Enjoy & Renew!

This time of the year everyone is focused on the holiday cheer. Some people are shopping while others  are cooking, but everyone is doing something to prepare for the season. It’s a jubilant time filled with lots of love. Of the holiday season, Thanksgiving and the New Year are my personal favorites. It isn’t about the gifts or the parties (well, kind of); it is about the thankfulness and thought of new beginnings that flows from one heart to another.

As I look over the last year of my life, I cannot help but give thanks for my health. The seeds I’ve sewn for a healthy lifestyle have turned into a bountiful harvest and created some of the best new beginnings I’ve ever experienced. Because I have devoted so much of myself and my life to a healthier me, I’ve achieved a number of self improvements. I have more energy, I am more confident, and I can think more clearly. I no longer rely on substances or food to make me appreciate life. I rely on self. I encourage myself to love me. If there is something about me or my life I am dissatisfied with, it’s my responsibility to make the necessary changes. Knowing that I have been able to better my health in such great magnitude gives me the strength and confidence to tackle other challenges I experience in life.

I advocate a healthy life because I know firsthand the benefits you receive from giving yourself a little tender love and care. We all have health issues we can a dress. Whether it is making sure we wear our glasses or minimizing our stress levels, we must take the time to make ourselves a bit healthier in 2014. If you make one small change a week or a month before you know it a year has passed and you are a completely different (better) person. Don’t be afraid to make changes, but be thankful you are able to make those changes and take control of your life. Know that in the end your harvest will be bountiful blessed.

As I encourage you to take on the challenge of creating a healthier you, I also encourage you to enjoy your life. I recently discovered that no matter how healthy one might be physically or nutritionally, if you’ve neglected yourself the right to enjoy life, you are just as unhealthy as someone who eats cheeseburgers and french fries on a daily- okay, maybe not that unhealthy, but you get the point. I used to be so incredibly hard on myself when it came to enjoying a warm bowl of peach cobbler or a serving of macaroni and cheese. I allowed my healthy lifestyle to prevent me from enjoying life; and this should never be the case. The objective of being healthy is to put yourself in a position where you can better enjoy living, not to be held back from simple pleasures. I constantly remind myself that balance and moderation too are a part of a healthy lifestyle. So guess what, I will have my macaroni and cheese and  some kind of fabulous dessert at Christmas dinner. Why? Because both of those things make me happy and a person who is happy is light years healthier than a person who is not. Will my stomach bloat for a couple of days; will I have to work out a little harder for my own psyche? Yes, but it is all worth it knowing I didn’t have to ignore the things that make me happy and contribute to my overall healthiness.

As you embark on a new year, embark on a new you! Make a promise to yourself to be a healthier
person in 2014. If healthier means less gossip hold yourself accountable when someone asks for your
unnecessary opinion about your ex’s new boo. If healthier means less stressed incorporate a stress
relieving routine to help keep your mind focused and your heart rate low. If healthier means losing
15 pounds and finally being within your weight range adopt a diet plan that suits your lifestyle and up
your physical activity. One thing to remember is no one’s healthy is the same. As a matter of fact, my
healthy for 2014 is completely different than my healthy for 2013. As with all things in life, once you
reach your desired goals your health will begin to evolve and there will be new challenges and obstacles
to overcome. Welcome everything with grace and poise and know that in the end it is all for the benefit
and beautification of you.

As you enjoy your holiday season and close out 2013 please, please welcome a healthier you in the year
to come. Accept and embrace the challenge of your development and brace yourself for a self imposed
increase.

Until next time beautiful ladies, happy holidays, decadent desserts, and renewed health and beauty!

-Heidi Thomas