Looking at all that you’ve gained - all of the progress that you’ve made - allows you to embrace setbacks as learning opportunities. It also allows for flexibility, and compassion along the way. Both of which are necessary when you’re in it for the long haul.

In choosing to focus on your progress, you’ll find greater joy in the journey and a deeper connection to your evolving self.

Remember… The JOURNEY is what is meant to be achieved.

Regularly reflecting on what you’re thankful for can increase levels of happiness and satisfaction by retraining your brain to focus on what’s good. Gratitude journaling, for instance, has been shown to reframe negative thought patterns. Or, try this practice: At the end of the day, ask yourself (and maybe include your partner for a fun conversation before bed): What went well today? What can I be grateful for today? This ultimately helps retrain the brain towards positive thoughts, and away from negative thoughts. The impact this has on your well-being is mind-blowing!

Engaging in activities purely for the joy of it can be a profound way to heal, reconnect with yourself, and create a richer, more balanced life. Joy and Leisure is a of the slice of the Full Circle Wellness pie after all!

If the root cause is not believing we are lovable, worthy, enough… If we don’t validate, accept, or love ourselves first… and we are seeking to solve the problem with external solutions, herein lies the problem, because the solution isn’t outside of yourself, the solution is inward.

Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers: They play essential roles in everything from mood and energy to metabolism and reproductive health. When they’re in balance, our bodies can function optimally. However, when our hormones are out of balance, it can affect everything from sleep and nutrient absorption, to mental health and brain function.

Disordered eating exists on a spectrum, and it’s important to note that not everyone with disordered eating patterns will develop a full-blown eating disorder. However, recognizing these patterns is the first step toward understanding them, confronting and changing them, and healing through them.

Your gut (specifically, the stomach, small and large intestines) and brain are in constant communication through something called the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional link between your central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and your enteric nervous system (the gut’s nervous system). This connection explains why stress, anxiety, and even depression can often manifest in physical gut symptoms like indigestion or bloating! Wild right?

Most of the time when we think about mental health and wellness, we focus on emotional regulation, therapy, meditation, journaling... But did you know that brain health plays a crucial role in your overall mental well-being? As we care for our bodies, caring for our brain is essential to maintaining mental wellness, emotional balance, and overall, optimal cognitive function.

Shame is that one inner voice telling us we’re not good enough BECAUSE OF THAT THING (or many things). Shame tells us that we’ve made an irredeemable mistake, or that we are somehow unworthy of love and belonging because of SOMETHING about us.

I don’t know about you, but it’s taken me a long time to shake off my teens, and to be honest, there are still deeper wounds I’m sewing up. I’ve only just begun to understand how Inner Teen work can help us bridge the gaps between being a child, and who we are now. While learning to love, accept and/or reparent your Inner Child(ren) is one thing, doing the same for your Inner Teen(s) is a MUST to help us better understand the adults we’ve become.

This kind of inner work is intricately connected to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, a therapeutic approach that views the mind as a system of different Parts, each with their own role and perspective. By delving into Inner Child Work through the lens of IFS, we can unlock deeper understanding of our psyche, leading to greater emotional balance, self-compassion, and personal growth.

Inner Child Work is all about going deep, down into your roots, way back into your childhood to heal emotional wounds and untangle any trauma that might be keeping you from flourishing.

It is only in moments of fear, and doubt, with our hands shaking, and our voices quaking, that we can be BRAVE, and show courage. It is clear that we are afraid, no question… but moving forward anyway? THAT is what makes you brave.

Anger is something we’re taught to avoid, suppress, or fear, especially as women. But in truth, anger is a powerful signal from our psyche no matter who you are, and it indicates that something is wrong. It can be a response to boundaries being crossed, internal wounds being prodded, feelings of helplessness, betrayal, and even grief.

…habitual judgment creates a barrier that separates us from the love and peace we inherently desire. If you want to take that one woo-woo step further, judgment separates us from GOD, or LOVE; it separates us from the whole.

When we start over, we bring a wealth of experience and knowledge that can guide us towards better decision making. When we learn from our trials and errors, each time we begin again, we begin from experience. This applies pretty much everywhere… in a fitness journey, in a work project, in a healing journey, with cooking, dating, school, in starting a business; each time we step back up to the plate, we bring with us the experience of stepping up before.

Sleep is essential for both physical and mental well-being. From boosting your immune system and heart health to enhancing your cognitive function and emotional well-being, the benefits of sleep are far-reaching. Prioritizing good, quality rest can literally transform your life.

In the journey of self-discovery and personal growth that is healing and seeking wellness, Shadow Work stands out as a profoundly transformative practice. While it might sound daunting, delving into the darker, hidden parts of ourselves - the parts we often ignore, repress or deny - can lead to immense healing, wholeness and self-acceptance.

When it comes to feeling like our job/our core source of financial security is impacting our health, it feels like a conundrum. And while there are few small right actions we can take (like continuing other self care and wellness practices), what’s ultimately going to solve this kind of problem is a BIG move.

Diet culture is a system of beliefs that equates thinness with health and moral virtue, promoting weight loss as a means to achieve higher status or acceptance. It fosters a toxic standard where self-worth is measured by size and shape, leading to disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and a host of mental health issues. The constant pressure to conform to unrealistic standards can erode self-esteem and promote a harmful relationship with food and exercise.

While HEALTH generally refers to the physical state of your body—free from disease, pain, or injury - WELLNESS, on the other hand, is a much broader concept. The idea of FULL CIRCLE Wellness encompasses not just physical health, but also mental health, spiritual health, and much more. Wellness is an active process, and a lifelong journey, of making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. FCW is ultimately about the habits we create, the attitudes and beliefs that we hold, and the self-care that we practice on a consistent basis.