There are moments in our lives that change us instantly. Those are the moments that are forever frozen in our memory. The day my husband proposed. The day each of our kids were born. The day we bought our first house. And then there are the times when you look at yourself in the mirror and think back to where you were a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago and wonder where *YOU* actually went. You don't recognize the person looking back at you. Maybe you've gained some weight. Maybe you are more cynical or aggressive. Maybe you've seem to have lost your faith in God, in humanity, in yourself. Either way, you have come to a point in the road of life that makes you stop and want to be better. Be more of what makes you, you! That's where I am right now in my life. In a few short months I will be thirty. Where did the time go? All of a sudden I find myself wanting more of me. In many ways I view myself as a martyr for my family. I suck it up and give my time, my patience, my energy, my resources to two tiny humans and one incredibly handsome man. I cook the things *they* like to eat. I go the places *they* like to visit. It's just been recently that I've started to discover things that *I* like to do and it's time to spend a little more energy on me. By loosing myself, I am loosing what makes me a good wife and a good mother. If I want my daughter to grow up being a confident, smart, healthy, independent woman I have to be a smart, healthy, confident, independent MOM. And although I cannot instantly change my career or my home or my finances I can instantly change my diet. By focusing on this one small, but incredibly important area of my life I am convinced I can find a little more of me.
But why raw? About a year ago, I met an amazing woman who quickly became a good friend of mine. She is mostly a raw vegan. I admire her strength and her passion and she has taught me a LOT about food and nutrition. She's the kind of friend you feel guilty visiting after having eaten a doughnut for breakfast. Like she will somehow x-ray vision your gut and be disappointed that you didn't listen to her. Actually, she is the most supportive friend in the universe - but so much so that you hate to do anything that might make her not proud of you. Through her I've tried many raw food recipes and loved them. She's given me the names of books to read and documentaries to watch, which I did - and loved them. And it's from those conversations/books/documentaries that I have come to believe in the power of raw foods.
So from Sunday, June 9th until Monday July 8th I will be following a raw diet. Fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds will be my main diet. I will be drinking either water, 100% fruit juice, or smoothies. I have no misconception that this is not going to be easy. Currently I am a diet coke, bread and pasta, Snickers loving. cheese addict. I went mostly vegetarian at the beginning of the year but the past few weeks I've been even cheating on that part of life. I understand the first few days are going to be difficult. But the me I used to be was a fighter. Stubborn. Hard-headed to the extreme. The me I used to be could do this. And that woman is still inside of me somewhere. It's time for her to fight her way back out.
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