. That helps embed it in your mind and life. Put these reminders where you'll see them often—on your fridge, bedside, mirror, or dashboard—as a constant reinforcement. 
• Speak it out loud: Say your WHY with conviction multiple times daily. From morning till night, verbalize your goal, even when it gets tough. Don't hesitate to share it openly; taking care of your health is nothing to keep quiet about! 
• Imagine success: Visualize yourself achieving your goal vividly. This mental exercise cements your WHY and makes your objective feel more real. 
• Stay positive: Use positive encouragement at every step. Say “YES” to the person you want to become and strengthen your determination by saying “NO” to temptations along the way. 

Identifying your WHY is the first big step in your transformative journey. Committing to actions that match your WHY gives you the confidence and drive you need to achieve your dreams. 

For more help in defining your personal WHY as you pursue Lifelong Transformation, Making a Healthy Lifestyle Second Nature, feel free to get in touch with me, your dedicated OPTAVIA Coach. 

As the New Year unfolds, it's not just about bidding adieu to the past but also celebrating the incredible journey you've traversed over the last 12 months. OPTAVIA, your partner in optimal health, invites you to ring in the New Year by not only embracing health and wellness but also by acknowledging and celebrating your personal accomplishments. Let's delve into how you can make the most of the festivities while giving yourself the recognition you truly deserve. 

• Set Personalized Health Goals: Tailor your New Year health goals with OPTAVIA's individualized plans, aligning objectives with your unique aspirations for personal growth. 
• Craft a Menu of Personal Achievements: Like planning a festive gathering, create a list of accomplishments to savor and share with friends and family. Celebrate positive changes, overcome challenges and cultivate healthy habits. 
• Document Your Wellness Journey: Capture your progress visually or through a journal, creating a scrapbook or digital gallery as a testament to your commitment and accomplishments. 
• Pamper Yourself with Self-Care: Embrace self-care activities that bring joy and relaxation, aligning with OPTAVIA's holistic approach to well-being. 
• Host a "You" Celebration: Recognize and celebrate your journey by hosting an event focused on your accomplishments. Share OPTAVIA success stories, letting positive energy amplify your sense of achievement. 
• Express Gratitude for Self-Improvement: Take a moment to express gratitude for your improvements, inside and out. Cultivate thankfulness for the dedication and effort invested in your health with OPTAVIA's mindset of gratitude. 

As you usher in the New Year with OPTAVIA, remember that it's not just about resolutions: it's about celebrating the resilient, determined individual you are. Embrace health and wellness, applaud your annual accomplishments, and set the stage for continued success. May 2024 be a year of personal triumph, growth and optimal health—because you deserve it! 

Stop, Challenge, Choose

Jennifer (Jen) embarked on her journey with OPTAVIA in May 2021, driven by a deep desire to shed weight and manage her health. Discovering the Habits of Health system, and supported by her Coach and the community, she realized this wasn’t just another diet: it was a pathway to a transformation, one she was eager to share with others. 

Fueled by the excitement of spreading the hope and wellness she had found, Jen became a Coach Just two weeks into her health journey. Her parents, astonished by the program's simplicity and effectiveness, were her first Clients. Witnessing their significantly improved health, Jen found profound joy in positively impacting the lives of those who had always supported her. 

Her drive didn’t stop there. Jen rapidly expanded her client base, recruited two Coaches to her team, and ascended to the rank of Executive Director. Her passion for OPTAVIA and its offerings was palpable, especially in the way she embraced and shared the empowering mindset tool, Stop, Challenge, Choose —a concept that transcended into learning and activating healthy habits.

Sharing her newfound freedoms became second nature to Jen: the liberty of movement with renewed energy and 45 fewer pounds^*. Her journey inspired a friend during a kayaking trip when she celebrated being able to purchase a regular-sized drysuit—an achievement previously deemed impossible. This inspired her friend to consider OPTAVIA for her own health journey. 

The impact extended to her household too. A particularly touching moment occurred when Jen reached a milestone in her weight loss journey, allowing her husband to slip her engagement ring back onto her finger after a year and a half. 

What began as a dietary endeavor swiftly blossomed into a profound life overhaul for Jen. Now, it’s her passion and delight to extend the transformative gift of OPTAVIA and the Habits of Health to touch and help impact the lives of countless others.