Getting older is not always easy, especially when you begin to become aware of your health declining. My digestion hasn’t been very good for quite some time and I also started having trouble with elimination. My insomnia has also worsened over the years and I seemed to get stuck at the same weight even though I considered myself to be a healthy eater. My skin had also changed, loosing its youthful glow to be replaced by some brown spots that were the result of either too much time in the sun as a kid or my liver wasn’t functioning at its optimum capacity. I realized that I had to take action, so this year I made a resolution to get back to being totally healthy and strong.
In the past I’ve made this same resolution perhaps for 10 years in a row or longer, never succeeding to see it through. But this year something inside of me said, “You’ve got to do this, Michele. It’s time to really prioritize your own wellbeing.” For some people this might be an easy choice to make. Of course we all want to be healthy and feel great, but to actually do what’s needed to get there is a whole other thing – it takes a complete mind shift. I often see this with my own clients. They really want to change their negative patterns, but it’s really challenging for them to change their bad habits when they have been doing this for so many years. We are all mostly the same when it comes to living our lives – we are creatures of habit. No one likes getting out of their comfort zones which have provided us with a comfortably numb life that has not pushed us to choose something greater. It is only when we are faced with a crisis that we are motivated to make the necessary changes. I didn’t want to wait for the crisis, because I knew it was just around the corner. My desire to be healthy and well was such a strong motivation, that this was the impetus for me starting off 2018 with a fire in my belly that couldn’t be snuffed out.
I did some research and found several Pilates studios and within minutes I was on the phone with a lovely Indonesian woman who was offering a special package for private lessons. I immediately said yes. I knew that it would be a long journey to get back into shape, but I also knew that I had to start somewhere. To date I’ve had eight lessons thus far and I can feel my body changing; my curves are getting more delineated and my stomach is flattening. I can also feel my core getting stronger with each lesson. It’s exciting to see the progress but I am also learning so much about my body and what’s required to be truly healthy and strong. I have spent so much time nurturing my Soul and Mind, but I had neglected my body. It has paid a big price but no more.
In addition to strengthening my physical body, I also knew I had to do an internal overhaul. Thus, I booked a 7 day detox program on Phuket so I could have time alone to focus on cleansing all the toxins in my body and learn more about nutrition. I was lucky to find a very professional program that is run by a lovely woman named Michelle, who is from the UK. Through the questionnaires that I answered about my general health, they were able to clearly determine what was going on in my body and which program would suit me best. I agreed that the juice detox would be good for me. This was combined with daily colonics, a variety of cleansing herbs, infrared sauna, inflammation pod treatments and daily massages. I don’t think I have ever had that much pampering in my entire life. I felt truly blessed that I could take this time out for myself and knew that I really needed it. While I really didn’t enjoy the colonics, I could feel the benefit of cleaning out all of my intestines and colon. It amazed me how much impacted waste can be stored in our gut and colon! I was just glad to eliminate it all so that hopefully my system can now function well. I initially decided to do the detox program for my health, but a side benefit was losing 6 kilos. So by the time I left I felt much lighter in both body and mind.
When we detox it effects all aspects of our beings. As we eliminate all the old and toxic waste in our body, our state of mind can completely transform. For some, this can be like turning on the light in a dark room. For the first time one begins to see things totally different. This is our opportunity to let go of unhealthy thought patterns or habits that no longer server us.
So how do we keep our resolve in the face of every day life which can be all consuming or overwhelming? Every day I renew my promise to myself to fully commit to maintaining my health and wellbeing. Every day I remember how crappy I felt when I used to eat junk food or sugary foods and I compare this to how I feel right now. Every day I think of my two beautiful boys who are still young and need me to be around for a lot longer, not as a sick and weak mom, but as a healthy and strong mom who they can enjoy hiking or swimming with. https://thedentallounge.com What is your motivation to be truly healthy? I hope you will do whatever it takes to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
To all of you who have been following my column for a long time and for those who are new, thank you for your readership and for your willingness to open up to new and old ideas that have been presented in my past articles. I look forward to sharing more wonderful tools, interviews and insights with all of you in 2018 and beyond!
For questions or comments about this column, please email: mcempaka@gmail.com.
Michele Cempaka has lived on Bali since 2002. She has been initiated as a Shaman and Reiki Master. She is also a certified Hypnotherapist and Transformational Coach. She offers a variety of trainings and retreats both on and off Bali which focus on personal empowerment and healing. For more information about her upcoming programs, please visit: www.spiritweaverjourneys.com. Copyright 2018 © Michele