This is a guest post written by a new member of the MightyNest community. She is just beginning her journey towards creating a safe and healthy home for her family. Amanda is going to write posts periodically, sharing her journey with us.
What does being Mighty mean to you? If you are a member of the MightyNest community it probably means, among other things, making informed choices with respect to your family’s health and the products you buy.
Up until a few weeks ago, I lived in a land of convenience rather than consciousness when it came to environmentally friendly and non-toxic purchasing. I always knew in the back of my mind that I should be more aware of what goes into and onto my children, but never really felt that any one change would make that much of a difference. What I've recently come to realize is that it's the cumulative effect of years of exposure.
But there is another reason why I'm ready to make changes for myself and for my family - breast cancer. I've, unfortunately, had five friends battle breast cancer all under the age of 45 within the last three years. That really scares me. I do believe there are environmental factors contributing to rise in cancer and if there is a chance that reducing our exposure to toxins will keep us from having to face this illness, it's very much worth it to me.
I’m a mom to three young children and being a parent is by far the best decision I ever made. Am I a perfect mom? No! Is being a mom a hard job? Absolutely! In fact, I’ve found it to be the most challenging, yet enlightening and rewarding experience. Being responsible for another living human being’s emotional and physical development is by far the greatest responsibility that can be placed upon one’s shoulders.
Now, let me tell you why I’m here…writing to all of you. Like you, I truly believe in keeping my family safe and healthy, but here’s where we may differ. I’ve never taken the time to educate myself on the issues related to toxins and their effect on our health and environment. I’ll admit that I turned a blind eye because change seemed either: too overwhelming, too expensive or too insignificant. So, why am I ready to make changes now?
Honestly, I wasn't motivated to make any changes until I met everyone at MightyNest. I was startled to learn that there are over 80,000 unregulated synthetic chemicals. Wow! That was the beginning of my desire to learn more. Then, I began digging into the Environmental Working Group's website and my eyes opened even wider. I started to think about two close family members who passed away from breast cancer and my friends who have either battled or are currently battling this terrible illness. If environmental factors are to blame, I now realize that it's just not worth taking the risk. It's foolish for me to think that it won't/can't happen to me. It's happening to people I love all around me.
Today, as I write this, I begin my journey to make Mightier choices. I’ll be documenting my journey and posting it here for you to read and share. If you’ve already begun your journey to making healthier and safer choices, then I welcome your feedback and suggestions. If you are like me and new to this process, I’d love to hear about your experiences as well.
Remember how I said that being a parent is the greatest responsibility? I owe it to my children to be informed about anything related to their health and well being. It's important for me to know what all of my options are and what risks are involved when making a purchase. I hope you will join me as I work to transform my home into a mighty nest!
