Like a Phoenix I Rise

2020 is off to a hectic start, but I'm not complaining because I FEEL GREAT!

By now I would have talked about my word of the year, but this book writing is very time consuming!  It's funny when I think back to my recent past word of the year words.  In 2018 it was disrupt and in 2019 it was rebirth.  I was merging coaching and interior design into what I now call holistic interior design.  I thought I would disrupt my business (in a good way).  Little did  know what was disrupted was my business (in a bad way) and everything else in my life due to my health and the death of my dad.  They wrecked me.  I may have been a bit premature with my 2019 word which was rebirth, although there was definitely movement in that direction towards the end of the year.  While things can always be worse, I was at a pretty low point, so there was only 1 direction to go, and that was up!

My 2020 word is Phoenix, renewed and reborn like a phoenix rising from the ashes, ready to soar into this new decade with more vigor and enthusiasm than I have been able to muster in a long while. I want to get back on track and am excited to step into the unknown future that was waiting on the other side of the darkness.

Since I share so much with you and many of you have been on the journey with me understanding I was struggling with my health, I am happy to report I finally got to the bottom of all my suffering.  I was so inflamed, my joints were stiff, I had to get my knee drained of fluid once a month.  From my feet to my teeth breaking in my mouth, to hair loss and more, I was suffering from a nut allergy.  I was feeding my inflammation everyday with almond milk in my coffee, and in my smoothies.  I ate a lot of  almond butter, raw almonds were a snack staple, and Kind bars.  I am almost embarrassed to say it out loud.  I went to 20 doctors!!  This should have been caught so much sooner.

I tell you this because if you or a loved one has not been feeling well and the symptons seem to be a mystery or look like autoimmune disease with much inflammation possibly mimicking Lyme disease as well, I suggest an aggressive elimination diet.  I had already cut out everything fairly early on in the process except eggs, nuts and seeds, and coffee.  I stopped them and within 3 days I started to see a difference!  Three months later with nary an almond in sight, I am back to high impact exercise and can think about traveling and getting back to the things I love.

Onward and upward!  My book Om for the Home will make its debut this year and I am firming up speaking engagements.

If you are in the Port St. Lucie area, I will be speaking at The Awaken Fair.  Being mindful of mind, body and spirit must include our space!  Our environment is part of our holistic journey because  everything is intertwined.  The state of our home tells us a lot about the state of our life.  I will be speaking at  2:00 and am looking forward to seeing lots of smiling faces.

Another thing I learned was, if you need help, ask for help.  It can be hard to acknowledge, but accept a helping hand when it's offered.  Being independent doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself.  The people around you who stand by you and support you want to be of help and not feel helpless.  Let them support you.

Now I can put all that in the past and think about my son's wedding on the horizon.