Hey Hey Hey my lovelies, I hope all is well and that this last quarter of the year is being good to you and you to it. Remember that it is never too early or too late to get started in anything that is a hearts desire of yours which brings me to my 21-day fasting journey that was a desire of mine to complete before the New Year. Now as you know (if you’ve been following me for a while), that this isn’t my first rodeo, but this was my first time fasting from the things I chose to detox from for that set period of time.
Now for those who don’t know or haven’t fasted or detoxed before, a fast/detox is pretty much in short temporarily giving up something for a set period of time for either spiritual, religious, or personal reasons in order to gain clarity, hear from God, or simply to reset the mind and body. For this fast I decided that for 21 days I would not partake in social media, watch any TV, eat junk food/fast food/sweets—only drink water, eat my first meal of the day at 12pm, and only listen to gospel, inspirational or instrumental music. Sounds like a lot (I know), but it wasn’t half as bad as I thought. I did struggle a lot at times, but I had to remind myself of my WHY.
Moreover, my WHY for this fast was for a reset that would make room for me to gain the clarity and direction (from God) needed as it pertains to my identity, purpose/career, and love. I was intentional in my decision to start my fast within the last quarter of the year rather than waiting until the New Year to fast as I and many of us would normally do. There was a tug on my spirit that was asking “why not start now” which made me think to myself that me fasting now prior to the new season will better prepare me in the NOW rather than waiting for the THEN. I had moments prior to the beginning of my fast where I was operating in fear and almost didn’t go through with it because I didn’t think I could do it, but again I stress knowing and keeping your WHY at the forefront therefore you won’t give into the wrong small voice. After that hiccup, and remembering my WHY, it was set. November 1st would be the start and there was no turning back.
In preparation for my fast I already made outlined notes of what my days would consist of which included my morning meditation, podcast devotional, prayer & worship and several devotional readings and one non-devotional reading, as well as spiritually inspirational videos that would help center me and allow me to be more present. Going into this fast giving up almost everything I enjoyed, I didn’t know what to expect. Week one was by far the hardest. Day one went by so fast that I didn’t really feel the immediate change, but from day two and so on, it really began to hit me which led me to start journaling this experience. I never realized how hard waiting until 12p to eat would be. Being the early bird that I am, starting my day around 5am and not eating until 12pm was brutal. I’m a regular coffee drinker and to not have my morning cup crushed my soul, but I had to press on.
By week two, I began to really get into the flow of things and dive deeper into my routines and began feeling a lightness about myself and my energy (partly due to me getting more sleep and my diet). I was definitely more alert and present. By day ten nature was calling literally. I was falling more in love with the fall scenery which was already a love of mine with fall being my favorite season, but there was a more lively aspect of looking at trees, their leaves and watching them transition. I was experiencing and embracing Gods creations including myself and it didn’t stop there. Within that same week I was blessed to see some amazing sunrises that I was able to capture the beauty of. In addition, I was falling in love again with the art and process of cooking and getting excited again about me creating which is my passion. Moreover, week three was nothing short of amazing, it was where felt God the most and received confirmation about my purpose and career path. I continued with my routines fervently until it got closer to the end of the fast when I started to feel like I don’t want this to end because of how amazing I was feeling, but I was reminded that the end of this fast is just the beginning of an amazing new season of my life with deeper intimacy with God and more awareness of self.
Arriving at Day 21 was almost surreal because of my earlier reservations and doubts, but by the grace of God I got through it. This experience was incredible. I truly just felt more present and aware. I know that I got confirmation in my purpose of doing work that serves others which involves me taking something from conception to completion. In addition, this time has allowed me to dive deeper into passages in the Bible that I’ve heard and read before, but to study them again and know what these books are about was more enriching. What I struggled with the most during this fast was not being able to eat whatever I wanted when I wanted and not having my TV to entertain me. I was surprised at how much I didn’t care for social media. I naturally just go on there to quickly browse and post content so it’s not like I was on there heavy, but still it was a norm for me. Now I’ve decided to set a limit specifically on Instagram (because it is the one I use most) for a total usage daily of two hours. Although my fasting journey has ended, I will continue to be mindful and aware, prioritizing my time with God, my purpose, and limiting my intake of things that I largely consumed prior.
I hope my fasting journey will help you in making an intentional decision to either start your own fast or just to start something/anything that is a desire of yours to do. Don’t wait until the New Year to be the “new you” or to start that business or project you’ve been holding back. There’s no better time then in the NOW!
Love, Steph xoxoxo
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