It can be a bit overwhelming to figure out where to begin when starting a healthy lifestyle. One of the main questions I get asked is if I always lived a healthy lifestyle.

Well, the answer is no.

My journey is relatively recent and constantly evolving. I grew up in a household with two very good cooks. My father was always learning about different cultures through their cuisine, so we were always trying new foods. My mother was known for making all the classic dishes and desserts. Although I have always been encouraged to eat a variety of different foods, the lifestyle we lived was not the healthiest. We fell victim to the convenient lifestyle of eating TV dinners, fast food, drinking sodas and juices (and I am not talking about from a juice bar), and using single-use plastic on a daily basis.

When I moved to New York to obtain my bachelor’s degree, it was the first time that I started to make changes. Due to the fact that my school didn’t have a cafeteria, I had to start cooking and buying groceries for myself. Although it seemed daunting at first, I am so glad that I didn’t have to be subject to eating at a cafeteria during college. Initially, when grocery shopping, I started out by eliminating sodas and juices because water is free, and I was not trying to spend more money than I had to.

The next major change happened after I watched a documentary called “True Cost” on Netflix. This documentary displayed the truth behind the fast fashion industry and how people, as well as the earth, are all being affected by consumers increasingly wanting more at lower costs. This opened my eyes to becoming more aware of how what I purchased impacted other people’s lives as well. From there, I made a decision not to buy any clothing that was not ethically made, which meant I was going to invest in pieces that I knew would last for many years or buy secondhand. I made that decision because I realized that I was unconsciously supporting the unfair treatment of humans and the earth alike.

Fast forward 4 years later, a majority of the foods that I consume are locally grown and organic. I only buy ethically made clothing or secondhand, which I am now starting to expand into everything that I buy. I am also consciously making an effort to produce less plastic waste and live a greener lifestyle. I am always willing to learn more and apply the new information that I am learning into my life every day.

This is not everyone’s journey, I am just sharing my journey in order to show that transformation does not always happen overnight.

Many people are afraid to start because they are worried about what others may say if they slip up during their journey, or if they don’t change everything all at once. The change will never start if you don’t try, so I challenge you to just be more mindful in the new year. Just by starting to read the ingredients on the foods you are consuming, or finding out who the hands behind what you are purchasing are, or even learning about what happens to all the things that you may throw away. These are all starts to breaking the pattern of unconscious living and becoming more mindful in all aspects of your life.