WHY WE CARE
Two years ago when we sat down and evaluated our life, we realized several things needed to be changed to create “wholelife” wellness. It wasn’t just our physical bodies that needed an overhaul. The kids were dissatisfied in school and not engaged in their own education, our diet included too much junk and not enough exercise. Screen time trumped outdoor time and our jobs and careers were dissatisfying. We realized almost every area of our lives needed modification.
Taking that first step was no small feat. Everyone was in resistance so it had to come slowly. To start with, we decided to have our evening meal together as a family without phones, books or tablets present. This gave us time to connect and share. While it doesn’t happen every night, it happens way more often than it used to. Then we brought in fresh fruits and vegetables as we worked to phase out convenience foods. This is an ongoing issue we have and we have to be very conscious of what we are putting into our bodies. When life gets extra busy, we tend to reach for the chips and salsa or throw a pizza in the oven. Planning and prep-cooking have to be scheduled or it doesn’t happen.
Proper rest and relaxation is extremely important for health and wellness. We used essential oils to uplift our mood and help support restful sleep. We use a lot of essential oil blends around our home that support our emotions and the ups and downs of having a house full of females. Getting an adequate amount of exercise and physical activity is our greatest obstacle. While we are more inclined to play sports or get out the bikes and go for long rides the kids aren’t as much. They need more incentives. Initially we started riding as a family but when we both had to begin full time work, this became more difficult to keep up with. We all have a membership to the gym and enjoy swimming. We hope that the winter will be a time for us to get back to working out again.
Recently we we began looking at minimalism as a way of life. As we learn more about our attachments to ‘things’ and how having more actually takes time and energy away from what is most important and actually diminishes our productivity, the process is is still slow and not as easy as one would think. We are taking it one room at a time, junking and being mindful of what we keep, which has proved to be quite difficult. Who knew it would be hard to throw out a day planner from 1992?
We have come to understand that being well is more than just avoiding illness and as a result, we have become passionate advocates for natural, whole-life wellness. In addition the physical body, we believe a significant part of healthy living comes from the fulfillment of self directed creation of one’s life. From career choice to food choice and everything in between, we need to honor where we are now and where we are going.
Essentially yours,
~Amaris and Joanie
