Creative Play, the Supplement Trap & a Turkey Chili Recipe 💛
Hi friends,
It's been a few weeks of what feels like rapid transformation, both personally and with some of the people closest to me.
I'm feeling humbled, incredibly grateful, inspired, and, if I'm being completely transparent, a little tired.
So naturally, what do I do when I'm tired?
I sign up for another course.
Kidding. But also, not kidding.
Except this one was different. It brought me into a beautiful realization about how I choose to nourish myself, what I consider responsible, and how much I value being in spaces where I don't have to be the one holding everything together.
Today's Lineup:
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Creative play, a little vulnerability, and the book I wrote
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The unexpected gift of letting ourselves receive
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Why you can't out-supplement a poor lifestyle
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My favorite turkey chili recipe, plus a little circadian love
The Course I Didn't Know I Needed
This past weekend, I began a beautiful eight-week immersion called Paint the Town, led by Ayesha Ophelia and Tamina Paris.
Fun fact: To the best of my memory, this is the first virtual course I've ever taken that had absolutely nothing to do with my work.
No certification. No continuing education credits. No new tools to bring into my business.
This one was just for me, for my creativity and expression, and for a part of my well-being that hasn't received much attention in a very long time.
I went into the experience thinking we'd be bringing some sort of artistic vision to life. Instead, the first three days invited us to explore our voices, movement, emotions, and the ways we inhabit our bodies.
We played with how different feelings shape our posture, how we move, how we sound, and how we express ourselves, all alongside a beautiful group of women.
And you guys, it was SO much fun.
Most of the education I've pursued throughout my life has been rooted in studying, analyzing, and developing new skills. I love all of that, but this experience offered something different.
It wasn't asking me to understand myself intellectually. It was inviting me to experience myself.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, I started noticing how often I choose what feels responsible over what feels nourishing.
Will this help my business? Improve my health? Teach me something I can share with my clients?
Those are reasonable questions, but when did they become the primary criteria for what deserves my time?
What if joy, creativity, expression, and play are reasons enough?
For three days, I got to rest inside a group of women who were holding space for one another. I wasn't responsible for designing the experience or guiding the conversation. I simply got to show up, receive, and reconnect with parts of myself that haven't been invited out to play very often.
At the culmination of our time together, we were each invited into the spotlight to share something dear to us.
I chose to read a chapter from a book I wrote a couple of years ago, It's All Within You, A Memoire of Us.
It felt like a lovely full-circle moment. Here I was, in a space I'd entered to nourish my creativity, sharing something I'd already brought into the world through my own creative expression.
And perhaps the most beautiful part was allowing that piece of myself to be received.
If you haven't heard about my book, I thought I'd share it with you here, too.
[ EXPLORE IT'S ALL WITHIN YOU, A MEMOIRE OF US]
The whole experience left me thinking about how many of us spend our days being responsible for someone or something: our children, partners, teams, clients, businesses, and homes.
Sometimes we become so accustomed to being the person who holds everything that we forget what it feels like to be held.
I have another eight weeks to continue exploring these practices with this group of women, and I'm excited to see what unfolds.
If there's something you've been curious about trying, something that doesn't necessarily make sense on paper but lights you up when you think about it, perhaps it's worth exploring.
Your creative well-being deserves a place in your life, too.
The Beautiful Thing About Being Held in Community
This experience reminded me of something we see all the time inside The Green Door Life.
There's a special kind of support that comes from being in a group where you're not responsible for figuring everything out on your own. Someone else creates the structure, offers guidance, and holds space for shared exploration.
Suddenly, something that felt difficult to prioritize becomes something you actually look forward to.
Which brings me to The Daily Dose, our newest four-week experience with Green Door Life coaches Tovara and Sarah.
Four weeks dedicated to you and four foundational habits that can make a meaningful difference in how you feel:
Hydration
Walking
Sleep
Protein
Plus, a special bonus exploring sunlight and circadian rhythm.
What I love is that you don't need to know everything about nutrition or human physiology to begin.
You get to show up, explore your habits, notice what works for your body, and learn alongside others.
With two group calls each week, a dedicated group chat, and a simple daily tracker, the structure and support are already there. You bring your curiosity and willingness to experiment.
And maybe, for four weeks, you get to be the person receiving a little extra care.
Registration has been extended through November 6!
You Can't Out-Supplement a Poor Lifestyle
Speaking of taking care of ourselves, a client said something this week that I thought was absolutely brilliant.
"You can't out-supplement a poor lifestyle."
Not just a poor diet. A poor lifestyle.
Oh, I love this distinction.
Because nutrition is only one piece of a much larger picture.
