AUGUST REFLECTIONS FROM MARY

The Sunday of the summer has come and gone - what a month August was. For me it flew by, likely because it was filled with a lot of things! Not only does the end of summer usually mean fall and winter work prep, hello Q4, but also I want to squeeze in those last summer hangs, swims and delicious meals. Something about a peach just tastes better in August - likely because it's in season! Either way this past month brought me so much joy, a few deep revelations (explained below) and excitement for the future. 

RESTARTING 

As many of you know my health is a constant work in progress. Living with endometriosis and migraines, also celiacs disease, I often forget how all encompassing my health is and therefore, how clear my efforts need to be. I had a few very intense autoimmune flare ups that left me feeling worse than I have in a long time. Not only migraine flares but full body responses with inflammation, joint issues and nerve responses - if you've ever had one, you know how rough it is to experience it. These flares gave me a deep revelation that I am doing a lot for my health, but I am not doing enough. Which is also a hard pill to swallow in a world that is constantly telling us to do more, that's the last thing I want to hear from myself. But in this case it's true. I've always been good with how I nourish my body through food but I have definitely noticed a difference in quality of foods since being in LA and the response they've had on my body. Which leads me to restart my clean eating with a main focus on anti-inflammatory foods by doing the Auto Immune Protocol diet. The AIP diet is designed for those who have autoimmune diseases like endometriosis and celiacs disease among many others, to remove all foods that cause inflammation with the focus on healing the gut. This diet is not focused on weight or vanity features but rather physical wellness which is what I need. The goal of removing all these foods is to slowly reintroduce them after 6-8 weeks and discover what I react to and what I can enjoy in moderation. So stay tuned in the upcoming months for how this restart and following the AIP diet goes!

EMBRACING

This past month let me find more flow in life, saying yes to last minute plans and saying no to things that I knew weren't for me. Which has led me to realize I've become more aware of my a-type tendencies, which serve me in many ways, but often have me missing out on the joy in the moment or those spontaneous plans. Being able to reflect on how August went, the ebbs and flows of it all, has made me realize I need to embrace 'going with the flow' more. Yes, I can still plan and structure things that are important to me - date nights, my workouts, daily routines, etc - but I want to embrace life giving me lemons and making lemonade! Instead of feeling stressed that I need to leave a dinner to get home and do my full evening routine, I'll check in with myself and if I realize that I'm truly enjoying the time with friends and being out, then I don't need to rush to leave by a predetermined time in order to complete my evening routine. These moments come and go faster than we realize, faster than I realized and being able to move with them and embrace them will allow me to be more present, grateful and create those core memories I'll look back on for years.

CELEBRATING

This past month had a lot of highlights for my close friends and loved ones, with work anniversaries, new homes, baby announcements and more, I've really been celebrating those around me. Which in all honesty, feels so good! I want my friends and family to know how much I love them, see them and acknowledge the work they've put in to build their life, develop as a person and commit to where they want to be in this world. Celebrating friends or loved ones doesn't always have to be something big, oftentimes the small things mean more. Maybe it's a coffee delivery or flower arrangement or a voice note of congratulations and love, taking the time to acknowledge what they're doing also fills my cup up. It allows me to recognize their growth, their achievements and efforts, while also focusing on the good things in life and that in turn creates a more grateful outlook on life. 

AFFIRMATIONS

It's no secret I'm a big fan of affirmations, I use them throughout my days and oftentimes verbally use them as I say them to myself in the mirror for a bigger impact. Whether you believe in the power of affirmations or not, I hope you do understand the power of your own mind – and affirmations are just an extension of that! Our mind is so powerful and how we speak about ourselves, our lives and circumstances can really shape the world we live in and what we focus on. I've been sharing affirmations on the MARY YOUNG Instagram broadcast channel as a way we can all focus on building trust, positivity and abundance in ourselves and our lives. I highly recommend you join the channel if you haven't and in the meantime, here are this weeks affirmations.

PAUSE

What a beautiful word - pause. By definition pause means a temporary stop in action or speech. The keyword for me is temporary which isn't as concrete or big as indefinitely. There are times I want to stop something, even if it's for a short time, but I assume if I stop something then it's a failure or I'm quitting, but rather it could just be a pause. August was filled with a lot of fun times, dreaming for my future and laying the groundwork for ending the year on a high note with MARY YOUNG. Which means I had a lot on my plate, all of it I did want but it wasn't – and isn't – healthy to have such a full plate and to expect to do everything at 100%. Which means I'm putting a pause on some things that are depleting me – which is still hard to do and admit to doing! I've always been the girl who wants to do it all and I still have that desire in my soul but as I age, I realize that's not only not practical but also not sustainable. So I'm hitting pause on some things, allowing myself grace and kindness to work on them when I have the time and energy to do so and not holding myself to an unrealistic standard of expecting to do it all and do it to the best of my ability. 

Thank you for joining me this month and I hope it inspires you to also explore these topics for yourself. If you do, I would love to hear them - if you want to share of course. Feel free to leave a comment or DM me on @ITSMARYYOUNG to chat more. The beauty of all this, especially being on the internet, is to feel less alone and reminded that we truly are in this together. Thank you for being here, thank you for being you.