Slowing Down and Assessing the Essentials

It's been quite some time since I've last blogged. So many things have changed. I've experienced the good, the bad, happiness, sadness, stress, peace... so many experiences in day-to-day life that make up who we are.

I've gotten married at the age of 33, which poses it's own challenges. Learning to compromise and share a life with another person can be quite the adjustment. But God didn't create marriage to make us happy (though it hopefully does some of the time). He created marriage to make us holy. So that we may imitate Him as he related to the church. I truly believe that there is no greater challenge with no greater reward than growing together in Christ in the ways that are expressed in scripture. It is character-building, for sure.

These last few months of new marriage have brought with them much reflection on who I am, who I am becoming, and who He wants me to be. How will my time be best spent? What activities/studies/hobbies will best serve my family and glorify God? What will contribute positively to my health, both physically and mentally? I've had some recent developments in my physical health that have proven to be the result of too much stress. So the reevaluation of my time and focus has become absolutely necessary.

So what are you focused on these days? How are you spending your time and attention, and how are those things serving your all-around wellness?

Accountability... It's a Wonderful Thing

I will be the first to tell you that I am a classic example of someone who doesn't always practice what they preach. Hey, no one is perfect, and I don't expect anyone else to be perfect either. But I strive for optimal health and to make the best decisions as often as possible.

I often have difficulty in my decision making because of a lack of accountability. Yes, I'd like to think that I'm strong enough and possess enough conviction to make the right food choices purely because it's the right decision. Apparently I'm not. And that's OK.

My 'significant other', who currently lives 5.5 hours away and requires a restricted diet and constant physical activity, will soon be moving into town. This man has no self control either, so I will be forced to keep anything that I don't want him to eat out of my cupboards. Because he WILL eat it, and suffer for it.

I'm looking forward to his accountability of constant exercise and strict diet, to remind me of why I make the decisions I do and help me create better habits.

So my question to you is... what are YOUR goals? What do YOU need accountability in, and who in your life can help you with it?

A New Year with New Intentions

This whole 'New Years Resolution' concept is garbage. To 'resolve' to do something suggests pure determination. What really matters is the motivation, reasoning and intention behind that determination. Instead of just announcing, 'I'm going to exercise more.' or 'I'm going to eat healthier.', let's really dig deep into those changes that we desire for the coming year. Only then can we REALLY change our lives.

For me, I foresee a LOT of changes in the coming year, circumstantially. But the internal and lifestyle changes are where I will be focusing on this during this season. Luckily, my school provided me with The Integrative Nutrition Journal to help me with that task. Starting January 1, I will take the next 3 months to focus on my health - physical, mental and spiritual - in depth, and in writing. Sticking to writing is not a strength of mine, so this will take discipline in addition to my personal motivation. Some other courses of action are:

• Take Some Me Time to get into a cozy, quiet setting alone with some tea and really spend some time reflecting. What was great in 2010? What did I accomplish? What would I like to accomplish in 2011?
• Journal the answers to those questions, and see where my pen takes me with those thoughts
• Don't wait until January 1 to start new, healthy habits. Make a conscious decision, right now, to do things, eat the food, pray the prayers and think the thoughts you know you should be thinking. Start crowding out the bad with the good.

Back to School Again: the Road to Health Counseling

Endeavoring into the world of formal education… again… has actually been a real pleasure so far. While I enjoyed most of my 2 year college experience at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology studying Architectural Technology, I HATED High School. I don't generally use the word HATE lightly, but I truly hated it. In fact, all 12 years of schooling were pretty horrible. I soared through my final years in the remedial classes, so I could do as little work as possible. I was always the smart one in the class amongst the thugs and truants.

I had spent the last few years expanding my own awareness about food, health and the local food system. I read many books and joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in an attempt to broaden my food horizons. I pondered culinary school, but couldn't bring myself to spend the money on something that I didn't plan to use professionally. In essence, I didn't have any intention of being a chef for a living. So why spend $18,000 on a certificate from a culinary school in NYC that focuses on whole foods? Because it would have been an AMAZING experience! But, alas, my common sense kept me out of the clouds and in my steady, reliable job as a Realtor Assistant.

That culinary school, the Natural Gourmet Institute, mails out a quarterly course catalog with public classes, as well as chef training. Each time it comes in the mail, I again begin to dream about immersing myself into a whole foods culinary experience with like-minded people and critically acclaimed professionals in field. As I flipped through the catalog this past August, I came across a course offering that focused on food and healing and found at the bottom of the course description that it was only offered as Continuing Education for health professionals and graduates of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. "What's that?!", I'm fairly certain I exclaimed out loud in the privacy of my own home, which I'm known to do. My internet was uncooperative on this particular evening, but on my nightly phone call with my boyfriend, Casey, I asked him to look it up and tell me what it was.

As Casey read me the information on almost every single page of that website that night, I could not wait to get back online in the morning and read it with my own eyes. It talked about taking my passions for nutrition, health and natural wellness and turning them into a career where I could help others improve their own lives with my knowledge. Within 1 week I was enrolled. Through 1 year of distance learning through the internet and an iPod filled with lectures on over 100 dietary theories, business building and clinical nutrition information, I will be a Certified Health Counselor, guiding others through their own journeys to wellness.

You see, we were created to heal ourselves. We can't always count on doctors to fix every little ailment, and sometimes even the big ones. We owe it to ourselves to be informed and aware of our bodies and how they work, and to know WHY we feel the way we do at different times. And while physical food is important, it comes secondary to our relationships, spirituality and career, which are our 'Primary Food'.
 
I'm learning a lot, soaking in as much information as I can. And in a few months, I'll be ready to start working with others. In the meantime, part of my training is to perform free Health History Consultations. These are a great learning tool where we get to know each other, discuss your health concerns and goals, and it's just a great time for you to be heard! If this sounds good to you, I'd love to schedule a time to get together or talk over the phone for 50 minutes or so. Email me at jforberger@gmail.com. You might be surprised by what you learn about yourself.

Getting Out of My Own Head

Why do we as women often become overwhelmed by nothing? At times, I have been known to become over-emotional because I let my irrational feelings stew and fester until the originating culprit becomes unrecognizable. In other words, I forget what started the whole emotional roller coaster in the first place.

For some of us, we worry too much over little things, or we over-analyze situations and make something dramatic out of nothing. For others, we try too hard and become disappointed when our expectations are not met. I myself have been guilty of all of these and other self-indulgent behaviors at some time or another.

We need to remind ourselves of God's amazing love for us, and how sufficient it truly is.

         ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart;
           do not let me stray from your commands. -Psalm 119:10

         14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;

           I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."  -Psalm 91:14

         ³¹ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words,

        but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are

        greedy for unjust gain. ³² Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love

        songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but

        do not put them into practice.  -Ezekiel 33:31-32

All through the Psalms, God's love for us is expressed over and over again. So how do we really learn and accept this fact so deeply that we're able to live accordingly and never forget?

1) By studying His word regularly, and memorizing such verses

2) By praying that our hearts will be open to His words

3) By writing down those verses that speak to us

4) By fellow believers holding each other accountable. In our ungrateful behavior, as well as our relationships with Christ.

So what do you need accountability and prayer in? Make an effort to reach out to a spouse, family member or friend and ask for accountability in these things.

Welcome to my attempt at blogging!

My hope and prayer for this blog is that it will be used to accomplish the following things...

1. To improve my writing skills
2. To inform my community of what I've been learning
3. To document my journey and the monumental changes in my life
4. To glorify God by expressing my heart and love for Him

So, we'll see how it goes.