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Category: inspiration

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Themes of 2018: How These Three Key Ideas Have Shaped Our Year as a Family

This past January, the very beginning of 2018, I was encouraged by one of my wise mentors to look at 2-3 themes or intentions for the year ahead. These would be key words or phrases that tied into my vision board and that would guide my approach to the new year and to the monthly or 90 day action plans and goals that I might set. I think we both knew that an overarching theme would help make my short-term goals more meaningful.

I wanted to pause and reflect on how these themes played out for us this year and to share this concept with all of you in case it’s a valuable one for looking at 2019, which is right around the corner.

This quote has come to capture so well what I feel convicted to live, and to encourage others in.

I know for me, sometimes looking at a new year, and aiming to set goals can feel intimidating. We know life can change so much, take unexpected turns, in life, job, career, family, and we want to make sure that our goals will be in line with the big picture vision even as it may change in detail.

I hear this from many folks I work with, that it’s much easier to set monthly or 90 day goals, and harder when it comes to longer stretches of time, like a full year. But, at the same time, the power of a new year is just that—imagining how different life can be a year from now, and embracing the love for that progress and transformation that we’re ready to experience.

For me, setting up themes for 2018 that applied throughout the year helped bridge the gap between the future I imagine and the reality of my more short-term goals. It’s also allowed me to smile and sometimes even laugh out loud at God’s sense of humor.

So, without further ado, here are my three key themes for 2018 and some musings on how these themes played out in my life and in our life as a family in the last year.

Theme 1: CREATE SPACE

The first theme I focused in on this year was to CREATE SPACE. This is a phrase I use a lot, in my business, coaching and general approach to life. I find that when we declutter our spaces, schedules, lives, we allow room for the GOOD stuff. You know, the moments we want to remember for a long time.

I’ve spent years glorifying the hustle (a remnant of my Brooklyn lovin’, NYC bustlin days)… even with several kids in tow, and a few things have helped me shift away from worshiping being busy (or hiding behind my busyness as an excuse for why my bigger dreams and life goals weren’t getting tackled).

One of them reaching a point of frustration with the pace, and realizing it wasn’t allowing me to fully enjoy each day and the little moments with the kids, that can be packed with meaning. Another avenue for mindset change was a book called “Chasing Slow”—and the other one was a book called “The Best Yes,” which is about the beautiful grace of saying no, to the things in life that we can feel pressured to do or take on, so that we have the energy, mental focus and ability to say YES and be all in on the things that we truly value or feel called to do. These books, as well as our intentional family move 18 months ago to the country for a naturally slower pace of life, and embracing this with my children—and seeing how they like to live their best days—it’s all led me to the conviction that we need to work hard—in our social media driven, commercial, NOISY world, to carve out that beautiful space in which to live meaningful days, with lots of intention, connection to the small (and big) tasks. It takes real effort, and is so worthwhile.

For 2018, there were plenty of things I said no to, especially in the early parts of the year…when I was feeling called to a deeper rest, a deeper, more peaceful family life, and new rhythms, that helped us finally get the hang of the 3 kids thing, and to all thrive. It also looked like carving out time in the spring to train for a half marathon, to launch the girls to the end of an amazing first year in their new school, and then to welcome baby #4, right at a time when we were heading into a summer of slower rhythms and beautiful days with nature as a forefront focus—-lazy days at our local lake beach, long days in the backyard, the kids enjoying stretching themselves in all the ways they know how.

Creating space to welcome a new life into our family, and to continue having a flow and rhythms that work well into the fall, has been such a blessing. Yes, it’s hard to fight the pressure at times, for more extracurriculars, more volunteer things (that I love), or more errands (ok, not hard to fight those off!), but my heart was craving LESS, along with the 2nd theme, so that’s been our work.

I think that we’ll learn these lessons all over again when we welcome another babe in January 2019 and zero in on just the most simplified and beautiful rhythms to support and nourish the family during that season that’s coming up. I know I don’t want to miss the important moments, and CREATING SPACE started as an exploratory theme for the year, and is now the baseline for a full life by design course that I’m launching for all of us to work through in early 2019.

Theme 2: CONTENTMENT

The second theme for 2019, CONTENTMENT.

This one is hard for someone like me. I’m a thinker-ahead—focus on the future, often itching for the next thing…sometimes living in the future at the expense of the present. This has had it’s advantages for me, but as a mother, it too often creates a pull that disquiets me. I felt in prayer and in chats with my husband, Joel, that I needed to really embrace this theme and nurture more contentment. With a business that can always demand more, and with family life and motherhood always able to tempt me to MORE…I wanted to be able to wake up each day, and say—it’s ENOUGH. What I’m doing today, what we’ll get done, where we’ll go, how we’re living, with simplicity and focus on our family values, it’s ENOUGH.

How many of us know our hearts need this! I had a few books that were helping in this regard—and one of them has a title some of you may laugh at. It’s called “Happy Are You Poor”…and my dear husband recommended it to me as we had these conversations about being content with the present moment, and what we have, rather than staying in a striving mode. It’s a reminder that more of worldly things is not what makes our hearts either at peace, or brought to their full fulfillment. It’s a good wake up call, and reminder. Another fantastic read for me was the 8 doors of the kingdom, meditations on the beatitudes, reminding us that detachment and focus on other than earthly things are what sets our hearts at peace. The books mentioned above (“Chasing Slow”) was also helpful in this regard.

And truly, some days in the summer, as I looked around at our slow, peaceful rhythms, and as I focused on not desiring things, not shopping online, not scrambling for business goals, more followers, more extracurriculars, more, more more, I found that I was happier. And this happiness brought more clarity to me–of what I was truly seeking when making goals or plans. I think this one needs to carry through for me into this coming baby season as well. Getting away from measuring worth, accomplishment, or my treasure in the wrong places.

And I found that in my contentment, my relationships and my impact could be more real and less forced. It’s so important for gratitude to be the baseline of our lives, that they can be fully rich. I journal daily (this habit has fully clicked back in this year), and the themes of knowing what I HAVE, and how good it really is, helps balance out my approach to growth, in various areas of life or work.

Theme 3: COMMUNITY

The final theme for 2018 was COMMUNITY. We were 6 months into a new home, new school, and new area when the new year hit, and I knew we were called to dive in and both foster community where we’re landed, as well as reach out in faith and form new bonds of community across miles, where appropriate.

