Wellness is not perfection; it’s participation in your own care. This quote flips the script on what it means to be truly well, moving you from a passive patient to an active partner in your health journey.
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Meaning
It means showing up for yourself, consistently and imperfectly, is what wellness is truly about.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen so many people, especially high-achievers, treat wellness like another performance metric. They think if they just find the perfect diet, the perfect workout, the perfect sleep schedule, *then* they’ll be “well.” And the second they slip up, the whole thing collapses. They feel like failures. Dr. Shepherd is saying, “No, stop that.” The real magic, the *sustainable* change, happens when you shift from chasing a flawless outcome to just… engaging. It’s about being in the arena, making choices, listening to your body, and understanding that a missed day at the gym doesn’t negate the three you did go. It’s a practice, not a prize.
Quote Summary
Reading Level70
Aesthetic Score82
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Dr. Jessica Shepherd’s 2022 book, Love Yourself Well, published in the United States. It’s a core tenet of her philosophy, so you won’t find it misattributed to other wellness figures; it’s authentically hers.
Attribution Summary
Author Bio
Dr Jessica Shepherd is an OB/GYN and women’s health advocate who blends clinical expertise with accessible education. She founded Her Viewpoint to help women navigate topics like periods, fertility, fibroids, sexual health, and menopause. A trusted voice in media and on stage, she translates complex science into practical steps patients can use right away. While building the Dr Jessica Shepherd book list and resources, she continues to champion informed, equitable care that centers each woman’s needs and goals.
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Wellness is not perfection; it’s participation in your own care |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2023; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9780063289408; Last Edition: 1st Edition; Number of Pages: 288. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 1: Defining Wellness, Approximate page from 2023 edition |
Context
She places this idea in a book that’s all about the gut-brain-vagina connection. She’s talking to readers, often women, who might feel their bodies are a mystery or a problem to be solved. This quote is the foundation—it’s the permission slip to stop looking for a one-size-fits-all solution from an “expert” and start becoming the expert on your own, unique body.
Usage Examples
I use this all the time. For instance, with a client who’s burnt out and thinks wellness is a 5 AM green juice. I tell them, “Wellness is not perfection; it’s you deciding to take a 10-minute walk instead of scrolling on your phone. That’s participation.” It’s for the person who feels overwhelmed by health information. Or for anyone who’s ever said, “I’ll start my health journey on Monday” and then feels guilty when Sunday night comes. It reframes the entire conversation.
- For the Overwhelmed: “Did you just drink one more glass of water today than yesterday? That’s participation. You’re doing it.”
- For the “All-or-Nothing” Crowd: “So you ate the cake. Does that mean the day is a write-off? No. The participation is in acknowledging it, not punishing yourself, and moving forward with your next choice.”
To whom it appeals?
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Motivation Score85
Popularity Score77
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FAQ
Question: Does “participation” mean I don’t need doctors or experts?
Answer: Not at all. It means you go to them as a prepared, engaged partner. You bring your questions, your observations, your history. You participate *in the relationship* with your care provider.
Question: How is this different from just making excuses for bad habits?
Answer: That’s a great question. Excuses are passive; they remove your agency. Participation is active. It’s about conscious choice. An excuse is “I’m too tired to cook, so I’ll just order takeout” without a second thought. Participation is “I’m exhausted, so I’m making the conscious choice to order a balanced meal tonight and I’ll meal prep tomorrow to make it easier.” Big difference.
Question: What’s the first step to “participating” in my care?
Answer: Start ridiculously small. Just notice one thing. How do you feel after you eat a certain food? What’s your energy level at 3 PM? Don’t try to change it yet. Just observe. That act of noticing? That’s the very first, and most powerful, form of participation.
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