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Simply Sarena

Simply Sarena

Home | Toxin Free | How To Stay Positive (When Life Really Sucks…)

How To Stay Positive (When Life Really Sucks…)

Healthy Lifestyle, Toxin Free

I’m going to be super real with you all…my life has been a bit of a disaster. I know everyone has their struggles and you can’t compare your struggles to mine and I can’t compare mine to yours. I just know I’ve been through a lot!

All my friends tell me how positive I am and how happy I am despite my life literally falling apart. And I really do think I am a positive person and I’m overall, genuinely happy!

Let me give a run down of my life from the beginning just to give a frame of reference.

Everything was pretty good until high school. I didn’t have many friends in high school, I was super shy, and I was so insecure. I had severe cystic acne which made me even more self-conscious. Click Here to find out how I cleared my cystic acne. I ate lunch by myself my sophomore and senior year (because I only had literally 4 friends and if they weren’t in my lunch period, then I ate by myself.) My senior year, one girl talked the entire table I sat at (which I sat at the end of the table, minding my own business) into getting up and moving to a different table as soon as I sat down. Then she told my sister, who she was friends with, how “funny” it was that she got the whole table to do that to me. High school girls can be so mean!

I made it through and I held out hope that life would get easier. My senior year of college, I started dating my boyfriend CJ. We had a great relationship and we were planning on getting married. Unfortunately, he passed away super unexpectedly. I had no idea what to do…my life completely fell to pieces. (After he passed, I wrote a handful of posts about that. If you go back far enough on this blog, you’ll find them.)

Also, at the time, I was captain on a pro cheer team and about a month after CJ passed, I got the email that this team wasn’t bringing their cheerleaders back. The one thing I had to look forward to was gone too.

After he passed, I didn’t feel mentally capable of living on my own.

I moved back home with my parents. I really didn’t want to as I was 25 and that’s not what 25 year old’s do. But 25 year old’s also don’t lose their boyfriend/almost fiancé tragically either.

My job at the time was less than supportive, so I quit before they fired me. I got a new job almost an hour away, which was a better environment for me mentally. After about a year there, the commute was really draining me.

I thought about moving out of my parents house again to be closer to work, but a year into the job and this job was draining me too. I didn’t want to jump the gun and move, then get a new job in a different city and have the same commute situation. So I waited it out and got a new job!

I started this new job in February 2020…right before COVID shut downs. By March, I was working from home and by April, I was out of a job.

So here I was at 28 years old, single, living with my parents, and unemployed. What a catch, right??!

Don’t worry, I have a different job now which is actually perfect for me (even though I took a massive pay cut, but I enjoy it so much more!) I’m also  dancing on a team again! (Virtually though, but I still love it.)

Through everything, I definitely hit rock bottom many times, but I’ve always managed to pick myself up and make the most out of the one life I have to live. It’s okay to have moments in life where you’re upset and down, and it’s okay to live there for a minute, but you can’t stay there.

I used to believe everything happened for a reason. I don’t believe that anymore however, I do believe you can find a reason for everything.

If you’re wondering how I stay so positive and genuinely happy through everything, here it is…

1. Life has seasons.

Everyone’s life is different and everyone’s journey is different. Don’t compare your journey to someone else’s. Especially with social media where everyone posts their highlight reel, just know that there’s probably something in their life that they’re struggling with. So don’t compare your life to theirs.

2. Animals are the best therapy.

Less than a month after losing CJ, I got my puppy! She gave me something to look forward to when I had nothing else. She gave me a reason to wake up in the morning when it was the last thing I wanted to do. My dog kept me busy and gave me something to love which I needed.

3. Love yourself enough to take care of yourself.

If you don’t love yourself, you won’t take care of yourself. I realized this when I started working out with my trainer about 8 months after CJ passed away. Working out made me feel good physically, it made me feel good about myself since I was doing something to better myself. It also made me feel confident in my body (which I had let go and over indulged for months on the adult beverages.) I felt healthy and happy with the progress I was making, which I could see through my weekly check-in photos.

