Health & Free Living

Sit and pause for a moment. Take a deep breath. Now close your eyes and picture how you see your life in five years...in one year...next month. What are you doing right now to get you moving toward the life you desire? We all have dreams and desires but so often we let the excuses and fears crowd in and keep us from taking a step forward.  A dream of mine for the past 20+ years has been to go skydiving. First my excuse was that no one would go with me (at the time, I felt like I needed to share it with someone else). Then it was that it was so expensive. Then my kids were little. And it just kept getting pushed to the back burner. Here's the thing...I still really want to go skydiving.  I'm tired of the excuses. My kids aren't the excuse -- they are my reason. I want to inspire my kids to go for their dreams and live fearlessly. So, I'm going skydiving this Spring (doesn't really make sense to go in the winter in Chicago -- I would freeze and the view would be prett...

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary! I'm so thankful for my wonderful husband and God's faithfulness throughout our marriage. To find someone to love and loves you back is truly an amazing thing -- especially when he chooses to love you even at your worst. As in all marriages, there are highs and lows. I wouldn't change a single second of it for I have grown as a person and in my faith through our relationship. However, I wanted to share with you two lessons that I have learned in my marriage: 1. He shouldn't be my everything . Walter is my best friend, my confidant, and I love just being in the same room as him. It's romantic to say that "he's my everything" (which in many ways he is), however, I don't expect him to be my everything. It's an unfair pressure to put on him. My husband needs to be able to hang with his friends and talk with them without constantly worrying about me. And I need to have people that I...

I'm a recovering competitor and perfectionist...two things that don't always go well together.  I've always been an athlete and was above average in most sports growing up. However, because I'm so competitive, all I could see was everyone who was better than me. And because I was a perfectionist, I aligned that with never thinking I was good enough. In my mind, if I wasn't the best, I clearly wasn't a good player. At that time, I didn't realize that was my thinking pattern...I just never really saw my talent. But looking back now, I see how it all connected.  My dad was a constant encouragement to me and would tell me all the time what a great player I was (while also being honest about where I could improve), but it never made a difference. I simply didn't believe I was as good as he (or the stats) said. And because of it, I gave up on my favorite sport when I was 15 and later wished I could go back and make a different decision. Perhaps you are a littl...

Last week, my family and I escaped the artic chill and snow and headed to Florida! It was sunny with temperatures in the 80s all week -- a huge difference from the weather back at home. We spent our time as Universal Studios Orlando (both parks) for five days and loved every moment of it. (As I sit here at home writing this blog post, it is 2 degrees outside and I can feel the winter blues descending...) After a crazy (and oftentimes, disappointing) pandemic year, it was great to finally be able to vacation and spend time as a family. Yes, we had to wear masks the entire time (which is annoying when you are outside in warm weather), but because of the limited capacity, it wasn't as crowded and the wait times were so much shorter! Woohoo! For some people, when they go on vacation, they also see it as a vacation from living a healthy lifestyle. Here's the thing, you can enjoy all the good things AND be healthy while vacationing...it just takes some planning and discipline. Here a...

I've been thinking a lot about honesty lately, specifically in relationships. For the most part, I consider myself an honest person. When I worked in retail, my customers appreciated that I would give them honest feedback and let them know if something worked for them, instead of just trying to make a sale. I joke around that if you give me a just a little alcohol, you will be sure to know my opinions about any and everything. ;) However, when it comes to people who are close to me, I have a harder time being honest. I can be honest when it doesn't matter -- even when it is with people I consider my friends. I think because there isn't as much at stake -- if they judge me, get mad, or walk away, it doesn't really matter. I know that I was honest and I can move on in my life.  However, with those closest to me, I'm careful to keep things close to me and compartmentalize instead to sharing how I honestly feel. There's way more at stake. Yes, I know that the people...

I recently had someone say that "wellness" is just a term that people use to talk about dieting and looking a certain way and that she wants nothing to do with it. I'm sure she has some things from her past that made her view it that way, but I also realized that there might be other people who misinterpret what "wellness" is...and why it is so important. First, let me clarify what wellness isn't : Wellness isn't how you look in a bathing suit Wellness isn't the number on a scale (although that can be a sign that you aren't well) Wellness isn't being able to run a marathon Wellness isn't depriving yourself from all good foods and only eating kale ;) What is wellness? Wellness is taking care of the body that God gave you -- allowing it to function to it's fullest potential. God, in his awesome creativity, gave us bodies of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Contrary to what is shown on TV and the internet, one shape and size isn't b...

I was listening to a podcast the other day by Marie Forleo and she was talking with someone about determining your worth in business. They were talking about how when you are looking at your worth, whether business or personal, you can't allow other people to determine your worth. Their thought was that you determine your worth in life. Yes, other people don't determine my worth in life and not hearing from someone doesn't determine my value. My worth is not based on what other people think of me but, honestly, I don't believe that it's just about me determining my own worth. See, I don't trust myself. I'm my worst critic and don't always believe my true worth. Oftentimes, I dwell on thinking I should have done more or that I'm a crappy mom, etc. Clearly, I'm not good at determining my own worth. So, even though I don't want others to determine my worth, determining my own worth feels like a big weight as well. Here's what I have found: ...

