Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I’m Shanell, obviously. 🙂 I’m just a “normal” average Jane who wants to help others live a more healthy life style through the foods they eat, the activities they participate in and the things they do in their daily lives.
I come from a small little farm town where everybody went to school in coveralls and rubber boots. I grew up on a beef cattle ranch with 7 siblings and although we argued at times, we were and are all best friends. We learned the value of hard work, hard play, and taking care of people when they needed something. I believe this is where my desire to serve others came from.
I later went to college to become a nurse. I loved the feeling I’d get as I helped people heal. After graduation I decided to serve an 18 month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I served in Tempe Arizona where I would soon see healing on a completely different level. If anyone ever asks me what I think the main thing I learned as I served my mission I say this, “people are people.” What does that even mean? To me, it means this; every single one of us is different, yet every single one of us is the same. We all have strengths. We all have weaknesses. We all have trials. We all have blessings. We are all in the same boat and we all need help sailing.
After my mission I was finally able to say YES to my now husband, and I started working as a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse in Salt Lake City Utah. I loved the people that I worked with. Every single day I learned something new from them. Was it hard to take care of so many cancer patients, you ask? It was so rewarding to take care of these amazing people who showed such courage and faith as they battled one of the hardest things I think anyone could ever go through. They taught ME.
Just because I’m an RN doesn’t mean I can’t learn from the person I am taking care of that day. Who cares how much money you have, how many different pairs of shoes you have, what size pants you wear, what kind of car you drive, etc…?! Who cares?! It means nothing. To me, you are a person. You are someone who has so many strengths. You are you and I am me.
After having our second child we moved away from Salt Lake City, and all of a sudden I was a stay at home mom with nothing to do, right?! Heck no. I feel more busy NOW than when I was working full time! Being a mom is the job I have dreamed of since I was a little girl, but boy is it tough! I’ve grown so much. I’ve been able to develop talents that I have been wanting to develop, and grow in ways that I didn’t even know I needed to grow. I’ve gotten to know me, myself a TON better and I feel like as I share what I’ve learned, I end up learning more!
So, this is why I’m here, to share me. To share some of the strengths I have developed over a long period of time. It’s been a long journey of food, fitness and spiritual growth. I’ve always loved these things and recognize that they are a big part of what makes me, me. So why not share?! No, I don’t know everything, nor would I ever claim that I did. I’m a non-practicing registered nurse. I’m not a nutritionist, a registered dietitian, a personal trainer or a chef. No, I’m just girl, a sister, a daughter, a niece, a wife, a mom, a friend and a person here to help you be a better you as I try to be a better me, the REAL me, the person I really am. Thank you for following along on my journey. I hope I can help yours be a good one too.
Shanell XOXO