One Year of Raw~Looking Back

[sweetgoddess]

It is one year to the day that I joined this forum and decided to give raw food and Alissa's 30 Day Challenge a try.
At the start I doubted a wee bit I could enjoy this or have the discipline to do it for any length of time. Here I am a year later and raw food has changed my life entirely.

Many bumps in the road during the year. Struggling and habits, patterns and judgements, tons of emotions and false ideas ..all rose to the surface to be worked on. (and still do!)
I experienced joy and vitality like I have never known. My sleep changed and became so refreshing. Mental clarity increased. I lost 70 pounds. An incurable chronic gland disease I had - has vanished as has the head/neck/shoulder pain I had since I was 16. I feel alive!

Many new raw friends have been made. I went to Alissa's training and opened a raw food center in my town. I have taught and certified others now and watched them begin to experience a lot of the things I have in the last year. What a great blessing. Pay it forward.

Finding Alissa's book in the library one year ago and giving it a go was the best thing I have ever done. My life is forever changed for the better. In just a year.

I did not start raw never to falter to cooked food again like I had envisioned when I began. I stumbled and faltered many, many times but everytime I kept going. Somewhere along the way I lost the desire to judge myself and freak out over the stones in the path.

And so now I am, on this one year mark, still not there. In fact, I am here, and it is the most incredible place to be. Alive, vibrant and painfree, happy to be blessed with this body, clear minded and enchanted with life. I cant even describe how much this differs from where I stood a year ago today. I could just weep recalling it. I have gained a lot of freedom from this journey. And it has only just begun!

I had to mark this day and hope by sharing this I inspire just one person to give it a go. Its an amazing journey.

Bless Alissa's book sitting on that library shelf :)

[karotw]

Sweetgoddess - Congratulations on one year raw! What a great accomplishment. Thank you, too, for sharing your journey with us all here on this board. I know that I, for one, have gained so much from your gentle approach and from your honest sharing of your experiences. You are certainly an inspiration to me!


Wishing you many more blessings as you continue down the raw road :D


Karen

[Gosia]

Happy raw birthday!!!

http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/cake1.jpg

http://www.animationlibrary.com/Animation11/Animals/Elephants/dancing_elephant.gif

[Ireland]

Sweetgoddess, what a wonderful testimony to raw! Look how far you've come, it's incredible. And now, as you say, you're paying it forward and it will continue to come back to you again and again.

Congratulations :)

[lily]

Thank you, Sweetgoddess, for sharing that, and congratulations.

I have been finding many bumps along the path, but, like you said, I just keep going. I am learning to stand up for myself about being raw and not worry about what other people think. It's difficult because my family, whilst being vegetarian, are very sceptical of raw. I find it hard cooking for them and making other things for myself. I find it hard having other food around.

What keeps me coming back when I waver is knowing how fantastic I feel when I'm raw -- 99 per cent -- I haven't yet managed to give up the green tea.

But getting there -- and experiences such as yours are an inspiration.

Here's to us all, to our journey...

Blessings,

lily

[watersole]

Sweetgoddess,

Congratulations! I too have also had my first raw year as of Jan 1st! I stumbled across it accidentally on the web and it just clicked, and the rest is history. It's amazing that many people who find the raw path are changed profoundly; I have had the same occurance this last year... It's been a blast! I can't wait to see what lays ahead this year.

It is a wonderful thing that Alissa has done, and I'm happy to be a part of it!

Happy New Year all!

[Rawkinlocs]

HAPPY ONE YEAR RAW ANNIVERSARY!!!

You are a beautiful person inside and out! Here's to many more years in this wonderful lifestyle!

[JMD]

Congrats TO YOU!! I always enjoy how warm and caring your posts are. I wish you all the success in the World for 2006. You are great!!

:)JMD

[swiddweas]

Wow, what a milestone! Good for you, Sweetgoddess. :D

Patte

[Cinnamon]

You have come along way baby! Congratulations on your one year raw anniversary. I remember very well when you joined this forum as I was watching for someone else from Washington to join, and there you were!

