Hello Lovelies,

Today I want to talk about wellness because it’s important. Our lives literally depend on it… Ok that sounded a little melodramatic but it really is time to take our health and wellness seriously because if we don’t then who will. These bodies are our vehicle for this life time and if we don’t look after them we will need more than an oil change.

Wellness is also about more than just not being sick. In fact what wellness looks like and means to each of us will be different. However I think there are some basic things we can focus on that will help you create healthy habits that will benefit your mind, body and soul in the process of creating a healthy and fulfilling life.

I might seem like the epitome of sparkling health and wellness and I really feel like I am now but it wasn’t easy I can tell you. It took time, effort and commitment to me, my mind and my body.

Picture this – a high paced design job with heaps of stress and my inability to see what I needed to do to change things, repetitive strain injury in both of my wrists, seasonal associated depression and chronic back pain. This was me. I was doing what I thought I loved and sending myself spiralling into health complications and misery. I dreaded Sunday nights because that meant back to the grindstone and work. I was so tired and uncomfortable that when I got home I just wanted to sit and watch TV with chocolate, a take away meal or wine… or indeed all of those things.

I did very little exercise or I started something, to only to stop a month or two later. My weight yoyo’d, food and stress were controlling my life and I had no energy. I wasn’t happy and neither was my body. Now this wasn’t really a new thing for me. I yoyo’d through University because who thinks about wellness at that age? and then I basically played this game for decades. I didn’t get that wellness was not just about my physical health, which by the way was not great, but was about my emotional and spiritual health too.

The good news it is never too late until it’s too late, so we have a chance to start again and again and again. Each time we can be making positive changes. Now completely renovating your life can seem like a huge task but instead of getting overwhelmed begin to make small changes.

Some questions to ask yourself:

Are you happy? with work, in your relationships, with life in general, your health
What would you like to change?
How would you like to feel?
What areas of your life would you like to improve on?
Is your health where you’d like it to be? What could you change?

I asked myself these questions and began to make some radical shifts in my life. I realized there was much that I could improve on. Over the past decade I have changed the way I eat, exercise, the way I see myself, my career, my relationships and I have made my happiness my priority. I felt more than just physical weight leave my body.

Here are my basics for you to add a little love and balance into your everyday life:

Movement

Make this fun because if you don’t enjoy it you won’t keep going and instead you will have a shed or closet filled with items you bought that you don’t use but won’t part with either. Commit to the beautiful body you have been gifted and make it move. It doesn’t have to be boring to be good for you, so if you hate the gym don’t make that’ your thing’ because you will find every excuse not to do it. One of the activities I did, loved and sweated heaps with was salsa dancing! It didn’t feel like exercise because it was fun. So add a walk, a swim, a class, the gym…whatever it might be, into your day or find your favourite song and give yourself a 5 minute dance party.

Water/Hydration

Most of us just don’t drink enough water period and most of our body is water or needs water. I make my water taste better because I am one of these peeps that struggles with the water thing, so I add a few drops of the doTERRA lemon essential oil. It tastes great and it’s helping me detox. How much water each of us needs depends on the person and also factors such as how hot is your environment, how much are you sweating and what activities you do daily, among other things. Generally, however, it is suggested that you down at least 4 litres of water every single day.

Supplementation

I think we all know that with a depletion in soil quality, gmo’s and all that other yucky stuff that gets put on our food and in our food, that the nutritional value of what we consume is not what it used to be. If you can’t eat what your body needs, then your body can not function as it is supposed to. It really is that simple. Therefore having a good supplementation regime is key to a healthy happy body.

Nutrition

You are what you eat. Food is our medicine and our fuel so if we don’t pay attention to what we eat then eventually we end up needing medicine and feeling tired and depleted. Food that is good for us doesn’t have to taste awful and eating the foods that you love that aren’t so healthy doesn’t have to be taboo. We just need to work with everything in moderation. The fact is that some foods simply cause a lot of acidity in our bodies and have little nutritional value and this is what disease loves.

Sleep

I was a night owl and I’d keep busy until I was so tired my eyes wouldn’t stay open and then I’d go to bed. The problem was sometimes that was 3 or 4am and I’d have to get up with the kids at 730am for school. Sleep is key people! Seriously our body needs time to repair and unwind. I now have an evening routine that sees me winding down by 8 or 9 and in bed by 10pm because really what good happens after this time. Hours of TV? wasted time on social media?? Drinking too much? Once in a while this is fine, but get some healthy sleep habits in place. Studies show that poor sleep can increase your risk of health complications, can make you weigh more, can cause depression, and can also reduce your focus and productivity.

Emotional Support

Stress leads to anxiety and more, so having tools to help us calm down and let go are a must! Find what works for you. My ‘go to’ supports are yoga, meditation, essential oils, music, having me time and the gym. Essential oils are my key support because they are small, easy to use, easy to bring everywhere and they work quickly and effectively. I also always smell great too which is a bonus!

Fun

I encourage you, even if it’s only for a few minutes a day, to focus on what makes you happy, what is fun for you and do something for yourself that feels good. Laughter is a big healer.

DoTERRA has made some of these points above really easy to establish into your every day life with their Daily Habits Kit (pictured below).

Watch the Youtube video below to learn more about the kit and products. The kits includes supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes and essential oils to help you create healthy daily habits for improved wellness.

You can download the protocol here.

At the end of the day we have to take responsibility for our own happiness and wellness.

You deserve the very best that life has to offer so commit to putting yourself first.

It’s not selfish because all of those people around you will benefit too.

Much love, health and happiness,

Lou xo