But whatever taking care of yourself looks like to you, do it. For me, it was exercise, but it might be something else for you. When you take care of yourself, you’ll also love yourself more.

4. Along with loving yourself, is eating healthy.

Someone who loves themselves and wants to take care of themselves doesn’t down and entire pizza and drink a 6 pack of beer constantly. Someone who loves themselves eats to fuel their body. Properly fueling your body helps you feel better, you won’t have brain fog, you’ll have energy, and you’ll be happier! That’s not to say never eat pizza. It’s just saying to love yourself enough to take care of yourself, which also means treating yourself to the occasional treat!

Because I felt great about myself, the way I felt physically, the way I looked, I had so much more confidence and I felt happier with myself!

5. Surround yourself with good energy people.

Have you ever hung out with someone and after an hour, your energy is just drained and you feel exhausted? Stay away from those people! Surround yourself with people who radiate good energy and good vibes. It will make you feel better and more energized!

6. Break free from toxic relationships.

Whether it’s a significant other, friend, even family, someone who doesn’t bring good vibes into your life and drains your energy has no business being close to you. Don’t even feel bad about it! You need to prioritize yourself and do what’s best for you!

7. Take time to yourself to do things you enjoy.

I love going to dance classes. Even if I don’t know anyone taking the class, I just think it’s fun to go! Also, having a night in just painting my nails and taking a long shower feels so good! Do activities that make you feel good and that you enjoy doing!

8. Don’t be afraid to say no.

After CJ passed away, I really learned to say no. I very quickly stopped feeling bad about it too. To this day, if I’m out with my friends and I’m ready to leave, I leave. People who love you will understand. I haven’t lost a single friend by standing my ground, and I’ve actually gained more friends! People will respect you more for having boundaries, so don’t do anything you don’t want to do!

My life isn’t exactly what I’d envisioned it being at 28 years old, but surprisingly I’m at peace with it. Getting your mental state in a good place is just as important, if not more important than eating healthy. Your mind is so powerful, so make yourself a priority! If you need to get professional help, than do it! Do what you know you need to do to get in a good place.

If you’re going through a rough time, just know this all will pass and looking back, you’ll realize how strong you are and that’s such a powerful feeling.

January 6, 2021 · 4 Comments

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  1. Cait says

    January 7, 2021 at 3:47 am

    You’re so incredibly positive! I am so proud to call you my friend! You keep my chin up when I need it and I love you for it. Stay strong and keep doing what you’re doing because you’re amazing!!!

    Reply
    • SimplySarena53 says

      January 19, 2021 at 3:37 am

      Aww thank you so much!! You’re the best 💗 I definitely have my days, but I try haha.

      Reply
  2. Kayshay says

    January 7, 2021 at 6:57 am

    I freakin love you! You are seriously the most amazing woman I know! At only 28 you’ve proven and accomplished sooo much! I am beyond proud of you and I will always be here to CHEER YOU ON! 💞

    Reply
    • SimplySarena53 says

      January 19, 2021 at 3:38 am

      I love you so much!!! I seriously wouldn’t know what I would do without you 💗💗💗

      Reply

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HI EVERYONE!

I’m Sarena


I’m a Northern Virginia based Integrative Nutrition Coach, a Toxin Free Lifestyle enthusiast, a dancer, and a dog mom to my sweet girl, Miss Cammie.

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simply.sarena

So many women suffer every month from debilitating So many women suffer every month from debilitating period cramps. The conventional way of treating them actually makes the problem worse!

❌Birth Control covers up the symptoms because you don’t get a real period. Meanwhile, whatever is causing the cramps in the first place is still going on in the body and probably getting worse! Birth Control does not treat cramps…it only hides the problem!

