The Wellness Coach

🔥BURNOUT🔥 as defined by the World Health Organization is “a syndrome conceptualized from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

“Burnout fundamentally is characterized by three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy.”

I have personally been impacted by burnout and have made it a focus of my academic and professional passion for the last few years. This week, I begin my deep dive into physician burnout as the topic of my dissertation journey—and especially vital as our healthcare workers recover from the pandemic.

This hits close to home for me, my family, and many of those in our circle. My goal as a PhD in Health Psychology is to help reduce or eliminate burnout in this population as well as those I serve professionally. 🧯🔥I thank you for being along for the ride with me!

If you’re an emotional eater, check out the article I wrote for Elysian Magazine to learn 6 tips to break the cycle! The link is in the comments. Be well, friends!

We often associate comfort foods with certain emotions, things that make us feel better in the moment, but worse long-term. Lisa Muehlenbein, The Wellness Coach, offers us six ways to break the cycle of emotional eating so we can live the life we love.

Check them out here: readelysian.com/emotional-eating/

Read more about Lisa: readelysian.com/lisa-muehlenbein/

Check Lisa out on IG: instagram.com/_the_wellness_coach_/

🎉 Today I am celebrating the news that I have passed one of the most challenging tests I have taken in my life! This test was administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)—the board that credentials physicians.

I am honored and humbled that I can now say that I am a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach!

My gratitude to those who have contributed to my journey is beyond measure. ❤️

I am excited to continue to share my passion for health and wellness with those who are ready to take that step towards living their best life. Are you ready? I am!

Happy International Dog Day! .lucy.doodle.x

Happy International Yoga Day!

Current mood as we prepare to head home after an amazing trip to Turks & Caicos; one of our favorite places. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
We first came here on our honeymoon in 1999. Back then, there were only three hotels. The island has grown in popularity and our secret is out!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Each time we return, we love it even more. Each time we leave, a piece of our hearts remains. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So while I cry as I leave, I also smile with gratitude that it happened.

From air to ocean, I’ll always find my wings. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

You just have to smile when your dinner outfit matches the Caribbean bougainville. It’s the little things that bring the most joy.

Gratitude is not something that is a grandiose gesture. It is not something that requires fanfare or fireworks. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Gratitude is a feeling. It’s that sense of contentment deep in your soul where you feel like you can find peace in the smallest things. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Gratitude is a skillful habit that we hone to reflect upon our past. It allows us to create and hold a space of peace in today. And it allows us to cherish the life we will live tomorrow. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Every day is a gift, and in unwrapping thy gift, we have the opportunity to practice gratitude.

Let me introduce you to my favorite color. Ocean. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Calming. Soothing. Relaxing. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
The place where nothing else matters. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
The place where the only thing to focus on is being present. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
No place to go. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Nothing to do except to be here now, in my favorite place on the planet with my favorite person. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And yes. It really IS that blue here in Turks & Caicos.

TGIF! 🎉⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It’s 5 Things Friday, again!⠀Woohoo!⠀It’s that time I get to share my gratitude for 5 things in my life. Here we go!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1️⃣ Obstacles that turn into opportunities. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2️⃣ DMCs (Deep Meaningful Conversations) with loved ones that provide reflection and growth. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3️⃣ A “to-do” list that is almost empty this week! (Hooray!!!🎉) but more importantly, the boundary I’ve set to not add more to the list!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4️⃣ My husband having his first weekend off in weeks!⠀💕 (Hello? Quality time!⠀Who else’s love language is quality time??? 🙋🏻‍♀️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5️⃣ Seeing a project come to fruition!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 5 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺???

As a yoga teacher and wellness coach, there are a lot of fulfilling aspects of my job. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And although I love it, it occasionally can get overwhelming and stressful!⠀I know, right?⠀How stressful could it really be???⠀You’d be surprised! ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Over the years, I had no boundaries and poured from my cup until I had no more. I had the “disease to please.”⠀This led to burnout, depression, and paralyzing anxiety. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It also led to discovering my Self-Care Success Path!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
To avoid letting life get overwhelming, here are 3 things I do to keep from burning out (and I hope they help you, too):⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1.⠀Know when to say when to say “No.” Get comfortable saying “no” instead of feeling guilted into saying yes. When we say yes, when we really want to say no, we get resentful and that creates feelings of negativity within, which then exudes out. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2.⠀Do a digital detox. Block, unfollow, mute those accounts that don’t align with, and support, your best self.⠀Accounts that spread negativity or nastiness are not serving you. Let ‘em go. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3.⠀Managing your plate. Not talking about food, but commitments. When our plate is has space on it, we feel like we need to add more to it. When the plate is overflowing we get stressed and overwhelmed. We almost thrive on this because we look for external validation. If others perceive us a “busy” we believe they perceive us as more important. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So there you have it! Three steps for avoiding burnout. Many more in my 6 wk Self-Care Success path coaching group beginning April 12th!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦'𝘴 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦?⁣⁣

