Happy Wednesday, happy hump day!
Hope you all are having a beautiful week! I can’t believe its already October and already mid October at that… I am so happy the semester is going quickly though, its been an intense one already let me tell you.
From now on I think my more ramble posts will go on my podcasts so you can get to know me beyond the keyboard, but I wanted to have this corresponding blog post as it gives context! My Wellness Journey podcast episode goes live tomorrow morning so make sure you listen when it does, follow along here for updates and follow on Spotify and Apple Podcasts too.
Here I want to share a few things that have helped me in my wellness journey, resources, products etc!
The first thing I want to mention though is that this is inherently personal, and just because it worked for me doesn’t mean you should do exactly as I did/do because it may not work for you. So I hope this inspires you and make your own decisions with each part of the process. Because wellness is not one size fits all and its a process for sure.
For me the first thing and the most important has been therapy and healing from my past, my trauma, my childhood, toxic relationships. Mainly my relationship with myself. Its a daily conversation for me, seeing where I’m at, how I really feel and adapting my day to go with that. I listen to my body, I listen to my gut and follow what they say.
It has been the most difficult, and I can’t underscore just how difficult, last few years of my life but allowing myself to unlock the healing and feeling safe in my emotions to do so has been incredible. Pursuing passions and shedding weight that was bringing me down, have been the turning point for me. It has been so challenging but allowing myself the grace and patience and love for myself to put in the work and apologize to myself and those I’ve hurt, and truly heal has been the most beautiful thing I ever could have done.
This healing journey transformed me from the inside out. It also coincided with my struggles with physical health with I have gone into detail on the podcast and won’t say too much about here – just that I had to make a lifestyle change in early 2020 and while challenging in and of itself, allowed me to see the beauty in wellness and making conscious choices and has also transformed my life.
I now am mindful of the products I consume and put in and on my body. From food, to drinks, to household products and the energy I allow in my spaces.
I have predominantly gone dairy free and sugar free (like actually sugar free, meaning no processed sugars, no substitutes other than honey and agave or fruit, more on this when I share resources) and I am mindful of the carbs and fats I consume.
I never really liked fast food so its been easy to cut this out, I indulge on occasion because of moderation though, so don’t be too strict on yourself! I’ve also started to eat mainly Whole Foods (and thats where I mainly shop) and items I have to cook over prepackaged meals and microwave dinners. I’m not the best at it yet but getting better. I am also trying to be more intentional with eating and also mindful of ingredients I choose in the foods I buy.
As I mentioned, I am also trying to be more mindful of products I consume around my apartment so reading ingredient labels and trying to go for non toxic brands and products, see the resources below for tips on this! I’ve switched my deodorant, laundry detergent, dish soap and dish detergent, body soaps, shampoos and conditioners, as much makeup, beauty, skincare as I can (baby steps here lol) and more. If you want a more detailed breakdown of these items, lmk and I’ll share on IG or in a future post.
I am conscious of the fact that often times switching to products without filler ingredients is more expensive so I know that can be a barrier, so take all of this with a grain of salt and make decisions for your life and budget!
There’s a few instagram accounts I love so here we go!
For recipes and recipe ideas I love
Arielle Lorre (also love her podcast!)
For lifestyle and mental wellness resources, there’s a variety of different types here but I don’t know how to further break it down without being triggering
Body Image Molly Kate Wellness
Holistic Health Be Well With Kayla
Dating and Relationships Gabby Valdes
I share a lot of resources, especially podcasts, on my IG highlights as well so check those out too!
I can keep going but I want you all to listen to the episode when it comes out tomorrow and hear from me in a more personal way. See you on IG sharing your screenshots listening!
Thanks for reading!
xo Kayla