Slow down to glow up
Why slow down to glow up? Because it’s not only about adding more things that improve your health, but also decreasing the things that deplete it. You can eat clean, exercise and have a million mineral mocktails but if you don’t address stress, you’ll still be depleted.
That’s why we slowed wayyyy down for this 4th of July, which was unusual. The day was spent taking in the summer heat in our backyard while splashing, swinging and attempting a few fireworks. I wouldn’t say it was the most memorable 4th of July (which may be odd to say since it was my first 4th with Finn), but it was a really good holiday. It reminded me that this season is all about how to slow down to glow up. A crazy, loud and firework frenzy 4th of July will come back around soon.
My Mid Year Slow Down To Glow Up list:
Less scrolling, more watching teachings on YouTube (we know scrolling can cause negative emotions and that impacts hormones)
Less tv at night, more reading (this is huge for sleep, circadian rhythm and thyroid hormone production)
Less packed schedule, more intentional hang outs (a jam-packed schedule may be the first place you can reduce more stress)
Less packed schedule, more realistic workout goals (I personally have set a goal of 3 weight focused workouts a week. Right now, that’s all I can do)
Less winging it :), more meal planning (the more I meal plan, the more energy I have).
I’d like to emphasize the word season. There are seasons to plant, seasons to water, seasons to harvest and seasons to rest. Like I mentioned, we are currently in a season of rest and while it can be extremely hard to sit in, I know it’s the right call. I think it’s because there will be a season of harvest coming soon that we will need all the energy for (and minerals).
Let me be clear that I’m not suggesting removing all stress from your life. That’s impossible. I’m suggesting removing it where you can and become more resilient to stress (which is a nervous system conversation). That is what helps create healthy energy, healthy hormones and not be stuck in “fight or flight”.
I’m not an expert in the nervous system, but it plays a role in what I do with clients. It also plays a massive role in what I do for myself. When I’m stuck in fight or flight (addicted to stress), I make poor decisions, I anger easily, and I get far more anxiety.
It’s also been a trend for my clients to slow down to be able to glow up their healing process. I want to lead by example with that and help be evidence that you can be happy, successful and live a full life if you take time to slow down.
Something I would have never believed just a few years ago.
You grind until you can’t anymore, right? That’s how people become successful, right? I’ve learned that is not the case, and that there is a difference between working hard and just grinding on the hamster wheel because you feel like you must be doing something to make progress. In that journey I have discovered that you need a rest day to be successful.
It’s also important to define what rest is because I think people turn away from rest because they think it means to just lay comatose for days. Rest can be sleeping, for sure, but it can also be active rest. The breakdown of my “slow down to glow up list” shows why this active rest is so important.
Less scrolling, more watching teachings on YouTube
Support healthy hormone production
Learning something new gives you a healthy dopamine boost
Learning something new supports brain health
Scrolling is connected to anxiety and depression
Less tv at night, more reading
Seeing artificial blue light at night interrupts sleep, hormone production and how you feel in the morning
Supports healthy hormone production especially Leptin (which is huge in thyroid production & weight loss)
Better digestion. Less reflux.
Less packed schedule, more intentional hang outs
One of the biggest energy suckers is a jam packed schedule… rushing from thing to thing to thing
You need community for health
Less packed schedule, more realistic workout goals
We need daily movement, but saying I’m going to workout every day is unrealistic right now
Working out 3 times a week and walking daily
Supports energy, metabolism and thyroid
Less winging it :), more meal planning (the more I meal plan, the more energy I have).
Meal planning saves you time and gives you more energy in the week
Reduces stress
Better digestion
Reduces decision fatigue (“What should we have for dinner?” is the worst question after a long day of making a million decisions)
Your slow down to glow up list doesn’t have to be long. That might defeat the purpose because it could be too stressful to make a lot of changes at once. Some of these things I started doing before July, but now I will try to be more consistent. If I could suggest one thing to change, it would be scrolling at night. Seeing this blue light at night really does have a HUGE impact on your hormones and overall health. Once you start to align your circadian rhythm, you will start to see and feel big changes in your health. Then you can move on to the next step on your list!
