The Wellness Spotlight series highlights military spouses and their real world health and wellness journeys in a Facebook live series. Below is an excerpt of Meghan’s feature.
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“My goal in life is to help people live healthy, whole, and meaningful lives.”
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AS A MILITARY SPOUSE?
I met my husband in Atlanta, GA 5 years ago this June. I had just graduated college and took a nanny job in Atlanta for the summer. We met through a mutual friend and spent that summer falling in love! We were married just 5 days short of our one-year dating anniversary.
While I met my husband that summer, I knew I would be a military spouse five years prior to meeting him. After dating another Air Force gentleman after my freshman year of college, I felt a strong calling to be a military spouse. I really chalk it up to God preparing me for what He had in store for me years down the road. I’m not sure I would have gone for it had I not felt such a strong calling and had 5 years to wrap my head around the military lifestyle.
Are you a health or wellness expert?
I went to college and received my B.S. in Applied Health Science and Psychology with the goal of going on to Physician Assistant School. I have always been passionate about whole person wellness and preventative healthcare. When I didn’t get into PA school and the timing of it all didn’t line up well with our military lifestyle and constant moving, I felt led to explore other career options. This is when I discovered health and wellness coaching. As I began to read more about this career, the more I knew this is exactly what I always wanted to do…I just never knew a thing like it existed. I grew up and watched both of my parents struggle with their health and wellness, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I knew that I wanted to educate and help others learn to lead lifestyles rooted in healthy habits. My aim is to offer a fresh perspective and approach to health and wellness; an approach that focuses on stewarding our bodies well. I firmly believe that our home environments profoundly impact our overall wellness, hence the name of my brand/business, HomeBodySoul.
What is a low moment when your health suffered the most and how did you overcome it?
Finding out we were being re-stationed to Los Angeles was definitely a low point. I was not at all thrilled to move West and was filled with so many fears and disappointments. It was my first move as a military spouse as well, so that brought a whole host of emotions ranging from anticipation and curiosity to fear and a desire to stay rooted where we were.
Ultimately, I knew we didn’t have a choice and I had to pick up and move. That forced me to become resilient and overcome this “barrier”. I also wanted to go into the move with a positive attitude, so I tried my very best to stay positive and look forward to experiencing a new part of the country for 3-4 years.
Share with us a high moment during your wellness journey!
Our time in Los Angeles has held some of my lowest low’s and my highest high’s. It’s been three years full of personal, relational, and professional growth. While it hasn’t been easy, I wouldn’t trade these three years because I have developed so much as a woman of faith, a woman of wellness, and as a wife, friend, entrepreneur, and coach. I ebb and flow when it comes to my wellness, just like any human being. Some weeks and months are easier and healthier than others but I always come back to what my root ‘why’ is when it comes to choosing to live an intentionally well lifestyle.
What is your favorite piece of fitness equipment?
My favorite piece of fitness equipment would have to be dumbbells! They are so versatile, easy to use, and relatively cheap to purchase and keep at your home. Strength training is my favorite form of exercise and it has so many benefits for the body and the mind.
What is one personal habit that contributes to your success?
One personal habit that contributes to my success is to start my day off slow and purposeful. I don’t always have an hour to ease into the day, but it is more a mental mindset shift to enjoy and savor each moment of the day and not jump out of bed and immediately focus on the rush and the list of things that needs to be done. I always try to start my day with a devotional and intentional quiet time before beginning any more or hopping on social media. It makes such a difference in how I approach the remainder of my day.
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“Wellness is living a life rooted in wholeness from the inside out. ”
WHAT IS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY?
Over the last year, I have written and created a holistic fitness planner for women. Whole Body Fitness is a self-guided fitness planner that is comprehensive in nature and teaches you how to steward your body well through movement. This health and wellness resource is great for the military community because the workouts throughout this planner can be done virtually anywhere, anytime! I created with flexibility and grace in mind. The heart behind Whole Body Fitness is to teach women how to take care of their bodies from a stewardship standpoint, all while learning self-discipline so that each woman can gain the confidence and determination to go after other goals in their life. Whole Body Fitness is more than just workouts. It teaches how to move your body in a refreshing way that is rooted in self-care and gaining not only physical strength, but also mental and emotional strength. It really is a whole body, whole person approach to health and fitness.
IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND ONE BOOK TO MILITARY SPOUSES, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I really do love reading when I have the time and there are so many incredible books out there! If I had to recommend one book for military spouses, I would have to recommend ‘The 5 Love Languages Military Edition’. This is an excellent book for couples to read through separately or together! It helped my husband and I learn how to better love one another and it also taught us a lot about ourselves and how we give and receive love. It’s so important that we cultivate healthy marriages as well as this can make or break our home environment and most definitely impacts our wellness.
(Purchases using the links above will help InDependent cover administrative costs for our programs at no extra cost to you!)
ABOUT meghan meredith
Meghan Meredith is an Air Force wife currently stationed in Los Angeles, CA. She is the founder of HomeBodySoul, a lifestyle wellness brand for women where she seeks to inspire and educate women on how to best steward their homes, bodies, and souls. She is a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, and a Health/Wellness Coach. She and her husband currently have no children, but love their fur-baby, Nusu! She drives a yellow Jeep, which she feel is very reflective of her personality! She loves green tea, being outdoors, and slow mornings.
CONNECT WITH Meghan
Facebook: Home Body Soul | Website: Home Body Soul | Instagram: @homebodysoul | Email: hello@homebodysoul.com |
