The gift we give ourselves.

Recently, I ran a workshop with a group of amazing people. Everyone was so engaged, inspired, supportive and eager to improve their health, eating habits and mindset as well as to learn ways to create lasting changes in their lives so they could go from surviving to thriving.
 
I always get inspired and “fueled up” when I get a chance to conduct these workshops and coaching classes. I feel energized and really fulfilled knowing I am sharing knowledge that can be life changing.
 
What fuels us is the substance of true living. It’s our positive thoughts, the healthy foods we eat, our feelings of being needed and supported, having a deep sense of purpose and passion that should be our fuel of choice. Yet many of us struggle to find this fuel and can end up running out of gas feeling depleted and sick or worse just numb and tired. 
 
Just as it’s important to eat real, whole foods and avoid sugar and chemicals, it’s also important to nurture your emotional side. Very early on in my wellness coaching career, I discovered the relevance of the concept of primary and secondary foods. It’s pretty simple concept but a very powerful one that I do most of my teaching around.

All the things that we eat and put on our bodies (and that’s a biggie because our skin is our largest organ), is considered, surprisingly, secondary foods. Just as important, if not more in my opinion are our primary foods.
 
Primary foods are all the things that fuel us emotionally and spiritually. Think about your career or your job. Do you enjoy it? Is it fulfilling? Do you look forward to your days? Or do you dread getting out of bed in the morning? What about your relationships with family and friends? Are you feeling supported or depleted? Are you in a chronic state of giving? Are the kids taking all your time and there’s nothing left for you? Do you have a spiritual practice of quiet meditation, sitting calmly perhaps or just carving a little downtime for yourself? Are you comfortable with your finances or are you in a perpetual state of needing to make more money? Have you taken a little time and created a budget that can help you achieve your goals and alleviate the unnecessary spending?
 
More importantly, are you living in a state of chronic stress and fear that’s keeping you uptight, sleepless and overeating to relieve anxiety?
 
All of us have experienced times in our lives that feel out of balance. It’s important to remember we are all a constant work in progress. But the primary foods of life; our relationships, finances, spirituality, career and hobbies are some of the most important things in our life that either keep us healthy, motivated and feeling fulfilled, or they make us miserable, unhealthy and stuck in bad habits and negative thought-patterns.
 
Stress and depression are a huge detriment to our health and are becoming an epidemic in our society. Not to mention it’s a crappy way to live on a regular basis.
 
There was a time in my life where I experienced all of these symptoms. I was working all the time trying to make more money because it never seemed enough. I became a workaholic and found most of my enjoyment in running myself into the ground. I treated my body like a machine and I was lonely, tired, stressed, unhappy, overweight and fatigued. My family was feeling the same as they began mimicking my behaviors. Can you relate to this? I hope not, but if you do, you are joining the ranks of millions of Americans caught up in the race of life. But I remember the day when I started thinking, is this all there is? What if I did a little work on myself and tried to change my mindset? What if there is something to the mind/body connection and trying to live a more inspired life. If I really changed my eating patterns, would my moods improve? Could I go from surviving to thriving? Maybe it was time to try something different. Maybe it was time to think differently so I could expect a different outcome.
 
One of the first things I did was take an inventory of my life. I really looked at what was not serving me well in my life. I began looking at what I wanted and how I could feel more fulfilled. And not just with more “things to buy,” or finding happiness in the bottom of a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream pint! Yes, there is a brief moment of bliss from that, but then, I must confess I am a recovering sugar addict. But the sugar rush is so fleeting and left me with this guilt feeling and really tight jeans!
 
Years ago, I went on a little 4-day retreat that was life changing. I spent some time quietly journaling, hiking, learning how to meditate and be more mindful. I practiced gentle yoga daily and learned how to eat a healthier diet of lean proteins and veggies. I also cut out processed foods and limited my sugar. What happened next was amazing! I had more energy. My mindset shifted and I started thinking of ways to take this new-found self-care program home with me and incorporate it into my daily life. Even for just a few minutes each day, I began practicing meditation and mindfulness and I began paying attention to my thoughts, feelings and actions. Even around dinner time; I limited my take-out food choices and began cooking some simple and healthy meals.  I also realized it was time to go back to school and follow my passion to become a wellness and transformational coach. That led to a new career in which I began writing books. In my new book, The Wisdom of You; A Transformational Journey to Creating an Extraordinary Life, I share my own personal journey and the tools and techniques I learned so that you too can begin your journey to feeling, thinking and looking your best.
 
It’s a horrible to feel physically or emotionally stuck and I know how this­ can impact the quality of your daily life.  Sluggish, foggy, grumpy and tired are what come to mind when I think about how I was feeling. Many of my clients feel this way also. But constantly waiting for the "right time" to change keeps us stuck. Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith and just go for it!
 
No more waiting, join me today!  Each Tuesday night, at 7pm (EDT), I host a Facebook Live program at Facebook.com/PeaceandPear. I cover a variety of topics from healthy living, self-care, meditation and mindfulness tools and techniques, to self-empowerment and more! It’s fun, it’s educational, it’s thought-provoking and it can be life changing. These episodes are free so stop by and check it out. It’s free transformational coaching that promises to be one of the best hours you will spend on yourself.  It’s like a mini retreat for the Soul. You can also watch past episodes at Peace and Pear's YouTube channel.
 
I’m also giving away more free stuff to jump start your transformation in creating your best life. Log on to my website and sign up to download a free chapter of my new book, The Wisdom of You; A Transformational Journey to Creating an Extraordinary Life. You will automatically receive my free newsletter with tips and recipes, inspirational quotes and self-care reminders. It will also give you information on the upcoming Facebook live episodes so you can mark your calendar and join me live.
 
While I gave up some things along the way and have had some struggles on my journey, I kept at it. I tried not to berate or judge myself and gave myself permission to just be human and to recognize I am trying my best.  Years of living with some bad habits, overworking, feeling rushed and stressed became a normal way to live. It is only natural to realize, it will take some time to make major life shifts and reduce these bad habits.

​No more punishing our selves, trust in the process and put one foot in front of the other right now.

Peace, love and pear!
Christine