Life happened. I just didn't think it would be like this.

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I took an unintended break. Trust me, it wasn't a holiday.

While I'm grateful I had the space, I spent most of it feeling guilty that I should be getting something done. It was more like an "I should be working, but work isn't happening" situation that led to it being a full-on break.

A year ago, I wouldn't have even called it a break. I would have chalked it up to a month of panic.

But as the years progress, I realize how much progress I'm making.

Don't get me wrong, I feel like I just stepped off a wild rollercoaster. My hair is frazzled, I have stressed sweat enough that I smell, and I'm trying to get my bearings straight. 

But I'm back on solid ground. I'm here, and dare I say, I even enjoyed what just happened.

The tools I've built over the last few years are the only things I can account for in this massive shift between living in panic and calling it a break.

The lifestyle disciplines are starting to pay off.

That's the thing about lifestyle disciplines: they don't always feel great, but when push comes to shove, they create a firm foundation to land on. They help you move through life, even when the unexpected happens.

And they're wildly underrated.

Lifestyle disciplines are wildly underrated.

Things like sleeping well, eating nourishing foods, building and leaning on your relationships, developing deeper spirituality (which should be most critical), and moving your body don't sound as sexy or straightforward as the latest diet trends, but you must see the difference.

Lifestyle disciplines help support your life.

Rules control your life.

When the unexpected hits, I promise the rules are the first to go as you just try to keep your head above water. But when you have established disciplines, you crave them because they become a life raft.

Sexy or not, we must talk about healthy disciplines.

For me, the basics of:

• Sleeping well

• Consistently working out / building strength

• Consistent time in prayer and reading

• Healing relationships (and intimacy issues)

• Being in the moment

• Feeding my body well(ish)

Was exactly the support I needed to thrive.

Life isn't about stopping you from jumping (or falling) in the deep end but teaching you how to swim there.

It's a lesson in resiliency that happens because of basic lifestyle disciplines.

This topic foreshadows what you'll learn for the remainder of the year here.

We must build resiliency, not rules, because rules are eliminated when the ship starts to sink (they also stink). The life raft is your lifestyle discipline. It's what you do to support your body regardless of what is happening around you.

And that makes health in your control.

If you're like I used to be, you want to revolt on the word discipline. But I also know we often distorted words, creating faulty definitions and beliefs that lead us in the wrong direction. Like our current definition of health, making you believe health is a destination when it's an action.

The same is true for discipline.

We've been led astray. Discipline is not a dictatorship. It's not a punishment based on rules, regulations, compliance, or enforcement.

Discipline is guidance, growth, training, boundaries, and instruction that birth freedom.

If you're not there yet, don't worry, we'll get there.

For now, I want to offer you a tool that has helped build healthy disciplines over the last few years. A tool of creativity and accountability when it comes to building a lifestyle of health within my mind, body, and soul.

That is the 90-Day Nourished Planner designed exactly for this moment.

It helps you plan your day-to-day activities and emphasizes building lifestyle practices and staying disciplined to follow through. 

In honor of finishing the year strong, grab a 90-day Nourished Planner and start putting your wants to work, making your wishes a reality.

LABOR DAY SALE -> UNDATED NOURISHED PLANNER IS ONLY $17

If I did my 'girl math' correctly, the extra $13 you save means you can snag a bookmark and a pack of sticky notes and still save money.

GET THE UNDATED NOURISHED PLANNER HERE

Next week, a new podcast will be released. It will discuss my current health struggles and wins, what is working well, and what isn't. Inside, I will share my top five disciplines that helped me restore my marriage, relationship with God, and self.

P.S. I'm back on Instagram! I'm keeping the deep stuff devoted to this page and the podcast, but I'll share my everyday journey there. Be sure to follow along!