Better Than We Found Them

What if our purpose is merely to leave people and places better than we found them…❤️

I once found myself doing a few simple tasks that should have been a basic part of life but instead began to ignite embers of resentment in my heart.

I had just spent some time inside of our home fixing a few things and then moved on outside to tackle a real mess of a weed situation.

With each yank of a wretched tendril another seemed to appear before my eyes. Medusa’s never ending snakes seemed to be the ground with which I was working and suddenly the nastiness of her was in my heart. I found myself thinking, “could we ever live somewhere that starts out beautiful instead of always a place that needs to be rescued?!”

And then “she” appeared before my eyes.

I pictured the previous home we’d been in.

Rescuing Our Home

I imagined her old and depleted. Her feelings of being forgotten hung with every worn wall and broken hinge.

I felt her ache and depression; unneeded, unwanted, empty and ugly.

And then I saw us.

My little family happily working with small children running here and there as we gently began to love her.

Moving walls and brightening her shadows.

Lifting smudges and beautifying her surroundings with a few more plants here and a little weeding there.

Suddenly she was awakening. She began to straighten herself up when we were around, standing a little taller and almost giving in to a smile and giddiness as the children laughed and played.

Soon enough the gray shadows of nothingness were replaced with confidence and purpose.

There she was, loving us as we were loving her.

She had purpose once again and all because a little family showed her that she still had life left to live and something wonderful to become and offer.

Leave People and Places Better Than You Found Them

My heart completely softened as the sentence rang through my mind and heart with such clarity as the sun breaking forth through the morning haze:

What if your purpose is merely to ❤️Leave people and places better than you found them.❤️

What if that’s what it means to keep your covenants?

What if that’s your noble duty on earth?

People and places… better than you found them. ❤️

READ: Better Than We Found Them

We explore some myths around dyslexia and the strengths of dyslexic thinking

Many of us know dyslexia as a learning difference, something that typically affects reading and writing. And while this is true, this is only part of the picture. Dyslexia affects the way we process information, including what we see and hear as well as organisational skills. There are also strengths to be found, particularly in design, problem-solving, creative skills and communication skills.

These skills can often be overlooked, however, “Because our brains process information differently, we sometimes struggle with certain things that others may find easy.” explains Kate Griggs, author, and founder and CEO of charity Made By Dyslexia. “These things are often the skills that we are assessed on, or which people generally link to intelligence.”

“This can make us feel as if we’re not as smart as others, and it can make others think that, too. For example, 89% of dyslexics struggle with spelling and grammar, but we are often brilliant writers and communicators.”

Kate notes that when spelling or grammar mistakes are made, others can be quick to highlight it, calling out those with dyslexia as ‘careless’. “It’s hardly surprising that three out of four dyslexics hide their dyslexia from their employers.”

When people focus on these areas, it’s easy to miss the skills dyslexic thinkers can bring, especially in the workplace. “Dyslexic thinking skills are the soft skills that every workplace is looking for,” explains Kate.

Dyslexic thinking skills are the soft skills that every workplace is looking for.

Dictionary.com defines dyslexic thinking as ‘an approach to problem-solving, assessing information, and learning, often used by people with dyslexia, that involves pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral thinking, and interpersonal communication’.

Kate's charity, Made by Dyslexia has produced two reports with global organisation EY that map dyslexic thinking skills with the World Economic Forum’s top 10 skills for the future. Based on these reports, LinkedIn has now added dyslexia thinking as a skill.

“Research shows us that the top 10 skills needed in the workplace are dyslexic thinking skills. Made By Dyslexia’s Dyslexic Dynamic Report with Manpower found that, by 2025, half of jobs will be done by machines, and the half that will be done by humans, require dyslexic thinking skills, concluding that dyslexic thinking can fill the global skills gap.”

Kate shares that dyslexia makes people very good at certain things, and very bad at others which means many discover their dyslexic thinking skills early. This leads to lots of practice, making those with dyslexia experts.

“For us to lean into our superpowers and delegate our

Sharing the details about the upcoming Dr. Cabral EquiLife 7-day detox I’ll be doing along with my community. If you’d like to join in, check out the details below! You can also click here and use FITNESSISTA20 for 20% off. 

Hey hey! Happy Wednesday! I hope you’re enjoying the week so far. The Pilot is off work today (wahoo!) so I’m looking forward to F45 and brunch together, and also recording a podcast episode for this blog post.

I’m about to head into another round of the EquiLife 7-day detox, and I’d love to invite you to join in on the fun. October is the perfect time for a lil kickstart and reset.

When you hear the word “detox,” you might immediately be turned off and rightly so.

A lot of detoxes are…well, terrible.

They’re not designed with a purpose, and the main goal is to drink (often sugary) liquids for a few days before resuming your life. I’ve done some juice cleanses with popular brands in the past. I usually didn’t last very long, and they typically left me feeling worn down, depleted, and hangry.