In Jan of this year, we launched a postpartum community that has become a beautiful group of women and friends that I value deeply. We cheer each other on, listen to challenges, and encourage in the most fragile and important stages of healing, growing, and thriving after a birth. I am so grateful for how it’s blossomed and developed–especially as I prepare for another postpartum. Additionally, we’ve formed a few other important communities around different topics—business related, beautifully growing the influencers reading group I love dearly, and some communities on healthy motherhood and kids.

Then in our day to day lives, on the ground, we were able to dive more fully into the school community we’re blessed to be a part of, and to have real, deep friendships begin to take root—both among the kids, and with the parents. Which led us to beautiful summer nights up LATE under the stars, sharing wine and laughter with amazing new friends, who we now can’t imagine life without. Or beach days lingering into dusk, with the kids playing sand soccer, and celebrating life and sunshine with good people.

These are my 3 themes for 2018—I’m still marveling at how real and relevant they continued to be for me, even as my monthly goals, task lists, and details of life shifted.

For 2019…well, I have some that I’m close to committing to, but I’ll probably save them for another new year’s post.

I’d love to hear from you—do you explore themes and intentions as you kick off a new year? Will you explore themes and intentions as part of welcoming 2019? It’s fun if they start with the same letter, but not necessary, of course 😉 If you have any experiences to share about thinking in themes for seasons of life, I’d love to hear about it!

If you’re interested in trying this for the year 2019, I recommend just spending some time journaling, talking to those you trust, and seeing what comes up for you! You might be surprised at how quickly your heart and mind land on the themes you need to embrace for peace and growth in the coming year.

A super fun word of the year generator can provide additional inspiration and hilarity (while it’s random, it seemed uncannily relevant from all the folks we did it with last year). My word of 2018 that was generated for me was BALANCE. I can’t say I have it fully figured out, but I’m worlds more balanced in many aspects of life than I felt a year ago, at the holidays.

So here’s to a fresh start, a new perspective, a new way to approach new years.

Much love and thank you for being part of this blogging journey in 2018. I had no idea where it would lead and I’m just having a blast as we continue onward and upward!

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Mother-daughter morning; making winter terrariums

I’ve become very aware of just what a special season we’re in…the sense of our family shifting is clearer to me than to the others, certainly, but we’re all aware of it in our own ways. And it’s a beautiful thing.

You can’t see it here, but they were holding hands, skipping around the corner when I caught them 😉

I think the coming of a new life into a family stretches and changes everyone for the better, not just the parents, but the siblings too. I’ve now seen it several times, and as they get progressively older/more aware, the girls are able to understand just what a significant thing it is to welcome another baby brother–someone who will no doubt bother them at times, annoy their games, try to get into their legos and toys, but also always be up for an adventure, snuggles, someone they will get snacks for, and cuddle when mom is not around (Emma has put Ambrose to sleep, rocking him in the chair in his room–no joke–when Joel and I went away for the weekend last spring and my family was in charge). Their sense of tribe and unity shifts, and it’s something I’m so excited for, but at the same moment, I’m not willing to rush this stage. And this fall I set the intention to pour time and focus into my girls in the unique ways that I can right now, treasuring our special mommy and girls time, knowing that my focus will inevitable shift towards the baby/toddler side of the spectrum again when baby brother arrives…

So last weekend, after Saturday morning gymnastics finished for the semester (and that routine was fun, Ambrose and Joel generally scooting off for Saturday errands and boy time, and me with the girls at their classes)…I was ready to focus on some other neat activities we could do together. This one seemed like the perfect mother-daughter morning, especially combined with brunch at their incredible cafe (you HAVE to try)…so we jumped at it and gladly brought some fun friends along. I love that Terrain offers programs like this for kids–it’s such a magical store set up, and my girls wandered happily with me exploring all of it, before we began.

My girls–while as different as could be in so many ways–are such a fierce partnership, they love and accept each other deeply, and I LOVE seeing them approach activities like this is such completely unique ways, and both get maximum pleasure from it.

Emma was so delicate, precise and choosy with her succulents, decor and the whole process–Corinne was–enjoy the dirt, and cram as much sparkly stuff into her glass container as could possibly fit…hers is literally twice as heavy as a finished product…I had to laugh…and she was saying yes to everything, even when it couldn’t really fit. They both were SO pleased with their final product, it was the perfect amount of structured activity with the nature supplies and freedom to let their creative brains run wild, in a beautiful and inspired setting, while the rain and wind rushed by the window outside.

I love how much fun was had by all, how different each of the creations was, and that we have these incredible indoor treasures to remind us of the beauty of nature and green during these barren winter months.

Here’s a super quick and easy run down of how to make these with your littles at home.

You’ll need:

*A glass container, any size–whimsical is fun, just be sure you know how many succulents you’re trying to fit in, and what sizes they are.

*3-5 succulent plants, mini. These are easy to find at garden stores, and so fun how diverse they are in texture and shape.

*rich potting soil

*Gravel

*colored rocks (decorative)

*Optional add ins: berry branches (tiny), dried mushrooms, tiny twigs, dried bush branches, the more interesting looking the better.

Directions:

*Fill the bottom of glass container with gravel (1/4 full is what they told us)

*Pour the soil in over the rocks, just enough to be able to comfortably plant the succulents

*Remove succulent plants from containers and arrange as you desire

*Cover as much of the soil with decorative/lighter rocks as you can (helps with protecting soil and needing less water)…then fill in with other decor to their hearts content.

*To maintain: water succulents every 10 days to 2 weeks–just a bit of water. They can suffer and die from over-watering, but in my experience are just wonderful to have around, I have some I’ve left alone when on vacation for 10 + days and they do just fine–low maintenance but beautiful = perfect for moms and families.

And when we got home, they put it exactly where they wanted it to go–I’m thrilled with the results, we’ll treasure these for as long as they last us (and succulents are very forgiving:)).

If you make your own, share and tag me so I can see how they turn out.

For more info about the kids programs at Terrain, and to check out their incredible shop, cafe and blog, go here. I know how lucky we are to live close to one;)

My heart skips a beat when I think about them growing up–I know it’s happening and it’s a beautiful thing, but I also know how much I’ll need to fiercely guard and treasure these memories forever. Luckily we hopefully have a life-time of memory making moments together as mothers and daughters.

Enjoy making memories with your littles, no matter what the season–there are so many incredible things for us to create and learn about with them–it keeps me young and forever learning alongside them, as I watch the glow in their eyes and hearts as they try new things and create to their hearts content.

