because you're worth it

Between spending time with family and friends this past weekend, I also reread Chill Out & Get Healthy. I didn't mention much about it before, other than the fact that I was reading a book about traditional Chinese medicine, but let me just say right now that this book is incredible! It approaches health holistically, focusing on living clean through nourishment of the body and soul, a concept, which I think, is too easily forgotten in our busy and stressful lives.

I began reading it the second time around on the train home on Friday as I ate dinner. Usually I eat at home but I went straight to my neighbor's house to babysit, so on-the-go it was! I enjoyed a quick meal from Pump, a great order-to-go place that serves clean, healthy foods for energy. My whole-wheat wrap contained lettuce, steamed broccoli, baked falafals, cucumbers, and guacamole, yum, yum :).

Anyway back to this amazing book. Author Aimee E. Raupp is a licensed and certified acupuncturist and herbalist with a undergraduate degree in biology who had originally planned on going to medical school so she is able to bring perspectives of Western and Oriental medicine to the table while presenting it in an enthusiastic and down to earth way. It's really a pleasure to read.

She is a woman just like you and I who understands that oftentimes "we are overworked over-achievers who are trying to sustain a "healthy" lifestyle as well as climb the ladder to success." Do you know what that leads to? Stress, and a lot of it... at least I know that it definitely does for me. She recognizes this fact and then explains how exactly to gain control of all this crazy stress that surrounds our everyday lives.

With all the negative effects that stress has on our bodies and our lives, dedicating this time to ourselves is necessary in every which way. I know that balancing everything is tough and I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes get so tied up in worrying about countless people, situations and things that "eating healhfully, living peacefully, sleeping enough and expressing [my] emotions" aren't prioritized.

So, this week I'm going focus on a few selfish things for myself: getting to sleep by 11:00, working out in the morning, and making time to pack a balanced lunch (like yesterday's lunch, for example, a spinach, avocado & cucumber salad alongside a delicious sweet potato). Okay, following through with these three goals isn't actually selfish at all, I deserve to feel better. And I know that you all deserve that too.

Because we're worth it. In a few weeks, when this book is released, I'd highly recommend that you look into it. But until then I hope that you'll take a step back and really reflect on how you are and how you're living. What do you presently do just for you? And what are you going to make sure that you do for yourself in the future? Have a very happy and balanced week everyone :).