The golden hour painted the Kansas sky in shades of soft apricot and rose. I took it all in from my porch—barefoot, grounded, present. Rabbits hopped through the grass, my dogs snored gently nearby, and a quiet breeze kissed my skin. The world felt still. Full. Alive.

And so did I.

It’s strange how peace sneaks in—not loud or sudden, but steady, like muscle definition showing up after years of hard work. You don’t always notice the changes in real time. But when you do… it’s undeniable.

Rewriting What “Healthy” Really Means

For years, I believed I was living a healthy life. Meal prepping. Lifting weights. Avoiding fast food. From the outside, it looked consistent. But beneath it? There was no true structure. No deep intention. I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I rotated body parts—quads and calves, back and biceps, chest and triceps, glutes and hamstrings. I worked out 4–5 days a week and threw in a random HIIT session when I had the energy. But if I missed a day, that whole muscle group went untouched for a week—or more. I wasn’t tracking reps or sets. I was eyeballing portions and “eating clean” without really understanding what was in my food.

It wasn’t failure. It was just the beginning.

Those years of just showing up were necessary steppingstones. They built the discipline. The habit. The muscle memory. But now, I’ve stepped into a new chapter—one built on education, intention, and internal alignment.

Structure + Intuition = Results

With the help of a personal trainer and a dear friend, I’ve learned why my workouts are structured the way they are. Which body part, which order, how many sets and why. Instead of wandering the gym on autopilot, I’m moving with clarity. I’m building muscle with purpose. I’m fueling my body with food that actually nourishes me—and learning to listen to it more deeply than I ever have.

The bloating that I thought was just “normal” for the last ten years? It’s nearly gone. Once I started being honest with what I was putting in my body—really honest—I realized how much I was ignoring. I went through every cabinet and threw away anything with more than three ingredients or things I couldn’t pronounce. It wasn’t a punishment. It was a release. A decision to stop settling for what didn’t serve me, even in the smallest ways.

The Three-Ingredient Challenge

This month, I’m doing what I call the “Three-Ingredient Challenge.” It’s not a diet. I don’t believe in diets. I believe in nourishment, in lifestyle, in long-term sustainability.

The challenge is simple: choose foods with three ingredients or fewer. It’s about being intentional and transparent with what fuels my body. Not just for physical results, but for energy, for mental clarity, and to test the myth that eating clean is “too expensive.” (Spoiler: I don’t think it is—and I plan to prove it.)

Today, I baked bread from scratch—a tiny little loaf that brought me so much joy. I also tried to make zero-sugar Jell-O. It flopped (thankfully, because the ingredients didn’t pass my personal standard). Small experiments, big impact.

This is about discovering what works for me. Not following a trend. Not chasing an aesthetic. Just listening. Honoring. Choosing.

Strength: Inside and Out

I’ve lost several pounds since starting this structured journey last month, and for the first time, it’s not about the number. The change is deeper than that. My before-and-after photos show the difference physically—but they don’t show what’s happening internally.

I feel strong. Therefore, I am strong.

And I am strong. Therefore, I feel strong.

That muscle definition showing up now is a whisper from the universe: “I see you. All those years of showing up mattered.”

But this strength goes beyond the mirror. It’s mental. It’s emotional. It’s spiritual. And it’s all interconnected.

A Summer of Sacred Self-Connection

I’m in the middle of my sober, celibate, and spiritual summer. I’m writing two books. Starting a third. Earning two master’s degrees. Leading a team. Taking a grant writing certification. Training for a 5K.

This is the busiest—and the most peaceful—I’ve ever felt.

Because this time, everything I’m doing is aligned. And when it’s aligned, even the hard stuff feels sacred.

This evening, as I walked with my dogs under a sky brushed with gold, I thought: Once I reach these goals… then what? And the answer made me smile: Then I set bigger ones. Not out of pressure, but out of love. Out of expansion.

Finding the Home Within

Once you open the door to your inner truth, you can’t close it. You don’t even want to. The door behind you dissolves into the Earth. You no longer need what once held you.

Home isn’t a house. It’s not a job, a relationship, or a number on a scale.

It’s the comfort of knowing who you are.

It’s the stillness that comes from living in alignment.

It’s the warmth of a life you built with your own hands.

This journey—of healing my gut, refining my workouts, cleaning out my pantry, staying sober, and choosing abstinence —is not about control. It’s about liberation.

It’s about letting go of the noise and tuning into the voice that was always there—mine.

✨Quote to Close:

“I feel strong. Therefore, I am strong. And I am strong. Therefore, I feel strong.” -Me

✨Journal Reflection Prompt:

Where in your life do you think you’re being consistent—but might actually be operating from old habits or unconscious beliefs? What small change can you make this week to bring more intention and clarity into that area?

✨Soul Challenge:

Try your own version of a “Three-Ingredient Challenge” for a week. Choose foods with three ingredients or fewer and notice how your body, energy, and mood respond. Document your observations. It’s not about perfection—it’s about awareness.

Choose something that seems small but you want to improve. Soda intake? How many times do you eat out a week? Journal more? Walk daily? Pick something you want to improve and make it happen.

I believe in you!

Always,

Casandra