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Yoga with kids: Prepare to get flexible ;)

Over 8 years of having kids, and having fitness as a priority in that process, yoga has shaped my experience of motherhood. Starting with my first prenatal yoga class that I went to weekly on Thursday nights—leaving my stressful workplace early with a grin and rushing on the subway from Manhattan to a YMCA in Brooklyn—my experience of yoga has also been shaped by mothering.

It is as a mother that I have experienced how yoga fits into my everyday and adds value to it.

We All Need a Combination of High Impact and Low Impact Activities

I’ve always been more of an intense athlete—soccer my whole life, competitive swimming and tennis in high school, and more recently, HIIT workouts and distance running as my go-to exercise methods.

But, the reality of life and especially mothering, is that our bodies need a combination of high and low impact activities to be at their best. For every mile that I run, stretching and restorative/muscle relaxing and rebuilding becomes important. And for overall stress relief, low impact workouts have been proven to be more effective at lowering cortisol levels, preventing adrenal fatigue and failure (the real, very present BURNOUT that I see so many moms on the verge of, and have personal experience with navigating).

Add to that the changes that each pregnancy works on the body, the natural recovery and rebuilding time in postpartum, and I’ve found that I need to have a fitness practice that I can keep with me for all of those moments and seasons of life, providing consistency and routine.

For all these reasons, I am continually led back to yoga (I mean this loosely as in the postures I’ve learned as well as stretching of all kinds) as a positive and important part of my daily routines and overall lifestyle. It’s sort of one of my secret weapons for getting through the long days in an energized, calm and grounded fashion (no, I’m by no means perfect…)….and some days my kids at 6pm will hear me saying—“I’m going out to my yoga porch for a moment” (And yes they often follow me out there)–which is my way of coping and giving myself the permission to re-center and come back into their midst closer to my best self…

But yoga has not just been my routine, it has become a natural part of our family life and kid life as well.

How Yoga/mindful movement Practice Has Shaped My Kids

When having kids and encouraging them to build fitness habits and bodily awareness and appreciation, we’ve done a lot of the typical things: swimming, ballet, gymnastics, running (love family race events!) and dabbled in soccer (the girls haven’t taken to it but something tells me that it may be Ambrose’ sport of choice).

However, since they also see me, often, at home, building in time for my own workouts, if I can’t make it to the gym—-and I DO love showing them that the habits can begin at home, yoga has become a natural fit for something playful, relaxing, that we can do together and stretch ourselves in, without being rushed through a workout.

I remember when Corinne was an infant and I’d be doing lots of HIIT videos and pilates/barre videos, she’d want to hang on me, and be part of it all, and I’d do almost half the workout holding her in various positions or incorporating her in. It got more challenging the heftier she got. Can any other moms relate?

When she was a toddler and able to follow along, she’d boss me if I wasn’t going hard or fast enough, and participate…my mini-me was hard-wired to love movement, and to need it—as I do—for her daily mood and behavior/attitude.

Just ask my husband (and why he always makes sure I get time to work-out during the weekend, as needed): I’m a grouchier me if I’m not able to stay physically active, in some form.  And yes for kids, it’s built into a lot of their play and playground time, which I’m a huge fan of, but it also may need to be channeled more directly and specifically with certain kids, as we’ve found we need to do with Corinne.

Using Movement to Help with the Tough Developmental Phases

With Corinne, over the past 2 years—as we’ve navigated with her the challenging developmental phases of a BIG, strong personality going through toddler years, pre-school, and up until now—giving her stretching, playful movement tools and opportunities has actually helped our mother-daughter relationship, and these challenging growing phases, immensely.

Sometimes when we’re in a heated power struggle about something, for example, putting on shoes or what’s for the next meal (I’m not making this up), I’ll turn to yoga as an calming outlet for both of us. Or if she’s mad at me and trying to calm down, I’ll suggest, “Hey, let’s go do some yoga together,” and her frown will turn upside down. I know right away that she’s going to guide me through the poses and coach me, making sure I’m doing it the right way…(Oh, I can’t express to you how much she reminds me of myself :0).

We’ll have reconnecting or “make-up” yoga sessions, where she will literally (as she always has)—-want to climb on top of me, do poses on my back, wrestle and be playful, and she’s such a physical kid that this is part of her love language—quality physical time together.

So over the past 2+ years, following these cues from my mini-me, I’ve made it more of a habit to incorporate the kids into my yoga practice, as a great way for them to get time with me, to learn new things, move their bodies, and for me to benefit from the session as well (in whatever ways I can: if I need my own alone time for restorative/uninterrupted flow,  I’ll make sure I get that too with another yoga session at another time of day).

You’re going to have to embrace a flexible mindset when it comes to your workout “goals” and what the kids will want to actually do, but I find when it’s playful, experimental, and you’re encouraging them to just try new things and challenge their own physical awareness and movement, the benefits will be innumerable, and you’ll enjoy knowing that every day will look a little different, but you’ll see their grins throughout the process.

So…How Early Can They Start?

In terms of how early you can start kids with yoga, I’ve been doing yoga with them in my bellies, and by 9-10 months they are usually able to enjoy the aerial poses with you (but sometimes in the early days I just do it during baby naps for simplicity and focus on the toddler).

By one and a half, Ambrose was very aware of being part of my yoga practice and would be yelling “mommy yoga” when he saw me preparing for it, just like he cheered me on and welcomed me home with appreciation after “mommy run!” (followed by, “mommy, sweaty…!” when I hug him).

By this age, he was doing active poses with me, one-legged downward dog being his favorite (go-to) pose of choice. By two or three years old, they can really follow some of the book prompts that teach them to do simple flows from one basic pose to the next. Corinne loves these (linked below).

And last month, after doing a lot of yoga in the summer out in the yard on blankets, we set up our yoga porch, which allows us to have this dedicated space that encourages the habit, and allows us to make sure we’re inspired to do something daily—both myself and the kids. When I got them their own mats, they were thrilled, because frankly those aren’t super easy to share, and it gave them a sense of involvement they hadn’t had before.

Now, they will bring their friends out to the yoga porch and lead sessions on rainy afternoons (and by lead, I mean, Corinne will yell at her class to try these challenging wheel poses, etc and get mad at them if they don’t do them…so we do need to work on her teacher finesse, and class management skills).

Keeping it fun, forming healthy habits

It made my heart so happy in that moment, to see that she understands this as something she loves, is good at, and it’s good for her (and others)…and I hope that these habits continue to serve all my kids, throughout life. Any serious athlete will tell you the importance of stretching/limberness and healing the body through mindful movement—connecting mind and body.

