We all know the song and dance that comes with this time of year.
“Enjoy the holidays while you can, because January 1st will be here soon!”
We’re bombarded with endless ads for exercise and diet programs, or expensive supplements that promise to fix all of your problems. All pretty dang exhausting, if you ask me.
But what if this year we, just…didn’t give in?
What if we decided to just enjoy the rest of the year and let January 1st come and go, and just be happy and okay? To not continually find an excuse to fix ourselves but instead, treat our bodies and our minds with love and respect?
This idea of not setting big New Year’s Resolutions to lose X number of pounds has been a challenging one for me over the years, but a massively rewarding one. This newsletter was born from that idea; to choose long-term health instead of restriction and dieting, to choose a body that is already deemed good instead of deeming it unworthy and unacceptable, to give myself the freedom to learn about food and health without the guise of trying to fix my body.
Instead, I choose to take better care of myself. And one of the most powerful ways I do that is through journaling.
Journaling is a key factor in my mental health.
This year, instead of choosing a restrictive dieting program, what if you started journaling instead? Early research even shows how journaling can positively benefit those dealing with mental distress, and I’ve found that to be especially true in my own life.
I’ve been consistently keeping a journal from the moment I could pick up a pen. I have 32 full journals sitting at the bottom of my closet, full of memories, hardships, beautiful ideas, and a whole lot of pushing through writer’s block. When I need time to process life, I turn to pen and paper. It has always been a solitude for me. (I mean, I kind of made a career out of writing, so are we even surprised?)
But…at the rate I was going through journals, I realized that I was kind of wasting a lot of paper. I mean, I love a journal, but I don’t exactly love having to carry an extra thing all the time. And while the idea of my future family reading through my journals may seem sweet, honestly, I don’t want them to. It’s not like what I have in there is mind-blowing—it’s me just working through my personal problems.
Long story short, last year I decided to make the switch and go digital. I have been writing a digital journal for six months now, and I absolutely love it! It gives me the ability to easily add pictures, add more pages when my journal “runs out,” and essentially customize it any way I want. Plus…it’s always on my iPad, always with me. And it’s one less thing to carry when I travel.
A digital journal for you—completely free!
So…what if you join me?
I know this isn’t exactly food related. But given that research links the positive benefits journaling has on mental health, and our mental health is certainly connected to our physical health, working through a journal definitely still makes sense for your health and well-being.
And now, you can download a copy of my 2023 digital journal! Happy holidays. 🥰
Setting up your digital journal for the iPad
Save the 2023 Journal PDF into your files
Download the GoodNotes App
Click “New”
Click “Import”
Upload the 2023 Journal PDF
GoodNotes allows you to easily upload images, change the pen size and colors, and scroll through your pages. For a tutorial on how I use this app, watch the short video above.
Setting up your digital journal for the computer
Don’t have an iPad? You can still download the journal and edit the PDF on your computer. I kept the journaling pages blank so you can easily add a text box and type away.
Download the 2023 Journal - Blank Pages
I’ll be taking a much-needed rest.
With just a few weeks left this year, I have decided to take a break until 2023.
It has been such a joy writing for you this year, debunking diet culture myths and learning even more truths about nutrition and our bodies. I’m more than ready to dive into some new topics with you in 2023.
That being said, I’m officially off to spend time with family for the rest of the year, and I want to put my full focus on our time together. So I’ll be taking a break from this space, and will be returning in full force on the first Saturday of 2023.
Thank you for being so supportive of my work. Enjoy the journal, and see you next year! 💛