10 things I learned while in Hawaii last week that made it to be the most magical trip to date.
Hawaii is magical of course but that wasn’t the reason why I found it so be so magical. It was magical because of my perspective. My state of mind.
I’ve been very privileged throughout my life and have had the opportunity to go on some really stellar trips. From seeing lions and giraffes in Africa, to hiking Machu Picchu, going to the rainforest with my children, dancing salsa under the stars in Cartagena, and now swimming and surfing with sea turtles in Hawaii.
I noticed this time in Hawaii, something was different. After much contemplation, I realized that the reason I enjoyed this trip so much was because I was feeling different. In the best way.
Therefore I was able to fully enjoy myself. Fully be present. Fully immerse myself in everything we were doing.
Coming back I feel so relaxed, stress free, and ready for the rest of the year. Ready for what is to come.
10 Things I Learned While In Hawaii
- “Wherever you go, there you are” – Jon Kabat-Zinn. No matter what part of the world you go to, if you have internal turmoil, that turmoil will always follow you. It will not allow you to fully enjoy yourself and be present. Making you miss some of the most magical moments in your life. This doesn’t pertain to just vacationing somewhere really extraordinary. This is in your everyday life as well. We miss so many moments when we are not curious as to why we are not feeling good and growing.
- Get curious about the people around you. Everyone has a different perspective. A different story that can really open up your mind to see things differently. At a dinner I sat down next to a woman who didn’t drink alcohol, like me. So naturally I got curious and came to find out that it was because she was Mormon. Instead of brushing it off or judging for no apparent reason, I decided to really immerse myself in the conversation with her. I was fully present, genuinely asking her questions about her life. I came out with such a different mindset towards the Mormon religion. It is actually quite beautiful and I could relate to so many things she had to say. I would’ve never had such a shift in my mindset if I would’ve just been there scrolling on my phone.
- Life is 100% what you make of it. As cliché as that sounds, you can either decide to be miserable because you don’t want to do something or be somewhere, or you can take those moments as an opportunity to do something different and enjoy yourself.
- We never know what we are fully capable of until we challenge ourselves. I found out I am pretty bad a** at surfing. Who knew. LOL. While in Hawaii, we challenged ourselves to do different excursions that we never really do. I’ve only taken one surfing class in my life. This time, being my second surfing lesson, I got up right away no problem, and rode the wave all the way to the end. It was like my body knew exactly what to do. Now, I can’t wait to go surfing again and to teach my kids too!
- The food industry here in the states, or the mainland as they like to call it + our busy lives = recipe for a health disaster. On the second day we got to Maui, did the road to Hana. Which is essentially a 12-hour car ride because you are doing so many different stops along the way. We didn’t fully prepare with snacks, so without a plan, we were relying on the food that was available to us. Lo and behold, I was able to fully nourish my body. Why? Because they had so many health food stops along the way. Smoothies, fruits, vegetables, poke, homemade banana bread, you name it. It was the only thing that was available. Now, think about anytime you go on a road trip here in the U.S. The only thing that is available is gas station food, McDonalds, Chic-fil-a, Wendy’s, etc. No wonder our health is the way it is. If you want something convenient, you are getting fast food.
- Many people want to feel better, but they just don’t know how to actually take action towards living a healthier lifestyle. It is a deeply ingrained habit that is really hard to break. They know they need to eat more nourishing foods. They know they need to exercise. Get more sleep. Stop drinking so much caffeine and alcohol. When it comes down to it though, they just don’t choose it. Insert <this is why you need a health coach to help you break those toxic habits>.
- Stop taking life so seriously. It leads to burnout. It leads to feeling stuck and unhappy. Having fun is necessary for you to enjoy yourself and your family.
- You have to prioritize mom and dad time. I can’t tell you how different my marriage is when we are on vacation. When there is no responsibility except waking up and enjoying each other. It is pure bliss and you remember why you married each other in the first place 😉
- Doing outdoor activities is SO MUCH BETTER than going to the gym. I will always love yoga and Pilates but wow doing a challenging hike really sets your soul on fire. You challenge your body and your mind to see how far you can go. There’s nothing like making it to the top after working so hard and soaking it all in that you did it.
- Sleep and rest is absolutely crucial to feeling and living well.
Are you ready to start living your life differently?
Tired of paying the price of all the stress and putting yourself and your health last?
There is a way out.
That other way out is through a health coach. Your own personal coach that will look at all areas of your life, to see how you can make changes.
Changes that will create long-lasting results.
These changes come from looking at nutrition, self-care, movement, and daily habits.
As your coach we will work on a step-by-step plan together on reaching all of your health goals and then leaving you empowered to continue making changes on your own.
If you are ready to start living well and say goodbye to the stress and burnout that has you surviving instead of thriving – contact me now.
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How are you spending Father’s Day weekend? Shoutout to all of the fathers out there that put in the work at home!
Life Update
I went to my first explant consultation this week. I AM BEYOND excited to get them out. At my initial consultation I found out that my implants have leaked. I chose saline so nothing to worry about there except now I really want them out ASAP. I do have to wait at least 3 months to do it because I just stopped breastfeeding and they want the inflammation and milk to settle before I go into surgery.
My target date is September. I do really believe these implants have contributed to fatigue and upper back/neck pain. I get tired very easily. I have tried to cut caffeine completely out of my life but after 30 days I always need to go back to 1 cup a day. I am incredibly lucky that I take care of myself and listen to my intuition so I have learned how to hack it but some days I can really struggle.
I am going to 2 other consultations next week to make sure I choose the right surgeon. I cannot wait to put that 20% deposit down and schedule a surgery day!
Thanks for being here!
Alejandra at Living Well Co.