The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude is a very powerful tool that helps us appreciate the joys in our lives and find new ways of looking at our struggles.  With every challenge, lessons can be learned and feeling grateful for these lessons is an empowering way to find the sweet among the sour. When I first began looking at life this way, everything changed.  I swapped out my victim mentality for a more empowering outlook, which catapulted me forward.  Lots of people get stuck in a limiting way of thinking, where the world feels big, mean, and scary and they're left defenseless.  I used to think this way until I discovered how freeing it was to be thankful for the hard pills I had to swallow and to learn from each painful gulp.

Now, gratitude is part of my everyday life, especially when times are tough.  Being grateful helps me reframe hardships into something positive, something I can build off of and learn from, which allows me to cope, heal, and move forward.  It also helps me reflect on the people and things that enrich my life, giving me an opportunity to share my love and appreciation.  The more we take the time to generate positivity, the better this world will be.

That being said, I want to express my gratitude to two very special people in my life.  My sister and our dear friend, Ashley, are huge sources of love, laughter, and fun in my life.  They were there for me while I was making my dreams a reality and were instrumental in the creation of Sage & Spry.  Ashley took on developing my beautiful logo and both of them were a constant source of feedback, advice, brainstorming, love and support.  I could not have done this project without them.  Thanks, ladies, for supporting my quest to find a vehicle for my passions. I love you both to pieces!! xoxo

Connect to the Source: The Bee's Knees

The Bee's Knees

Unfortunately, we live in a society where it is all too easy to be detached from our food supply.  This is our nourishment, our bodies, our survival and we're completely disconnected.  This detachment gives birth to ignorance and a lack of responsibility and accountability.  There is some pretty nasty stuff being done to our food and it continues because we're ignorant of it and turn a blind eye.  Now, I'm not going to concentrate on that stuff because, as you will learn, I am firm believer in focusing on the positive.  Let's steer our energy away from the problem and put our efforts into the solution.

This last weekend I had the opportunity to accompany my good friend, Natasha, when she acquired her very first bees.  This was a perfect example of getting connected to the source.

The great thing about beekeeping is that the fruits of that labor go way beyond honey and beeswax. Bees are an essential part of nature and Natasha is passionate about doing her part to support their existence.  Not to mention the lessons learned just by interacting with bees.  They have an amazing system of survival and their keen senses require people to be calm and peaceful in their presence.  It's a beautiful thing to be apart of and to witness achieving a zen state in an extremely intimidating situation.  Powerful spiritual exercise, check!

I'm not asking you to go all Tom Hanks in "Cast Away" and you don't have to run out and buy some bees, but anything we can do to get more connected to the source of our food, the better choices we will make.  If everyone was aware of exactly what went on with our food from beginning to end, I guarantee we'd make choices that are better for our bodies and better for this earth.  This doesn't have to be super inconvenient; start anywhere that interests you.  Look in to visiting local farms and dairies, ask questions at the local grocery store or food co-op, check out a farmer's market or take charge of your own food supply by gardening or raising chickens.  There's a level of pride and gratitude that comes with putting faces to the people and animals who help feed you.  Even more so when you produce your own food. Enjoy the benefits of supporting people you believe in and the earth you live on.  Your food will taste and feel better, trust me.

WATER!

First of all, yes, I'm aware that my water bottle is OBNOXIOUS. No, it's not convenient. Yes, I need to use two hands to drink.  Yes, it's a dangerous thing to drop. It's 65-ounces, making it one-ounce heavier than a half-gallon. So, why'd I get it?  Because I love water and want to carry as much with me as possible.  I seriously get water separation anxiety.  Whenever planning any sort of adventure, I want to know that I'll have access to restrooms (or the woods) and water, everything else can be figured out.

If you ask me any sort of health advice, likely, the first thing you'll hear me say is, "are you drinking enough water?"  Dehydration is one the most misdiagnosed and easiest to remedy conditions out there. Thirst can manifest itself in so many ways, which is why the first thing I like to do when working with people is to make sure they're drinking enough water.  Only once they're properly hydrated am I able to assess their health.

