Big T, little t…

What begins with T?  According to Dr. Seuss, “Ten tired turtles on a tuttle tuttle tree,” (Seuss, Dr. Dr. Seuss's ABC. New York: Beginner Books, 1963.)

When I completed my first well check-up 5 years ago, I resonated with the description “tired turtle” 🐢😞. I had lost a good amount of weight (again) over the late winter/early spring  months through good habits that were working for me. Though I was feeling pretty good about my Physical Wellness, I was fearful about being able to sustain progress as my new self. I had been on the weight loss rollercoaster too many times. But to my surprise, the well check-up revealed something unexpected.  Of the 8 Wellness Dimensions, my Emotional Wellness lagged behind. Why?

If you are here, I have something so important to share with you that perhaps no one else ever has. 

You are enough. You are loved. If you are seeking your best self, it is right within you. You are smart enough, disciplined enough, organized enough and you do have enough time to be who you are meant to be. You may just not know how to find it. And what you think your best self looks like, I promise you are not thinking big enough. It is more than you can even imagine.

I never lost sight of her, that twenty-something girl in the mirror. I was in my early twenties when my wellness journey would begin. Plagued with infertility and hormone imbalances, there was little to know and understand. With no such innovation called “the internet”, you saw doctors and talked to family and friends about your struggles. All you could know was that you weren’t “normal”. As the girl in the mirror aged and took on various shapes and sizes, I was driven, consumed with finding her again. Where did she go, and why was this so hard to understand and “fix”?

But I have learned more recently that slowing down and looking around brings an even richer adventure. Blooming where we are planted means to be intentional about embracing the season you are in and resist the urge to look ahead. This is easiest to do when, “everything is coming us roses” in our lives and we want to soak it in.  However, slowing down is most difficult when we are in a challenging season. We just want to get through it and move on to happier times. But always looking ahead dulls our senses and lures us away from sharpening and enriching ourselves.  Intentionally being present, even during hardship is a gift. When the headwinds are strong, and the waves are crashing down around us we can take a lesson from nature.  

I’ll admit, the word “No” has a bad rap. It carries a lot of negative baggage. Our first encounters with it go back to early childhood when we are learning about our environment and how we are to behave in it. It set limits on our actions and often squelched our desires. And if challenged, usually came with some unpleasant consequence. As toddlers, it became one of our favorite words to express ourselves and try often not met with a good outcome. 

But as adults, “No” can be one of the best tactics for supporting your overall well-being by helping to create space for your mind body spirit balance.

Living your best self requires understanding the mind-body-spirit connection.  Your body is a physical presence and your mind controls how your body moves and functions. We teach a lot about fitness and nutritional habits to support your physical health. Your mind also controls how you think, which is a powerful force.

It’s officially March, and if you've already had one of those “mirror reflection” heart-to-hearts about yet another year of failed New Year’s resolutions, I want to encourage you today with a little life hack that’ll help you get back on track. No, it’s not too late! You’ve still got three-quarters of 2025 to go, and with a bit of intentionality, we’re gonna crush those goals together.

Mel Robbins is brilliant! Her white hot book, The Let Them Theory is a game changer. She has discovered a simple truth, based upon ancient philosophies and offers tools and practical advice that will change your life and improve your health and your relationships with others.

These days, as I turn each new jar of healthy peanut butter upside down, I’m reminded that unity and perspective are choices. Every day, I choose to envision a better world—a world where we blend our differences into something that works for everyone. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible. And sometimes, all it takes is a little shift in perspective—just like with that jar of peanut butter.

So the next time you grab a jar, remember: we all have the power to stir things up and make something better. Whether it’s in the jar, or in the world around us, the choice to blend our differences into something good is ours to make. It’s that simple.

I was thumbing through my bible in the early morning hours this week and was prompted by my daily devotional to spend some time in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. The chapter opens with, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).