searching for more wellness

At the end of July I had my first appointment with my new psychiatrist. When the nurse took my vitals I tipped the scales at my highest recorded weight (ever). That wasn't the most awesome feeling in the world. That wake-up call along with my desire to prepare my body for pregnancy, has prompted me to become focused on finding new ways to promote more emotional, mental, and physical wellness in my life.

Recently, I've also developed a big need to better manage my stress levels. In July I transitioned from working part-time to full-time. The nonprofit I work for is going through some major transitions right now and my job has become pretty stressful. Now more than ever I've realized how important it is that I make time to take care of myself, reduce my stress, and care for my emotional and physical health.

Writing is another way I can take care of myself. I haven't blogged regularly in several months so this is my attempt to start incorporating that practice back into my routine. Blogging is as a personal outlet for me and a place where I can reflect and process life. Right now I'm focusing on four areas in my search for more wellness.

Wellness Education

I've been really inspired by Blair of The Fox & She and her approach to wellness. She's currently pregnant with her first child and has shifted her blog's focus to more wellness-focused content. After reading about Blair's experience with a book called Woman Code, I picked up a copy from the local library. I'm only a few chapters in but am finding it very interesting so far.

I plan to read other books and articles as I work on increasing my knowledge about different wellness approaches. Knowledge is power. I want my wellness education to be well-rounded so I can make informed decisions about my health.

Clean(er) Eating

True confession, I'm always going to love getting a large Dr. Pepper from McDonald's for only $1. Like seriously, does it get much better than that? But here's the thing--a large Dr. Pepper has zero nutritional value and tons of empty calories. And over the last several months it's become a regular morning habit rather than an occasional treat.

In an effort to reduce my soda intake and kick this non-healthy habit, this month I'm limiting myself to going to McDonald's only once a week. I'm not "loving it" right now but it's all about baby steps, right? McDonald's $1 sodas will not have power over me!

Natural Beauty & Cleaning Products

I've become more aware of the types of cleaning products we use in our house and the beauty products I put on my body. I don't want to become a crazy all-natural hippie but I do think it's important to reduce the chemicals and toxins in our environment. In my opinion, switching to more natural-based products is an easy way to promote my own and my family's health and wellness.

I've always been a big fan of Method and recently picked up their Eucalyptus Mint Bathroom Cleaner Tub & Tile. It worked awesome! The Tilex we'd been using always made me feel super sick. I've also switched to Alba Botanica body wash and am going to start researching natural makeup options.

I haven't found a natural deodorant that works for me yet but recently discovered a great natural beauty review on Reviews.com. Their review included some brands I hadn't heard of before that I plan to check out.

Prioritizing Self-Care

For my own health, I need to lose some weight and get my body in better shape. This week I'm going to start exercising on Tuesdays and Thursdays to get back into a routine. True confession: it's been over 4-months since I stepped foot in our Planet Fitness.

Being the Young Women's President and working full-time has also made me realize I need to set aside time to develop my own personal interests and hobbies. I want to start reading books for fun again and learn a new skill. I recently read Glitter Guide's post about "Why Knitting is the New Yoga" and asked my buddy Tasha if she thought I'd like it. I have yet to purchase yarn and knitting needles but I have some knitting books on hold at the library to get me started learning the basics. Stay tuned for updates on my wellness adventures!

Any wellness tips you'd like to share? I'd love to hear how you incorporate wellness into your life. 

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