your why

Enlightenment. Value. Worth. Security. Whether these words are hidden in the back of your mind or resting at the forefront, each one may hold quite a bit of weight for most people. After some digging, you might find at least one of these words rooted in the 'why' behind your goals and lifestyle choices or even deep rooted in your behaviors and patterns. 

I challenge you to ask yourself in every area of your life, "What is my why behind this?" "Why do I really want this?" "Why am I choosing this?"

In a world dominated by social media, comparison, and discontentment, it is more common than not to be subconsciously influenced and subliminally messaged - and not always in the best way. Social media is often a place we go to seek inspiration, advice, and even opinions from others and before we know it big, dark sunglasses suddenly grab hold of our face, blinding us from the light of freedom, experience, gratitude, contentment, and long-term sustainable health (just to name a few). Social media is not all bad news bears and what if I told you, you could take the glasses off and stand in the light - not bound by the limits of restriction, comparison, or compensation? In the coming months, we will dive into ways to feel your best for long-term health. You will learn valuable lifestyle changes to attain realistic, meaningful goals and incorporate healthy, sustainable habits that will serve you for years to come.
 
Once you determine your 'why' the next big questions often become,  "What are my goals?" "How do I accomplish them?" "Who/what/where is going to help or hinder my progress?" Short answer to the last one: Everything.

Everything we think, say, and do affects the way we perform and engage in activities, relationships, and will for years to come. A couple of those topics we will be diving into over the next few blogs include: 

• Nutrition | Food habits make an enormous impact on any results you are seeking. Contrary to popular belief, eating ENOUGH food (NOT less food) will be a determining factor in the way your body reacts to any movement and day-to-day activities. Are you fueling yourself with satiating, balanced meals fit for your body?   
• Hormone Health | When our hormones are out of whack, it is often our motivation, joy, relationships, and/or physical health that decline. There are many daily habits that go into hormone health that may be affecting your ability to see results.  
• Inflammation | Many environmental factors may be affecting the way you feel everyday more than you know. Chemicals, toxins, inflammatory foods, and autoimmune disorders are just some of the contributors to our body’s defense systems being put on high alert. 
• Rest or Lack Thereof | Believe it or not, our bodies are not meant to be worked all day every day... and they are certainly not meant to be stressed out all the time either. 
• Stress and Mental Health | The idea of “health” must coincide with an awareness of the mind-body connection. If our mind and central nervous system are not in a positive state or working in our favor, it will be nearly impossible for our bodies to keep up.

A quote I find myself drawing from frequently these days presents the opportunity to cast away the ideas of right vs. wrong and good vs. bad... “Beyond good and bad, there’s a field, I’ll meet you there.”  -Mevlana Rumi 
 
Beyond 'healthy' food and 'junk' food, beyond restriction and over-indulgence, beyond fear and confidence, there’s a field of grace, freedom, and joy; I’ll meet you there.  
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​- Emma, @beloved.bakedgoods3