I am a survivor. Not from the Survivor TV show but a breast cancer survivor. As a survivor I have been on a mission to pay more attention to – well everything. Being diagnosed with cancer was a wake up call to be more mindful – to nurture the mind, body, and soul – in order to live a healthier, happier life. I have learned the big three – mind, body, and soul – work in concert to keep us in balance and when we can feed all three our lives are fuller and more meaningful. So how do I nurture all three?
It started with making better food choices – reading labels, choosing lean meats, and adding more fresh fruit and vegetables. About a year after my diagnosis I finally did what I had been thinking about doing for a number of years and joined a Community Share Agriculture or CSA. A CSA is where you purchase a share in the fruits and vegetables grown by a local farmer. It’s a win-win – the farmer has guaranteed income and I get a weekly delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables. The boxes vary from week to week and I have been introduced to many items I never had before. If you have ever thought of signing up for a CSA I highly recommend it. And if you are in Loudoun County, VA I highly recommend the CSA from Lost Corner Farm – check out their website at http://lostcornerfarm.com/csa-sign-up/.
Next I realized it was time to get back to doing something I loved – creating with my stamps, ink, and paper. While my children were young, my focus was on them – supporting the activities and interests they participated in. And I loved every minute of that – going to the school plays, baseball, soccer, and field hockey games, and dance recitals are precious memories. I would not change a single minute of that time. But now that my children are adults and finishing up college, I knew it was time to get back to what I loved so when my friend suggested I join Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator I knew the time was right for me to take the plunge. The journey to this point has been fantastic – I LOVE creating with stamps, ink, and paper and I hope I can inspire others to join me on this journey. Creativity keeps the mind active and is good for the soul too! You can shop my website at https://www.stampinup.com/ecweb/default.aspx
Through my involvement with Stampin’ Up! I had the good fortune to meet a demonstrator with Norwex- another direct sales company that focuses on “improving quality of life by radically reducing the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning”. After learning more about the company and seeing the products in action, I placed my first order and I have to say I am SOLD on Norwex products and its mission. I now clean my entire house with just water using the amazing Enviro cloth and window cloth. I am thrilled that I am no longer using cancer causing chemicals to clean my house AND I now clean my entire house in half the time. That’s a win/win in my book. If you have never tried Norwex products, I highly recommend them and Lise Pampaloni. Check out her website at https://lisepampaloni.norwex.biz/
More recently I have been checking out the products offered by Beauty Counter, another direct sales company focusing on healthier options for personal care. Beauty Counter offers skin care, makeup and bath & body products for all. So far I am loving the products I have tried and will definitely be ordering more. If you want to learn more about Beauty Counter, check out my friend Tracy Nugent’s website at https://www.beautycounter.com/tracynugent
I encourage you to begin your journey to a healthier and hopefully happier you. Nurture your mind, body, and soul through creativity and healthier options for food, home, and personal care. Little changes, over time, will have a profound impact!