You are a great inspiration to all of us and you will be amazed at what this next year will be like, magnify everything you've been through this past year and there you have it!

[Lady Green Jeans]

sweetgoddess,

What a wonderful and inspiring post. I have read many of your posts and you are always so knowledgeable and the information you give is so well said. My raw journey is short in comparision, but I hope to reach the milestone you have and feel even a little of what you are.

I hope it gets better and better and 2006 is an absolutely fantastic year for you.

[lodestar]

Well dear sweet goddess...a year is an amazing accomplishment. It is a fact that you have been a source of very positive energy here and I have basked in the love of your posts. I'll never forget a post from last year after you had accomplished your 30 days as you numbered each and every improvement that you had experienced as you stayed true to your goal. Then and there I knew that there must be something to eating raw vegan. And heck, if you could do it...well, it must be doable.
So, I too send my appreciation and warmest blessings to a wonderful soul. xox

[monkeyboy]

Hi Everyone,

Ah..... YES!!!!!!!!!!!! my Sweet uh uhm Sweetgoddess.

Congrats. By far one of my favorites.

Peace,

M.B.

[Nini]

Sweetgoddess - Congratulations on one year raw!

Woot Woot!! :)

[lavendarJ]

Hip Hip Hooray Sweetgoddess
You words have and continue to inspire .....

[calee]

Congratulations SweetGoddess on where this journey has brought you. I wish for you only good things and as much wonderment in your second year as in your first.

calee

[sweetgoddess]

Wow you are all so beautiful. I cant tell you how lovely it was to come home to these warm posts. My heart is dancing! Gosia, the cake! yummy thanks. Karen, lodestar, Shannon, Cinnamon you have given me the warmest support all along this journey and I thank you with all my heart.
monkeyboy, I am so touched I must say XOXO !
Cherie, I got to meet you in person and gain a kindred spirit. Yeah! See how great raw is? :)
And everyone else, thank you for your support and encouragement. It is people like you who make this forum a wonderful place to gather and to share. I hope all your warmth is returned to you many times over.

Yeah that we have all discovered this!
\:D/ \:)/ \:p/

Warmest Blessings~
Carmel

[leeleelocs]

Sweet.....congraduations on your one year RAW!!!! And thanks for all your words of wisdom that you share with others.

Leeleelocs

[deedub]

Yours was one of the first juornals I read and it moved me so much. Thank you for your presence on this site. You are and inspiration to me. Thank you for being so articulate and loving.
Peace Love and Many Blessings

[rawpriestess]

CONGRATULATIONS, sweet little fairy spirit in human form (this life)

May all your dreams, wishes and desires manifest in miraculously lightning speed upon this plane.

blessed Be to thee and thine,
Rawpriestess

[Ariannah]

Happy Anniversaraw!!
You are an inspiration to all!

[Halo Aglow]

So great! I think you are an amazing person! You have this wonderful light about you that is so calming. Thankyou for sharing your story. :)

[rawsistah]

Congratulations Sweetgoddess!

Today is my first day RAW, on your anniversary... how cool. I wanted to tell you that your journal is what made me realize i can do this. I read it just about a week ago (the whole thing, in one sitting!). I had in my mind, like you, that it should be a smooth, easy, Shazzie-like transition. Seeing that you struggled and still continue to succeed and move forward is more encouragement to me than anything else i have read. I will be re-reading bits & pieces of your journal for encouragement as i start down my own path.
Thank you and many more blessing to you and yours,
peace
rawsista

[Sasha1200]

Sweet Goddess you are an inspiration!!!

[twinee1]

Kudo's to you..a year raw !! You are such a great role model for us all !! :D

[swingbolder]

What a wonderful testimony. Congratulations to you on your raw BIRTHDAY, bc going raw gives birth to a whole new body and spirt, doesn't it.

Happy birthday and many more!