You Are The Expert
We propose a new idea: you are the person who knows what works best for you, and your body itself will tell you what it needs.
When it comes to health, everyone is looking for an “expert” to show them the way, someone who has all the answers and can definitively say “this is what health looks like for everyone. Here is what you need to do.” What we’ve learned at The Nue Co. is that approaching “wellness” like this has actually been causing harm, as companies tell us what to do, but do not deliver on their actual promise of help.
So instead, we’d like to propose a new idea: that you are the person who knows what works best for you, and your body itself will tell you what it needs. All you need to do is know how to listen to it.
This is why we partnered with photographer Rosie Matheson for a new campaign, #YouAreTheExpert, to raise awareness of these problems within the wellness industry and offer a new way of self-care –– putting yourself and your body’s feelings first. The purpose of the campaign is to highlight personal journeys, because what works for one does not necessarily work for all. We want to show you how we see health: not a destination, but a journey, and one that transcends age, race, sex, and gender.
To do this, Rosie went to the streets, asking real New Yorkers how they approached their own well-being. From solitary walks to cheap eats, each person’s approach is entirely their own, and all are completely inspirational. Here is what they had to say, in their own words, about “feeling well.” Maybe you’ll find one to incorporate into your practices:
What do you do to feel well?
“I try to do my best to take in as much beauty as possible.”
“Get out of my head as much as possible.”
What do you do to feel yourself in the city?
“I need to be out on the streets with the beautiful people that make this city. Joining in on the dance that happens when these streets are full and buzzing.”
“NYC can be a very lonely place if you’re not careful. Sometimes I bask in that loneliness.”
“I buy a $1 pizza.”
“Walk, walk and walk. Then the city becomes you.”
“I express my gender through my clothing with colors and playful styles, it makes me feel myself and at home in my body when I am in the city.”
What’s the one thing that always makes you feel better when you aren’t feeling yourself?
“Reading or going outside – I feel my mind disconnects sometimes. In order to bring it back that’s what I have to do.”
“The other day, my friend didn’t ask the typical question –– how are you doing? –– and instead asked, how is your heart? It stopped me in my tracks and made me give a real response.”
“Knowing that I am loved and cared for.”