This one is entirely different. I’ve done it previously with amazing results, and I’m pumped to do it again. My body has been craving a bit of a “reset.” I’ve been enjoying sugar and processed foods more frequently than usual lately, and I’ve noticed a dip in my skin’s appearance and my energy levels. It’s time to kickstart my way back into my typical, sustainable habits with this little boost.

I’m going to be starting on October 17th and would love to do this as a community if you’d like to join in! (It would be so amazing to see 250 friends doing this and supporting each other along the way!) 

7-day Dr. Cabral EquiLife Detox:

Here’s more about this 7-day detox:

– It’s a liver-based detox to help reset your body, provide a break from digesting heavy foods, and potentially help your body eliminate toxins that we accumulate from our environment. It includes functional medicine ingredients and Ayurvedic herbs to support phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification.

– It’s nutrition-focused. It includes the POWERHOUSE Daily Nutritional Support powder (which I’ve had in my smoothies for the past couple of months and notice a difference in how I feel when I drink this smoothie), and meal guidelines for the remaining meals. The goal is to NOT have your body depleted of nutrients during the process.

– It can potentially help with weight loss (although that’s not a focus for me), along with anti-aging, and total body wellness. 

– It’s only 7 days! When I first started working with a naturopath (back in the old days! It was like 2010), he had me do a month-long detox that was similar in format

There are many factors that contribute to how someone might experience the menopause. This menopause awareness month, we’re taking a look at how you can support your body through this life stage

The menopause is a natural stage in life for women and people who have had periods where their hormone levels lower and their reproductive organs stop working. This typically happens between the age of 45 and 55, though it can happen earlier or later for some. You reach menopause when your periods have stopped for 12 months.

Menopause and perimenopause can be an extremely difficult time for those going through it. It often comes with hard-to-manage symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot and cold flushes and sleep problems. These symptoms can not only affect your physical health but can also take a toll on your mental health and wellbeing, your energy, work and your relationships.

Everyone will experience menopause differently and may have other symptoms, which can make it a tricky thing to manage. Often, HRT is given to treat the symptoms of the menopause. There are, however, some other remedies that you can try to support your body and mind during this time.

Menopause and sleep

According to the UK Parliament Survey, eight in 10 women report having trouble sleeping during the menopause. The constant fluctuating of body temperature can play havoc with getting a good night’s sleep. To sleep well, we ideally need our body temperature to be around 18 degrees or slightly lower. Hot flushes and night sweats caused by changing oestrogen levels disturb this, so the key to getting some shut-eye and wake feeling rested is to try and manage your temperature at night.

Tips for keeping cool:

• Have a cold water bottle or ice pack wrapped in a cloth and keep this close to you in bed.
• Try sleeping with a fan on. To optimise cooling even more, try placing a bucket of ice in front of it for the fan to circulate the cold air.
• Sleep with a window open to avoid a stuffy bedroom and improve air circulation.
• Take a cool shower or bath right before you go to bed.
• Wear cotton pyjamas to absorb night sweats and help cool you down faster.

What you consume can also support healthy sleep:

• Foods rich in phytoestrogens such as soy, oats, berries, flaxseeds, apples, lentils and rice can help mimic oestrogen which may help minimise your sleep disturbance.
• Try consuming “cooling foods” like carrots, watermelon and cucumber. These will all help to cool down your internal body temperature.
• It’s true what they say about a glass of warm milk right before bed. Whether you go for a soy or dairy option, warm milky drinks can support deeper sleep.
• To reduce night sweats, try consuming more foods that are rich in omega 3, such as fish and avocado.
• Drinking a cup of camomile tea has also been known to support relaxation for a better night’s sleep.
• Things to avoid eating and drinking include alcohol, caffeine, sugary and spicy foods. All these can inhibit sleep.

Menopause and exercise

Although exercising won’t alleviate your symptoms altogether, it can help you to better cope.

Yoga is a great way to work with your chakras (your energy centres) to help r

Tender green beans, baby potatoes, smoky bacon, and sweet onions are perfectly combined in this irresistibly classic southern side dish.

Southern Green Beans

It goes without saying we are a meat and potatoes kind of family. Adventurous eaters with tastebuds that favor the southwest, but put a classic, filling meal on the table and my crew of boys are ready to dive in

I served these Southern Green Beans and Potatoes along with our favorite Crispy Oven Baked Chicken. It was the perfect pairing, because the chicken finished cooking just as the potatoes were tender. The meal was a hit with my whole family.

When my friend Melissa (of Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen) told me she was writing a cookbook, I told her I wanted to be first on her list to review it. When I received my advance copy I couldn’t stop flipping through it and drooling over everything.

The cookbook, Melissa’s Southern Kitchen, was released a few years ago and you can find it here on Amazon or countless other retailers. I have loved cooking so many of the family recipes that she shared.

Whether you are looking for a full Sunday dinner or a casual weeknight supper, there is a recipe here for every occasion.

With recipes like Melissa’s unforgettable Buttermilk Fried Chicken, BLT Macaroni Salad, Pecan Praline Baked Brie, and so many others, I have had a lot of fun trying these recipes.

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