Conventional Wisdom: What I Learned about Corporate Changes, and How They Apply to Real Life

Last week, I attended my company's 20th Annual International Convention. It was a pretty big deal. I mean, where else are you going to have almost 10,000 people who get hyped up over stuff like liver detoxification talks, the unveiling of a new non-GMO snack bar, and reverse osmosis water fountains? Probably nowhere but at a health convention. Sure, we get stoked about regular people things, too-- you'd have to be like a health savant *not* to love the free iPads all around, and the chance to earn a seriously super cool cruise--but it was pretty awesome being immersed in the corporate health aura for a few days.

Since it was the 20th anniversary of the company, there was a lot of nostalgia about our roots, but, more importantly, there were some pretty big changes in store as we began to look toward the future. Now that I've had some time to digest all the announcements our corporate officers made, I realized that what we learned as a company applies to me as an individual, as well. So here's what I learned...I hope these four lessons from four days make a difference for you, too.

Some Things Were Better Off Left in the 80s. Like leg warmers. 
And low-fat diets.

Even though USANA Health Sciences was founded in 1992, a lot of our corporate festivities focused on the 1980s. Not really sure why, except that, in reality, the early 90s were really just an extension of the 80s, I guess. At any rate, our Convention kicked off with a huge concert by some of the best 80s stars, like Belinda Carlisle, Tommy Shaw, and Kenny Loggins.  I heartily sang along with the chorus of "Heaven Is a Place on Earth," and I may or may not have done the Carlton during "Footloose," at which point the Hubs was relieved to have been a comfortably distant 30 yards away. It was pretty epic. 

What was *not* epic was seeing people comply all too readily with the invitation to sport their best 80s outfits. Seriously, I think some people there had simply hung on to their 80s wardrobe, waiting for it to come back in vogue instead of letting those trends die with what little dignity over-sized T shirts and leg warmers could muster. The Hubs and I wondered what the ratio was of people who bought an 80s outfit for the occasion vs. people who just pulled something out of their regular wardrobe rotation and finally had a chance to blend in again. It was crazy.

In the health world, there are a lot of 80s trends that need to die with dignity, too. Things like the whole low-fat diet trend. Or the high-carb, low- protein trend. You look around and tell me if either of those has curbed the problem of the expanding waistlines of Americans. I didn't think so. Instead of clinging to our dietary side ponies and Tshirt ties, we need a health update that, incidentally, may help you fit into those ugly 80s clothes again. Although I would strongly advocate a shopping spree instead. Check out the following myth-busting article that backs me up on this one: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57461950-10391704/low-glycemic-index-diet-may-be-best-at-keeping-off-pounds/

It's Never Too Late to Change Your Image.

One of the big announcements our CEO made last week was the complete overhaul of our labels and branding for our products. Yes, this *was* cause for a lot of excitement among our team. What can I say? We get giddy easily. But seriously, check out the before and after, and see if you don't think our new logo brings the razzle-dazzle:

Why change a logo after 20 successful years? Seriously, I would have never thought to jazz it up. I was fine with the way things were. Until I saw that they could be better.

And, that, my friends, was a huge wake-up call. I think a lot of us live with the way things were because we are simply too comfortable in our little ruts. Or we don't see any possibility of change. That is my passion: to help women see that life after baby or life after 40 doesn't *have* to be a certain way. It's my firm belief that there are always opportunities for us to bring the razzle dazzle in life, as well. (I'm sure there's a scientific term for razzle dazzle somewhere...maybe razzulous dazzulous or something.) Just because you've "never been thin" or "always carried my weight in my belly" or "have a family history of diabetes" doesn't mean you have to leave it that way.

I've swapped pretzels for protein bars. The Hubs went from prescriptions to supplements. We both went from recitals to running. My students traded in cravings for curbings. This stuff *really* happens. *You* can change your personal logo!

Health Can Be--And Should Be--Almost Illegally Fun.

When our VP announced the release of a new snack bar to our line of healthy foods, you would have thought the whole place had gotten new iPads. Actually, they already had. This was just icing on the cake. Especially when samples floated down in those cute little parachutes into the crowd. It was almost pandemonium.