I LOVE to read. I rarely watch TV, because I am always reading. Everywhere I go, I bring a book with me because I would rather lose myself in a book than stare at my phone non-stop. I read a TON of fiction books, but also try to fill my time reading non-fiction books that grow my faith, business knowledge, healthy habits, etc. Here are some of my top favorite books. Take a look and then go grab a copy for yourself! (Side note: I love getting books from the library, but these are all ones worth owning -- so you can re-read them and share them.)   1. Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo I can't give this book enough praise! If you have ever made excuses for not meeting a goal, following a dream, fixing a problem...then you need this book! It's easy to read, super practical, and Marie is so incredibly relatable. So stop making excuses about having time or money to read this book ;) and go figure it out! As you'll learn, everything is figureoutable! 2. Food Fix: How to ...

Since the beginning of 2021, I've been hearing a lot about having a "Word of the Year." People have been choosing a "Word of the Year" prior to now, but I wonder if I'm seeing it more this year because people are afraid to have goals and dreams in 2021 after the letdown of 2020.  It's crazy to think that there is one word in all of language that will envelope my hopes for 2021 (check out this funny video from The Holderness Family:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNZeZK7-4uU ), but I think I came up with one. I still created my list of dreams for 2021, but tried to funnel it all into one word. My word of the year is CARE.  I picked this word because of the different ways it can be used. "Take care..." "Handle with care..." "I care about you..." I want to be more empathetic and show people that I care about their hurts/struggles.  I want to make sure those closest to me know that I love them and make it a priority to tell...

It's a new year, which often means new goals and dreams. Most people come up with a resolution or goal, but often give up because it is unattainable or they are looking for quick results. There is nothing wrong with coming up with a list of goals for the new year...as long as you realize that it might take all year to attain them. Most won't get achieved in one month -- which means that you can't give up after January if you haven't met your goal AND you can't wait to get started until November or December. Start right away with the knowledge that anything great worth doing is worth the time and effort. It's helpful to have smaller goals as you reach for your big goals (which I like to call my Dreams for the year). Dreams are the big picture, but you need multiple, smaller goals to reach your big goal/dream. So, you may have a big goal of losing 30lbs, but your smaller goals may be to lose 1-2 pounds per week, add one vegetable to your day, etc. You may want to ...

2020 is officially gone and 2021 is here! I know most people joke about the dumpster fire that 2020 was and how thankful they are to see the year be over, however, when I look back at the year I see how God used the hard to create better. Without the crazy year of 2020, my life would be on the same crazy train it was at the beginning of the year and I wouldn't see the growth in my marriage, my family, my job, etc. At the beginning of 2020, our lives had become busy without even realizing it. We would find a way to add one more activity to our week and adjust, never seeing just how crazy life was becoming. Then everything shut down in March and we were forced to stop and be still. My husband and I both saw that we needed to take a step back and have made intentional choices to not let our lives get as hectic again. When everything closed, including my job, I realized that the job I had was pulling me away from the time I desired with my family and that I was missing my kids growing ...

This past Sunday was my 42nd birthday. Normally, my husband and I go to downtown Chicago for an overnight and enjoy the city and great restaurants, but this year...COVID. I missed that time with him, but my birthday was still great. If anything, having a birthday close to Christmas makes you pretty flexible about celebrations. My family loves to celebrate birthdays and my parents always did a great job of making me feel special and that my birthday was separate from Christmas. But, as I grew up and became an adult, I knew that finding time to celebrate my birthday among the Christmas rush was difficult and the chance of celebrating on the actual day was rare.  Enter COVID. For one of the first times in a long time, my birthday was free and there were no parties to rush off to or events to crowd our days! The pandemic meant no getaway to the city, BUT I celebrated my birthday with my parents on Saturday, relaxed and had dinner out with my husband on Sunday (my actual birthday), trea...

About seven years ago, I began my journey to remove harmful chemicals from my life and home. Our health is affected by what we put in our body and on our body. A lot of products we used are filled with harmful chemicals that can mess with how our body functions and grows. This is a short list of some of my favorite chemical-free products. Try them out for yourself and start feeling better! 1. Skincare Did you know that it only takes a few seconds for what you put on your skin to be absorbed into your blood stream? Typical skincare products have tons of harmful ingredients added to them (to preserve it, etc.). My favorite skin care is USANA's Celavive line. USANA is known for have it's purity and potency guarantee in all of their products, including the Celavive line. Using patented Incelligence technology, the products help your body regenerate healthy cells and reduce the signs of aging and oxidation. You can check out the whole line here . 2. Make-up Just like skincare, our m...