Kids, like all of us, face a lot of stress and fast-paced days, and I love knowing that a yoga practice can help set them up to be aware of their breath and heart-beat, to spend time in gratitude for their healthy bodies, minds and spirits, and even lead them into prayer, as it does for me.

For those of you looking for a more directly religious/Christian based stretching/workout regimen, check out Soul Core and Pietra Fitness.

This fall, I’ve solidified a morning routine that works for this phase, and that I love. We get the girls fed, lunches made, chat with them, and they’re out the door to school with dad as the first thing, since they have to be out early. I don’t push myself with early wake up times when I’m pregnant (if it happens by accident, great), and then from 8-9 am, I give myself (and Ambrose) time for a leisurely tea, prayer time, yoga and stretching session—sometimes following a yoga flow, and other times just doing my own practice that fits with the needs of my ever-changing pregnant body. This is my key self-care time before I go into business owner momma mode, and the juggling of texts/social/emails/kids/lovely outings, and all that goes into the day. Needless to say, I’ve started to get very protective of this (unplugged), calm morning time, and find that it sets up the tone for the rest of the day and how I can bring my best self to the table–with a spirit of service and joy. 

I always do my prayer and journaling for the day along with this (and affirmations/gratitude practice), and they flow together beautifully. For me, discovering a daily yoga practice is my way of giving thanks for my body, and LIVING gratitude for it with movement that is also calming, grounding and prayerful.

Ambrose loves doing his yoga poses alongside me for a few minutes, then he will often let his interest wander to his trucks, or his driveway toys, and he’s off and running. But those moments of connection, and on rainy mornings he’s bouncing around the yoga porch, and beautiful and meaningful for me, even as I feel his little brother stretching and kicking within me as we do a “happy baby” pose together or he climbs on my back when I’m in pigeon or down dog pose.

COMING SOON: Another More Complete Morning Routines Post (see my IG TV episode on it for starters, and to share your thoughts on ideal mornings–I’d LOVE your input)

Resources for Starting Out Doing YOGA With Your Kids

Some tips and resources:

*Find a good time of day that is a time when they maybe need a grounding experience, but also are calm enough to focus well. For some families, mornings might work well. I’m going to try to start a mini session with them before the rush for school.

Sometimes, at 5pm—our witching hour around here after school, is when we go out to our yoga porch together and I show them a pose or 2, nothing crazy, but bringing new things into their awareness is very fun for them.

*Grab these kids mats from GAIM yoga. I love the thickness and durability of their adult mats, and while the toddler size mats are a little thinner, they are excellent quality and fun designs. I have gotten the kids size mats and stayed away from the true toddler size, as they will outgrow those faster, but either way, your little one will love having their mat rolled up next to yours, or laid out ready for them at any moment.

*Pick the right environment, minimize distractions. In the dead of winter, the living room is the best spot, so we put the mats out there (once it’s tidied) and light candles or do something to help them focus in on it. In the summer, a yard or garden could lend itself to the right mood, and chances are kids will want to be outside with you, anyway.

*There are some great videos for yoga with kids, although I would also suggest keeping it flexible, my kids don’t always want to watch a video/focus their attention there when we’re already setting up the poses and having a good connection—I think it’s about reading into their needs and trying different things. I’ve had better success with cute yoga books for kids, that we can have with us and reference, pose by pose, for inspiration, but that isn’t taking their attention or causing a distraction.

Cosmic Kids Yoga is a great starting point if you want to use videos to gain confidence and get the little ones into a routine with it. I just encourage you to do yoga outside/in fresh air, and unplugged as much as possible, as it will change their experience of it (and yours) dramatically.

Here’s some of the books I recommend–can get at the library or on amazon.

Yoga Bear: simple animal poses (and related books in the series)

Yoga Frog

The yoga zoo adventure

*For your adolescent, or teen, it might serve you well to do yoga for beginner videos with them, and let them gain confidence following someone else’ lead. A great resource, one that I personally use most often, is www.yogawithadriene.com…she has TONS of free yoga flows on you tube, for everything from 15 min morning flow, to hour long practices based on certain needs—like relaxation, anxiety, weight loss, low back pain, etc.

That’s it folks, enjoy this bonus content/reflections on how stretching and yoga fits in well with a balanced life (just one of my many tangents that my editor aka sister puts up with from me here:)—and what a gift to give that awareness to your kids early on in life.

Additionally, if you want to learn more about what we do with our other healthy kids practices, check out the snacks and recipes on the blog, and our tips for building a strong nutritional foundation for these little bodies and their many needs.

I’d love to hear: did this inspire you in your practice, or beginning yoga with kids? What are your stories and experiences from your own homes and families? I love the conversations that develop from this.

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Importance of Stretching practices in a balanced life

This image is very appropriate here: as I had just sustained a minor foot injury  (Sept 2017) that was nagging me, and that led me to reflexology treatments, and a full re-balancing of the body, and new insights/experiences into how our body is designed to function and heal itself continually!

Brendon Burchard (you’ll hear me reference him alot, his work has had a big impact on me), in his High Performance Habits book, talks about the importance of daily mindful movement for optimal thriving and functioning at our best selves. He talks about daily walks for boosting brain function/clarity (runs work for this too—you know those aha moments and piercing insights or clarity you have when doing walks or runs? We can and should build this into our everyday, for optimal mind-body function).

And he also talks about daily stretching, and how in the high performers he studies, all of them at the top levels of performance are working out or being active 5 times a week–much more than the average population—a nice correlation to performance that I can get behind–as a health coach and athlete. I know it helps my mood, my mothering, my self-image, focus and so much more when I’m regularly exercising. It’s a no-brainer to make time for it.

I was intrigued that he brought up stretching, specifically, but it very much fits with his peak performance mind/body connection emphasis, and the idea that when energy is “stuck” or we’re tight in our bodies, we can daily bring awareness to that, release it, and move forward more effectively, rather than staying with the same patterns of behavior, thinking or “stuckness”.

This REALLY rings true with my experience with the benefits of reflexology, essentially using the body’s maps on our feet (and face) to become aware of where things are stuck/need healing, and promoting that process through our own healing work.

(More on my life-changing reflexology experiences in another post, in any case, many of these things came together for me and I wanted to share them in case it supports your overall philosophy and decision to bring more low-impact and mindful movement into your day).