What about our circadian rhythm, sleep, daily movement, relationships, stress, environment, and the ways we recover? What about caffeine, alcohol, and other substances that influence how we feel?
All of these things contribute to the environment our bodies are constantly responding to.
Yet we live in a world where there's a supplement marketed for practically every symptom and goal.
Feeling tired? Here's a supplement. Trouble sleeping? Here's another. Want better focus, recovery, or hormonal health? There's probably an entire aisle waiting for you.
Now, supplements can absolutely serve a purpose, especially when there's a specific nutritional need, deficiency, or medical indication.
But they don't replace the foundations of how we live.
Personally, the one supplement I've used consistently for about ten years is this protein powder from my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Joe Klemczewski.
It tastes good, mixes easily with water, agrees with my body, and helps me meet my protein needs. What else do I need?
Other supplements may come into my life during certain seasons, particularly when traveling, but I prefer exploring what I can get through food first.
This is one of the reasons I love Cronometer, the nutrition tracking app we use inside Awaken Your Nutrition.
Beyond calories and macronutrients, it allows you to explore the vitamins and minerals your food provides.
For example, Brazil nuts are incredibly rich in selenium, a mineral involved in thyroid hormone metabolism. Just one or two can provide a substantial amount, although their selenium content varies, so more isn't necessarily better.
Something as simple as understanding where nutrients come from can completely change how we approach nourishment.
Instead of asking, "What supplement should I buy?" we can begin asking, "What is my body actually receiving, and what might it need?"
Of course, certain health conditions require supplementation or medical care, and food alone isn't always sufficient.
But there's so much we can learn by becoming curious about our everyday inputs before adding more products to the shelf.
That's why I believe so deeply in beginning with the basics.
A Little Soul Nourishment, Straight From My Kitchen
Speaking of nourishing ourselves through food, with the colder months approaching, I'm getting excited about one of my favorite things to make this time of year.
Soups and chili!
There's something so comforting about a big pot simmering on the stove when the weather starts cooling down.
One of my absolute favorites is my low-fat turkey chili, which I probably make at least ten times a year. No exaggeration.
It's easy, delicious, packed with protein, and one of those meals that feels nourishing on every level.
Because nourishment isn't just about the nutrients on our plate. It's also about preparing food, sharing it, and enjoying something that feels good for the soul.
So I thought I'd share the recipe with you!
[ GET MY LOW-FAT TURKEY CHILI RECIPE]
I hope it brings a little warmth into your kitchen this season.
A Little More Light in Your Life
One more thing before I go!
VivaRays, the circadian eyewear company founded by Roudy Nasiff, one of our incredible guests on The Matter and the Woo, is hosting a giveaway for a free pair of their glasses!
You probably already know how much I love my VivaRays. I use them when working on computers, traveling, or spending time under artificial lighting.
One thing I appreciate about their approach is the focus on light timing and spectrum rather than treating all blue light as something we need to avoid.
Because here's the fascinating thing: blue light isn't inherently bad.
Blue-enriched light during the daytime helps signal wakefulness and supports our circadian rhythm. It's the timing, intensity, and duration of light exposure that matter.
Along with the chance to receive a free pair of glasses, VivaRays is offering five educational emails exploring sunlight, circadian health, and the role light plays in our daily rhythms.
If you've been curious about this topic, it's a fun opportunity to learn something new.
A Little More Receiving, a Little Less Doing
So that's where I find myself this week.
After a few weeks of enormous growth and a whole lot of emotional and creative movement, I'm discovering that nourishment can take many forms.
Sometimes it's protein, water, sleep, and a walk outside. Sometimes it's a room full of women inviting you to move your body, use your voice, and create something without knowing where it's going.
And sometimes it's having someone else hold the structure so you can simply arrive and experience yourself.
Which leaves me with a question I'm going to be sitting with for a while:
Where in my life have I been so focused on being responsible that I've forgotten to make room for what nourishes me?
Nice chat. Let's do it again next week.
Until then, wishing you a little more play, rest, curiosity, and perhaps an opportunity to receive something beautiful that you didn't even know you needed.
All love,
Shannon
P.S. If four weeks of support around your foundational habits sounds like exactly what you've been craving, we'd love to welcome you into The Daily Dose with Tovara and Sarah. Registration is open through November 6!
P.P.S. We're still celebrating a VERY early Black Friday over here! My complete eight-week, self-paced Awaken Your Strength course is $197 (regularly $555), saving you $358.
If you've been wanting to feel more confident lifting weights, understand proper technique, and learn how to strength train for your body and goals, this is a wonderful place to begin.
You'll also have the option to book a one-on-one virtual training session with me for 50% off, bringing the usual $350 session down to $175.
