Switching to a Toxin Free Lifestyle
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
Stay tuned for more parts in this fun series!
Ever read an article or statement about all of the toxins in your products and then got so overwhelmed that you scrolled on by because you just couldn't handle what you read? Like, how on earth do you even begin to fix it? How on earth can you just give up everything you know and love? How on earth do people just change? How do you even educate yourself on ALL of this ridiculousness?
Calm down, my friend. Switching to a chemical free lifestyle is not easy. It's also not something that you just do overnight. Trying to make healthy changes are best done when you take your time and ease into new things. And P.S. -- none of us weird hippies are perfect, I promise.
Some people fear that they are not "natural" minded enough to begin making changes. They fear that it's pointless to use essential oils if they still plan to burn a candle on occasion and they think it's ridiculous to switch their soaps and lotions if they still plan to wear MAC makeup.
I am here to tell you that these are just falsehoods keeping you from making important baby steps. Baby steps that can either do great things for your health alone or baby steps that can one day lead into bigger, grander things. Making healthy changes is done in baby steps, because that's just what we need to start slowly introducing ourselves to a whole new world. For some those baby steps stay just as that, small changes in the modern day lifestyle. For others (many I should add), those baby steps lead to whole lifestyle change for the better.
It can be intimidating when you start hearing about how to read labels, toxic ingredients and how to determine a green wash company from a true natural company. It's intimidating when people read off all of the bad things that your products can do to your health. So intimidating in fact, that you fear how you'll fix it and therefore you never make the jump to actually fix it. When something is scary we often times just shy away from it. This is what so many people do when it comes to healthier living, yet they don't realize that it's really much more doable and enjoyable than they ever thought.
I've seen people cringe at the facts that I share. I've seen people with startled faces when I share certain images or articles that lay it all out there. Yet do all of these people make the switch to a toxin free lifestyle? No. Many of them are just too scared (or perhaps not worried enough about it yet). Many of them are overwhelmed and many of them don't have the support they need to switch. Or many plan to switch one day, but never come back to.
But what happens to the ones who do? I have watched countless people, many who I never would have thought, jump into a lifestyle of trying to reduce their toxins and chemicals. I've seen them start with just a natural cleaner or just some oils and slowly start trying new products. I've been bombarded with messages (which I love) on how TO JUST DO THIS. I've even had a close friend almost ridicule my toxin free lifestyle only to switch months later and ask me about all of the switches I made in my life simply because one day it all just clicked for her.
Friends, chemical free living or toxin free living isn't something you will be perfect at. It's not something that you'll go all in, right away. You'll get scared. You'll feel lost. You'll feel overwhelmed and you'll think this just isn't for you. You may even teeter back and forth between a good, natural soap and that favorite one you used growing up. It's never about being perfect, it's about challenging yourself to do more better.
God wants us healthy. He wants us to treat our body the way it deserves to be treated. To take care of all that he created for us. "Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing" (Ezekiel 47:12). He needs us to do our part. Our children need for us to do our part so we can live long for them and guide them on healthy living as well.
Never think that you can't make the switch to a toxin free lifestyle. You can my friend. One day at a time, you can make slow changes to reduce your chemical exposure. You will likely never obtain some perfect lifestyle and you may even hold onto your vices like Red Bulls and MAC makeup, but the changes that you do make are still less chemicals entering your bloodstream, your respiratory system and so on. It's still changes that are helping you live a longer, more fulfilled life. Usually one change can snowball over into many, many others. And while that may seem daunting and difficult now, one day you will feel the relief of knowing that you're taking care of yourself in the best way possible.
Lead your life knowing that you're doing the best you can each and every day. Challenge yourself daily to make changes. To eat better and to learn more. Stick with the 80/20 rule if you have (80% organic/natural, 20% indulgences). Find like minded people to surround yourself with so that you're learning and growing (shoutout to our community, hey girl hey). If you want a community of support, ours is growing daily and we will help to guide you on this journey!
Give yourself grace and time. Make the jump. Be scared, be clueless and take in the knowledge that seems so overwhelming. Take it one day at a time so you can be another voice in this revolution of telling our modern day culture that we don't want these toxins. Be an advocate for yourself, your body and your family.
Stay tuned soon for more information on switching to a toxin free lifestyle.