I struggle with body image issues. I always have. Maybe it's because I grew before everyone else and was taller and bigger. In elementary school, I was never thin...just normal. Maybe it's because I always preferred to play sports with the boys and could never quite figure out where I fit in. I've been torn between wanting a fierce, athletic look and being model thin -- you can't have both. In fifth grade, I lost 12lbs and all my baby fat. I've remained thin and fit ever since. I still weigh the same as I did in high school even though I'm now in my 40s and have had two children. Yet why do I only see the imperfections in the mirror? And the hard part is that I can't talk about it. For real. Not because I don't want to or feel ashamed, but because sharing those thoughts  when I look great  might make someone feel less about themselves. And I would never want to make anyone feel less. My joy is helping people accept who they are and develop a correct mind...

2020 has been quite a year and now we've reached Thanksgiving. Pretty sure we thought life would be back to normal, but as I write this things all around me in my state are shutting down again because of the COVID. As mentioned in my previous blog post, there is always a way to find gratitude through the hard. In fact, gratitude is good for your health and helps with stress levels, etc.! So, I'm choosing to find gratitude in everything. Here's what I'm grateful for this year: -When everything shut down in March, we got so much more time with our family...and realized how busy we had become with all of our sporting events. The time allowed us to re-evaluate what we wanted to do as a family. -I got a new job as the P.E. teacher at Covenant Classical School! The interview process started right before the shelter-at-home began, so we had to get creative with interviews and I was finally hired in June. The job allows me to teach at my kids school and only work during their h...

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the U.S. in March and we went into shelter-in-place, I remember feeling an overwhelming tiredness that didn't make sense to me. I felt I was getting more sleep, we had nowhere to rush to, and I was grateful for the extra time with my family. Why the fatigue? As I talked to my friends, I learned that we were all experiencing similar feelings of tiredness and fatigue. About a month later, I read an article that talked about how we are experiencing a "fight or flight" response to the pandemic. The "fight or flight" response causes our cortisol levels to rise which can be helpful when needing to escape a situation, however, with no way to do anything during COVID, those responses continue to rise and can cause restlessness, trouble sleeping, GI issues, etc.  Obviously, we are unable to fight or flee the pandemic, so for some people, the body goes into a freeze response - low energy, difficulty concentrating, avoidance of all news...

  "Gratitude not attitude" became my mantra during the beginning of COVID-19. During that time, I would go for long walks -- listening to music and spending time in prayer. Sounds fine, however, often during my "talks with God" I would find myself complaining about something someone said and how it hurt me or some other situation. I realized that I could continue down that road or end the negative thoughts. So, I would stop myself in the middle of my pity party and say "Gratitude not attitude." I would then think of all the things I am grateful for about that person and/or situation. Was it always easy? No. Worth it? Yes. As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, are you needing to switch your negative attitude to one of gratitude? Where are the blessings in e-learning? In this political climate, where do your thoughts go when thinking about Democrats or Republicans? One party is not all positive and one all negative. BOTH parties have positives and negativ...

The world is a crazy place right now and trust has been on my heart and mind. Whom do I trust? Do I really trust God as much as I say I do? See, with the political climate and divisiveness going on in our country, here's what I've learned: no matter who become President and what is decided, God is in control. He already knows who the next President will be -- it's all a part of His plan for the world. Do I trust Him?  When I am overwhelmed with the arguing around me...I remember that He is in control. When I see the divisiveness on social media, I remember that He is sovereign. When I put my trust in Him, the weight is lifted from my chest and I can rest. I'm thankful that my God is in control and I don't have to be. That even as I vote, He is determining the next steps for our country and what will bring revival in the hearts of His people. God has not given up on His people and He has not given up on me. This time has also forced me to look at how I trust other pe...

I started feeling pain in my right glute starting in July 2019. I stretched and foam rolled to try to make it get better, but I continued with my daily runs and workouts. One month later and the only way to not feel the pain shooting down the back of both of my legs was lying completely flat on my back. As someone who is always active, this was a big wake up call. I decided that I needed to do things right (not just take a break for a few days and then try running again), so I started Physical Therapy and stopped running or working out. Gotta admit, on top of struggling to stay still, one of my first thoughts was "how will I not gain weight if I can't workout?" Then I reminded myself what I tell clients all the time: wellness is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. I took a look at my nutrition and made sure I was eating good foods and not mindlessly snacking. Not only did I maintain my weight (even lost a few pounds), but it helped me reshape my mind-frame on exercise.  I...

The current discussion on social media these days has a lot to do with people's beliefs -- especially politically and with hot topics, etc. We are quick to point out if someone is leaning a certain way because of their beliefs...and then say that he/she is wrong to do so. However, we ALL make EVERY decision based our own set of beliefs (current culture is simply mad that your belief is different than its belief). And that includes our feelings about health and wellness. Have you ever thought of that before? How do your current beliefs of health, wellness, nutrition, exercise, etc. affect your lifestyle? With all the diet fads, past and present, our beliefs can be all over the place.  I think one of the biggest belief most people have is that it won't effect me.  I can have the hamburger, large fries, and jumbo Coke because it tastes good, I enjoy it, and I deserve it.  If it tastes good, how can it be bad for me? Or another belief: eating well means that I can't enjoy any...