I work with a lot of women who come to me genuinely wanting to feel better. And within about ten minutes, we're deep in the weeds. How much protein? How much fiber? What time to eat. Whether oat milk spikes blood sugar. I've written blog posts about all of it because it matters.
But here's what I keep coming back to: none of it matters if you're too overwhelmed to actually do it.
There's a book I love called The One Thing by Gary Keller. The whole premise is simple: stop trying to do everything and ask yourself what's the one thing that, if you did it, would make everything else easier. That's the question I want to bring into how we talk about health. Not what's the perfect protocol. What's the one thing?
Because when life gets complicated (and it will), you need something solid underneath you. Not a perfect plan. A foundation. Something so practiced and simple that even when the wind picks up, you don't blow over.
I'm actually writing this in the middle of one of those weeks. The photo above is me trying to stretch the stress out. Some last minute changes I didn't see coming. Add that to the travel I mentioned last week, add in one more surprise, and suddenly you're chasing your tail. That's real. That happens to all of us.
So here's what I do when things go sideways. Not a 10-step list. Just a few things that cut the noise.
I let go of guilt when things don't go as planned. I've quietly adopted a "shit happens" mentality, and I mean that in the gentlest way possible. Not at myself, not at other people. Just a relaxed, grounded acknowledgment that life moves. It doesn't mean I stop caring. It means I stop punishing myself for being human.
I protect my sleep above everything else. When I don't sleep, everything feels harder.
And I get one good meal in. If things are going off the rails, aiming for three perfect meals is just too much to carry. So I let that go, and I focus on one. Usually a smoothie. Something that feels like it actually loves me back.
Here's my favorite right now. It's simple. It works. Maybe it'll work for you too.
Soul Smoothie The one that just gets me
- 1 scoop XO Jacqui Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 date for more sweetness
- ½ avocado (if you have one on hand)
- Water/Ice to blend
Blend until smooth. Drink it slowly if you can.
That's it. No guilt. No overthinking. One good thing in your body, and you've already done something right.
Have a beautiful end of February. The time change is coming in March, and honestly, it's my favorite day of the year. A little more light goes a long way.
Only do you,
Jacqui