I hope you'll forgive me...

Hi friends! It feels so good to connect with you again in this format. I’ve truly missed writing and the connection to my Lean and Green Body® family!

As I sat down to write this I noticed that it’s my first blog post since April 6?!? This has been the longest I have ever gone between blogs…ever!

I started my blog just over seven years ago, and it has been such a fun way to build a community, share recipes, wellness tips and so much more. There has been a ton of change and incredible pivots on my end (hello, baby Bodhi!) and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Since it’s been a minute…more like 5 months… I thought it would be best to use this first blog post and update you on my life lately!

When I was pregnant with Bodhi I imagined sharing my postpartum journey in a real and raw way, and slowly transitioning that as he grew and sharing our mother son journey. While this is still my intention, and I will be sharing some fun things with Bodhi soon; becoming a Mother changed me. I have been incredibly open about so many parts of my life (painful and joyous) and this transition into Motherhood has been somewhat unexpected. I have wanted to keep many parts of my new Mama journey offline and private, not because they are bad - quite the opposite in fact. The past (nearly) 6 months have been so good and incredibly life changing that I have wanted to soak in every second and be as present of a mother and wife as I could be.

Stepping into my motherhood journey has been a beautiful (and let’s be real exhausting) time. It has transformed me in ways that I didn’t even realize were possible, and has opened up parts of me that I thought had been closed for good.

Bodhi has brought new meaning to my life and has allowed me to view my life, and my work, in a whole new way. I only have so much time and energy each day, and I have been very intentional about how I spend those currencies.

Bodhi is a Sanskrit name meaning enlightenment or awakening; and his birth has truly has been a time of awakening for me.

I hope you’ll forgive me for not been as present with all of you online (it’s been terrible for my SEO and engagement rate) but I have needed these past few months to just be.

Stepping into my new role has been a big transition for me, even though I have waited for this moment my entire life, there is only so much you can understand until you’re actually in it. Moving from full time entrepreneur, founder and boss to full time mama and part time boss babe has been huge.

I have welcomed these changes and done my best to find some sort of balance with it all…but does balance really exists??

Thank you for giving me space to adjust, grow and learn. I am ready to rejoin this community, and I can not thank you enough for sticking around - grateful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.

There is so much I want to share with you this Fall, from mom-life, recipes (for baby too!), wellness and self care hacks and tips, and so much more!

I also have some fun collaborations and new brands I have discovered over the past few months that I can’t wait to share!.

Comment below and let me know what you want to see!

Journal prompt for a healthier mindset

Energy is everything.

“what you think, you become.” - Buddha

There is a ton of scientific data that proves that our brain believes the words coming out of our mouth, so why not change them up and switch our mindset? If we can speak more positive thoughts, our brain will begin to believe those positive thoughts - and they will become our reality!

It seems quite simple, but it takes some practice. One easy way to begin this practice is by journaling.

Every morning in your journal I encourage you to write down 3 things you are grateful for in that moment, 3 things that spark joy for you, and 3 affirmations about yourself.

For example it could look something like this…

3 things I am grateful for:

1. My Husband

2. My House

3. Living in the sunshine state

3 things that spark joy for me:

1. The book I’m currently reading

2. Long walks with my dog

3. Sunsets at the beach

3 affirmations about yourself:

1. I am smart

2. I am resilient

3. I am kind

These are just examples, choose what aligns with you in the moments each morning. Don’t overthink it, simply write what comes to you. Over time these 9 things will begin to become your truths, and although they may change daily, you will still be focusing your mindset on all the positive in your life and in yourself.

This positivity - and this mindset shift - will slowly begin to have a ripple effect out into your daily life. After 21 days of this practice you will notice that your positive mindset shift is lasting longer and longer, and stays with you for most of your day. When your mindset does shift towards the negative, it is now easier for you to bring it back these 9 things.

I can’t wait for you to try this exercise out tomorrow morning and see how much joy and positive it brings into your life!

Photo By Jontel Chere

How to energize your day!

The Lean and Green Body® Triple Play is my favorite way to start my day!

If I happen to miss a day I feel sluggish, fatigued and even dirty inside…my body literally craves this routine every day.

If we haven’t worked together yet, I’m about to let you in on one of my trade secrets!

The Lean and Green Body® Triple Play is a sure fire way to energize your body, gently detox your system, and flood your body with nutrients all before you’ve even had your morning coffee.

