I'm on a constant mission to improve my life. With great joy I gleefully report that it's working. By focusing on three main principles as the guiding force of my behavior I have improved my health, attitude and productivity. Getting those three tenets to align at the same time is nothing short of a miracle. For so many years they seemed to exist like magnets, each repelling the others into a far off, unknown land. If I felt okay I was in a bad mood, or did too much and just gave my lilacs away to a flare from overexertion. Some days I was happy, but it was only a matter of time before some egregious event took place, like dropping a new quart of yogurt on the floor or pouring my coffee in the dog's food bowl. Then happy would vanish in a cloud of victimized anger, made all the worse because I knew what set me off was simply not that big of a deal. But for the most part I pretty much just felt like crap all the time, which made being productive and happy extremely hard to achieve.
Juicing has helped my health immensely. I no longer feel like I am on the verge of a severe flu three to five days a week. Not feeling so horrible has helped my productivity, which makes me feel like I am actually living life and not shoved into a pathetic holding pattern of failed expectations. Being realistic, not pushing myself too hard and remembering what is truly important are all critical components to ramping up my activity level, though. I could IV-drip kale juice directly into my veins and still not be able to function if I push myself too hard.
Perhaps the biggest change has come from revolutionizing my thinking. I'm still stuck on what is is, and constantly remind myself to stop playing the silly games of false truths the institutions of our society define themselves by. It's helped my ego settle down a lot. I don't feel embarrassed by my reality, past actions or mistakes. They already happened and can't be changed. This freedom allows me to really challenge my emotions and only become engaged in things I can do something about. Specifically this means I don't spend time marching around all angry and bent out of shape about the past or things I can't change. The internal bargain is kind of a funny process. If I feel myself indulging negative thoughts my stern inner-Mother Superior steps in and asks me if I want to spend the rest of my day stressed and freaking out. Then she asks if my husband or dogs deserve my stress. Finally she asks me what on earth I can do about it. When the answers are undoubtedly no, no and nothing I find it's possible to redirect my brain to positive things that improve my life. The path I am walking down is still the same one. But I am stumbling a little less, my footing is a bit firmer, and my head held a hell of a lot higher.
Thanks for joining,
Leah
