This is the 100th episode of Real Food Real Conversations and I can't believe it! I published my first episode almost two years ago, so much has changed since then.
Listen in to hear updates of how we are doing and where we are now!
Time can change people, especially after the last two years we have had. It most certainly has changed our family and life.
Starting my podcast was something I decided to do after realizing life was slowing down with all happening in 2020 and business was going to change for me. Brand budgets were tight, the world was unsure of it's future.
I needed something else and my awesome business coach (I interviewed her in the episode about exercise habits) suggested a podcast. I am thinking it's because I like to talk, LOL! She is not wrong.
Starting a podcast helped me express the thoughts and ideas I had without the pressure of social media. I liked having a platform that I didn't have to worry about an algorithm for, I could choose what to say and how I wanted to say it.
It was so freeing and really helped me get through 2020. I loved meeting so many new people, even if it was only online. But that was our new normal at the time, and it gave me avenues to be social when being social in life was harder.
How Our Life Has Changed
The last two years have taught me a lot. My life, my self, and my business have all gone through changes. Some experiences have been good, and some have been rough. But all in all, I am a better person today than I was two years ago.
Changes in my business
When the world shut down, unfortunately so did a lot of my income. I make the bulk of my money partnering with brands to share products I know, use and love with my audience.
Because of the financial breakdowns with all that happened in 2020, many businesses put their budgets on hold. Which meant I my income was also put on hold.
The good part was that my site traffic increased a ton as people now were home learning how to cook and bake, and having more meals at home. This was great and I loved sharing more with everyone!
I even created some pantry meal videos and gave them out for free to my audience, this felt good because I love giving to the community. But overall, we took a hit financially so I had to make some changes.
When you go through struggles, you learn a lot about yourself and are able to step back and see what it is you truly want.
I realized how much I love food photography and the creative aspect in what I do, from the photos to the recipes. Which led me to a year long photography mentorship that I am doing now.
I also learned that I love the health aspect about what I teach and got certified to be an ACE Health and Wellness Coach. I truly enjoy working with clients to help them meet their health and wellness goals! If you are looking for a coach that will guide you towards your goals and be by your side as you succeed, I'm your girl!
Today, I am in a very good place with Veggies Don't Bite. Business is picking up again and I am focusing on partnerships that make me happy and fill me up. One thing that I have learned is that life is too short to be unhappy. Money isn't everything, you can adjust your budget to keep your mental health in a good place.
Why I don't eat gluten
If you have read about our journey with our diet changes, and what led me to start my business, you'll know that it all started with my husband's health. We began eating a plant-based diet for his heart health, and (mostly) haven't made a ton of changes.
About two years ago, I started working with a functional medicine doctor (I had her on the podcast to chat about mental and physical health) after I went into early onset menopause. One of the first things I learned was that I needed to cut out gluten.
Wow, what a life changer. I had dealt with seasonal allergies my entire adult life, being on one form of medication for many years.