Take Care of Yo-Self! ♛

I am a huge advocate for self-care. Whenever I neglect taking responsibility for myself, bad things happen, every time. I'll skip the gym a few consecutive days and feel like a slug. I'll eat salty foods and get depressed (more on that later). I'll go to bed late and wake up feeling like Mr. Grumpy-Gill's (quick, name that movie).

I've come up with a list of ways to keep yourself feeling peppy, smiley, and happy all day long! And friends, I don't write this because I've mastered the art of living. I write it because I absolutely haven't. I need these tips just as much (if not moreso!) than ya'll.

With help from Christ, you can change your life, becoming the person He destined you to be. A person of integrity, of wisdom, and self-care.

You sure can, you firecracker you. Ready? Let's go!

1. IDK, my BFF Jesus?

This little girl, I tell ya. Cute little thing. Have you guys noticed how kids are tech geniuses nowadays? Jeez, if you need to setup your new MacBook Pro ask your 7 year old neighbor. With media overpowering the world, it's easy to toss the boring Bible to the side. Who needs Jesus when we have Facebook, Insta, Snapchat, Pinterest, Twitter, and texting? All of us. Media does the opposite of its intent, it actually makes us feel more alone. That being said, start your day by spending time with your BFF Jesus. He is the only one who can give you the satisfaction you're looking for. Even 500 FB likes can't do what He can, and that's sure sayin somethin!

2. Catch dose Zzz's

A role model of mine goes to bed around 9 PM and wakes up at 4:45 every morning! She puts on a cup of coffee, does a few dishes, and dives into the Bible and prays. She is honestly one of the most fun-loving, animated, beautiful women I've ever met. Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy, and wise, right? I once asked the President of Pepperdine University, Anthony Benton, what his secret to success was, and he shared he wakes up at 5 AM every morning to get work done without any distractions. He reads the Bible, too! And ALSO, I was reading about the Starbucks CEO, whom he wakes up at 4:15 on the reg for his morning workout. These people know what's UP.

3. Fish are friends, not food

I've tried every diet plan out there. I've done vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, paleo. Basically everything but the raw diet, those people are just nuts. Although I did try a raw food restaurant once in Minneapolis. I had raw lasagna.... it was almost 25% as good as real lasagna... yeah. Anywho, the best diet for me? None of the above. I eat about 75% fresh fruits and veggies, lots of eggs (yolks, too!), sweet potatoes, black beans, lots of tilapia and cod, and roasted almonds. I occasionally have chicken & turkey, and I generally stay away from red meat and pork. Does this plan work for everybody? Not necessarily. The Bible warns not to become too obsessed with the foods you eat, but I do believe it's important to make wise choices to feel good, healthy, and ready to live life. Above is a pic of my recent grocery trip, if ya currr.

4. Cheez-It's: An Evil Villian

How many of you have suffered from anxiety, panic attacks, and depression? Probably a decent chunk of you, seeing as its incredibly common. I don't struggle with it often, but when I do feel panicky or down-in-the dumps, there's usually a reason for it I can pinpoint. And, believe it or not, it always revolves around what I put in my body. For example, my junior year of college I became obsessed with my Magic Bullet. I blended smoothies for brekky, lunch, and dinner, and I'd always added liquid Stevia.

Stevia is the latest zero-calorie sugar sweetener, and it's all the rage. It apparently leads to no side effects, but my experience proved otherwise. There were three days in a row where I experienced serious panic attacks. I had never had one before and didn't know where it came from. It was awful. Lonebehold, it was the stevia. I ditched the smoothies the next day and was fine from there-on out. Beware of stevia, aspartame, splenda, and the like. No good.

Secondly, beware of MSG . It stands for monosodium glutamate, and it's basically in every pre-packaged junk food or potato chip. Anything with a fake cheese flavor is loaded with the stuff, hence the cheez-it reference. It's also inserted into chicken, like KFC and Chick-Fil-A. "Eat more chik'n?" Not with all that junk in it, thanks! A MAJORRR cause of depression and anxiety is MSG. Check out this awesome article here , it explains how MSG seriously dehydrates you, leading to depression. MSG masks itself as "natural flavor." Just tonight I ate some pre-seasoned black beans and started to feel weird. Bingo! It was seasoned with "natural flavor." Gross. Next time you feel anxious, chug 3 glasses of water, seriously. And stay far from MSG. It's a game changer.

5. Which way to the gun show?

I can't tell you enough how important exercise is. I didn't exercise for three months and ended up shrinking my heart, leading to a malfunctioning nervous system. It was a condition called POTS ( read my story here ). Crazy, I know. It taught me just how crucial working out is. I used to workout for one reason: to burn cals and lose weight. But now? I do it because my body needs it. I used to see exercise as a form of personal punishment, but what's the fun in that? Workouts should be enjoyable; a way of thanking God for our bodies. He didn't create endorphins for nothing, He knows that a healthy body is GOOD! Jim Elliot, one of my favorite Christian missionaries, was an avid runner and wrestler throughout his college career. Why? He wanted to be in the best shape of his life so he could eventually travel the world and spread the gospel. Amen. P.S. the guy in the picture is Terry Crews, he's got a really inspiring training regimen. Check it out (esp. you boys).

6. Roll Out

Do you "hate" your job? Do you find yourself crawling into the fetal position under your desk (warning: swearing in link)? If so, your job is notttt a good fit. Take a piece of paper and write down all your hopes & dreams. If God gave you the pen to write out your life's plan, with the mindset that anything you choose will come true, what would you say? Would you be an actor? A chef? A scuba diving instructor? A fashion designer? God's Spirit follows us wherever we go, so take a chance and try something different. Move to a new location, try a new career... your life is YOUR LIFE! Trust in God, my friends, and you may just find yourself unlocking your hidden dreams.