🌿 My Wellness Journey

For a long time, wellness was something I knew I should pay more attention to.

Eat better. Move more. Drink the water. Get enough sleep. Manage the stress.

You know the list.

But somewhere between running businesses, traveling, serving in ministry, working concession stands, helping family, living life on the road, and simply being a woman in her 50s, I realized something:

I don’t want to just push through life. I want to feel good while I’m living it.

And that has started a whole new journey for me.

Learning to Listen to My Body

One of the biggest changes has been paying attention instead of automatically accepting feeling tired, achy, inflamed, uncomfortable, or “off” as just part of getting older.

I’m learning to ask better questions.

What am I eating?

How am I sleeping?

Am I moving my body?

How am I handling stress?

What makes me feel better?

What seems to make me feel worse?

And maybe most importantly…

Am I giving my body the same attention I give everything and everyone else?

For most women, I think we already know the answer to that one.

Changing the Way I Eat

Lately, a big part of my journey has been experimenting with a more gluten-free and dairy-free lifestyle, while focusing on protein, whole foods, hydration, and reducing some of the highly processed foods that had become easy to grab during busy seasons.

And let me tell you — I am learning as I go.

I’m reading labels.

I’m discovering foods I never paid attention to before.

I’m figuring out what to order at restaurants.

I’m finding snacks I actually like.

And yes, occasionally I’m still standing in the middle of a grocery store Googling whether something has gluten in it.

This is real life, not perfection.

Moving Again

Movement is another area I’m working on.

Yoga.

Walking.

My vibration plate.

Recovery and wellness sessions.

And sometimes simply making the decision to get up and do something instead of waiting until I have the time, energy, or perfect plan to do everything.

I even started a 30-day vibration plate challenge…

…and completely fell off.

So I started again.

That may actually sum up this entire journey better than anything:

You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to be willing to start again.

Exploring Wellness Tools

I’ve also become fascinated with the different tools available to support overall wellness and recovery.

I’ve experimented with things like red light, PEMF, compression, infrared sauna, cold exposure, vibration, wearable technology, and other wellness products.

Some things I love.

Some things I’m still learning about.

And some things may simply not be for me.

I’m not interested in pretending that one product, food, workout, or routine is the magic answer.

I’m interested in discovering the combination of habits that helps me become the healthiest, strongest version of myself.

Wellness Is Bigger Than the Scale

Would I like to lose some weight?

Absolutely.

But this journey has become about much more than a number.

I want energy.

I want strength.

I want to travel.

I want to serve.

I want to play with my grandchildren.

I want to keep building businesses and saying yes to adventures.

I want Dave and me to have many more years of exploring this world together.

And I want to take care of the body God gave me so I can continue doing the things I believe He has called me to do.

That changes the goal.

Faith Is Part of My Wellness Too

I don’t believe we can completely separate physical wellness from emotional and spiritual wellness.

There are seasons when your body needs rest.

Seasons when your mind needs quiet.

And seasons when your soul needs to remember that you were never meant to carry everything yourself.

I’m learning that caring for myself isn’t about chasing perfection.

It’s stewardship.

It’s learning.

It’s paying attention.

It’s gratitude.

And sometimes it’s simply giving myself permission to slow down.

So Where Am I Now?

Still learning.

Still changing things.

Still restarting things.

Still reading labels.

Still trying to make the healthier choice more often than the convenient one.

Still enjoying life.

Still having french fries sometimes.

And still believing that small decisions made consistently can create a completely different life.

So I’m going to start sharing more of this part of my life here — the food finds, recipes, products, workouts, wellness tools, things I learn, things that work for me, and probably a few things that absolutely do not.

No pretending.

No perfection.

Just one woman in her 50s figuring out how to feel better, live stronger, and make the next chapter one of her best.

Because around here, we don’t have to have everything figured out before we start moving forward.

We just Rachel Up.

This website shares my personal experiences and what I am learning along my own wellness journey. Nothing shared here is intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always talk with your healthcare provider about your individual health needs.