“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness”

More on Stress Relieving practices and tips in an upcoming post on Adrenal Fatigue. It’s amazing how connected all of this is, for whole-being health which is what we’re after.

Stay tuned, and hop on my email list (at top) to be sure we can keep having these important conversations!

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Women’s Health Month: Stories and Inspiration

May is Women’s Health Month. A time to celebrate the incredible gifts of women, and the ways that their contributions to the world shape it for the better, every single day, in unfathomable ways.

And that’s what I believe we celebrate and hold up when we single out women’s health month. I really think there are no better folks to address this topic than the powerhouse women who are contributing in today’s blog their thoughts and reflections on what it means to prioritize and value health as a woman.

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SAMANTHA

Hi, My name is Samantha, and I am a born and raised Jersey girl 😉 (not the jersey shore kind of gal though) lol. I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia. My parents still own the farm that has literally been past down from generation to generation. Hard work, dedication, and compassion towards others (humans and animals) have been some of the core values my parents instilled in our family. I am still the happiest when I am outdoors, whether it is running, picking fresh herbs from the garden, or sunning myself on the beach.

Working in the healthcare field, I see how detrimental poor health and illness can be to the body as well as the mind. I am thankful that I have the ability to move and live the active lifestyle that I choose, as it allows me to live my best life for my family and closest friends.

I have been involved in athletics my entire life, and was very competitive at the high school and college level. I now enjoy running, a mix of cross training, and yoga.

One of the biggest changes to my health (physical and mental) was the addition of a yoga practice. I found yoga one of the years in college. At the time, it served as a place to quiet my crazy college brain while I was finishing up my doctorate. I came to find out that it has been something that I started to lean on a lot. Yoga got me through college, through a breakup, through a move to the Big Apple, through a new job, and through a move back home. Currently, I am making meditation and a daily prayer journal a part of this whole practice.

Some of the most important elements of my day that help me be at my best are when I take time in the morning to write, read or meditate. I have struggled with a daily gratitude journal, but I know when I make it a habit I feel better going into my day. My mind is sharper and it just sets me up to be at my very best. I also try to have a healthy breakfast. Sometimes it’s just on-the-go oatmeal, but I know for me to feel energized and fueled, I need to start my day with a powerful meal. Lastly, I try to get in some kind of movement for the day. It may be a morning run or evening at the gym, or it may just be a Sunday afternoon walk or some easy yoga poses. I feel getting out in the fresh air is rejuvenating and its important to take time out of our busy days for moments like this.

I think health and wellness as a whole has been ingrained in me since a small child. Growing up on a farm blessed us with our own free range grass-fed beef and pork, as well as a full garden of vegetables in the summer months. My mom home made almost all of our meals, and growing up in a family of 7 I now understand the value in cooking at home versus eating out(monetary value too). I am very thankful to have a mother who prioritized healthy meals for her family. I am inspired everyday by any and all moms. I seriously cannot fathom how it’s done. Maybe one day I will understand, but right now you guys rock ☺

One of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my adult life is the power of forgiveness. Not only forgiveness for others but especially forgiveness in ourselves. I have really spent a lot of time in prayer on this, and then one day it clicked. For me to move on and let go, I really had to find that forgiveness in myself. For me to allow happiness and joy into my heart I needed to forgive, and to know that I have already been and will allows be imperfectly perfect just the way I am. I think one of the most powerful things we as women can do is too forgive ourselves. It is also one of the most difficult things to do. But to be able to move on, take on new challenges in life, and experience life to the fullest we need to first start with our own forgiveness.

You can find Samantha sharing her yoga, running, inspiration and balanced living on Instagram @samanthadesimone

KATIE

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I will always be a tree and mountain lover at heart, but I’m living the SoCal life for now. 🙂 I’m an achiever and strategic thinker, but I have a deep love of the beauty that is evident when all things connect and work together in harmony. I’m passionate about helping things grow to reach their truest, most beautiful, and most authentic form — whether that’s myself, people who trust me with their hearts, or the little organic herb garden on my kitchen windowsill.

As I’ve grown to know myself better, I’ve learned just how critical my daily habits are in the big picture of my health. My non-negotiables include:

  1. Time boundaries. They add balance and help me keep my priorities in the midst of the demands of 21st century life. For example, my mornings are sacred — I set aside at least 15 minutes for reflection, prayer, meditation, and/or journaling (and more time if I’m feeling particularly unbalanced that day or season). I also know that I need to be realistic with the amount of rest and sleep (which aren’t the same!)  I need in order to function well in all parts of my life.
  2. A diet that’s right for me. I’ve learned the hard way what does and doesn’t work for my body, and I’m learning self-mercy and acceptance of my limitations in the process. I make sure I take my multivitamin, I don’t buy foods that don’t agree with me, but I don’t let my diet become my #1 focus. I keep in mind that maintaining a healthy body is just one part of the bigger goal of being a healthy person in every aspect.
  3. Embracing outdoor time. Reading, running, whatever I can do — surrounding myself with nature (regardless of weather!) fuels my soul and hits the reset button on my mind and body when I’m overwhelmed.

I’ve had a few health crises over the years, from broken bones and bad breakups to times of intense anxiety and panic. When I was less aware (and less accepting) of my individual needs, I would just react in any way I could order to cope with the challenges. Too little sleep, too much work and TV, being around toxic people, or just indulging in distractions — these were all poor coping mechanisms that I turned to. I finally reached a point that I realized and accepted that I needed help in caring for myself, and in addition to opening new resources to me for healing and thriving, it freed me of the burden of thinking I had to do everything myself. I monitor my thoughts and actions more closely now (daily even) to make sure I’m not just “coping”, and also not expecting myself to be God when I should be embracing and loving myself as a human person.

One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a woman is to learn how my cycle and hormones effect — and are effected by — the other aspects of my life, including diet and nutrition, sleep, and stress. I began using the Femm app to track the different phases of my cycle as well as my emotional health on a daily basis. A daily check-in like this is something I recommend to every woman from high school on through adulthood. It is so enlightening and so empowering to know how and why our bodies work the way they do, and it provides a look into a side our overall health that’s so often overlooked and undervalued.

One of the biggest lessons — and greatest graces — of my adult life has been seeing the importance of community. None of us can do this life alone, and we were never meant to. I’m so grateful to have amazing sister-friends in my life who encourage me, speak truth to me, and constantly teach me more about the beauty of being a woman and being whole. It’s a blessedly long list of names, and I make it one of my priorities to foster those special friendships — they’re the treasures of a lifetime.

