WELLNESS

We often think of the notion of “being vain” as a modern invention. However, go back several thousand years in time, and you can imagine the same issues existed for Cleopatra, as an example. But think about it– under all the layers of make-up, hair spray, body cream, shampoo, sunscreen, lip balm and scrubs, WHO ARE WE? Under all the jackets, shirts, ties, skirts, dresses and underwear, WHO ARE WE?

Have you been suffering from chronic fatigue lately? Find yourself tossing and turning at night unable to shut off your brain? Feeling at a low… emotionally, physically or spiritually? Have you lost your appetite? Or are you binge eating from stress or boredom? Been looking for your mojo and can’t seem to find it anywhere?

On October 16, 2006 I had a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, by choice. The story began several years earlier, when I was 26 yrs old, and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I guess this shouldn’t have been too surprising since both my grandmothers had survived their own bouts with breast cancer. My mother had a lumpectomy and underwent several months of radiation and chemotherapy. The whole situation is really somewhat of a blur now. I was living in a different city than my mom, working at my first “real” job and newly dating my husband.

But on a serious note, I’ve just come off a crazy winter. The economy and the Canadian dollar have not been our friends = stress. I started a Blog, wrote a whole book, gave seminars and conferences and headlined the National Women’s Show, sat on the board of my son’s school, volunteered my time to mentor people starting businesses, broke up 15,000 physical fights between my boys, and I am exhausted. I need this sleep in more than you can imagine. So, recently, after much chit chat, the girls that I usually go on a yearly trip with, decided the time was now. So we booked our 3 day getaway last month. Yes, in a couple of weeks, 4 mommas craving a little “me” time will jet off to NYC, The Gansevoort Hotel, Rock of Ages, dinners, coffee at Bryant Park (my favorite NY park), SLEEP INS, mud masks, shopping, and great girls fun. I am counting down the days.

In life there are always undesirable things, so in order to feel better you just need to look at life from another direction. I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day. Faith is the continual demonstration of the strength and wonder of life. A small request: All you are asked to do is keep this story circulating.

And as I lay in bed tonight, I can’t help but think how life changes when you have kids. Before I had kids 6 years ago, I had never stepped foot in a Wal-Mart. EVER.IN.MY.LIFE. I had never stepped foot into a Chuck E Cheese (I had heard of it, but thought it was a cheese shop… for real), or even a Toys R Us for that matter. I’m an only child with no nieces or nephews, so baby gifts consisted of Burberry sleepers and snowsuits from the fancy children’s clothing store. It was all I knew. And then at 28 years old, my life forever changed, as all of our lives do after we push out the basketball growing inside us for 9 months. And I think priorities start to shift. We don’t lose ourselves, (at least we hope we don’t), but things start to take on a different meaning.

Some of you have been suggesting that I do some sort of recipe exchange on the Blog. So what I have decided to do today as a test, with spring in the air, and BBQ season just around the corner, is encourage all of you to add some of your favorite recipes for our readers. This way, if something sounds interesting, you can jot it down, or copy and paste, and voila, you have it! I will add that Shrimp Dish I cooked on Monday night. It’s my mother in law’s recipe, and it’s DELICIOUS! Not very low fat, but very tasty just the same!