My birthday is on Friday, May 1. All I want for my birthday are some stem cells! What are stem cells? They’re cells that can shift into ANY part of the body that needs healing and care. They’re like chameleon cells. They’re kinda magical. God is good. They can turn into bone, muscle, organs, skin, whatever is needed at the moment . People pay thousands of dollars to get stem cells injected, yet our body produces them for free when we fast for 72 hours or more. If you want to join me in a stem cell fast, you just have to decide when you want to start. It can be any day this week. If you haven’t experimented with fasting much, it would be better to start with the 14-day Intermittent Fasting Challenge in the Classroom. A 72 hour fast is ideal for those who have done some fasting before. You can use the Self-guided 36 hour fast in the Classroom to prep for it, then extend the time you’re fasting . If you’re malnourished, pregnant, in the week before your period, or nursing, fasting is not the right strategy for you. If you have any medical conditions, be sure to check in with a trusted medical provider before doing a fast longer than 16 hours. I’ll share some principles of prepping for a fast in the comments. When is YOUR birthday? Share it in the comments and I can add it to our calendar :)

Our words and thoughts are powerful. The stories we tell shape our lives, directly and indirectly. We are ultimately the authors of our own life story. Are your stories taking you closer to the life of your dreams? Or are they leading you into the weeds of Victim Mentality, Excuses, and Hardship? Is there a story that’s derailing you, or bringing you down, that you’re ready to let go of? Even if it’s just for one minute? If you can take a minute to imagine your life without this limiting story, there’s power in that. Share your story in the comments below, or keep it to yourself, but definitely take a moment to consider your stories! Which one (s) do you want to let go of or rewrite? Which one(s) do you want to keep? I’ll share mine in the comments

Today is a great day to share any wellness tips, tools, tricks, or hacks that are working well for you! Truly, any day is a good day to share wellness related info in the Thrive Community. But Wellness Wednesday has a nice ring to it, so we go with it :)

You can read through day 1 here in the classroom. It’s available on Level 2…if you’re not there yet, just make a comment and like 3-4 people’s comments and you’ll be there in no time! Or you can watch the video below, that goes over Day 1 and Day 2. Each day’s tasks are pretty short, so you can choose to combine them into one day, or split them up and do one day at a time. Share your progress, thoughts, and updates in the comments below.

Every month, we do at least one 36-48 hour fast as a Thrive Community. Sometimes, it's easier to experiment with fasting when you do it with others and can uplift each other as you go. Friday, we start Day 1 Prep for a 36-48 hour fast starting Monday. You can always tweak the times to fit your schedule better. You are welcome to start the fast earlier or later. It's generally best to fast on days that are not too busy or hectic, so you can take it easy and focus on self-care. Whether you choose to join this particular fast or not, you can always find the 36 hour Self-Guided Fast and do it on your own, in the Classroom. Important note: If you have any medical conditions or mental health challenges, make sure to check in with a trusted health professional before embarking on a 36-48 hour fast. Here is Day 1 Prep... Start Day 1 Prep 3 days before your planned fast day. For example: If you plan to fast on a Friday, you start Day 1 Prep on Tuesday. Step 1). Develop mindfulness about your food. If you haven't yet, start a Food and Mood Journal. Make sure you have fat and protein at every meal, and lots of vegetables throughout the day. Let's load the body with amazing, nourishing nutrients that will support us when we take a break from food in 3 days! The healthier your eating is when you go into a fast, the easier it will be to fast. Start to limit or completely eliminate human-made carbohydrates and foods like processed sugar, processed flour, corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors, chemicals, etc. Consuming a lot of processed foods will spike our blood sugar, make our bodies feel depleted, and make fasting harder. Step 2). Connect within. Fasting can open up mental and emotional energy that we normally don't have access to. It can also be tricky to not have access to food for a whole day. It can bring up challenging emotions. Let's practice connecting within.