My coveted Triple Play morning routine is something I typically share with my nutrition clients during our first or second appointments, and now you can experience all the benefits too!

The Lean and Green Body® Triple Play is my morning routine…let’s break it down!

First thing in the morning when you wake up…before you put anything else into your body, drink these three things…

First, 8 oz of room temperature water with the juice from 1/2 an organic lemon…sip it!

Then, add 1-2 TBSP of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar to 4-8 oz of water (you MUST add to water, do not drink ACV on it’s own)…drink it down!

Followed by, our morning greens! My current favorite greens are the Amazing Grass greens OR the Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw Greens. I love both of these brands and rotate between the two! You’ll mix one scoop of your greens with 8-10 oz of cold water (I like to use a blender bottle), shake and drink!

Then you can have your coffee and breakfast!

So why do I encourage you to drink all that first thing?!? Let me fill you in on what each drink does…

Each morning we wake up and our bodies are so dehydrated from working on overdrive while we sleep. The room temperature water with an organic lemon works to rehydrates your cells, energizes your body, and helps to pull out toxins. I get this question almost daily…and yes, it’s essential that the lemon is organic! An organic lemon is alkalizing, where a conventional lemon is acidic. This was literally mind blowing the first time I heard this...a food is either alkalizing or acidic based off what it does inside our body. A conventional lemon will never be alkalizing because of the pesticides and chemicals sprayed on it…sorry but you can’t wash them off. The lemon water responds almost like coffee to the body, and provides a boost of energy without the jittery feeling associated with caffeine.

Next up, the Apple Cider Vinegar comes in to helps neutralize the body. When we wake up our bodies are in an acidic state, the Apple Cider Vinegar helps to increase the pH of the body creating a more alkalizing state. We want to keep our bodies in an alkalizing state as much as we can since this is an undesirable place for cancer, disease and illness to thrive in. (Disease thrives in an acidic environment.) Apple Cider Vinegar, Bragg’s particularly, is one of my favorite holistic remedies because it performs hundreds of benefits to the body. Just be sure to mix it with water, and never drink it straight. (do not take ACV if you have an ulcer or symptoms of an ulcer)

We round up our Triple Play with our greens! Probably my favorite part of the Triple Play. Both of the green supplements I recommended above contain approximately 34 raw greens that have been juiced first and then dried. This is very important because we are not cows, and it can be very difficult for our bodies to digest and breakdown grass and some greens. Having the greens juiced first helps our bodies assimilate and utilize the greens and nutrients much easier. You will mix your greens with about 8-10 oz of cold water, I like to use my blender bottle and shake them up! When you drink your greens on an empty stomach (no food) you allow the nutrients to be absorbed and utilized by the body right away, it takes away to need to digest them and this giving your digestive system a break. Greens will help to boost your immune system, keep you energized, gentle detox the body, and help to balance blood sugar levels!

That’s it! It may seem like A LOT at first, but I promise it gets easier and eventually it just becomes part of your morning!

My husband and I love to travel and I always bring all 3 parts of this morning routine with me when we travel. To read more about my travel tips click HERE

As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist I am very cognizant of what I put into my body, what I give my family and what I recommend to my clients. I do extension research on all products I recommend, but I always recommend doing your own research to see what you feel comfortable with.

Gentle reminder…you should always consult your Naturopathic MD or Certified Nutritionist before adding a supplement to your routine. If you are pregnant or nursing I would recommend eliminating the ACV portion of the morning routine, and simply doing lemon water and greens!

To learn more or to work with me, please email me at jennifer@leanandgreenbody.com

Photo By Jontel Chere

My Number 1 Tip to Bring Yourself Back to Center

I wanted to use this Monday blog to really check in with you. How are you?

I know you probably get asked that a dozen times a day, but I mean it - how are you doing?

For me, it’s been a really crazy and beautiful year…and I can not believe that October will be here in a few days!?!

Sometimes when life seems to be going a million miles an hour, your to-do list is never ending, and there is a cloud of negativity every where you look…it can be tough to stay present, stay calm, and just breathe.

We are all human, each of us having our own experience here, and we all have these days/weeks. The important thing is to notice when this happens, pause, reconnect to your breath, reconnect to this moment right here right now, and just breathe.

It may seem too simple, but I promise it’s all it takes.

Close your eyes, place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly and just breathe.