Katie can be found sharing beautiful captures, reflections, and worldwide adventures at @ciaokaedo on Instagram.

CLAIRE

I am a Pacific Northwest native, living my best life through love of God and self-care. I am on a mental health journey and love sharing my story and tips with others suffering from mental illness. I am the most content if I am outside enjoying the sun and the beautiful natural world with family and friends!

The most important aspect of my health is having the mental clarity and stamina to be with people I love. When I have mental clarity and stamina, I can fully engage with my surroundings and the people around me, and this makes me happy and content!

In college, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and immediately put on antidepressants. After a few years of unsuccessfully trying different doses and medications, I decided enough was enough and I would try a more natural approach to my mental health. As I set out on the journey, I didn’t know much about natural medicine or how to get better going the natural route but deep down I knew this was the right way for me. I started with exercise as this was familiar to me and I did know that every healthy person was active. I decided to go big and challenge myself in an extreme way and train for a marathon! I am so glad I did! It set the groundwork for my mental health journey by showing me that nothing can be attained without hard work and dedication.

I recently started slowing down my mornings (I am NOT a morning person and tend to snooze for too long then rush out the door) and make time for morning prayer. I make my bed when I get up.  It is one small accomplishment to start the day and makes a soothing and visually calming sanctuary to come home to after a crazy day at work. Last but not least, I make daily exercise and healthy eating a priority. The foundation of any healthy journey whether mental or physical (or both) is diet and exercise. You can’t do one or the other or neither and expect to be healthy. Believe me I’ve tried!

My Mom was ahead of her time as far as healthy eating habits! She would always say “we must have a salad with every meal” especially if it was the rare take out pizza! She would often refer to Westin Price, and we always knew the nutrition content for every vegetable. She inspired my love of gardening and we were spoiled as children by being fed from her large vegetable garden. My sister, Emily, is another great inspiration in my life. Her dedication to healthy eating and exercise with four small children is admirable. Her calm and reasoned approach to life has gotten me through my toughest times, she has saved me more than once. My best friend, Maddy, inspires me daily with her unflagging encouragement, she is the best cheerleader and friend a girl can have! Her faith in me and my journey is what has pushed me to continue my journey by helping others! I wouldn’t be where I am with these three amazing women!

Find and follow Claire on Instagram at @onefingeroutofwater and cheer her on as she launches her website next month, promoting holistic approaches to mental health challenges and sharing her journey. We’re so excited for the ripple effect you’re already making for many women.

VALERIE

I am so excited to be a woman of today who has the ability to understand the importance of health, nutrition, commitment and fellowship. I am lucky to have been exposed to the principles of hard work, determination, and commitment at an early age and having the ability to apply them in all faucets of my life. I have been exposed to ALL challenges of life and I truly believe that without daily exercise, attention to nutrition and the support of a few good friends, I would not be where I am today; healthy in mind, body, and spirit! I work as a mental health and substance abuse counselor, and running a dog business.

 WHAT I VALUE MOST ABOUT MY HEALTH AND HOW IT ALLOWS ME TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE:

 I VALUE MY HEALTH!!! All components of it! My health allows me to attend to all the requirements the demands of a busy life place on me. My health allows me to be available to my family, my job, my relationships, but more importantly to myself! I love life! My health ensures me that I will be able to live the best life that is afforded to me with enthusiasm, excitement, and zest! I feel blessed that I have been graced with the knowledge of the importance of good health and the ability to accomplish all that I have as I know there are those that have not been so lucky. I have been committed to helping other women endorse this knowledge of the importance of health for a long time and will continue to do so.

 AN EXAMPLE OF A HEALTH CHALLENGE:

I was raised in a family where there were multiple physical health and mental health issues as well as battles with addiction. Through the struggles to overcome these issues I have discovered the importance of daily attention to my own personal health. With daily exercise, attention to proper nutrition, and a healthy relationship with a strong network I have been able to develop a positive perspective regarding healthy living and the importance of a daily regiment of the proper vitamins and supplements.

 The two top health habits that ensure that I am at my best are: daily exercise and proper nutrition.

 I would love to give a “shout out” to Madeleine and Latisha for the commitment that they have displayed with my introduction to Shaklee and all of their products. Although I have maintained my regime of supplements, nutrition and exercise, I saw a tremendous improvement in my overall health, physical performance and strengthening of hair, nails and skin after the addition of Shaklee to my routine. I feel blessed to have met these two ladies and will continue to use them both as positive role models

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I have always believed and understood that there is nothing so fierce, so powerful, so purposeful, as a woman who knows her mission on this earth, and who knows her true worth. This worth stems from her understanding of herself, in right relation to God, to her friends, family, vocation and so much more. But this worth also starts within, when we are able to love ourselves with the  recognition of just how special we are.

Of course, none of us are without our challenges, struggle, health concerns and setbacks. That’s what makes us human. But we are tremendously encouraged when we see other women valuing self-care, their holistic—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—health, and that ripple effect spreads beyond each of us when we make a personal commitment to health and fulfillment.

A happy Women’s Health month to you all! For a bit more sharing about some of the beautiful tools available to support women in every decade of their healthiest life, go here.

And feel free to share this article with a women who inspires you or who could use some encouragement. We’re in this together–and we rise by lifting others.

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Real athletes, real results

It’s Spring! And a moment when many of us start thinking about new workout habits and routines as the weather warms, motivation is higher, days are longer, and summer is on the mind….

So, after talking about why we workout a few weeks back, I wanted to share with you some stories of women who take their passion for fitness seriously, who inspire, who live on their edge, who don’t let their fear of failure keep them from trying new things and challenging themselves.

These ladies have been building in some extra natural nutrition supports for their endeavors in 2018, to give these nutrition supports the real athlete “test.” Now, it’s time to share their feedback and some initial results. I can’t wait for you to hear about these amazing women and connect with their stories and inspiration!

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Alyx 

Bio: “Hi, I’m Alyx and I work for a mouse” 🙂 (Best bio ever!)

Alyx works for Disney! And lives in Florida with her doctor husband and her furry family. She’s run many of the Disney themed races around the country, and started this season with a Love Chocolate Run half marathon in Savannah before tackling some races closer to home.

Here’s Alyx’s detailed record of her race experience:

So I wanted to write you about my Shaklee Savannah plan! This was my first race using Shaklee so I wasn’t to sure how it was going to go. I packed Energize, Hydrate, and the PM recovery pills. I packed Hydrate in my running belt along with my Cliff Shot Energy Gels. My race plan is typically to take a gel at mile 4/5 and then again at mile 8/9.

