Just Keep Swimming

For those days when the waves just keep coming, when your energy is low and your emotions are high, when you feel like you're sinking or wading through shallows... Advice from our fishy friend Dory - "🎶just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming🎶". One swish at a time. You'll get there lovely.

And remember, not matter how deep in the depths of the waters you feel, the surface is always above you - that doesn't change - there is always a way up and out. It can take some time to reach the surface, but it's there, don't loose hope sweet one. And as Dori did, you meet some pretty interesting characters along the way if you look out for them. Even in those darkest caves, they still found light and something to be encouraged by - look for your light moments too and just keep swimming. We're swimming with you x

What Lies Are Holding You Back

"For the last five years I have been in recovery from an eating disorder. When I was in the deepest darkest days of my eating disorder, beauty meant one thing, it meant being thin.

However, no matter how desperately thin I got, it was never enough. I could never see myself as beautiful, only ugly. My view of myself was defined in something temporary, in something that the world tells me is important - my size, perfection, accessories. My beauty was defined by my physical appearance, which is something that will never be perfect. It was all lies". MK

So some of the lies holding MK back were around her physical appearance
- You are beautiful when you're thin.
- You have to look like the girls in magazines to be liked.
For me, some of the lies holding me back were
- You are accepted based on how others treat you.
- You have to prove yourself and your worth to others.
- You are not enough.
- You don't belong.
- There's something wrong with you.

These lies will keep us trapped and distort our real identity and worth.

To get free from the lies, we first need to know what lies we are believing about ourselves.

So let's take some time to uncover those sneaky lies that have camouflaged themselves as reality in our mind. Talk with a friend. Write down unhelpful things you say to yourself or believe about yourself. What is holding you back? What stops you feeling free? Let's uncover these lies and start journeying to freedom.

Would you courageously share some of your lies to help others uncover theirs? And to release the power of them being hidden in shame - you have nothing to feel shamed about. We all have believed lies - they are NOT who we are. They are false. Speak it out. Let's start believing the truth. We're standing with you x
💜Ruth and the ChooseREAL Team x
Thank you MK for sharing your courageous story with us and empowering us all

Sharing the Journey Together

Hey lovely, how's your week been? Thinking of you x

Mines been a bit up and down with sickness, extreme exhaustion, feeling unproductive, at times overwhelmed, giving into some discouraging thoughts - yep even after I wrote that post!! So then feeling hard on myself and needing to stop, be kind and speak the truth over my life - still learning with you.

This week has also had some big wins, meeting amazing people who are generously supporting the vision of this movement and standing with us, hearing incredible stories, eating food (always a plus haha), having a wonderful team to help organize our beautiful merch and resources (their hearts inspire me), and last night I ran a workshop with some beautiful girls - all unique with so much gold to share with those around them.

THIS is what I love doing - investing into their potential, peeling back the layers of limiting beliefs and self-talk that have distorted their REAL identity and worth and empowering them to see what was always there - they are whole, complete, not lacking, worthy and more than enough, just as they are! Seeing their transformation gives me the fire to keep going, to kick those audacious goals I've set to give this freedom, hope and courage to ALL girls and women everywhere. Haha, got a little carried away with that last point - just so incredibly passionate about this and LOVE journeying alongside girls and women in this message.

So why did I tell you about my week? Because we're friends. Because I wanted you to feel comfortable to share about yours. Because we're all here for each other and our story is worth sharing - no matter what chapter.

So share away lovely friend. You never know the impact of simply sharing (for you and others). Love sharing this journey together.
💜Ruth x
📷 from the beautiful @floretflower

You Are Not Alone

Been there for sure and actually feeling it right now... For no particular reason, I've just been feeling flat lately. Maybe because I've been sick for weeks. Maybe because sometimes progress is just really slow. Maybe because I've been waiting for some really big provisions and dreams that haven't happened yet. Maybe because I'm really exhausted. Maybe because I haven't made time to get out in nature. Maybe because some of my friends are facing huge challenges and I can't fix it for them. Maybe because I haven't been sleeping well. Maybe because everything feels cluttered. Maybe because this journey can be lonely at times. Maybe because of some disappointments. Maybe because of all these things together. Or maybe because it's just one of those days.

I'm not sure where you're at, but lovely one, know that wherever you're at right now is ok and you are not alone. We all struggle, we all face challenges and change. We all have emotions and feelings and thoughts and don't always know how to cope with them.
And even if we do, we don't always do what we know is best for us - yep me.
So let me encourage you in my struggle... No matter what you're facing or feeling, you are not alone. And this won't last forever. You CAN get through this. And we're standing with you.