Notice the chest rise and fall with each breath, and begin to notice the belly rise and fall as you start to deepen your breath.

When life gets too hectic and you loose your center…come back here. Come back to your breath and just breathe.

The Blog is Back!

I’m back! I took a little two week break from the blog to rest and restore. I have been writing my blog twice per week for six years, and every now and then I think it’s healthy to take a step back to rest, to remember my why, and come back with fresh eyes. 

I would love to know what you would like to see more of…recipes, nutrition tips, wellness, yoga, meditation, mindfulness…comment below and let me know! xxx

Photo By Jontel Chere

4 Surprising Benefits of Grounding

Grounding is an incredibly healing practice for the mind, body and soul.

This is a practice that almost everyone can do.

You may be wondering what exactly is grounding?? Essentially grounding is walking barefoot on the earth; whether that is on the grass, on the beach, in the dirt…any place connected to Mother Earth.

{pavement and manmade roads do not count, sorry!}

The idea is that you are connecting to earth frequency and healing through this connection.

This may sound overly simple to you, but when was the last time you walked around barefoot? We live in a society where we are constantly in shoes or on man made walkways, and grounding is not always an option.

Here are 4 surprising benefits of grounding…

Lower stress

Improved sleep

Decrease in pain

Shifts the body into a more parasympathetic nervous system dominance {rest & digest}

There is still limited scientific research on grounding (although there is some!) but what I do know for sure is that I always feel better after a barefoot beach walk or a barefoot walk through the park. Connecting and being one with nature always seems to lower my stress and make me feel so much better!

Have you tried grounding? I would love to know your thoughts…comment below and let me know!

Photo By Jontel Chere

6 Items To Bring When Traveling - Stay on Track!

Travel has been a big topic with my clients recently and I wanted to share a few ways in which you can travel and still stay on track!

Here are 6 things to bring with you on your next adventure to help you stay on track!

Sneakers or a Yoga Mat: this will ensure movement on your trip! I love going for daily walks and exploring a new city, or enjoying some beach yoga (or hotel room yoga) before a day of exploring. I find that when I move my body, I am in a better headspace for the day!

Water Bottle: hydration is everything! So many of us are chronically dehydrated on a daily basis, and this typically only gets worse when we travel. Bring a bottle that you can refill and stay ahead on your water!

Journal: journaling is a such a healthy mindful habit, and can help control stress and ease anxiety even when traveling. Need inspiration, check out my journal prompts I wrote HERE and HERE

Natural Calm Packets: this is my drink of choice in the evenings, I find it so relaxing! This can also help ease travel or flight anxiety, help keep you regular when you travel, and prevent any muscle cramping.

Green Packets: just because you are away from home doesn’t mean the Lean and Green Body® Triple Play goes out the window. Bring your green packets with you and simple mix with water on the go!

Collagen: protein on the go! This is a great way to stay on track and get your clean lean protein in…simply add it to your coffee, your breakfast or even your water!

Traveling isn’t an excuse to let your wellness and nutrition plans go out the door!

Stay on track with my Lean and Green Body® tips! Check out more of my recommendations here

3 Ways to Make Life Easier & Reach Your Goals - Starting Today!

I receive a ton of messages from women, especially young mothers & entrepreneurs on how I make my nutrition and wellness look so “easy”.

First of all I appreciate that you think I make it look easy, but it wasn’t always this way. It took years of dedication, school, mindfulness and habit setting to get here. I spent 6+ years studying solely nutrition, and over a decade studying mindfulness and wellness. I have been able to incorporate small changes into my personal routine over the years, infusing bits and pieces as I move through life.

I wanted to take this opportunity to let you in on a few of my ‘tricks’ and ways that you can make your life easier starting today!

First, stop caring what other people think. (I know this is not nutrition or wellness related but it’s so important!) Many of us get so tied up in what others are thinking or saying about us that we literally paralyze ourselves from moving forward and taking the next step. TBH most people are too consumed with their own life to even care what you are doing - and to all the bullies out there who are commenting and waiting for your next mistake, well that speaks more of their terrible character and poor self esteem then it does of you. You keep doing you. Do the best that you can every single day, that’s it.