One of the reasons we're often dehydrated is because we aren't really aware of how much we're suppose to drink.  We've all heard the "drink eight, eight-ounce glasses a day" thing, but that doesn't really make sense.  Why would the same amount apply to people of various sizes?  I was taught, and it's been my experience, that we should drink half our body weight in ounces of water daily.  For example, a 180-pound person would require 90-ounces of water daily, increasing your intake if you've been physically active that day.  We don't realize how much water we lose daily through perspiration, breathing and elimination.

Keep your bodies happy and support it as it works its ass of for you!  See how drinking the right amount of water changes your life.

Let's start at the very beginning...

My Story: My name is Angie Cherrette and I'm a 27-year-old Wellness Professional.  I didn't choose this career path, it chose me.

Being sick and tired are two things I am very familiar with.  I spent more than twenty years of my life suffering with allergies, chronic ear infections, frequent illness, depression, anxiety and fatigue. As well as battles with drugs, alcohol, self-harm and eating disorders that stemmed from anxiety and depression.

When I was in college I was already taking four prescription pills daily in addition to weekly allergy shots and a dependency on nasal sprays.  Not to mention the over-the-counter medications I took to counteract pain and cold and flu symptoms.  My battle with depression and anxiety had taken quite a toll on my social and academic life.  Overcoming fear was a daily battle, my sinuses were always bothering me, I was taking two, three, sometimes even four naps a day and I kept gaining weight.

I had no concept of what being healthy felt like and had no idea where to begin.  I did what I was led to believe was good for me: drinking more than enough milk, eating only canned and frozen food that was deemed "healthy" or "nutritious," and buying into whatever "healthy" fad diet was popular at the time, but yet I felt miserable.

Fed up, I was determined to find a better way to live.  I began experimenting with folk remedies and saw instant results.  This motivated me further.  I knew I needed more information, but didn't know where to get it.  My research led me to Sky Hill Institute of Wholistic Healing Arts where, at 22-years-old, I enrolled in their Wholistic Health Practitioner Program and began my transformation.  I embarked on a challenging, yet immensely rewarding, journey that I continue on today.

Bit by bit, I tackled each part of my life that wasn't serving me and experimented with ways of fixing it or letting it go.  It's been almost six years and the results have been tremendous.  I've lost 50 pounds, gotten off all my medications, let go of my addictions,  and managed my anxiety and depression.  For the first time in my life I am free of allergy symptoms and am active, energetic and happy!  Every year I feel healthier and younger and I can't wait to continue to learn, grow and take myself to new levels of health and happiness.

My philosophy:

I believe that we all possess the ability to thrive and heal.  I feel the most important tools we have in that process are self-awareness and acceptance.  We are complex and unique individuals with physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual patterns that either free or inhibit us.  The more we explore these parts of ourselves, the more we are able to identify and let go of that which holds us back.  It is important we are kind to ourselves during this process as the sooner we accept and love exactly who we are, the easier it will be to adopt habits that keep us happy and healthy.

Then and Now:

Looking back at these pictures reminds me of the girl I used to be.  The girl who didn't feel comfortable in her own skin.  The girl who didn't love herself enough to wear clothes that fit and flattered her.  The girl who almost gave up and stopped trying to feel beautiful.  The girl who was afraid to let herself shine and be seen.  The girl who felt trapped in her own body and mind.  It is good for me to look back and see just how much I've grown since then and it inspires me to continue.  I wonder what I will see in six more years when I look back and see these "now" pictures.

What to expect:

I want to share with you some of the things that have helped me the most on my journey and my latest experiments and discoveries.  Hopefully, this blog will act as a source of inspiration, connection, knowledge, and empowerment.  I want to show you that, even when life isn't easy, it can still be fun.  Enjoy your life and your journey as you open your eyes to a new way of living.  Laugh with me, or at me, as I stumble along on my unique wellness path.  Stay tuned...