Transformation Medicine

Morning after.

Surprisingly, writing I am good enough was good for me :)
I can try to continue to do this, although it is doubtful that I will do that online. I need to start an I am good enough journal :)

Today.

Today I listened to an amazing episode of a podcast that I am obsessed with. The podcast is called "On Being" by Krista Tippet and the podcast that I listened to today was about transformation medicine/functional medicine with Mark Hyman (he works in functional medicine - I think he coined the term, but I am not sure. He is a physician), James Gordon (a psychiatrist), and Penny George (introduced as a philanthropist).
There were some really amazing ideas brought forward, and I would like to look a little more into these people and their ideas. In summary, they are putting forward the idea that we need to change the way we look at medicine, that medicine needs to change from looking at each part separately to looking at the whole system, not only the separate systems on their own, and in so doing, live on our path to wholeness.
There was great advice and interesting ideas put forth by the speakers that I would like to share here.

Advice - otherwise known as: Practices of Self Care:

• Shaking and dancing - I already tried this with music that I will recommend towards the end, and I must say it really changed my mood!
• Soft belly breathing - in short, sit comfortably, close your eyes, Allow your breathing to deepen. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, with your belly soft and relaxed. Experience it. Feel yourself relaxing with each exhalation. You can choose two words to say or focus on, one for when you breath in and one for when you breath out. 
• The claim: This helps to activate the vagus nerve and is a great antidote to the stress response. 
• Use food as medicine. Food is not just energy, it is information. You change your gene expression, immune system, microbiom with every bite. 
• This is something that I know, but I need to learn more about. I need to learn what to eat and when. 
• One of the questions that was asked was "how do we change our behaviors towards eating". This is a question that I really need to learn to answer for myself!
• The community is medicine. It is important to have a community. Surround yourself with other people!
• Learn spiritual wellness and spiritual healing - for this, the most important thing is how we treat each other - caring for others. 
• Meditate.

Ideas shared that I find important to reiterate:

• "The work of healing is the work of transformation"
• "The sense of meaning, purpose, and connection are important for the path of healing."
• Love. Love is the center of all religions.
• Spiritual life - that place where we work on ourselves. Open ourselves up for looking for the truth. 
• Change your diet, change your health, and you will see transformations in mental health. 
• Meditation is an important part of finding your whole. 
• Having a purpose for living is important for our health.
• A question we should always ask ourselves when we are sick: What is the invitation in this illness? What is the invitation in this illness to a fuller life? 

Recommendations by the speakers that I would like to look into:

Movie (documentary): Fed Up

Book: Madness in Civilization

And last but not least, the music I listened to while writing this is by Prins Thomas and can be found at https://youtu.be/sb-KR9gArXk.

I just learned about his music today. I heard his song 'b' and just had to start moving my body and dancing. It was an amazing experience!

Oh, and I am good enough because I can move.

I am good enough because I care.

I am good enough because I love.

I am good enough because I want to grow.

I am good enough because I believe I can. 

I am good enough because I am. 

15 minutes of writing - day 1

15 minutes of writing about me and why I am good enough.
I actually put on a timer because I am worried that I will have trouble keeping at it for 15 minutes (and here I am trying to push off writing about me and yet filling the page with words and letting the timer tick down!)

I am good enough because...
I am good enough because I was born.
I am good enough because I am me.
I am good enough because I have a body that works.
I am good enough because I have a family that loves me.
I am good enough because. And here is where I sit contemplating, unable to think of what to write here.
This is much harder than I thought it would be.
I am good enough because I am putting effort into advancing myself and my career.
I am good enough because I care about other people.
...
I am good enough because I like the color purple.
I am good enough because I love my husband.
I am good enough because I am lucky to be married to an amazing husband for 10 years.
I am good enough because I put effort into my relationship.
I am good enough because I have pretty, curly hair (that I even take care of sometimes.
I am good enough because...
I am good enough because I like to draw in adult coloring books.
I am good enough because I like nature.
I am good enough.
Wow, 15 minutes sure is a long time!
I am good enough because my children are good people.
I am good enough because I read to my children today.
I am good enough because I gave E a shower today.
I am good enough because.
I am good enough because I judge people positively. I see the good in others. I like people.
I am good enough because. breath. silence. husband snoring in the background.
I am good enough because my children have clean clothing to wear (even if it is not always folded).
I am good enough even though I had to add in the part about the unfolded clothing.
I am good enough because I want my children to be happy.
I am good enough because I feel like this timer will never ring!
I am good enough.
I am good enough because I am my normal.
I am good enough because I care.
I am good enough because I try to know myself and because I constantly try to grow into a stronger and better person.
I am good enough because I am female. I am good enough because I have emotions. I am good enough because I try to be in touch with my emotions.
I am good enough because I like to share. delete.
I am good enough because I have not yet checked the timer, although I am sure going to check it as soon as this sentence is out.
I am good enough because it took me 14 minutes to actually check the timer!
I am good enough because I am me.
I am good enough because I have 35 seconds left and I still need to write that I am good enough.
I am good enough because I love my parents.
I am good enough, but the timer has wrung, so I no longer to need to fill in the sentence. Till tomorrow that is.

Starting Point

Here I begin my path to wholeness.
Writing helps me express myself and find myself. Here I plan on using writing as my tool to do just that and on the way return to myself and return to joy.
After a long and hard two plus years, it is time to return to me.

Who am I?
I am a mother, wife, student, daughter, sister.
I am full of drive and self doubt.
I know the path but get scared to jump on what feels like a moving train.
I view myself as a failure where others would not.
I am smart.
I am in love. In love with the people in my life. With people who bring joy and happiness to me in so many ways. I am surrounded by love and support.
I am lucky. Lucky that I can be where I am, with who I am, and without having to worry about my finances.
I am lucky to be building a beautiful home in a beautiful and holy land.

Where I want to go:
My path is not to find where I want to go. My path is not to get somewhere specific. My path is to find my wholeness. To find what I need to do to be content with myself. To not put myself down, to not feel bad about who I am, to not have self doubt. My path right now is to me. To who I am, not who I want to be, or to who I used to be.

How?
I need to define the how. The first step is to write.
The second step for now will be a wonderful idea I heard on a podcast I listen to.
I need to sit and write 10-15 minutes a day about why I am good enough. "I am good enough because..." - this is a hard task, but I am excited about it.
My third step will have to require incorporating more movement into my day.
Number four will be healthier eating.
For today I will start with the first two and take it from there.

Wish me luck! :)