❌Ibuprofen may help in a pinch but it doesn’t treat what is actually causing the cramps in the first place. Also, ibuprofen is really bad for gut health (and poor gut health could also be a cause of cramps) so you could be making the problem worse!

❌A lot of women turn to junk food on their period however, junk food is inflammatory so if your cramps are caused by inflammation, you could be making the problem worse! If you’re craving chocolate, you probably need magnesium, so if you’re going to eat it, eat good quality DARK chocolate! 

The biggest favor you can do yourself is listen to your body and figure out what is causing the issues in the first place! The answer is different for everyone and there is no one size fits all solution!

Feel free to DM me if you need any support! 

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#womenshealth #periodcramps #periodcrampsrelief #nontoxicliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxliving #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #womenshormones #hormonal #hormonalimbalance #hormonalimbalances #nutritionforhormones #nutritioncoach #healthandnutrition #holistichealth #holistichealthtips #periodtips #periodproblems #periodpositive #periodpain
Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all suga Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all sugar is bad!!!

Natural sugar is necessary because it gives us energy! You can find natural sugar in fruits, vegetables, and sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, and more.

Watch out for sneaky sugars in processed food as they cause blood sugar spikes which gives us that instant energy but we crash. It also causes type 2 diabetes and insulin issues. 

When you’re reading the ingredient label on food, watch out for different (not so obvious) names for sugar. 

Just because something says 12g of sugar doesn’t mean that 12g is bad sugar…which is why you always need to check the ingredient label for the source of the sugar!

Also, people think Stevia is healthier which isn’t necessarily the case. Stevia is highly processed and should only be consumed occasionally unless you’re consuming stevia in its purest form! 

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#addedsugar #naturalsugar #stevia #holistichealth #holisticnutrition #sneakysugar #ingredientlabels #ingredientsmatter #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxdiet #sugarfree #sugarfreediet #sugarfreelifestyle #nontoxicliving #healthyeatinghabits #healthyeatingtips #sugartips #nutritioncoaching #nutritionfacts #nutritiontip
Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control hides the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, meanwhile the problem is getting worse.

A lot of women struggle with severe symptoms when they come off birth control because they never addressed the underlying cause of their hormone imbalance.

If you are struggling with hormonal acne, period cramps, severe PMS, mood swings, etc. and you think birth control is going to fix the problem, it will not!

There are a lot of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance from our diet, to hormone disrupting chemicals in our daily products, to external factors like stress, lack of sleep, etc. that can throw our hormones out of whack!

If you need support with your hormones, feel free to DM me!

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#hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #crunchyblogger #holistichealthcoach #holistichealthandwellness #womenshealth #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshormonehealth #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrolpills #birthcontrol #holistichealthcoaching #naturallivingideas #naturallifestyle #naturallivingtips #healthtipsforwomen #pcoslifestyle #hormoneimbalance #hormoneimbalances
Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’r Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’re eating right, limiting toxin exposure, and still can’t seem to get your hormones under control, it could be a different lifestyle factor coming into play!

We are not men, we do not have the same 24 hour hormone cycle that men have.

We have different needs for different times during the month! Being in tune with your body and doing what it needs at that time is so important!

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#hormonehealth #womenshealth #womenshormones #holistichealthandwellness #lowtoxlifestyle #toxinfreeliving #healthandwellnesscoach #healthandwellnesstips #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrol #regulatehormonesnaturally #hormoneimbalance #womenslifestyle
These are foods that have been marketed to be heal These are foods that have been marketed to be healthy, but they’re not. There’s so many other actually healthy foods you could eat that are much more satisfying than these. Keep reading for why these aren’t the best options!

❌Whole Wheat Bread: This one comes down to the ingredients. One popular whole wheat bread contains Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, and Natural Flavors. Also because I have a gluten sensitivity, eating slices of any bread is a no for me!

❌Cereal: So many cereal’s are full of sugar and synthetic vitamins which are not properly absorbed by our bodies, not to mention artificial colors and flavors. Also, a lot of cereal has extremely high levels of glyphosate! Not a great way to start your day.