Second, create a plan. Work with a Certified Holistic Nutritionist or Naturopath to create a customized nutrition & wellness plan that works for your body. Every body is different. We are constantly bombarded with new nutrition trends and ‘instant fixes’ online, and it can be so confusing unless you are prepared. There is no such thing as a quick fix, and most diet trends will end up failing you (or your organs) down the line. Work with a professional to help you set up a plan that works best for you and your specific needs. Added bonus…ask them to help you create an actionable plan for your family and meal planning as well!

Lastly, listen to your intuition. This tends to be a tough one for many, for some reason many of us have a difficult time listening to our gut (our intuition). We get easily swayed by what others think or what others are doing, even if it does not serve us, we suffer from FOMO. I am going to urge you to drown out the noise, let go of other peoples opinions and unhelpful remarks….listen to your intuition. Our bodies innately know what they want, and what they need to live their best, healthiest lives…it’s when we don’t listen that we get into trouble. This goes for nutrition and movement, listen to what your body wants (I’m not talking cravings for sweets…that’s emotional). For example, I wrote about my dietary changes in a recent blog (check it out HERE) for years I ate a certain way because it was how I grew up, what I was used to, and how my husband eats. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I began to tune into what my body wanted, and when I started fueling my body with what it needed (and elimination what it didn’t) that I began to not only see transformations, but I started to feel tremendous change. The same goes for your workouts, move your body in a way that honors you. If you love yoga, pilates, and low impact workouts DO IT! If you love lifting heavy weights, then DO IT! Listen to your body, trust your gut, and drown out all the excess.

Photo by: Jontel Chere

The Power of Newness

Did you know that learning something new is one of the 7 Needs for Happiness?

We naturally thrive in creative environments, our brains are like sponges and require newness in our lives in order to be completely happy and fulfilled.

This may sound far fetched to you, but I promise there is plenty of data to back it up!

Think back to the last time you learned something new…it could be something simple like reading, learning to drive, learning to knit…whatever it was bring that feeling and those emotions to mind. Think back to how excited you were when you learned that new skillset, how empowered or happy you felt when you conquered something you weren’t sure you could do. It’s freeing, it’s exhilarating!

When we learn something new we not only open up new freedoms, new adventures and new skills; we open the door to exploring something exciting and challenging. This type of challenge is so beneficial for our brains and our health long term. Our bodies {and our brains} requires new challenges like these, especially as we age.

Many of become stuck day in and day out doing the same mundane tasks, and same daily routine - and the scary part is that many of us don’t even realize that we are stuck…

When I initially reviewed this research earlier this year I made a promise to myself to challenge myself this year {personally} and to create a list of things I would like to learn how to do this year.

TBH that list sat on my desk for weeks…and weeks…but once I gathered up the courage to try something new. The courage to be bad at something {like really bad} it was fun! So many of us hold ourselves back from trying something new {or following our dreams} because we are afraid to be bad at it - we are afraid it be beginners. This is so sad to me because that fear is totally ego driven. It’s okay to be bad at something when we first try, how else are you supposed to learn and improve?

So I would encourage you to try something new this year - hell try something new this month!

Think about something that you’ve always wanted to learn, or always wanted to do…and do it.

Life is short and there are no do-overs.

Two NEW things that I have committed to learning this year are…

baking gluten free vegan bread and playing the ukulele

What are you going to try?? Comment below and let me know!

6 Benefits of Adding Vegan Days to Your Diet

The vegan or vegetarian lifestyle may not be for you, but adding just 1 or 2 vegan or vegetarian days in to your diet per week can have a tremendous impact on your health!

I recently posted a blog with an update on how I’ve changed my diet this past year, and how I am feeling eating mostly vegan. Check it out HERE

Here are 6 ways adding vegan or vegetarian days into your diet can boost your health:

Better digestion! Animal protein is really tough for our bodies to digestion, breakdown, assimilate and eliminate; so when we take it out of the equation we often experience better and easier digestion.

More energy! Like I mentioned above animal protein is really tough for our bodies to breakdown, it takes a lot of our energy away from our personality, our work, our endurance to breakdown and digest meat; so when we take it out of the equation even for a day or two, we experience more energy and vitality.

More nutrients. Vegan and vegetarian diets are typically much more nutrient dense, and tend to be higher in fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate and Vitamin A, C, E, and K.

Find a healthy weight. A diet free from animal protein and animal fat can lead to weight loss, and will allow your body to naturally find it’s perfect weight. Much of this has to do with the three previous points: better digestion, more energy, and more nutrients.

