Health Esteem: The Missing Piece in Preventative Health
Health esteem is about more than mindset — it’s how we show up for our bodies and ourselves with curiosity, care, and trust. Learn how to listen to your body, support your emotional wellbeing, and practice preventative health before symptoms take over.
I’m not going to lie — it can be aggravating to feel like we’re supposed to constantly have a positive attitude toward our health, especially when we’re not feeling at our best.
But let’s be fair — mindset does matter.
Staying positive, having a supportive attitude, and believing things can improve all play a role in health. But positivity alone is not the full picture. And for most people, it’s not enough to create lasting wellbeing.
So what could be the gap?
Perhaps it’s our focus on symptoms and quick fixes, while overlooking the messages our bodies are trying to send.
We monitor. We manage. We try to make discomfort go away as quickly as possible.
We’re human.
What we’re rarely taught is how to be in relationship with our bodies — how to show up with curiosity, care, trust, and advocacy.
This relationship includes not just physical care, but emotional safety — how we respond internally when our bodies feel uncomfortable, unpredictable, or are asking for change.
It seems to me that is the missing piece in health esteem.
What Health Esteem Really Is
Health esteem is curiosity and openness toward our bodies and ourselves. It’s not passive. It’s participatory.
It means we are actively engaged in our wellbeing — not just reacting when something feels wrong.
It includes:
- Fueling, moving, and resting in ways that support our bodies
- Listening to signals before they escalate
- Supporting ourselves emotionally — especially in moments of discomfort — rather than shaming or pushing through
- Advocating for ourselves by asking questions, seeking support, and trusting our lived experience
- Responding with care instead of fear or control
Health esteem is a symbiotic relationship. We support our bodies, and our bodies support us.
It’s not about ignoring symptoms — it’s about understanding them, working with them, and responding early, so the body doesn’t have to shout to be heard.
When this kind of relationship is in place, preventative health becomes more natural — because we’re paying attention long before things feel overwhelming.
When Trust Is Lost, Fear Takes Over
Many people don’t just struggle with symptoms — they struggle with the fear of symptoms.
A new sensation can set off alarm bells. Ongoing discomfort can quietly erode trust and slowly become our “new normal.” Changes in energy, sleep, or mood can leave us wondering what’s wrong.
Over time, the body can start to feel unpredictable or unreliable — something to manage, control, or closely monitor.
This loss of trust creates stress.
And when stress becomes chronic, the nervous system shifts into protection mode. The body prioritizes vigilance over ease, survival over repair.
From this place, symptoms may intensify — not because the body is broken, but because it’s working hard to get our attention while under pressure.
Listening Is Not Avoidance — It’s Prevention
Listening includes noticing emotional responses — fear, frustration, or self-judgment — that often arise alongside physical symptoms.
Listening to our bodies does not mean ignoring medical care. Medical care matters — deeply.
Health esteem doesn’t replace doctors, testing, treatment, or professional support. Instead, it supports them.
When we listen early, we’re often able to:
- Seek care sooner
- Ask better questions
- Advocate more clearly for ourselves
- Choose appropriate medical, integrative, or alternative support
- Respond proactively rather than reactively
Taking care first doesn’t mean doing it alone. It means noticing sooner. It means responding with intention. It means allowing the body’s messages to guide next steps — which may absolutely include medical or alternative care.
The goal isn’t to avoid support. The goal is to prevent the body from needing to scream to be heard.
If this idea of listening and responding resonates, you may also want to explore this post on self-advocacy skills — how to ask questions, trust your lived experience, and speak up for your needs within healthcare and daily life. These skills are an important part of building a supportive relationship with your body.
Health esteem is what allows us to respond earlier — whether the body is asking for rest, nourishment, movement, or support.
Prevention Begins With Partnership
Preventative health isn’t only about what we eat, how we move, or how we sleep.
It’s also about how we relate to our bodies while we do those things.
When the relationship is adversarial, stress increases. When the relationship is cooperative, the nervous system softens.
And a nervous system that feels supported allows the body to do what it’s designed to do — adapt, regulate, and heal.
So perhaps preventative health begins here:
- With curiosity instead of judgment
- With listening instead of overriding
- With self-support and self-advocacy, practiced consistently over time
Health esteem isn’t something we achieve. It’s something we practice — daily.
If this resonates and you find yourself feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward with your health — emotionally, physically, or practically — you don’t have to do it alone.
Clarity Calls are a gentle, no-pressure conversation to explore what might be getting in the way — emotionally, physically, or practically — and to see whether working together feels supportive. We slow things down, make space for what’s coming up, and look at next steps with more clarity and ease.
If that feels supportive, you’re welcome to schedule a no-obligation conversation through my website — a gentle step toward clarity and forward movement.
💛 Book a Clarity Call: Schedule Here
🌿 FB Community: Living in Yes
📺 Guided Practices & Insights: YouTube @LivinginYes
📸 Follow on Instagram: @Livinginyes.life
Listen. Respond. Thrive.
