As I continue on my journey toward better holistic health and wellness, I have been implementing small changes. Here are some of the recent steps I have taken:

• Quitting my high-stress job: I just resigned from a job that was making me miserable. It’s scary to quit a job in this economy, but the minimal pay and benefits paired with the intense workload were just too much. I’m now on the hunt for a low-stress part-time job that will leave me enough free time to pursue my real interests and passions, so that I can really live my life instead of just working through it.
• Working toward becoming a certified yoga instructor: I have an appointment next week with a studio that offers Yoga Alliance certified teacher training. Once I have the part-time job to pay the bills, I can use the spare time to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga instructor. Most studios have very regimented schedules for teacher training, so I’m grateful to have found one that is both flexible and offers a lot of one-on-one training.
• New vitamins: In addition to the doctor recommended Vitamin D supplement that I take, I have also started taking two new vitamins. Both are from Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code Line; one is a multivitamin for women, and the other is a B-12 supplement. I like this particular line because it is vegan, raw(!), and gluten-free. I just started taking them, so it will probably be a few months before I can tell how well they work.
• No prescription medication: After several years, I am finally off all prescription medications. This means that there are no antibiotics or hormones messing with my system. I’m all-natural!
• Rebounding: I finally invested in my One Lucky Duck rebounder! Rebounding is one of the most fun forms of exercise, and it elevates your heart rate really quickly. It’s also good for you on a cellular level. According to One Lucky Duck, “By combining the forces of acceleration and deceleration, body cells are tricked into believing they are being subjected to increased gravity, which challenges your body’s cells to strengthen.”
• Meditation: Meditation has never come easily to me, but it’s my goal to develop a twice daily meditation routine. Ideally I would like to do it first thing in the morning and right before bed at night. In order to facilitate this, I’ve requested a couple of meditation CDs from the library; I’m hoping to use these guided meditations as a jumping off point to self practice.
• Reading: As I prepare to have more free time on my hands, I’m stocking up on a variety of health books. Right now I’m working on Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness and Quantum Wellness Cleanse, as well as Alejandro Junger’s Clean.
• Saving up for detox processes: I don’t have a lot of disposable income at the moment, but I’m hoping that once I start working again I’ll be able to set aside some money each month for massages and colonics, both of which are useful detox tools. Massages always make me feel great, and are a nice way to release toxins. Colonics usually make me feel pretty crummy, which is a sign that a lot of toxicity has been released. I don’t enjoy feeling bad, but I do enjoy the idea that I’m cleansing myself on a deep, internal level.