Lower blood sugar levels. A vegan and vegetarian diet tends to promote lower glucose levels, better A1C numbers, and lowers ones risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Heart health and lower cholesterol. It is well documented that a vegan and vegetarian diet can help to lower cholesterol levels. After all cholesterol comes from animal products so when we eliminate or limit these our cholesterol levels naturally drop. Decreasing the amount of animal protein and animal fat will also benefit our heart, and prevent or help with clogged arteries and decreased heart function due to poor dietary choices.

I believe that some people do require more animal protein than others; but I also believe that we do not need nearly as much as many assume we do. I am here to educate you and provide you with science based facts. There are several reasons to add vegan days into your diet, and your health is just one.

Would love to know if you have any questions on adding in vegan days or if you’ve already incorporated them into your weekly routine! Comment below and let me know! xx

Photo By Jontel Chere

Learn the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar {ACV} is an incredibly healing tonic, and has been used for over 1,000 years to treat and cure a variety of aliments.

I love Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar because it is organic, pure, contains “the Mother”…essentially all the good stuff…and this company has been around for over 80 years!

When using Apple Cider Vinegar it is important to ALWAYS mix it with water - you never want to drink it straight. I mix about 1-2 TBSP of ACV with 4-8 oz of water. You can add more or less water depending on your preference.

Here are some of the benefits of this healing tonic..

Helps to promote a youthful skin and vibrant healthy body

Helps remove artery plaque, infections and body toxins

Helps fight germs, viruses, bacteria and mold naturally

Helps retard old age onset in humans, pets and farm animals

Helps regulate calcium metabolism

Helps keep blood the right consistency

Helps regulate women’s menstruation, relives PMS, and UTI

Helps normalize urine pH, reliving frequent urge to urinate

Helps digestion, assimilation and helps balance the pH

Helps relieve sore throats, laryngitis and throat tickles and cleans out throat and gum toxins

Helps protect against food poisoning and even brings relief if you do get it

Helps detox the body so sinus, asthma and flue suffers can breathe easier and more normally

Helps banish acne, athlete’s foot, soothe’s burns, sunburns

Helps prevent itching scalp, baldness and dry hair

Helps banish dandruff, rashes, and shingles

Helps fight arthritis and helps remove crystals and toxins from joints, tissues, organs and entire body

Helps control and normalize body weight

How to Feed a Family of 4 for Under $10 - RECIPE!

This has been such a fun blog series to create! It start back in March as a way to make wellness accessible to all, here’s the first blog in the series. I am so passionate about nutrition and consuming organic whole real foods that I wanted to share how easy and affordable it really can be for everyone! Often times people get stuck in the mindset that organic foods will be too expensive for their family, so they don’t even bother to shop for them. However, I am here to tell you that it is possible! I am here with my second recipe for this blog series and I’m going to show you how to feed a family of 4 for under $10…here’s the kicker…everything will be organic!!

If you are interested in checking out the first recipe click HERE.

Today’s recipe is one of my favorite quinoa bowls!

This recipe is packed with omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber and is super nutrient dense.

Ingredients:

Organic Quinoa ($2.97)

Organic Carrots ($1.46)

Organic Kale ($2.47)

Organic Avocado ($2.00)

Total = $8.90! That’s under my $10 budget, awesome!

The best part is that there will be quinoa left over for another meal or two, since $2.97 is for a full bag of organic quinoa!

Directions:

Cook quinoa, following directions on the bag. If you already have bone broth on hand you can use this in place of water to add more flavor, collagen protein, and nutrients.

Roast the carrots following my recipe HERE

Lightly sauté the kale in a skillet with a splash of bone broth or water.

Slice and dice the avocado, each person should receive 1/4 of a large avocado or 1/2 of a small avocado.

Put your quinoa bowls together using the 4 ingredients above! Portions will vary depending on the individual needs and personal requirements (to learn more about this schedule a 1:1 Nutrition appointment with me HERE

I created this recipe for my husband and I the other night, and we just loved it! Here is a picture of my bowl

If you are enjoying this blog series, and would like me to share more recipes with you please let me know by commenting below!

The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Cupcakes

With a slew of food allergies it can sometimes be tough to bake…never knowing if the items will turn out like cardboard. Luckily, gluten free foods have some a long way in the past decade and some are actually tastier than the ‘real thing’!