I made a water cup of hydrate for breakfast. The race wasn’t until 9am so it’s also the first time I’ve had a race start so late. I used hydrate at 730/8am with breakfast. I then made an Energize to have right before the start of the race.  

I have to say the Energize was great! I didn’t feel the need to “goo” until mile 7. I really felt it kick in around mile 2/3 and I reminded myself that I had hydrated well and energized before the race so I was good to go.

As soon as the race ended, I used a Hydrate in the water they passed out and felt great. I was a bit dehydrated during the race probably due to the mid 60s and humidity and the lack of water stops (4 total on the course). I took another Hydrate later in the day around lunch time and capped the night off with nighttime recovery that evening. I also took nighttime recovery on Sunday and Monday nights and felt like I got great sleep Sunday and Monday night.

It’s Tuesday and I feel refreshed and recovered. Ready to tackle my 10k next week! I will be adding Hydrate into my pre-race plan as well as Energize!”

Since then: Alyx went on to do a few other amazing spring races, including a LIFETIME PR 10K on Sunday, March 10–snagging 2nd place in her age group with a time of 56:48, a full 3 minutes faster than the Princess 10K race she had run 2 weeks before (59:07). Impressive!

So love seeing how the performance improvements add such an edge to the season…we’re excited to hear how your next half (in Hawaii!) goes! She even has her husband, who also races with her, enjoying the Hydrate and Energize boosts to race weekend!

You can follow her at:

Instagram: @alyxreinhardt

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Jess 

Bio: By day, I am a market researcher in NYC where I uncover consumer insights that improve my company’s product offerings, customer growth, and subscriber retention. Outside of work, I have a passion for fitness and nutrition, which helps me to feel my best.  I grew up playing soccer, dance, and track, which turned into triathlons and marathon running. Several years ago, a friend introduced me to CrossFit and I never looked back- I’ve been competing in CrossFit as well. I love seeing the results from a proper nutrition and exercise regimen in getting fitter and stronger!

Here’s what Jess shared about her experience:

I am an avid CrossFit athlete, exercising at least 5 days a week and competing on occasion.  I started incorporating Physique Build into my regimen as a post-workout supplement to aid with muscle growth and recovery.  The shake had a watery texture and was palatable. The results were excellent- I was hardly sore after tough workouts and had more muscle tone.  In fact, friends I hadn’t seen in awhile told me that I “looked jacked” and a new gym member asked how often I workout because I “look strong and hard as a rock”.  I’m looking forward to further developing these gainz with Physique Build!

Currently, Jess shared that she’s also using the PM recovery, but finding it works better on nights when she can sleep more than 6 hours!

She finished her final round of a several week CrossFit competition this weekend, and is waiting on the results–send her some good luck vibes and well wishes!

You can find her at:

Instagram: @jtwong8

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Sophia

Sophia is a birth doula, midwife-in-training and placenta specialist, who lives in Sunny California (near San Francisco). She’s been using the baseline nutrition tools of vitalizer and shakes for several years, and starting in 2018, she dove in with the 7 day healthy cleanse, had amazing results for body, mind and spirit—and then continued with the Vitalizer as a grounding, energizing element of a new training program. She’s an amazing example of someone who is embracing a new year, new habits, new life!

Vitalizer had given me the extra boost I needed to cover the mental ground that told me I could not do this. As a vegan, a complete nutrition program is crucial and Vitalizer leaves nothing to be desired. It has enabled me to thrive and conquer nerve damage and other hurdles. The journey is just beginning!

You can find and follow her at:

Instagram: @wildandwisebirth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildandwisebirth/

I get daily inspiration from these ladies, and I know that many of you may be inspired by this post as we head into spring–taking the opportunity to set new fitness routines, goals and linking arms with others who will help us to enjoy the process, set our sights high, and most importantly, cheer us on through the tough moments that are part of any journey of self-improvement. When we remember why we started, we become truly unstoppable.

The products mentioned in this post are linked wherever mentioned…and there’s a special offer on the pure performance pack for athletes trying it out! Reach out to us with questions and to get yours! (madeleine.pidel@gmail.com)

Fitness pack: For the casual/short interval athlete: low sugar content in all the products.

Endurance pack: For the long distance biker/runner, or intense/endurance athlete…focus on balanced carbs/electrolytes and sugars in the products/recovery.

Also, I don’t know about you, but the Olympics always give me such inspiration; when hearing about the athletes and how they persevere in the sight of their goals…I’m still on a high from those. Here’s an amazing summary of the results of the Shaklee pure performance team, athletes who turn to this brand because purity and safety matter so much. 28 athletes and 7 medals, from athletes representing countries around the globe! I’ve been known to say—if it’s good enough for Olympians, it’s good enough for me and my athletic performance.

I can’t wait to hear what your pure performance stories will be!

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4 Quick ways to Declutter your schedule for joyful, grounded living

Photo by Andrew Galligan Photography.

This is a topic that is very close to home indeed.

I am converting from being chronically busy, over planner, over committed, running around lady…to someone who truly enjoys an afternoon at home with my kids, no plans, or a morning with space for peaceful strolls, errands, and a few work moments from my phone, but with ample time to explore new places or just let the kids be kids. I savor the slowness of some days, and still mix it up with energized out and about days…but overall, we’re chasing slow, as part of our move to a slower pace that happened 6 months ago.

It’s been incredible to watch a shift in the culture for many of us, as we wake up and realize that busyness has been glorified, we feel guilty, boring or unmotivated if we have space in our life? How and why did we let ourselves get so busy with individually good activities and commitments, and then over-whelmed by it, in a vicious cycle…to the point where we’re spending more time out of our homes than in it, or hours of carpool/drop offs? Or for single folks, how did work and other commitments mean that you have less than 7 hours a day in your own dwelling or for your own pursuits!

I’m learning from children.. life outside of a schedule.

You know how kids can go to a playground or out in the yard and play for hours; literally lose track of time? What a gift.

For someone like me, that’s challenging but a blessed reminder that our days are not just about checking off tiny boxes, but about expansive BEING in the moment. In each moment that is given to us.

So, clearing the schedule is like inviting magic back in, and letting yourself get curious, what will the day bring?

Potentially, you may get lost in an activity that you’re passionate about, you can, thanks to your newly prioritized life.

This is my first time writing out these new principles of living, so share your thoughts with me, and we’ll keep embracing this new life together, the life of “chasing slow“.