Remember traveling?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You know that cue the flight attendant says about putting your own oxygen mask on first?⠀Well, guess what?⠀It applies off the plane as well!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If we don’t care for ourselves, we cannot care for others. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If we empty our cup, we’ve got nothing left to share. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If we can’t give ourself the love, support, and compassion we need and deserve, we cannot give those gifts to others. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You deserve your own love. ⁣⁣⠀
Give yourself a big hug today. ⁣⁣⠀
You are worthy of your love. ⁣⁣⠀
You are worthy of your affection. ⁣⁣⠀
You are worthy of your own time. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
YOU. ARE. ENOUGH. ⁣⁣⠀
In fact, you are WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⠀

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
First, let’s talk about what a health & wellness coach 𝘐𝘚*:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• A collaborative partner that helps you develop goals, recommends lifestyle shifts, suggests natural remedies that support the treatment plan created by your healthcare provider. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Compliments your healthcare team. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Explains conditions in easy to understand terms. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Refers to additional healthcare professionals when needed. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Now, let’s talk about what a holistic health & wellness 𝘐𝘚 𝘕𝘖𝘛*:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• DOES NOT evaluate and diagnose. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• DOES NOT replace your medical provider. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• DOES NOT prescribe medications. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
* 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘐𝘍 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘈𝘙𝘌:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Ready to take the next step toward achieve your goals,⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Ready to make positive lifestyle shifts,⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Ready to reduce stress, practice self-care, and live your best life, ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘕 𝘞𝘏𝘈𝘛 𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘞𝘈𝘐𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘍𝘖𝘙???⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝐈 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 10 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞,⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬,⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• 𝐒𝐞𝐭 & 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 "𝐈'𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘" 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓!⁣⁣⠀
𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒!⁣⁣⠀
𝐋𝐄𝐓'𝐒 𝐃𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⠀⁣⁣

TGIF!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Happy , friends!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It’s been an interesting week, for sure!⠀No matter what, there’s always something to be thankful for!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Here are my 5 things this week:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1️⃣ Orchid season and a beautiful local botanical garden to enjoy them in. 🌺⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2️⃣ Boundaries: setting them and maintaining them. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3️⃣ Confirmation that the trip that my husband and I had intended to take last June and was rescheduled to later this month will actually happen! (For a moment, we thought it would be canceled again!) Can’t wait! 🌞⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4️⃣ Evening walks (minus the bobcat sighting! 😲). ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5️⃣ Reconnection with my Ohio sisters 👑⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣I’d love to hear your 5 things this Friday!⠀⁣⁣⠀

Tag me in your post!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

TGIF!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Happy , friends!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It’s been an interesting week, for sure!⠀No matter what, there’s always something to be thankful for!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Here are my 5 things this week:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1️⃣ Orchid season and a beautiful local botanical garden to enjoy them in. 🌺⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2️⃣ Boundaries: setting them and maintaining them. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3️⃣ Confirmation that the trip that my husband and I had intended to take last June and was rescheduled to later this month will actually happen! (For a moment, we thought it would be canceled again!) Can’t wait! 🌞⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4️⃣ Evening walks (minus the bobcat sighting! 😲). ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5️⃣ Reconnection with my Ohio sisters 👑⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣I’d love to hear your 5 things this Friday!⠀⁣⁣⠀

Tag me in your post!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

Look within. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Often, we look to others for external validation. We use their acceptance and their opinion as a metric of our value. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
When we flip the script and focus our energy on what makes us happy and what fills our cup, we are able to recognize that the opinion of others does not determine our worth. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
YOU ARE worth your time. ⁣⁣⠀
YOU ARE worth your effort. ⁣⁣⠀
YOU ARE worth your energy. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Look inside. What you’re looking for is there. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⠀ ⁣⁣

❤️ I have the answer. Now what was the question???⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⠀

Turn it off. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
That voice echoing in the back of your mind saying you can’t do something. Whether that voice is your own, or someone else’s being projected on you. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Turn that negative mind chatter off and turn up the volume on your hopes, dreams, goals, and desires. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Shine a brighter light upon the things that light you up and fill your soul. You are worth it!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣

