Guilt kills. Not literally, of course. But it does kill your spirit, confidence, effectiveness and connection with others. So it’s no wonder that human beings work diligently to avoid guilt. We lie, deny, justify, shift blame, invalidate and do a hundred other things to NOT feel guilty.

Here’s the problem. Guilt is a feeling that lingers and eats away at us. It doesn’t serve us in any way. To feel guilt is to carry the weight – and shame – of the past into the present. Intuitively, we know that doesn’t serve us and we resist being labeled as guilty, or to blame. But in the process, we fail to OWN what we have to own.

Ownership is not the same thing as guilt. Ownership actually does serve us. It allows us acknowledge that we’ve made a mistake, caused someone hurt or disappointment and provide closure for ourselves and others. Imagine how it feels when someone hurts you and refuses to accept responsibility for that. It makes us feel worse. We hold a grudge and develop resentment. We lose trust. And, if it continues, we lose relationships.

It’s important to understand the distinction between guilt and ownership, instead of collapsing the two. No one wants to carry guilt, or the shame that’s attached to it. And we shouldn’t. But we absolutely should be responsible for and own up to the moments when we hurt someone or let someone down. When we own that, we acknowledge that something we did or did not do left someone else feeling bad. In the moment we own it, it gets complete. And even if it comes back up again, meaning that something triggers the memory of that hurt for someone – just simply acknowledging it again instead of denying it, defending it or justifying it, makes all the difference and creates a clear and open space for the relationship.

Your power is in your ownership, not in pretending you’re perfect. You’re not fooling anyone anyway.

In summary, own your shit – then everyone can release it and move on. <3

When we focus on ourselves, we can easily gather all the evidence we need not to care about responsibilities, expectations, our own hopes and dreams and, worst of all, one another. Every time something doesn’t go as planned, we’re confronted with adversity or another human being hurts us, we’re faced with the temptation to say “screw it” and throw in the towel. Give up. On our jobs, our families, our relationships and our own aspirations. But to respond to circumstance with apathy is really just a mask for cowardice. You’ve been hurt, disappointed, let down, failed and you don’t want to risk facing that again. It’s EASIER to walk away, to dismiss that responsibility, that goal or that person and just give up.

APATHY = FEAR.

Human beings weren’t meant to be disconnected from one another. We are social creatures, dependent on community. We do not thrive, or even survive, in isolation. Yet apathy is a psychological tool we use to separate ourselves from one another. And it’s completely inauthentic. Inherently, human beings long for love, acceptance and socialization with other humans. But that isn’t possible with apathy. It’s only possible with empathy.

Empathy is the ability to step outside of your own thoughts, emotions, experience, expectations and “needs” and to put yourself into the mindset of another human being. To really GET that your reality is only yours and that people have their own perception and experience. And that each is valid. Empathy is giving up the need to be right or heard or validated and being committed to understanding someone else. It’s allowing someone the grace, tolerance, acceptance, patience and forgiveness they need in their humanness. It’s having the courage to keep moving forward knowing you may be hurt or let down or fail, but that the privilege to simply BE with another human being, sharing their time and space, contributing to their life and gaining in return, is well worth the risk. Empathy is embracing your innate connection to other human beings absent of expectation or fear. It creates a space for you to be your authentic self and for others to be theirs. And THAT is a powerful place to come from.

Stop giving up on your responsibilities. On your dreams. On the people you care about. Life is hard and messy, that’s the price we pay for being alive. Toss out your drawer full of apathy and try on something new. EMPATHY = LOVE.

When I started treatment with a functional medicine doctor for my Lupus, he immediately prescribed me a 5 day bone broth fast. So I got to work making my first batch. As with anything, I’ve attempted several different recipes and after some trial & error, came up with one that I liked best. There are countless ways to make bone broth, and the ingredients can vary depending on your tastes and any food intolerances. But using bone broth regularly can be highly beneficial for everyone, and here’s why….

-Bone broth can be used to heal a leaky gut, which is a condition most people in today’s modern societies have, at least to some degree. If you have an autoimmune disease, then you are definitely experiencing issues with gut health. Bloating, nausea, gas, constipation, IBS, Reflux or GERD, or any chronic digestive issue is an indicator that you’ve got a leaky gut. Bone broth can help soothe and heal the permeations in the gut lining!

-Bone broth boosts immunity, so its an excellent way to protect yourself from infectious disease and to treat it as well. Turns out there’s actually some truth to the old chicken soup treatment for sickness!

-Bone broth reduces inflammation. If you suffer from arthritis or any type of chronic pain, drinking bone broth regularly can help ease your suffering!

-Bone broth has qualities that naturally detox the liver. All of those medications, processed foods, alcohol and other toxins you put into your body that get stored in the liver can be flushed out by drinking bone broth regularly!

-Adding bone broth to your diet can improve skin problems, hair loss and even sleep issues!

Now that you know WHY you should be using bone broth, let’s get to the HOW.

When I make my broth, I typically try to do a 1-2 day fast where I drink only water and broth. I have severe Lupus and I find that doing a monthly broth fast is extremely helpful in reducing my symptoms. If you’re interested in doing a fast, you can also incorporate juicing or smoothies, which are easier to digest, allowing the gut to heal throughout the fasting period.

If you’re not looking to go that hard-core and just want to do some maintenance, you can simply drink a cup of broth a day while it lasts or even make a soup with it. You’ll still get all of the great benefits!

So here’s my recipe!

Bone Broth ~ Chicken

1-2 Gallons of Distilled Water (depending on amount of broth desired)
1 Pckg Chicken Necks & Backs, or a whole chicken
1 Small Onion, chopped largely
2-3 Carrots, chopped largely
2-3 Celery Stalks, chopped largely (include leaves)
1-2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
1-2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
Salt to taste

Bring all ingredients to boil, cover and reduce to simmer for at least 24 hours. (I typically leave mine to simmer for 36-48 hours.) Cool completely and strain into large mason jars (or plastic containers if freezing). Once layer of lard forms on top, scoop the lard before reheating broth or it will be extremely greasy.

*You can store lard separately for cooking, as it contains the same beneficial elements as the broth!

That’s it! Super simple, inexpensive, delicious, natural medicine!
Enjoy!