  1. This is one that’s helped me tremendously…to clear mental space and enjoy the days more: Menu Plan, and shop the plan. It doesn’t sound ground breaking and it doesn’t have to be fancy. For whatever reason, having that set up on Sunday when you go into the week, can change everything about the flow of Monday and the week ahead. I love a good menu planner/shopping list template, and I snatched up a similiar one at anthropology earlier this year, which helps us tremendously, to not only cut down on mental space, but on frequent pesky trips to the store…such a time suck!–but to also better use the things we get from the store. I also strategically use Blue Apron.
  2. Look at your schedule for the week, with potential obligations, and do 1-2 LESS than you had already committed to on each day (and I don’t mean flake out on people)…On the days when things are packed, even with the good stuff, we tend to enjoy it all less because we’re thinking logistics…getting from point A to B. It’s a luxury to be able to savor and enjoy each activity without having to think ahead or worry about squeezing things in. I’m learning this lesson, and it helps tremendously. I’ll look at my week ahead and slash or move things around in my planner to allow 30 min to 1 hours in btwn…does anyone else do this? It’s a true joy to not always be rushing.
  3. Batch your errands. This is like #1…so obvious but so helpful when implemented. If you have to run to the post office, do the grocery run then too, or wait and do all your errands on specific days and times of the week when you know it’s a lower productivity timeslot for you. You can take a great quiz here if you’re someone who has flexible work or just needs to figure out when they are most productive. Plus…we live in an era of online shopping, and I’ll share another post with my top 10 time-savers using sites, while also being able to indulge in local, conscious consumption
  4. Finally…while saying NO to over-scheduling, overwhelm, constant running around, you’re saying YES to meaningful moments with friends, and loved ones. Schedule in the social time as much as you schedule the other stuff. This is a large part of what we look forward to when looking at our planners, day by day, and, according to Blue Zones author Dan Beuttner, is an important indicator of how long we will live, and how healthy we will be.

What do you do to create space, peace and joy in your week? #slowisthenewbusy

 

I know for myself, as I’ve begun saying yes to less…I’ve thought alot about what I’m creating space FOR…and those priorities help drive the motivation for the rest of it to be simpler. We discuss that and so much more in my Life by Design course starting in the new year…I hope you’ll join us!

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Starting the day right: your miracle morning routines

Starting the day right: Energizing and filling your cup so you can pour-out to others all day long.

How often in life, especially when committing to making healthy changes, have you found yourself wishing you had more time in your day to carve out for exercise, or eating healthy, or even quiet time? Wondering how other challengers fit it in? Do you find yourself reaching the end of the day tired, frazzled, trying to grab some reading or wind down time, but feeling that the to-do list got away from you…again?

I can relate. I’ve been there. As a busy mom of 3 small ones, I knew I had to shift something a few months back, so I looked at changing up my morning routine. I’m a proud and self-proclaimed night owl–it’s when my brain is awake and doing it’s best work…but I also knew that I needed to start the day stronger in order to serve myself and my people–family, business, everything–better!

Find something that deeply motivates you, and consider getting up just a bit earlier in these coming weeks. You never know…it could turn into a lifelong habit! Carving out time for ourselves is one of the best aspects of this of any health program, or challenge that we do together. Self-care is never selfish–instead it pays dividends all day long as we pour the best of our centered selves into children, friends, loved ones, larger communities. 

I started this book in April on our VIP vacation with Shaklee in Playa del Carmen…so yes, that’s a pina colada next to it, along with some other essentials;)

The book Miracle Morning is a powerful overview of the lifestyle shift that’s truly possible with some small and mindful changes in routine. I’ll let you dig in and enjoy it, but for now, I’ll share an overview of what the author, Hal Elrod, has determined are the most important parts of a successful morning–from studying many very successful people.

Here they are! Take what jumps out to you from this list…or start with all of them!

 

S (Silence—can be prayer, meditation, whatever you need it to be)

A (Affirmations. I have mine written down in the front of my journal, so I grab it and read through them to get my mind going in a positive light, related to who I am and what I will create with the day).
V Visualizations (Imagine yourself going through your day, accomplishing your main goals and feeling great…balancing your Renew Me goals with the other priorities in your life!)

E (Exercise! Anything from this 5 min workout/stretch to our 15 min Mom-Shape, or an hour long workout class. Do what makes you feel energized and ready for the day—keep it simple! The consistency is what will transform you).

R Reading. So powerful to start the day off with some good new brain fuel; whether it’s 3 minutes or 20 minutes, so important for self-renewal and forming new mindset patterns. We’re all just a few thoughts away from a totally different day and – day by day – a redesigned life!

S Scribe (funny way of saying journaling….how many of us want to journal but don’t because we “don’t have time” and put it off to the end of the day?) Start the day with your own reflections, dreams, hopes and voice.


My biggest tip: besides finding something that deeply motivates you to create a morning ritual, find a super comfy spot and prep it the night before–books, yoga mat, journal, etc. It will be much easier to be laser focused when you wake up and you’ll be looking forward to getting cozy in your nook.

I call this my power spot and I aim to make it there several times throughout the day for a re-charge moment with a good book, a good phone convo with a friend, etc. It’s a spot you can set aside for self-care and goal-setting, away from where you do most of your work, mess and daily living fun. Enjoy the process of making this space YOURS.

 

Play around with all of these 8 practices (the Life SAVERS). Hal recommends setting aside an hour for these practices initially, but you have to do what works for you based on your kids’ schedules, work hours, outside commitments, etc. You can literally do a 10 minute version (I have!) and it’s still valuable. Your goal is to build a new habit that feeds your soul. This one could truly change your life. Try it out and then tell us about it in the Facebook group!

Other morning tips and tricks from a Health Coach:

*1 mug warm water with lemon upon rising (helps activate the liver and digestion, gently cleanse, and energize)

*Apple Cider vinegar (2 tbsp diluted in 8 oz water with 1-2 tsp maple syrup) is great for digestion, alkalinizing the body, and stabilizing blood sugar

*Life Shake–especially packed with greens and fruits!

*Vitalizer Strip—your 80 most essential nutrients, crammed in right to start the day with you, and timed-release B vitamins keep you energized all day long

*Warm tea (green is great for antioxidants and metabolism)

 

Did you know we have 168 hours to use in the week? Would you like to use your morning hours to not only feel amazing, but also move your life forward towards your goals?

 

Enjoy your new morning routines, as part of your upgraded lifestyle!