❌Flavored Yogurt: Any yogurt except plain yogurt has a lot of sugar. You’ll also find natural flavors and gums in some popular brands. Natural flavors is an easy way for companies to not disclose all ingredients and gums can cause digestive issues. In my opinion, you may as well have a bowl of ice cream and enjoy it than try to be “healthy” with flavored yogurt.

❌Farmed Salmon: You may think you’re making a healthy choice by choosing salmon however, farmed salmon should be avoided as it is basically big agricultures version of salmon. It is bred in crammed cages, fed an unnatural diet of fish meal & animal by products, and they are full of pesticides and antibiotics 🤢

❌Granola Bars: Granola bars are full of a lot of sugar including corn syrup. You may also find soybean oil or canola oil which are inflammatory, and natural flavors. You’re better off baking some cookies and knowing exactly what you’re putting in the cookies. 

Did any of these surprise you?? Let me know in the comments! 

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#healthyeatinghabits #unhealthyfood #lowtox #lowtoxlife #crunchygirl #holisticnutritioncoach #iinhealthcoach #iinalumni #iingrad #toxinfreeliving #nutritiontips #nutritionfacts #eathealthybehealthy #healthychoices #foodismedicine #dontbefooled #biggovsucks #biggovermentsucks #healyourselfnaturally #healyourselfwithfood
I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately ab I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately about wanting to get off birth control, but they’re scared how it will effect their body.

The truth is, if you got on birth control for bad period cramps, hormonal acne, irregular periods, etc., birth control was covering up the problem…not fixing it!

When you go off birth control, you’ll probably find you’ll have the same problems of not worse.

That’s why balancing your hormones is so important when coming off birth control!

These 3 tips are a great place to start! There are so many different things you can do to get your hormones in check. 

Follow for more holistic health & nutrition tips!

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#postbirthcontrolsyndrome #getoffbirthcontrol #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #saynotobirthcontrol #womenshealthcoach #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshealthandwellness #womenshealthadvocate
✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨ T ✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨

These are the BEST healthy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies 🍪 

Recipe: 

1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (make sure you check the ingredient label and only use clean chocolate chips!)

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes!

Let me know if you give these a try! 

#healthydessertrecipes #glutenfreecookies #refinedsugarfree #bakingreel #holisticnutrition #hormonefriendly #womenshealth #womenshormones
It’s still January for a few more days! Last y It’s still January for a few more days! 

Last year, I did a lot that wasn’t working for me. I got so stuck in my routines, I was saying “yes” to everything, even if I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to offend anyone.

This year, I’m only doing things that light me up and that are in alignment with my goals 💕✨

Health isn’t just about what we eat and the products we use, it’s also about how everything else in our life makes us feel and effects our physical health.

At the end of 2022, I realized I needed to make a change when I was starting to get headaches almost daily again. I had also spent soooo much money it makes me sick thinking about it.

No more! I’m putting myself and my goals first this year! 

#newyearnewme #2023goals #freshstart #holistichealth #holisticwellnesscoach
I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵 Green I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵

Green Tea: Contains caffeine so it gives me energy. Green Tea is also high in antioxidants!

Echinacea Tea: Has immune supporting properties. It’s even known to shorten symptoms of colds and the flu!

Dandelion Tea: This tea is a powerful liver detox! It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Raspberry Leaf Tea: This tea is great for a woman’s cycle. It’s high in magnesium and vitamin B6 so it helps relieve PMS symptoms and helps regulate hormones.

Chaga Tea: Chaga is the king of medicinal mushrooms. It’s full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, it boosts the immune system, and it may even slow the growth of c**cer cells. Literally the KING! 

My favorite brands of tea are @yogitea, @tradmedicinals, and @numiorganictea. These brands have organic teas and their tea bags are plastic free!
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