I am a right-brained person. I love words, I love literature and I love anything creative. I understand math and science, because, well, my mom raised me to be a good student, but I like to forget as much of it as I can unless it is absolutely necessary. My mind simply doesn’t like to dwell on or think about anything that ends in –ology, which contributes to the explanation of my previous lack of involvement in activism for natural wellness. The phrase natural wellness itself bores me and makes me want to run away.
Because I value being a good citizen, I have always cared about the environment and about the biology of the eco-system, but, my care never translated to action. I avoided conversations about organic choices, dug in my heels of ignorance about global climate change and wrote off activism of any type, that is, until I realized just how much it all actually did relate to me. Previously my brain had been lost in translation, but as a result of one very powerful documentary and one very well written book (see post: http://www.trishblackwell.com/my-new-whole-approach-to-wellness/), I was compelled into change…not because I hadn’t cared before, but because I finally understood the implications of what all of that left-brain talk really meant for me, a right-brain girl just trying to be a good wife, a good mom and a good motivator for my community to be physically healthy. A personal trainer by trade, health and well-being is of the utmost importance to me…but I never wanted to take it to the next level – and I mean the natural level – before, until now.
To help me make the left-brain to right-brain transition, I had to break down the big, hot-topic issues down into over-simplified, juvenile FAQs for myself. As a first time mom, these will ultimately serve as my parenting script for my daughter once she reaches the age where she can actually talk.
These are the questions and answers to why I now prioritize recycling, why I have switched my personal care items and cosmetics to Beautycounter, why I use glass over plastic as often as possible and why I am particular about the cleaning chemicals that get the privilege of entering my home. Use these questions in your own conversations with your children and together we can inspire a generation to make real change that lasts.
Why do we care about recycling?
Because the Earth is sick. We can help her.
Does the Earth being sick make me sick?
The healthier she is, the healthier we will be, so yes, we need to help her.
Is plastic really bad for us?
It’s a hormone disrupter. You’ve seen momma all hormoned-up. It’s not good.
Why do my hormones matter?
Our hormones dictate our happiness, the way our body regulates itself, our metabolism and our overall development. They’re kind of a big deal, like someone really famous who has a lot of power.
Doesn’t our skin protect us from the bad stuff?
Our skin is our largest organ, and it’s actually very, very thin. God made it that way so we can absorb stuff like sunshine and happiness through it. That also means that the bad stuff can get it – and there didn’t used to be so much bad stuff, but now there is, which is why we need to be careful about what we put on our skin.
How much does the skin absorb?
It’s hard to put a number on this, but the best answer is that our skin is very thirsty. It likes to drink and soak up anything we rub into it, so yes, it takes in whatever lotions (ahem, masked chemicals) we might put on it.
Does what we do matter? Will it actually make a difference?
Yes, my love. Every small thing you do that is good for you, good for the Earth and good for someone else matters. It always does.
I’m eager to make changes to areas of my life where I have been lacking, and this – being cognizant of what I put on and around my body and on and around my family – is huge. Now that I know better, and truly understand the why behind why I should care, I have the ability to make smart – and safe – consumer decisions about the products I use to create the environment in which my family lives. I may not be able to control the chemicals I am exposed to in daily life outside of my home, but I can control what products go directly on my skin and my body.
I have dedicated myself the past ten years to helping others grow in confidence about their internal environments – confidence about what they put into their body, confidence about how they feel about their body and confidence about what they think about themselves and about life. Now I am compelled to think about confidence in a new capacity: I am compelled to have more confidence in the environment outside of my own body. As I journey to claim more confidence in this area of my life, I invite you to join me in the journey. Let us be conscientious about not just how we move our body, but about what we put in, on and around it.
I am proud to announce that, as a result of all of my new wellness revelations, I am now confidently partnering with Beautycounter for all of my self-care products and am a proud Beautycounter educator and consultant.. To learn about the products I now put on my body with confidence, learn about my new love forBeautycounter at www.trishblackwell.com/beautycounter . (And if you want to partner alongside me – to be mentored by me and to work with me to make a difference educating others – as I partner with Beautycounter then send me an email at trish {at} trishblackwell.com for more information with the subject line: “I want to be on your team!”)
