Welcome to my journey to whole wellness and balance. One day at a time I find blogging my findings and doings holds me accountable and motivates me to make better choices and never give up!
I grew up in the Bay Area, went to college in Idaho, Utah and California. I studied a lot about health and nutrition, exercise and mental and emotional health as well.
I married young and discovered a lot about myself my family and my body through the past 20 years of having auto immune issues, financial struggles, marriage, mental and emotional issues with teens that trigger responses from deep down issues buried since childhood.
I have 7 children. Yes 7. It doesn't sound real to me either and even odder is the fact that the baby just started full time school this year and the oldest just got married. The days of diapers and bottles were over in a heartbeat. I cherish each moment and love the progression and development each stage brings. I remember the exhaustion and challenges of the baby toddler years and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.
After each child there is a mental, emotional and physical healing and redefining of goals, success, husband wife relationships, and identity.
Each birth had its new exciting blessings and obstacles with varied situations in siblings, toddlers, teens, schooling, business, and health issues particular to that time.
The basics usually got done... feed, shelter, clothe, clean, and love.
But many of my personal needs, dreams and goals get pushed aside for the constant need and demand for my physical presence and attention.
Some of those dream and needs are OK to put on hold, because the time with young ones are fleeting, but when it comes to nutrition, sleep and fitness you can't put that off for very long without feeling the affects of it. I used to think I'll have time to focus on getting my body back when life settles down.
Sometimes LIFE NEVER SETTLES DOWN.
Like the stewardess says on the plane before take off:
"PUT YOUR OXYGEN MASK ON FIRST THEN ASSIST YOUR CHILD."
If your mental, physical or emotional health goes down, you won't be available to meet the needs of those you love. Take time for YOU in healthy balanced doses I call my little SIPS OF OXYGEN.
My faith has carried me and LOVE for and from friends and family. But I've discovered so many amazing gems of wisdom in my evolution into who I am today that I thought I'd share some of my findings like:
favorite books, links, products, alternative health modalities, ideas, practitioners, training, nutrition, meditation, quick workouts, time savers, budgeting, cooking, cleaning, organizing, parenting, relationship, friendship and wellness information.
Here is an excerpt from my short book "Finding HOPE"
With all my busy demands I can report that most days I still feel calm and balanced. My favorite find is an impromptu recipe or activity that multitasks. Otherwise it would be overwhelming thinking of the millions of things I'd like to be doing or getting to.
For example:
The Simple task of My Husband baking bread with the boys.
1 building healthy traditions,
2 bonding with the boys,
3 seeing that dads can be domestic,
4 gives mom a break, great for relationship and for mommy downtime which he'll be the benefit of my renewed energy and gratitude at a later time..;)
5 brings spirit of harmony in the home when we work together in a common goal,
6 saves money on groceries,
7 is much healthier than store bought bread
8 kneading dough is good exercise
9 and its therapeutic for dad and teaching the boys good coping skills when they need to debrief,
10 Self Reliance. Give a man bread he's fed for a day, teach a man to bake bread he's fed for a lifetime.
11 Brings everyone together when the smell of hot bread fresh from the oven permeates the house. we usually end up gathering, eating, chatting and having a wholesome body and soul nourishing moment.
12 we let the boys help us deliver some of the loaves to those we love or those in need, humility, service, community, charity, compassion, awareness.... )
and the list goes on...
So you see, if I have a moment in life where I HAVE to do something, I try to naturally be sure I am addressing other aspects that have now just become a natural instinct into my daily routine.
Stay tuned as I update my findings in the detailed links on the 5 pillars of health and here in this journey blog you'll hear some of my day to day goals, successes recipes, time saving ideas and musings.
Thanks for joining me! I post daily on Instagram #wholenbalanced and I hope to have the time to blog regularly too. We'll see.... but if I miss a day just know that I am still on course but making time choices that are healthiest for me and my fam that day.
NAMASTE!!
