Peace out 2019! I can’t believe it! We’re just a few short hours away from a new year AND a new decade.

A lot sure has happened this year! In 2019 I finished my plant based nutrition through Cornell, started a podcast, began coaching clients, traveled, painted, ate so much delicious plant food, & met so many new inspiring friends. ⁣⁣⁣Thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this journey!
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Now what about this decade? The past 10 years have been quite the ride. At the start of it I was super green, having only been out of college a few years. In 2010 I bought my first house, got my first pet that was truly mine, and met my future husband. In the span of the decade I started my own business, got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, got married, got super sick, lost my first born fur baby, spent years trying to heal myself, said goodbye to both my grandmothers, learned all I could about nutrition and holistic health to try and heal, and then eventually succeeded & healed myself! From there I realized a new passion for health, wellness, plants, animals, & the environment that I could never have dreamed of. I wanted to share my story and knowledge with others in hopes that it could help and so The Refined Hippie was born! ⁣
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This decade has been a roller coaster of love, loss, & rebirth. I’ve grown, changed, and learned so much, all the while staying true to myself and becoming the person I was destined to be. I’ve let down barriers and become more vulnerable than I ever imagined. Was the pain and trauma worth it? Absolutely. It’s shaped me into who I am today. I’ve shed so many tears from pain and the thought that my life was over, but I was wrong. Nothing is finite. We are always growing and changing and I’m thankful for the growth I’ve experienced over these last 10 years. I’m also excited to see what the coming decade has in store! ⁣How have you changed this decade and what about you looking forward to in the New Year!?

Below are just a few pictures from this past decade.

The two pictures above show the intense difference a few years can make. The photo on the left was taken a month after being in the hospital. I lost 20 pounds, wasn’t absorbing any nutrients, very skinny, and very self conscious. Negative thoughts swirled in my mind and I thought I would never heal, never have a “normal” life again. The picture on the right is a few months ago. Healed, happy, and thriving. I’ve gained back all the muscle mass I had lost and more. I was able to not only heal my physical body, but my mind and spirit as well.

Don’t ever believe you can’t heal! I am living proof of the power of plants, positive thoughts, and, as cliche as it may sound, never giving up!

Cheers to new decade of health, happiness, and growth! See you next year!

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