Thanks for stopping by! Today, I am tired. That extra cup of herbal tea before bed, part of my sleep ritual, backfired as I was up multiple times to use the bathroom. Oh, well, that's okay because this habit is all about the trial to find what a good sleep ritual is. There was a live session all about this habit that I wanted to go to but I ended up missing due to work. I am looking forward to the recording link from the coaches on Friday for it because I really want to keep getting good sleep and I'm sure there were a lot of positive tips and discussion as there always is on those sessions. What's So Great About Sleep? Sleep restores everything in our bodies: our immune, nervous, skeletal, hormonal, and muscular systems. It helps regulate our metabolism, including blood sugar and insulin levels. Without adequate sleep, we can gain fat and develop diabetes. Sleep also aids in memory formation and recall, and helps us think, learn, and make better decisions. Most people need...

Welcome back to my daily journal! Today's lesson from PN is a new habit where we create and use a sleep ritual. It's all about understanding three important facts about sleep. First, good sleep is essential for a healthy, strong, and fit body. Second, good sleep doesn’t just happen magically. Third, you can usually get better sleep by making it a priority and building good sleep habits. They talked about how we often try to go from being wide awake to sleeping immediately after a busy day. The key to a smooth transition is a sleep ritual—a set of behaviors signaling to the brain that it's time to calm down and prepare for sleep. This is crucial because while I can’t control the exact amount or quality of sleep, I can control my sleep behaviors. What is a sleep ritual? A sleep ritual helps me transition from being awake to falling asleep. It tells my brain to stop thinking about the to-do list and focus on winding down. This is especially important when dealing with small ch...

Hi again, welcome back to my daily holistic journey that I am on. Look for the Good Stuff When people do a food journal, they usually look for "bad stuff" (whatever they think that is). Today’s lesson encouraged me to focus on the "good stuff" and "bright spots." Reflecting on my food journal, I found moments when I had a Meal of Awesome. Even one conscious, thoughtful choice when it could have easily been a mindless, poor one, is a win. Preparation, routines, and having a Plan B made these choices easier. Going forward, I’ll aim to do more of the things that are already working for me. What's Up Next Week Next week brings a new habit: creating and using a sleep routine. This habit aims to improve overall well-being by ensuring quality rest. I actually feel like my sleep routine has evolved during this program and most nights I have no issue falling asleep and am excited to see what they talk about. Reviewing my Photos Reviewing my food records from th...

New Worm Farm Today, we picked up the red wiggler worms for our new worm farm. The woman who sold them was incredibly helpful, offering tips for the best possible start. She even included some of the bedding and castings, which will help the worms acclimatize to their new bin. Seeing her worm farm in the kitchen and noticing it didn't smell at all was reassuring. I have ours set up in the kitchen for now, and I'm relieved to confirm that there shouldn't be any odors. Vermicomposting has nothing but good things when it comes to gardening and houseplants so I am really looking forward to not only diverting the food from the green bin program but having faster compost compared to my regular bin outside. I have already had someone offer to take some of the castings off of my hands for their gardens so clearly this is something that people are interested in and use locally. She also introduced me to laughing yoga, which I had never heard of before. It sounds like a fun way to co...

Today's lesson was a lot of review, but it reinforced important concepts. The focus was on recognizing how different foods make us feel, which is crucial for understanding our reactions and improving our eating habits. I found it enlightening to see how my food choices impact my well-being, even though the habit of food journaling can feel overwhelming. However, I've noticed positive changes like fewer IBS symptoms, better sleep, and consistent energy levels since doing my best to eat following the PN habits. Basics of Reviewing Food Journals We revisited the basics of what to look for in a food journal food quantity, food quality, staying consistent with PN Coaching habits and principles. I am looking forward to the end of this habit. I don't think that it really has helped me in the way that it could and I would like to try it again at a later date. Food and Feelings The lesson emphasized paying attention to how foods make us feel, focusing on food intolerances and trigge...

Understanding Food and Feelings Today's lesson was all about understanding how food makes you feel. We revisited the basics of what to look for in a food journal: food quantity, quality, and consistency with PN Coaching habits. But today, we dug deeper into how specific foods might affect us physically and emotionally. This is very similar to a few of the discussions that we have had in the live sessions previously and is also covered in the Intuitive Eating book so it felt very familiar. See my Intuitive Eating book review and how it compares to PN here.  Food Allergies and Intolerances Food allergies and intolerances can cause a range of symptoms, from mild itching to severe anaphylaxis. The lesson also talked about food intolerances, which are much more common and can cause digestive issues, skin problems, and mood changes. Keeping track of these reactions in our food journal can help identify patterns. I'm sure that because I have changed to eating a lot of whole foods and ...