My motto this year is to “be” more, not “do” more. Some of you may be able to relate to this, and others may say that is not me! But hang in - there’s something in here for everyone.

As a culture, we are expected to produce and accomplish. Your standards for accomplishment likely vary depending on your personality. I am a perfectionist. While that can benefit me, it is something I have constantly had to manage in my adult life.

Where value is placed on production and output - items necessary for health and wellness, like rest, and time spent on yourself without agenda just for fun, are completely devalued.

What happens when life starts to catch up with you? What happens when you need the forced rest, the balance, the quiet? Any time spent is time away from accomplishments.

Taryn White, GreenMind functional nutritionist in Richmond, VA sitting on bench after exercise

I attended an eye-opening conference this fall in Denver. I spent hour after hour hearing keynote speakers talk about the latest research on the gut microbiome and its role in the center of our health. I feverishly took notes on what I was hearing, with my head spinning on how I would use this information for my clients. I was excited about how this would help me “do” so much.

functional nutritionist in Richmond, VA taking notes with coffee

Then came Dr. Navaz Habib, who presented his work on the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus nerve is the largest nerve in our body, connecting all organs, especially the gut and the brain. The vagus nerve plays a major role in calming the nervous system. He began to share data on heart rate variability, or HRV, an indirect measure of vagal tone or health. High HRV signifies a better stress response. While a lower HRV balance signifies an issue.

When he read the optimal ranges (ideally above 60), mine was considered suboptimal. I couldn’t believe it. How could this be? A functional medicine practitioner, one who preaches holistic health, had a poor stress response. What’s worse is I’ve half-heartedly tried to improve it, and the numbers aren’t budging.

Then I had a light-bulb moment. I was trying to fix the problem by doing more. Spending time in the sauna, exercising, cold showers, humming….all techniques to improve vagal tone. But what was I missing - the being. Sitting with my phone off with nothing to do. Taking a walk outside and not making a phone call. I needed just to be.

Paddleboard on quiet lake and blue sky day

This is a hard one. As a mom of four, business owner, friend, and the list goes on - we are majorly overscheduled, and I struggle for my own thoughts.

So this year, my goal is to just be. So what am I going to do? Nothing... or at least adding in periods of absolute nothingness.

I will report back with hopefully improved HRV and stress. What are your goals this year?