When it comes to exercise, or movement as I like to say (because it sounds a little less intense), it’s easy to feel stuck.

1️⃣ Maybe you don't have time …
2️⃣ Or feel like if you can’t find an hour to do some intense workout, it’s just not worth it …
3️⃣ Maybe you don't know where to begin, or what to do, or how to do it…
4️⃣ Or it's just not fun (and sometimes boring)…
5️⃣  And a lot of the time, you're just too exhausted to do anything.

Many of you shared with me at the beginning of the year (the traditional “it's a new year and I'm going to start up a new routine time of year”) that these are some of the major roadblocks when it comes to exercise.  

So often when we're trying to start a new habit … whatever it is … it's important to ask ourselves why accomplishing this new habit is important. Think about your “why," and write it down.  It is compelling and motivational to understand exactly why doing something is important.  

What exactly is "the thing under the thing??

Well, I’ve honestly been thinking about it all week.

It started with a conversation with two coaching colleagues about the impact and art of transformational coaching, where the concept of "the thing under the thing" emerged.

And while fine-tuning my course content for my Create your Owner’s Manual for Health class this week, I continued to think about “the thing under the thing” as a discussion on chronic stress took center stage, emphasizing how imperative it is to tackle what's in our head effectively.

Too often, we allow issues to simmer, leaving them to fester, which can leave us feeling paralyzed, trapped in a mental traffic jam.

Have you ever found yourself wrestling with a problem, feeling as though you're trying to untangle headphones in the dark? Or waking up with a persistent cloud hovering over you, unsure of its origin?

Freeing yourself from inactivity is imperative in our modern age, where sedentary habits have become ingrained in our daily routines.

Whether it's spending hours commuting, being chained to a desk and computer at work, or indulging in prolonged screen time, modern conveniences have inadvertently led us down this path.

The level of inactivity that most people experience every day is simply not conducive to good health.

As someone who also grapples with these challenges, I understand the struggle firsthand. Caught up in the demands of writing, researching, and meeting with clients, I often find myself glued to my desk for hours on end.

It's only when I finally push back and stand up that I feel the physical toll – stiff neck and shoulders, achy hips. Yet, amidst the pressure to maximize productivity, it's essential to recognize the sacrifice we make by neglecting our bodies.

While you know I'd much prefer to write about something that will put a smile on your face, I feel like lately I just keep coming across articles, books and podcasts with news on our toxic world.

So I figured I should address it.

It is a critical topic that impacts us all—the complexities of the world we navigate every day.

And while it's not the cheeriest subject, understanding it empowers us to make choices as informed, conscientious, smart and intentional consumers.

So let's get into it.

The Big Picture: A Toxic Load

In the past century, our country has seen an explosion of new chemicals —around 100,000 to be precise — present in various products.

Shockingly, most of these chemicals remain largely untested and unregulated, contributing to what experts call our "toxic load." This is particularly concerning given that babies born today carry an average of 200 toxins in their blood.