And then there were the energy drink popsicles. They sound like they *should* be bad, but they are totally low-glycemic and have only clean sources of caffeine. And they're red (without artificial coloring or flavors) and juicy. Pure nectar of the gods, my friends.

I tell you, this is better than having the ice cream man come around. And less creepy, too.

Being around a bunch of health geeks will make this sort of thing exciting. But I seriously think that healthy choices should be exciting on a daily basis, too. Some of our favorite recipes around here make the menu rotation again and again, not because it's part of our diet kick, but because we actually *like* them! One of the speakers at the Convention said we should strive to come up with a healthy diet that is easy to love. I think he totally hit the nail on the head. What's the fun in doing something just because it's good for you?

That's why I like to bring the razzulous dazzulous to my health classes, too. We swap smoothie and soup recipes, try new desserts, and make the healthy choices in our lives the fun ones, too. I encourage my girls to find a walking buddy because I know for me that hanging out with my friends is sometimes the only thing that will make me get up out of bed and *want* to move. I've had some of the best laughs over a stupid P90X DVD that would have otherwise irritated the crap out of me. And I just had like the best salad ever, thanks to some awesome friends who think that healthy stuff doesn't have to be for dieting, but is OK to serve at fun dinners, too. I love that approach.

The best part is when health becomes fun, it becomes a way of life. Otherwise, it's just a diet. And those pretty much suck.

Dr. Oz, While a Talented Physician, Cannot Even *Fake* Playing the Guitar. 

We all have our gifts and limitations, I suppose.

*shrieks with delight that Dr. Oz is here* *cringes with shame that he holds a guitar like that*

Yeah, so one of the big deals about our 20th Convention was that Dr. Oz himself was going to be there. He came in with all the glory of a rock star as our corporate band, the Free Radicals (some of you will think that is funny), played a jam behind him. It was a cool entrance, but as a musician, I have enough guitar-playing friends to know that it's a good idea to at least *look* like you're strumming or picking or something. His musical improv was sorely lacking.

But his nutritional knowledge was not. He gave us all sorts of insight into how the body responds to wise and poor choices, gave us five tips for a better life, and encouraged us to keep taking control of our own health and help others do the same. He was great.

And I guess I learned that we all have areas we are strong in. And it's OK that they're all different.  Some of the people I hung around are way better than me about abstaining from dessert. Others can't fathom completing a 5K. Some people can run circles around my knowledge of the chemical reactions of food in the body, while others were still eating bagels during break time. Some are social media geniuses who use forums to promote better health to a broader audience. Others couldn't create a funny, educational, and exceptionally well-written blog post on Oreos and pretzels if they were paid to.+

Even our company founder has his limitations. You don't get a double PhD, run two successful businesses, and receive a prestigious Albert Einstein award without some serious brains to back that up. But I'm pretty sure that sentences like, "The fluoridation, chlorination, and bromination of our food and water is an abomination,"--while true-- wasn't exactly a great pick up line at parties back in the day, either.

While these two great guys may not be killer musicians or awesome water-cooler conversationalists, they are doing their part to make a big difference in the world. Their lives are definite proof that one life can make a difference in countless others. 

And while I may not have their brains, I feel inspired to do what I can with what I've been given to continue to share a message of hope through health. Even if I never have my own TV show (a gross injustice to the world, I'm sure), I do have this blog, and I do have my health classes, and I do have friends that I like to introduce to quinoa. And you have families that you can share healthy meals with. And friends that you can exercise with. And enemies you can share this blog with. The point is, we can all do *something* to make a difference in the lives of those we care about.

Here's to a lot of individual changes making for huge corporate changes across America.You decide where to start. As long as it involves getting rid of your leg warmers, you'll have my enthusiastic backing and support.

   +Editor's Note: This may or may not be a reference to one of my first blog posts that landed me my first two out of three followers. Except I am not paid to write them. Though I do accept donations in the form of precious metals, US dollars, free vacations, and Snickers.