Health and Wellness begins with the mind, body and spirit. Blogging begins with finding your niche and writing freely about what you want the reader to gain from your experiences and knowledge. My journey to health and wellness began with a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 39. Through that diagnosis, it began to unravel years of self hatred, rediscovery and healing. We never learn who we really are until we let go of who we are told we should be. We need to learn to let go of broken words spoken to us, lost friendships, lost goals and dreams, and heartache.

My journey like many others begins with a pretty normal life. A mother, a father and four siblings. In my younger years, I became attached to people and things immediately. I loved my mother and went everywhere with her while my siblings stayed home with my dad. I have had addictive behaviors since I was little. I sucked my thumb, bite my fingernails, abused alcohol, loved gambling, and was a people pleaser.

I took every word and action against me personally and harbored it internally. My dad would say being with me was boring, no daughter of mine is going to do that, girls sports were boring. I played high school volleyball, basketball, soccer and softball, along with college softball, basketball and field hockey and my dad never attended one of my games and I let that hinder my relationship with him and other males. I told myself my whole life I was boring. I have done things that I was ashamed of and created a pattern of self hatred.

It wasn’t until I was 39 years old and finished radiation and Chemo and I had asked my oncologist what I could change so I never have to go through chemo and radiation again. She said “nothing, it was a fluke thing I got cancer”. I knew different and knew I had to change how I thought about my self. This is where my journey to health and wellness began.

I started with my diet. I began to eat healthier and through the cancer support groups I facilitated, I learned about supplements and holistic approaches to health. I had gained 60 pounds and was in the worst shape in my life. I then changed my mindset. Changing how you see yourself is challenging and rewarding together. I went to several counselors until I found the one that I felt was the best fit to help me. She is a spiritual and trauma counselor. I still see her on occasion to this day. I chose a spiritual counselor because she works with the mind, body and spirit. I have spent the past 20 years working on learning to love myself. In 2013, I stopped drinking and found God. I abused alcohol for 37 years and learned how I used alcohol as a crutch. I began to recognize how shallow I was living my life. So 37 years of trauma and not loving myself turned in breast cancer.

I leave you with seven steps to changing your behavior to live a healthier life.

  1. Nutrition is key to fueling your mind and body. A nourished body and mind provides you with great joy and happiness.
  2. Hire not just one coach but many coaches for every aspect of your life. Types of coaches are business, health, financial, life and mental. Changing your mental state is a daily process. You need to work on yourself daily.
  3. Get honest with your addictions. We all have some kind of addictions, alcohol, drugs, gambling are the most treated but also spirit of poverty, fear, and rejection, control, ect…
  4. Develop a fitness routine. Your body is your vessel for your whole life and the better you treat it the longer your health and wellness will allow you to stay independent.
  5. Create a disciplined Life. Create healthy habits.
  6. Love yourself unconditionally. Self love is the key to changing your cells and neurons to create an abundant life.
  7. Read books, podcasts and find websites that you resonate with that develop positive behaviors in you.

Let’s connect at the Hydrated Life, it is never to late to live a happier life.

The Hydrated Life- replenishing your soul within.