🌟5 Things Friday🌟⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
After spending Valentine’s Day in the hospital with a kidney stone, it’s been a long week of recovery, healing, and spending time nurturing my body. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
My 5 things Friday are things that bring me comfort and joy this week:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1️⃣ Loving family who bring comfort when you need it most. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2️⃣ organic food delivery for those days that I couldn’t cook for myself. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3️⃣ Warm weather so I can get outside and walk and keep from going stir crazy. (Sorry to those friends who are experiencing a polar vortex right now). ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4️⃣ Flexibility with my time and work schedule that allows me the ability to recover without feeling pressured or guilty for practicing self care. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5️⃣ Amazing sunsets that remind me that clouds are necessary. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”⁣⁣⠀
~Rabindranath Tagore⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
What are your 5️⃣ Things???⠀Post them in your feed, tag me, and I’ll share in my stories!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
When you look at each picture, what do you see?⠀Both are me. Both are smiling. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
The obvious difference is the weight. But it’s more than that. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Every year on my birthday, my mother posts old pictures of me or my sister in Facebook to wish us happy birthday. She often posts the one on the left as it was from a lovely family event. In fact, one of the last we all had with my dear grandmother. I am grateful for that time spent with family, but I cringe every time I see that picture (sorry, mom!)...and that wasn’t even my highest weight (cringe!)⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
But when I look at the picture on the left, I see what other people don’t. I see stress. I see anxiety. I see depression. I see eating my feelings. I see overwhelm. I see someone unhealthy; not because of the shape or proportion of my body, but because of lab tests that showed high cholesterol and high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. I felt like a complete fraud because of my position in the health and wellness industry. I know my sh*t, but suffered from total imposter syndrome, which compounded the negative emotions I was already feeling. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
After suffering severe burnout, it was time for change. Time to focus on getting my head straight. Time to nurture myself and practice self care...enter, the picture on the right. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
After exploring different eating styles, exercise regimens, mindset shifts, small manageable lifestyle changes, and a whole lotta self-care, I arrived 55 pounds lighter. But it’s not just the weight on my body that was lighter, but the weight on my mind that was lighter. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
In the picture on the right, I see happiness and joy. I see someone who has a better relationship with food and stress.⠀I see someone who turns to food as fuel and not comfort (most days...I’m far from perfect.) I see someone who manages time and sets boundaries. I see someone who sets realistic goals and smashes them. I see someone who moves her body because she loves it, not as a punishment for overindulging. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Stressed out?⁣⁣⠀
Burned out?⁣⁣⠀
Overwhelmed?⁣⁣⠀
Lacking boundaries?⁣⁣⠀
Struggle with time management?⁣⁣⠀
Wanting a healthier l

⚡️N⃣E⃣W⃣S⃣F⃣L⃣A⃣S⃣H⃣⚡️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
👖Being healthy is more than the size on our jeans. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⚖️ Being healthy is more than the number on the scale. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
❌Being healthy does not = “skinny”. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
H⃣E⃣A⃣L⃣T⃣H⃣Y⃣:⁣⁣⠀
🥗 Fueling your body with nourishing food. ⁣⁣⠀
🏃🏽‍♀️ Moving your body 30 min/day. ⁣⁣⠀
🧘🏻‍♀️ Taking time for a mental health break. ⁣⁣⠀
😴 Getting adequate sleep. ⁣⁣⠀
🚰 Stay hydrated. ⁣⁣⠀
🩺 Get regular check-ups, and screenings. ⁣⁣⠀
👯‍♂️ Surround yourself with supportive people. ⁣⁣⠀
🤳🏽 Limit screen time (especially before bed!)⁣⁣⠀
🎁 Give back to those less fortunate. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹Be well 🔹 Live well 🔹 Stay well 🔹⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

TGIF, friends!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I love when Friday rolls around and the privilege to share 5 things I’m grateful for. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Yes, it’s a privilege. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Many people struggle to find a light during dark times. When I consider this,⠀I’m reminded of a Gandhi quote (y’all know how I love quotes!)⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
"𝘈 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Today, and all days, I wish you the privilege of sharing your joys, your inspiration, and your light with others. Share your “5 Things Friday” and tag me and I’ll share your light in my stories. 🕯⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1.⠀The warmth of the sun on bare skin. It makes me feel alive and is an instant mood lifter. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2. Green juice. Full of phytonutrients and gut health support. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3.⠀Warm fuzzy slippers. It’s been chilly here in⠀SWFL. I know, I know. Not like other places, but the 50’s is cold for us. Warm fuzzy slippers help keep the tootsies toasty!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4. My Align yoga pants. The most comfy yoga pants I’ve ever worn. (And being a yoga teacher for 20 years, I’ve worn A LOT of yoga pants!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5. Orchids. Living in SWFL provides the best environment to enjoy my orchids almost all year round. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but seeing them bloom brings me joy!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
❤️ Thanks for constant inspiration. 🙏🏼⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Have an awesome day and amazing weekend!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

