Finding joy in the everyday rituals that make life feel good.
Six years ago, I started making changes to the way I lived. Not because I had a particular number I wanted to see on the scale, or because I was following a new diet. I simply wanted to feel better.
I didn't have some elaborate plan. I wasn't going to change everything I ate, completely overhaul my routine, or give up all the foods I enjoyed. I just started paying a little more attention to my everyday choices.
Funny enough, one of the first places I started was my morning coffee.
I used to add creamer to my coffee, and instead of deciding I could never have it again, I simply started adding a little less. I gave myself time to get used to the difference, then eventually reduced it a little more. Before I knew it, I was drinking my coffee black, and I genuinely enjoyed it that way.
It might sound like such a small thing, but it taught me something I've carried with me ever since: change doesn't have to happen all at once.
From there, I slowly began approaching food differently. I experimented with how I prepared meals, started choosing more whole ingredients, and paid attention to how I felt afterward. Over time, I discovered new flavors, developed different preferences, and found myself enjoying foods I might not have reached for before.
None of it happened quickly. In fact, it's been a six-year journey, and I'm still learning.
Along the way, I've lost more than 50 pounds. But what matters most to me isn't the weight I've lost. It's the relationship I've gained with food and how I feel in my everyday life.
I don't have a list of foods I can't eat. If someone brings donuts into the office and I want one, I'll enjoy it. If we're traveling and come across something wonderful that we've never tried before, I'm not going to miss that experience because it doesn't fit into some set of food rules.
I want to enjoy my life, and food is a wonderful part of that.
These days, I find myself choosing foods based on how they make me feel, how much I enjoy them, and what sounds good. Sometimes that's a meal made with fresh, whole ingredients. Sometimes it's a donut shared with coworkers.
For me, that's balance.
And it's one of the reasons we started The Gathering Cup. We want a place to share our experiences, exchange ideas, and talk about the everyday choices that shape our lives without suggesting there's one right way for everyone.
Because sometimes a meaningful change starts with something as simple as a little less creamer in your coffee.
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