Learning Skills for healthy living

Many changes we make in our lives to be healthier, stronger, and more resilient require certain skills.

Eating healthier requires learning how to shop for real food, how to menu plan and how to cook at home. And cooking is its own beast with all its techniques and methods.

What about exercising. If you want to do more than walking, you have to learn how to use gym equipment and possibly learn how to make a fitness plan. Those are skills!

I think that this is what prevents people from making progress in their health journey sometimes. It can feel overwhelming to feel the need to learn so many things!

Some years I pick something new to learn each month. Other years, I choose a few things to learn over the summer. Some things pop up with urgency that I need to learn right away.

My blog post on homemade yogurt highlights a skill that I've learned to provide healthy yogurt for the fam!

If you don't know where to start or need some help to get started. Here are some ideas!

How to learn new healthy living skills:

1. Know that you can't learn everything at once and if you try, you're very likely to feel overwhelm. This can lead to burn out and frustration, so instead do this:

2. Make a list of things you want to learn - trying to break down the skills into the smallest step possible. (ie: instead of eating healthy, you'll write things such as: shopping for healthy food, menu planning, meal prepping, cooking, etc.) Write out as much as you can think of that you want to learn.

   1. Some things on my current list: using enemas for detox, making sauerkraut, using a greenhouse, gua sha.

3. Here you have 2 choices, depending on your personality, you can choose to start one of these two ways:

   1. choose the option that is the most practical - the one that you know you have time for, the one that your family needs, the one that is most accessible. I admit I often choose practical.

   2. choose the option that is the most fun and interesting to you. The advantage here is that you'll have a good time learning it and be motivated to take the next step.

4. Set a time frame - WHEN you will learn and HOW LONG you need to learn it.

   1. Meal planning might take 6 weeks to really get the hang of. Give yourself plenty of time to make the new skill a true habit in your life.

That's really it! Get a grasp on one new skill and move on to the next!

Homeopathics were very intimidating for me. I still have a lot to learn, but starting with just a few and implementing those first helped me start!

SKILLS THAT HAVE HELPED ME IN MY HEALTH JOURNEY

Learning to make lots of things "homemade" - yogurt, broth, vanilla, granola, marshmallows, kefir, ice cream, hot chocolate, salad dressing, etc.

Learning to preserve food with a dehydrator, freezer and by canning.

Learning how to garden - growing our own veggies and herbs.

Learning how to grow berries.

Learning how to use an Instant Pot! lol!

Learning to menu plan.

Learning to shop for/source healthy food.

Learning to advocate for myself in a doctors office.

Learning to clean with non-toxic products.

Learning to source clean personal care items.

Learning how to reduce allergens.

Learning how to administer natural remedies.

Learning how to support my body (and my family) when we are sick.

Learning to dry brush.

You get the idea right? I didn't learn these all at once! Your health journey is a LIFELONG journey and we should always be learning and growing in our knowledge and skills.

What a great gift to your family all your new skills will be!

Wishing you abundant health,

Melisha