Do you need a snack…of water?

I ask myself that all the time now, thanks to the vision quest.

Four days of drinking only water shifted some things for me, as did four days of having nothing but a journal, sleeping bag, myself as a party of one (good company btw) and this phone to take photos (no mobile coverage 7,000 feet up, but I did have soul coverage, so I was pretty well-connected the whole time). 

While up there, I got my energy from the rituals and routines I created every day, from meditation, journaling, napping, from ideas and altars I came up with, from praying, taking ample time to look at, smell and connect with nature (boy, did I have ample time…I hopped from sitting under one tree, to another, then another and another), and definitely from the water I drank (three liters worth over the four days).

Water has always helped me with headaches, or to simply slow down ~ being more mindful of the moment I’m in by drinking a little more and a little more and all slowly. 

But recently, I’ve felt it help with better health, energy and overall wellness through better digestion (read: resting my gut).

Instead of snacking on nuts, fruit or a bar a couple times or few times a day, as I used to when I thought I was hungry (I now realize 85% of it was out of habit, rather than true hunger or a “need” to eat), I now drink water (all the while, making sure that my three meals are enough and healthy, balanced sustenance for the day and they are. I’m satiated now in a way I wasn’t before adding even more vegetables and healthy fats). 

All the natural or hidden sugar in our snacks (and meals) that cause us to want more sugar and more snacks is a big piece of this entire discussion, as well. 

We’re definitely led to believe that our metabolism needs flowing food all day or that it’ll slow down, too. But, truly, when do our guts rest?  Just like everything else, they need it. 

And, as importantly, how can we live, move and love more mindfully, stopping to ask way more often, what we are actually truly hungry for?

Because so much of the time, it’s genuinely not food —instead, it might be a change of pace, a job transition, a deeper feeling of purpose, being better seen inside our closest relationships, adventure and on and on it can go like that…
 
Being more aware of the blanket prescriptions made to the masses from those *out there* who don’t know who you are *in there* ~ gut and health-wise, as well as from a soul or emotional level, is also key.

Just because we hear that metabolism slows as we age, doesn’t mean that for us eating all day long is right (and sure, there are medical or other reasons to eat more often, as I did during acute gastritis for a time, where smaller and more frequent meals were best), but, most of the time, we’re not actually stopping to check in to ask or feel what’s right for us.

Instead, we’re moving fast to buy the next supplement, hopping into the next diet or eating the next cool bar on the market, without thinking and researching what’s best for us ~ the physical *and* emotional *and* spiritual-bodied US.

Talking to professionals who have taken the time to get to know you, in addition to *you* knowing you, to come out the other end with the best prescription for health and wellness, is part the prescription, too (speaking with those who have daily practice and knowledge around all of the above has been important over the years and definitely post vision quest after feeling the positive effects of the extended water fast, wanting to find out even more around why this had such a positive impact on me). 

As I’ve shared before, it was an honor to be up there alone, it really was (not to be confused, of course, with being lonely, because that I was not). 

I loved it. 

And the benefits of all nine days, but most definitely of the four, keep showing up (anxious to take my clients out on their first day-long or mini quests). 

Tonight, slow down — close your eyes as you eat your dinner and feel the joy of enjoying it differently.

Tomorrow in a long moment separate from food, ask ~ what is it that I’m truly hungry for? And while you wait to hear or feel the answer, have that snack of water.

Interested in doing a mini quest with me soon? Let me know and I’ll send you the info once it’s complete. 

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

As women we sometimes shy away from printing or showing photos like these because, well, we always think there’s something to fix, filter or crop from our bodies, but I ran across this one from our December trip yesterday and loved it (again) for it all represents…

Our bodies (and the body of work known as our life) are beautiful because they’re ours and they’ve helped us get many places, learn (and re-learn) many things and do many things while experiencing our many senses…

To me, this photo, more than anything screams, “Look, look at ALL this life we get to live, the miles we get to traverse daily to make the best of each day, relationship, perceived problem and opportunity, looook and look closely and precisely…look again and again, don’t take anything you have emotionally, physically or spiritually for granted because it was all granted specifically to you in exactly the way it was to uniquely DO, BE and FEEL with — plus you likely worked hard for those emotional, physical and spiritual gifts.”

We have these bodies on lease to us for a time, we can’t hold onto them forever, so, do, be, be, do, be, be, do, do (and stop being so shy about sharing who you really are, what you truly think or what you really look like).

As an Indian proverb says, let’s die while we’re still alive! 

#creativeheroine
#brandofwoman
#visionquester

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

Two things are responsible for the peace felt inside self and inside my relationships…

1) Working to find the higher or highest truth, regardless if I’ll find that I’m “right” or not 

and

2) Speaking my truth/using my voice to speak to my values, beliefs or boundaries (in love).

Love is always working through each.

What makes you feel genuinely good and how can you do more of that? 

How is love working through YOU?

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

CLICK VIDEO

Twenty two years ago we were on a “I wouldn’t want you to think I was asking you out FOR Valentine’s Day, but why don’t you come over and I’ll make you dinner ON that day” date (he actually said that — or similar).

It was a fabulous night, complete with a kiss by the sink as I helped wash dishes — all minus the dance and the goof, but, don’t you worry, that came quick, ha.

Today, we’re more direct (and even more goofy) and much of it is because so much real love and life has happened that’s helped to bond us and motivate us to keep turning on the light (saying yes to personal or individual growth being 🔑).

This was fun to do last night (turned on the camera with no plan for how the dance would go, but did try to learn the lyrics (it’s Love Never Felt So Good by MJ & JT, in case it got muted by FB in some countries) a couple nights ago—if you make it to the end of the video, you’ll see a clip of us trying to do that before bed) AND — I love that we’ve also seen each other through all the days that make you weak at the knees, either because you’re weakest at the moment (weak knees) or you’re the one carrying the weakest (also weak knees).

That he knows the full, real me (part of her is here in this video) and that I genuinely know the real him (ditto) is a privilege, life-affirming, even creative.

It’s all real —

I’ve seen him throw up in a planter when the news of my brother was shared with us that early morning in Miami, he took extra time off work to help me weather post-partum depression while living overseas (rough seas for this new mama), I‘ve seen him through three job losses, he’s been there while I grew confused and stuffed some of my grief, or throughout the many new and painful normals in my family (still going), through me texting or calling him at work (again and again) telling him how I almost accidentally called my Mom again or how much I was pained that day by my family unit deteriorating after the deaths…I’ve seen how quiet he gets when he’s worried about his Dad’s health and how deeply it pains him to have to make tough decisions that affect people he appreciates because of financials at work (again, how quiet he gets)…we’ve seen each other sweat before, during and after eight moves with two being international, as well as throughout 10 years of not knowing what was wrong with Nolan neurologically in sleep or with my arm or his heart incident or or or…

(And that’s it) You can create what you want to be part of at every unexpected shuffle OR leave it up to chance, to the wind, to…?

As with all couples, everything from that first San Francisco date to the dance here to the stained cry face or faces, to the impatience because of grief, the stress because of having a job or not having one or any other bruised or skinned knee situation, is real and real love.

It’s not solely the sweet (or sweet-looking), but the sweat that is worthy of being touched or of being looked at with a smile, again and again — and of being talked about more, given a platform to stand on, both publicly and privately…

It’s ultimately what feels most healing (because it’s honest), what feels bonding & sexy (ode to shared vulnerability), and what feels purposeful (because diamonds ~> formed under pressure).

💦❤️💎💃🏽

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur