Guest post by Diana Schwarzlose 
It's so easy!! I knew I wanted to try to make my own sunscreen because there are some active ingredients in most sunscreens on the shelf today that I would like to avoid. Some of them mess with your estrogen levels, and y'all...I do NOT have time for that! No one has time for that, seriously.
I'd like to share this article with you if you're wondering what ingredients I'm referring to and why I don't need them in my life.
After looking at several recipes online, I finally settled on one from Wellness Mama, and I'm so glad I did! I appreciate how she outlines the natural SPF in each ingredient and explains why getting a certain amount of sun exposure if necessary and good.
After ordering a few key ingredients off of Amazon, I texted my dear friend, Lisa Embree at www.commonsensecorner.org, to see if she already had shea butter and carrot seed essential oil, which she did. She is an essential oil guru, so feel free to contact her if you are curious about them. I decided she was going to invite me over, so I could use her stuff and we could make this together.
The outcome (ie, texture and effectiveness) of this sunscreen is divine!! Y'all, I can't reiterate to you enough: If I can do this, you can do this. For real. I have a 3 year old and a 3 month old that I stay home with, and I'm starting up this new business now. I tell you that, so you can't make any excuses like, "I don't have time for that," or "I'm not a DIY girl." I will stare at you blankly...for several awkward seconds.
Just buddy up with a friend because that always makes it more fun (and cheaper), get these simple ingredients, and try it! You'll love it!
Homemade Sunscreen Recipe

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 2 Tbsp shea butter
• 2 Tbsp zinc oxide
• 8-10 drops raspberry seed oil
• 8-10 drops carrot seed oil
• (optional) yummy essential oils for scent; we like lavender or frankincense because those both have incredible benefits for your skin too!

Fill a pot with 2 inches of water and set it on medium to medium-high heat. Set a thick glass jar (like a mason jar) in the water, and add all the ingredients through the shea butter. Wait about 5-10 minutes for it to melt, stirring occasionally to incorporate. When it has completely melted, add the zinc oxide (do not inhale it - use a spoon to place it in the jar, so it doesn't get in the air) and stir well to combine. After it has cooled a bit, add the raspberry seed and carrot seed oils. You may also add additional oils to make it smell good and/or adding beauty benefits for your skin. There are some oils you'll want to avoid, like citrus oils, so be aware of that. (See Lisa's explanation in the video.) Post a comment below and let us know if you've made your own sunscreen and how it turned out!

It's been one month since I attended the amazing Raw Food Institute's Immersion Program with my mom and two of my daughters in Simsbury, Connecticut. The experience exceeded my expectations! My head is still spinning with so much amazing information that it has been difficult to sit down and choose what to say about the experience. I want to make sure I do it justice! But I reminded myself tonight that I preach to myself daily, "progress not perfection" and just get something down! This may be my rough draft and if you revisit this entry there might be some changes but I did want to get something on "paper" now about the experience. 

So you may wonder why a girl from Austin, Texas went all the way to Connecticut to attend a Raw Food Program when there are plenty of programs closer. Two words...Lisa Wilson. Lisa is the founder of The Raw Food Institute and from the moment I met her I knew she was special. She did not disappoint!

I had a "chance" meeting with Lisa two years previously when I was at another wellness conference with my mom. In 2014, it was my mom's 75th Birthday so as a present to her we attended the Longevity Now Conference in California. There were a couple thousand people at that event which is hosted by David Wolfe. During lunch breaks, as often happens at big conferences, the restaurant ran out of seating. Lisa was there with her adorable daughter, Harper and they asked if they could join my mom and me at our table. Thank God we were eating salads and not hamburgers when this amazing Raw Foodie sat down next to me! LOL! In hindsight, maybe she asked to sit with us because we had salads! Either way, I'm glad they sat down. We had a lovely conversation and I wrote down her website.

When I got home I checked it out and immersed myself with her content and gems. I "stalked" her Facebook and started interacting with her and after awhile I knew I wanted to visit her raw food program some day. My oldest daughter also started following Lisa's blog and videos. We put it on our bucket list.

Then on a whim during the Christmas Holidays I decided that I wanted to give myself and my mom another Christmas and January birthday gift "experience" vs. things. Since my oldest daughter also has a January birthday I decided we should include her too. Then we added my youngest daughter as well because why not have 4 people in a hotel room and save some money on the program. I also thought it would be good to have them along to help learn how to "not cook" our meals! They both love "cooking" and luckily for me they have a passion to learn everything they can about wellness and how we can continually improve our health.

The 7 days went by in a flash! The first few days of a cleanse are always "painful" but getting to the other side is amazing. I've done plenty of cleanses before but never something this extensive. Thank goodness we have been on a healthy living journey for a few years now or the discomfort would have been even greater. It's always worth it but sharing a hotel room with 4 people during a cleanse can be even more challenging. Did I mention there were enemas? Yep, we didn't know that part either. We laughed a lot and got over it.   Like the cleanse, all the information Lisa gave us was not brand new to us but this was also a whole new level! She brings in amazing speakers and holistic healers who provided some treatments we were familiar with but some we were not.  And of course the food!!!! Yes we ate raw food for 7 days and it was amazing! No I will not be going 100% raw yet. I do believe it is the healthiest way to eat (especially if you are in a healing crisis) but it is not sustainable for my family and me at this point in our journey. However, we will be cooking our foods at a much lower temperature and including more raw and less cooked. That is totally doable for us!

In addition to the awesome treatments that were available to us and the yummy, nutritious foods we also got to meet some amazing people that I'm happy to now  call friends. From the other attendees to the volunteers who come back to help serve. The program is intimate in nature so by the end of the week we felt like we had known these people for months. I can't wait to go back and volunteer and have the rest of my family go through RFI! What an amazing community Lisa Wilson has created!

When another social media platform pops up I usually ignore it because I'm not the most tech savvy individual and who knows if it will be around next month. Facebook has been my go to for the last several years for keeping up with family &  friends and for amazing resources for healthy living. I'm comfortable with it. However, when Pericope hit my radar I found it pretty intriguing. I started connecting with other like minded individuals re: healthy living. You can really get a sense of who they are in a short amount of time. Like many people, I'm also a very visual learner, so pericope really comes in handy from that aspect.

​It is a bit intimidating when you are first learning all the intricacies of it and if you are not a natural on camera (clearly I am not) it takes putting your fears and nervousness (& perfectionism) aside. My children have found it great entertainment in critiquing my scopes. There have been a few that have been so embarrassingly bad that I took them down for their sake and mine. The ones I've collected on my katch.me account are not going to win any awards but maybe you will learn a thing or two that might help you live a more vibrant life or at the very least give you a good chuckle. Here's my collection: on Katch. My periscope is @ commonsensecorn because somehow I messed up and the corner wouldn't fit (LOL) and now I'm having difficulty updating. Did I mention that I'm tech-challenged! https://www.periscope.tv/commonsensecorn

Update March 2016: I finally made the change to my periscope name because I just could not stand being Common Sense Corn ;) so I'm now at LisaAnnEmbree on periscope & here is my Katch channel: https://katch.me/lisaannembree  Please join me on periscope & give me some hearts. Thanks!

"One weekend can change everything" is the tag line for Tony Robbin's event called Unleash the Power Within (UPW). It's 4 days, always a Thursday-Sunday. If you will play "full out" and "drink the kool aide" as the joke goes, it will be a life changing experience! I'm not going to lie, the event will seem a little cult like on day 1, especially if you are not familiar with Tony and his programs.

Prior to November,  2012,  I was in "survival mode" almost daily and it was getting beyond exhausting. My adoring husband was super concerned so he suggested we attend a Tony Robbins seminar called "Unleash the Power Within". UPW is anything but a seminar though. I was familiar with Tony from his Personal Power cassette tapes (yes I'm aging myself) and late night infomercials (yes I've watched a few).  Recently I had heard him on my  XM radio as I was driving my kiddos to activities.  Tony was doing a special with Oprah and I heard him say, "Everybody's life is either a warning or an example. You've got to decide what you're gonna be and you have to draw a line in the sand." Later that day I mentioned to Kevin how that quote really resonated with me. Especially since my dad had suffered a life altering cerebral aneurysm due to high blood pressure at the young age of 54 years old!  Here I was in my mid 40's, newly diagnosed with high blood pressure and not making healthy living a priority. I also had the dreaded shingles a few months prior. Definitely a sign that my health was taking a turn for the worst! I knew I was on my way to many more chronic "mid life" illnesses if I didn't make some changes. I also worked as a Physical Therapist in acute care and long term care settings so I knew first hand what those consequences would be. We both knew we needed to make some major changes and soon! So Kevin suggested we give ourselves an early 25 th wedding anniversary gift and attend the next UPW in Orlando. 

We had NO idea what we were getting into. There were close to five thousand participants and many of them were already familiar with Tony's philosophy on how to live a fulfilled and high energy life. Just waiting for the event to start was insanely high energy and a bit uncomfortable for us newbies. The room was uncomfortably cold and I didn't feel prepared with enough layers of clothing or snacks. There was no specific schedule or breaks, which also felt really uncomfortable but we stuck it out and each day got more comfortable and meaningful. Tony walks his talk and his events are like rock concerts, only you walk away ready to tap into the BEST EVER version of yourself.  The person you were meant to be all along but you let life and other people's opinions  get in the way of your common sense! 

It was during these 4 days that we really started to evaluate how we were living our life. Big, impactful changes are cool and give you some major momentum towards progress, but little changes, or as Tony calls them, "2 mm shifts" are also important for long term changes. Consistent "2 mm shifts" can take you on a totally different journey. I cringe to think of how my health, energy and quality of life would have continued to decline if we hadn't stepped out of our comfort zone. 

"Walking on fire" (hot coals but it's still hot)! happens at the end of day 1 and it's a metaphor to keep you focused for the rest of the weekend and the rest of your life. When things get tough, we dig deep and reach for our inner "fire walker"! It may seem corny but it has helped me through many fears. Including starting this website/blog!