What’s the secret to living your best life?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It’s just one word. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Balance. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
It’s not a hard concept to wrap our brain around, it’s just difficult to actually create because in order to create and maintain, we must establish healthy boundaries. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Here are three tips to help create more balance in your life:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹Become mindfully aware of what we consume both nutritionally, digitally, and of the people whom we spend our time with. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹 Be ok with saying no. If you feel guilty saying yes to something you don’t want to do, it is not helpful to you or the person asking. So if it’s not a “hell, YES!” it’s a definite NO!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹 Invest in rest. Give yourself time to do nothing, to refill your cup, and to provide self-care. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹 Move your body. Movement = happiness. By moving your body, you release the “happy hormone cocktail” of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🔹 Laugh.⠀That happy hormone cocktail I just mentioned...that applies here as well. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Balance doesn’t just happen. It needs to be created. Some days you need more of one thing vs another when the scales are off. Becoming aware of what you need, applying the boundaries when necessary helps to balancing the scales. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⚖️ If you’re ready to create more balance in your life, drop the word BALANCE in the comments below. 👇🏼⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

5 Things Friday!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
TGIF, my friends!⠀⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Gratitude is so important and is part of my daily routine. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I go to sleep, I think of⁣⁣⠀
3 things I’m grateful for...on Friday I step up my game and go for 5, so here they are:⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1. Comfy Sweats to work from home. Bonus that I got them on sale!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2. Connection. Being able to strengthen my connection with people in my circle, inviting new people into my circle and reconnecting with amazing people I’ve lost touch with. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
3.⠀Social Retail: the ability to share clean living products I love, and that have improved my life with my social network...oh, and to get paid daily!⠀(DM me for more info!)⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
4. A candle that smells like my husband that I can smell when he works long weekends at the hospital. It reminds me of how much we’ve shared over the last 23 years together, the hurdles we’ve overcome and the milestones we’ve celebrated.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
5.⠀The Covid-19 vaccine. (Step off, haters. Not the time or place for debate here. Save it for your own feed). I’m grateful that my immunocompromised husband has been able to receive his second dose. Not a magic bullet, but every layer of protection for him working on the frontlines with a health condition makes me grateful daily. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
BONUS: I ❤️ the color of my jacket!⠀It’s my absolute favorite color!⠀It reminds me of the ocean, which brings me⁣⁣⠀
much joy and peace. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I’d love to hear your 5 things!⠀Drop them in the comments below or post them in your feed and tag me so I can see them!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Big hugs today and all days. Be well. Live well. Stay well, my friends. ❤️🙏🏼⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

“Don’t dim your light because it’s shining in someone else’s eyes.”⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Do you find yourself censoring your thoughts, words, or actions?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Are you afraid to talk about your successes?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
• Do you hold back from sharing your happiness?⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
We often refrain from celebrating our wins and sharing the positive things in our lives because we don’t want to make someone else feel bad, or we don’t want to come across as arrogant or as if we are bragging. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I’m certainly not suggesting we rub salt in the wounds of a friend that is down. I’m talking about surrounding yourself with people who genuinely support you and are happy for your success. I’m talking about setting boundaries around who you allow the privilege of being in your inner circle. Let your inner circle be one that subscribes to the mentality of ‘a rising tide lifts all ships.’ ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If you find yourself holding back because your circle can’t bear to be in your brightness, tell them to put on their shades and shine your light and shine it bright! Share the light. Spread the light. And never be afraid to be the light. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🌟Shine bright, friends ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
If you’re with me, drop the word LIGHT in the comments below. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀

Lemme be real with you. ⁣⁣⠀
𝘐𝘛'𝘚 𝘈𝘓𝘓 𝘐𝘕 𝘠𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘏𝘌𝘈𝘋. ⁣⁣⠀
It’s true. 🤷🏻‍♀️⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🗣That inner voice that tells you “you’re not enough.” (If you need a reminder that you are, check out my video post from yesterday). ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
👎🏼You know exactly what I’m talking about—that inner dialogue that says you can’t do it, or who do you think you are? ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🚫THAT VOICE IS A LIAR!🚫⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
We would never talk to others the way we talk to ourselves. We are our own worst critics. Who’s with me? 🙋🏻‍♀️ ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🙅🏻‍♀️Every time you here that voice talking sh*t, SHUT. IT. DOWN!⠀Remember, what you’re telling yourself is a choice. I know. That’s not what you want to hear, but it’s true. We are responsible for the our own thoughts. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🖼When this happens, it’s time to REFRAME and change the narrative. This gives you the ability to create your own reality and live a life of your own design. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🎉I have done things over the last several years that I never thought I could do - We need to remind ourselves that our capabilities far exceed the limiting beliefs created by our inner voices. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
💬 Gandhi said:⁣⁣⠀
"𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺."⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
There will always be the inner voice that gives you reasons to quit. That voice can also be convincing you not to start something that sets your soul on fire. 🔥 ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🚀Tell that voice to take a flying leap and get out of your head and out of your own way. Clear the path to living the life you deserve. ⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Who’s with me???⠀Show me you’re with me by dropping the 🙋🏻‍♀️ emoji in the comments!⠀You’ve got this!⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