Do something that will bring you rest, refresh you, put a smile on your face, re-energize you. When we are just focusing on the struggle, that's all we'll experience. So try and lift your gaze to search for all the blessings around you, be thankful, give to others, encourage someone else, remember the purpose, do things you love.
For me, I'm thinking a hot bubble bath, cooking delicious food, talk with a friend and get an early night. And I really need to clean haha.
We need to be kind to ourselves, especially when things are hard. What can you do to take care of yourself today? What is something you love doing? What is one practical thing you can do to take action in your struggle? What is something you are thankful for? Take time out for you x
💜Ruth

What Will You Choose This Week

You choose. Make this week count. Excuses are easy, common, feel safe and known... But what makes change requires strength and courage (sometimes to step into the unknown)... Qualities YOU posses. Progress requires action. Even just one step. But it's your choice.

What will you choose this week? What is an area in your life that you want to change, or improve or let go of? What's one small step you can take forward? Remember, you are not alone. And there's nothing wrong with you. We're all on a journey of progress and growth x

Choose Your Focus

So your week might not have worked out like you planned (mine certainly didn't). But that doesn't mean today can't be a brand new day. And even if those circumstances haven't changed or even get worse, there's still always a reason to say YAY.
You may feel flat and disappointed (like me), or even worse, but we still have something that can never be taken away - to CHOOSE OUR ATTITUDE / FOCUS / ACTIONS.
And really, I want to have a great day, so I'm letting go of what's happened and what didn't happen and choosing to find the good in what's right in front of me. Being thankful for where I am right now. Looking for moments to whisper YAY! Today, no matter what happens, I want to end it saying yay > even for the smallest of things.

What are you wanting to focus on today? What attitude are you choosing? x

Remember, no matter what's happened, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH! 💜Ruth x

P.S. If you feel you can't choose your attitude, there's no hope, why bother >> don't struggle alone, reach out, we're here for you, there's always a way, and it's ok not to be ok right now. Just don't do it alone. Your story is worth sharing and not over yet x

📷omghow

You are Stronger Than You Think

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies WITHIN US - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your past does not define you and is only a limitation if you allow it to be. You are stronger than what happened. You are still here.
What you see in front of you - the circumstances around you also don't define you.
You can define them (your current and past situations). Give them a new name, a new story, a new perspective. One that empowers you.

You are stronger than you think. You are capable. You are significant. You matter. You have purpose. You can do this.

No matter what you're facing or what you've been through - YOU define it, and you are always more than enough.
If you're struggling and can't seem to break through (been there), reach out and ask for help (this shows strength!). Ask someone you trust to help you see what lies within.
We're standing with you.
SHARE - what have you discovered lies within you? x

Shifting Your Focus

What will you choose to focus on today? The sweet or sour? Keep a lookout for all the blessings and gifts around you. Stay thankful. This will really shift your perspective and outlook.
It's not about denying all the challenges and sour patches you may feel stuck in, or saying they don't matter.
But instead, shifting your focus so even in the middle of pain, confusion, challenge - you experience all that's wonderful and good around you. There is always things to be thankful for.

Ruth - I know yesterday, I focused too much on all the challenges I was facing, on all the set backs, the disappointments... And as a result, I felt drained and down and very overwhelmed. All those things are still the same, but this morning I'm CHOOSING to focus on the sweet instead. See challenges as opportunities, see set-backs as waiting for something better, turning my mind to remember and search for all the blessings and gifts around me. "Whatever you focus on is what you get, to the exclusion of everything else" - Brett White.
So today, we want to focus on what gives us life, joy, meaning, purpose, peace - and that is what we will experience.
What will you choose to focus on today? x

What Will You Choose Today?

What are you going to choose today? It's all up to you. . "So often we overestimate the control we have and underestimate the choice we have.... We rarely have control (of our circumstances, how others treat us etc) but we ALWAYS HAVE CHOICE." .

That is the one power that can't be taken. We can choose what attitude we will have, how we are going to view our current circumstances (the meaning we give it, the perspective we choose to have, the goals we make in it), how we treat ourselves and others. WE HAVE CHOICE. .

What do you choose today? You have the power.
Today we choose to see ourselves and everyone around us as completely more than enough, just as we are.