So let’s talk about health and fitness.

Yes, two days before Christmas. I’m not going to lie, I have hesitated to write about my story because it’s very raw, personal, and I have to get pretty vulnerable. So what the heck, why not share it with the world, right?

There’s a really popular book out right now for women, called Girl, Wash Your Face, by Rachel Hollis, and it’s definitely on my reading list. The book addresses being proactive and going after the goals you want to achieve in life, and I’m all about that in my quest to live intentionally and authentically. Maybe you have read it, maybe you haven’t, but odds are you have heard or read a little bit about a “darker” theme in the book as it pertains to the author’s insistence that not following your diet means you don’t have integrity and that you shouldn’t be trusted. Have you heard about this part? At first blush, this seems like fat shaming and character attacking, but would you like to know something interesting? It’s not either of those things – she’s right.

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself crunchy, but I respect those who are, and I do try to be mindful of what goes in and on my body and how those products affect both my body and the environment. A few months ago, my husband and I switched to natural deodorant, after reading about the dangers of aluminum in traditional antiperspirants/deodorants. We went in pretty much blind and learned a lot by trial and error and online search engines, as well as recommendations from our physician. Here are seven tips I figured out in my own transition that might interest you should you be contemplating whether or not to make the switch.

Here’s a typical interaction between a friend or acquaintance and me. See if any of this sounds familiar. One morning at a mom group leadership meeting recently, a beautiful, sweet friend complimented me on how pretty I looked that day. What was my response? To cringe internally at the thought of how bad I must look on a daily basis and say a quick thanks and then proceed to explain to her how it was my makeup from the night before that I hadn’t washed off yet because I’m cheap.

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Strange.

Emotions stare blankly back at you in a convoluted reflection. Nothing is there.

But sometimes, a wave. Sometimes gentle and lovely and fragrant as balmy summer fields. Sometimes so fierce you exhale in torrents and roughly gasp in the thin atmosphere of agony.

A wave of what? Nostalgia? Remembrance? Reverence? Loss? Love? Hate? Anger?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find tidbits to enrich your life and encouragement for your journey! Sit a spell. Let’s be intentional together. Imperfections and all, you are welcome here.