Changing Perspective: Beginning the Journey Back to Health
This episode marks the official beginning of the Journey Back to Health series, and I want to start by saying how grateful I am to finally be here doing this together. This is something I’ve been thinking about and feeling called to do for a long time, and now felt like the right moment to begin.
At this point in my life, I’m working through healing my body from disordered eating patterns and the loss of hunger cues. As I head into perimenopause, supporting my body feels more important than ever. One of the most grounding tools I have is my own book, Journey Back to Health, and I decided to use it again — this time as if I were the patient needing the support.
Before starting this series, I reread the book and re-listened to earlier podcast episodes where I read the first edition out loud. It’s been two years since I last shared consistently, and I wanted to make sure I was offering something meaningful rather than repetitive.
Rereading Chapter One brought up a lot for me. When I wrote the book, I was still coming out of an autoimmune disease journey. I had brain fog, flare-ups, and days where my body felt completely depleted. Revisiting those symptoms now, almost 13 years later, I was struck by how different my life feels today.
I don’t experience those challenges anymore. I feel strong, capable, and energized. I can’t remember the last time I needed a midday nap just to function. Seeing that contrast reminded me how far I’ve come — and it also reminded me that healing is possible, even when things feel unbearable.
Chapter One of the book is about changing perspective. The idea is simple but powerful: if we approach healing with the same beliefs that contributed to illness, nothing changes. Healing requires a shift in how we see ourselves and our bodies.
I chose a quote by Viktor Frankl to open the chapter:
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and freedom.”
That space — the pause — is where change happens. When something arises in our body or life, we get to decide how we respond. This chapter is about learning to use that space intentionally.
So much of our intuition is disrupted early in life. We’re taught when to eat, sleep, and rest, often ignoring what our bodies are asking for. Over time, we stop listening. Chapter One invites us to turn inward again and begin rebuilding that connection.
Listening to the body doesn’t mean perfection. It means curiosity. A headache, fatigue, or discomfort is information, not failure. The body isn’t the enemy — it’s the home that carries us through life.
Each chapter includes action steps, and I’m completing them alongside you. For Chapter One, the questions focus on family health history, messages we grew up hearing about aging and illness, and how we currently feel about our bodies.
This is where the work begins — gently, honestly, and one step at a time. My hope is that by doing this together, we can create space for healing, perspective, and trust to return.
Resources Mentioned
Free Journey Back to Health Workbook:
https://sharissabradley.com/extras
Tea Time Podcast Facebook Community
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