Living in Radiant JOY
The buzz phrase “living your/my best life” gets great traction on social media. Truthfully, it is one of those phrases that annoy many people. (I’m one of those people). These posts often include a blurb about how a company generated enough income for a glamorous resort vacation or a new car. I’m not opposed to utilizing direct sales companies to boost your income or benefit your life, but these posts MISS the bigger picture. When products help you achieve your “best life,” I want to see YOU and hear YOUR journey!
Joy over Jealousy
When I’m living my best life and sharing with others, the goal is not to promote jealousy. Sharing is about the real day-in and day-out struggles we face but focusing on the good. Every stage of life has challenges. What we do with those obstacles determines whether we live our “best life” or only survive.
Open rather than Obnoxious
I do not have a problem with people genuinely sharing their struggles and sharing what helps them. I do have a problem with constant peddling and pushing. If I share a product, I share what it does, and create curiosity. I don’t add “everyone should try this thing” at the end or post a link. I am open with my struggles in every area of my life, from homeschooling to taking care of myself.
Yielding instead of Yapping
Not everyone wants to hear about products, services, or opportunities – and that is OKAY! If you are part of something, your first reason needs to be about what it does for you. When you share your journey, people will get curious when they see your results. Wasting time talking when no one is listening only depletes your energy. Live your best life, despite the obstacles, until you see results.
This picture is from August of 2022. In many ways, I do not like it. In other ways, I love it. This picture represents a starting point for healing. One year later, after significant emotional healing, I started paying more attention to my physical health. Ironically, this started because I had a severe upper respiratory infection and could barely talk, let alone swallow without pain. While boosting my immune system, I also lost a few pounds for the first time in years.
After getting over the infection, I started taking other steps. Dr. Pepper is one of my favorite things, but I over-indulged more than I enjoyed in moderation. Since merely cutting back didn’t work for me, I quit in October of 2023. At first, I missed getting a “pick me up” while my daughter was in ballet class, but not so much now. My other favorite beverage is coffee – and my indulgence is creamer. However, just before the new year, I switched out sugary flavored creamer for heavy cream. I do occasionally get a “frufru” coffee, but for the most part, I’ve stuck with this change as well. My overall philosophy is “If you don’t buy it, you won’t consume it.” Whether it’s junk food or processed food, if it’s not readily available, I don’t have an issue.
Most recently, I’ve been looking at what kind of supplements will best support my health and the health of my family. It’s an exciting journey, full of hope and opportunity. I’m a skeptic when it comes to most health and wellness opportunities. I study ingredients and learn their benefits and risks. I use what I’ve learned about muscle testing to determine what my body needs (and I do this with my children as well). What works for one person may not work for another, and that’s okay. It’s about finding what supports your body.
Living my best life is not about pushing anyone into anything they don’t want to do. Living my best life isn’t about how many cars I buy or vacations I take. Living my best life is about all the people I can reach with my journey. It’s more than hair clips. It’s more than supplements. It’s more than homeschooling. Ultimately, my journey is about glorifying God. Living my best life on earth is about being healthy enough to do the work He has set before me and sharing the gospel with as many people as possible.