Tony often says "step into my common sense corner" when he's asking you to evaluate looking at a different way of doing something. Obviously that term and concept spoke to me! To me that common sense corner  is a moment to stop and listen to your gut and block out all the BS... or as he calls it, your limiting "Belief Systems".  

I encourage you take some time to step into your common sense corner and live a more vibrant life. Sometimes I slip back into some old patterns but with my new knowledge (& 5 people who hold me accountable), I quickly make some shifts and get back on course. I NEVER EVER want to go back to survival mode. If you have been there or are there, you know it SUCKS! 

If you need some help making some massive change I highly recommend one of Tony's events. I know it may seem expensive especially if you have to travel to go to one of his events, but it is the best money we have ever spent!  If you can't tell, I'm a 'raving fan' of his work and I'm happy to talk to anyone who has questions about his programs and give you some tips on attending his events. (like bring a jacket and gloves...Tony likes the room cold)! 

Please comment below if you are a fellow "fire walker" or if you any questions about "walking on fire".

Life will never be the same...and I'm grateful for my new journey into living a more vibrant life. 

https://www.tonyrobbins.com/events/unleash-the-power-within/

When I started this vibrant living journey back in November 2012, I decided to add yoga to my routine consistently.  I felt like the least flexible person in the room and sometimes I still feel like I don't belong there but the truth is I NEED  yoga more than the flexible people so I put my insecurities aside and I fell in love with yoga.  It truly integrates your mind, body, spirit like no other exercise. I was researching how to bring more integrative practices into my PT practice and I came across this amazing video. It is one on the most amazing and inspiring transformations I've ever seen.  It confirmed for me that yoga is for everyone, especially people with physical limitations and their caregivers although you do have to find a class that fits your needs and limitations. I'm excited that I started steps to get my yoga certification for medical professionals through this amazing program. Please comment below to share your yoga experience. 

My husband and I love the mission of the YMCA.  Kevin has been on the Metro board of the YMCA of Austin for several years now.  He is so passionate about helping YMCA's promote their message that he devoted his company, Level Seven, to helping them and other non-profits  with their digital marketing management.   I'm super passionate about the food revolution movement that is happening so when the Austin Y asked if they could interview me on why we donate to the Y,  I said absolutely...well maybe with a little arm twisting because my family had me a little paranoid about my on camera skills.  (Please excuse my  weird hand and eye movements). I'm super proud of our Austin Y and how they promote a healthier lifestyle to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. Please comment below to tell us about your favorite non- profit organization. 

Making some of the food shifts is confusing and difficult especially in the beginning of making changes. I cannot recommend enough that you hire a holistic health coach! I  was meeting some serious resistance from the "troops" and I needed some help and  reinforcement. The  pictures are from our first meeting with Carly (circa April 2013). It didn't hurt that our health coach is a beautiful young lady who is a lot closer to my kids age than I am and a lot cooler. Yes, it was a brilliant move!  Personally, I think Carly is the BEST and she takes clients from all over the world, but I just highly encourage you to find someone that you have a good repoire with if you need some support. You can find out more about Carly and some of her programs here.  

Two years later, I'm fortunate to not only call Carly our health coach but also a dear friend and colleague. Recently we did a presentation together about creating a vibrant life with healthy foods and essential oils as part of a wellness class. "The student became the teacher"...WITH her teacher. It was an AMAZING experience and we have decided to do more presentations together for corporations wellness programs. Contact Carly or me if you are interested in having us come do a presentation for you and your co-workers. 

I really don't enjoy sharing bad pictures of myself but I think a picture is truly worth a thousand words. Often pictures are what sparks a change in some people especially when they don't "recognize" themselves. 

Like a growing child, the changes can be subtle but over time the change is quite obvious. Sadly for me, seeing this picture was not my catalyst to make any changes  because I was so exhausted that I couldn't even muster up enough energy to start learning about new ways of eating/living. 

I realize my weight wasn't extreme here (probably about 30 pounds heavier than I am today) but what I think the picture really expresses is how exhausted I am. We were visiting family out of town and they had baby goats they wanted to show the kids. All I could think about is I want to be inside, in the A/C, sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of wine. And not necessarily in that order! 

I've had a ton of "mentors" during my vibrant living journey but these are my "tried and true" top 10 that I turn to often. Thanks to an abundance of resources on the internet you don't have to meet or even know your mentors. Obviously, if you can meet them in person, it will be a more meaningful connection. I've met 5 of these amazing people and I hope to meet them all one day (except Rachel Carson, RIP). Please comment below to add some of your favorite mentors.

• Tony Robbins

• Chalene Johnson
  

• Carly Shankman (Peace, Love & Kale)

• Food Babe

• Lisa Wilson (Raw Food Institute)
• David Wolfe
• Dr. Joseph Mercola

• Dr. Mark Hyman

• Rachel Carson (author of Silent Spring)

• John Droomgoole (The Natural Gardener)