I have a ton of major food allergies, I avoid gluten, dairy and eggs…like 3 major (super tasty) food groups! My brother used to joke that I couldn’t eat anything fun, and that totally used to be the case. Fortunately, I have experimented a ton in the kitchen and have found a few brands that make super clean products that make baking so much easier!

My favorite egg substitute is The Neat Egg, I did a whole blog post on my experience with it when I said goodbye to eggs January 2020. You can check it out here. I love this vegan egg substitute because it is super clean and only has 2 ingredients!

One of my goals for 2021 was to learn how to bake my own gluten free vegan bread, and although I have not yet accomplished this I have found a company whom I love and is helping me until I carve out some time to experiment in the kitchen. Simple Mills is gluten free, non-gmo, and uses organic ingredients. One of the things I love most about this brand is that they keep the ingredients minimal and super clean. The vanilla cupcake’s only have 7 ingredients…and you can clearly read and understand them because they are real food ingredients. The other draw to the Simple Mills brand is the low sugar, they use organic coconut sugar which has a lower glycemic index (35) compared to regular sugar (65). The coconut sugar is a real food versus the artificial chemical sugar found in some “low sugar” brands that our bodies can not even breakdown. When comparing this Simple Mills vanilla cupcake mix with 8 grams of sugar to others brands, I found that the average vanilla cupcake mix contains 22 grams of sugar per serving! That’s insane.

I substituted the 3 eggs that the recipe called for with my Neat Eggs in order to make the recipe allergen friendly and vegan. I have made these cupcakes twice in the last month, and my non-gluten free non-vegan family members loved them! Appearance wise I think you can tell that they are healthier, but taste wise they are so yummy!

This post is in no way sponsored or associated with Neat Egg or Simple Mills; I just enjoying sharing recipe modifications that work with me and my food allergies in hope that they may work for you too!

#liveyogachat with Karmen - interview!

This week I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Karmen Morales for her series #liveyogachats. Karmen and I used to teach together in Naples, FL before life took her back to Texas. She is an incredible teacher and dear friend, check her out HERE.

In our #liveyogachat we discuss everything from yoga, nutrition, self care, disordered eating, and so much more! I hope you enjoy!!

#liveyogachats interview

5 Ways Meditation Has Changed My Life

Hi friends! I wanted to check in with you and update you on my meditation practice. New Years Day I committed to a daily meditation practice just for the month of January, hoping to gain some clarity. I loved it so much, and deeply connected with the practice, that I decided to continue my daily meditation practice indefinitely. I have felt such a dramatic shift in my life and my personal being since committing to this practice, it has changed my life in so many ways.

Here are 5 ways my life has changed since I started meditating daily:

1. I am way less stressed…I would conservatively say that my stress level has decreased over 50%, pretty amazing!

2. I am less reactive. I am able to remain in my breath, and focus on what’s real even in challenging times.

3. I am more connected to my body and my soul than ever before. 

4. I have a new found love and deep appreciation for my body. Meditation is not technically a physical practice, but it is changing my physical body. 

5. Meditating has allowed me to more clearly see my life, where I am currently and where I want to be. I find that I am able to more smoothly move through road blocks and say no to projects that do not align with where I ultimately want to be. 

Have you started a daily meditation practice? I would love to hear how it has changed your life. 

Comment below and let me know! xx 

My Number One Tip for Living a Healthier Life

My number one tip for a living a healthier life…be more present.

Be more present with the foods your are consuming, eat consciously.

Be more present with the media you mindlessly consume. You can be ‘up to date’ with the happenings of the world without having the news on 24/7.

Be more present with the energy you consume. Who do you surround yourself with? How do they make you feel?

Be more present with what you choose to read. There are so many happy endings yet to be read.

Tune in to what is real.

Tune into what is happening all around you. We are constantly consuming. You have the power to choose what you consume.

What we consume ultimately determines our attitude and outlook on life.

I would encourage you to pause - to be more present starting today.

Be more present with the gifts that are right in front of you.

So many of us are so focused on scrolling through social media, unnecessarily checking our emails 100 times a day, and being up to date on everything the tv throws at us. When we give our energy to those things, we are not being present we are giving all of our energy away willingly. When we choose to live this way we are missing the incredibly beautiful gifts that are right in front of us. Put the phone down, take off your watch, turn the tv off, and look around.

Presence is a true gift for ourselves, and the ones we love most.

Photo By Jontel Chere