Living a Healthy, Wholesome Lifestyle with Kristen Graham
This beautiful girl brings such a lightness to the world and creates such a peaceful nature wherever she may go. The lovely Kristen Graham, is a 24 year old Wellness Blogger and Meditation Teacher from the Gold Coast, Australia. After relapsing from an autoimmune disease at twenty, she transformed her diet and lifestyle and in doing so, found a holistic approach to life.
Through her work, she hopes to inspire and encourage people to live a healthy, wholesome lifestyle and to cultivate Peace and Presence in their daily lives but most of all, she feels her work here is to inspire an awakening and remind people of who they truly are.
Soul Sister Circle chats to Kristen about her childhood, what makes her smile and the wonderful journey she is embarking on…
SSC: So lets begin with a little bit about you, who is Kristen Graham? Describe for me who you are in 3 words and what makes you smile every day?
Kristen: Oh gosh, I can barely put who I am into an entire blog/book/website, let’s give this a try.. Joyful Compassionate Dreamer I think that’s pretty good sum up. The beach makes me smile everyday.
SSC: Tell us a little about your childhood and growing up with what the doctors explained as an incurable autoimmune disease? Do you look back on those years and wished it were different?
Kristen: I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis when I was 11. At the time I was a competitive figure skater and trained 5 days a week. As I child, I believe it was harder for my parents than it was for me. Being just 11 and in primary school, I had my parents to support me. Being sick meant taking a nap in the schools sick bay and taking a few days off school when I needed it and being driven to hospital appointments by my parents. I had so much support from ice rink where I skated and from my little Catholic primary school. When I had my surgery, my primary school delivered a get well soon basket full of beautiful treasures and get well messages from my class. They even held mass at the schools church and prayed for me.
I don’t look at it as a negative experience. Being diagnosed again at 20 was more difficult because I was living out of home and working full time as a hairdresser. I wasn’t able to take a nap at work or have a few days off. This was far more challenging but it was my blessing in disguise.
SSC: Have you found yourself falling back into your old ways at all? And how have you been able to stay focused on your positive journey forward after years of not looking after yourself properly?
Kristen: There’s no effort required for me to maintain this lifestyle because this is my way of life now. It feels like home, as though I had always intended to be here. I’ve chosen a way of life that brings me joy, that has increased my energy and has given me passion and purpose.
SSC: The ‘Soul Sessions’ is such a beautiful concept; explain to us how that started and how it has been working with other people and helping them on their own journeys?
Kristen: The Soul Sessions were born out of a combination of cosmic guidance and alignment. I felt a need to work with people in the flesh. I wanted connect through eye contact, in real time. I wanted to hug people, I wanted to work with and feel the energy in a room, and so the Soul Sessions was born. I know working with and guiding women in a part of my purpose here because it comes so naturally to me. This work lights me up.
SSC: You just recently under went a social media detox for over a week, can you tell us about why you did this, how it went and some tips for having a balance between life and social media?
Kristen: I did and it felt so spacious and freeing. Essena Oneill inspired me to do this. The social media detox was a long time coming. Kieran (my fiance) was constantly telling me that he felt I was on my phone too much and it was only when I took this break that I realised how much time I had been spending staring down at my phone. I set out on a 7 day social media detox and ended up going for 12. I felt more creative. I experienced more clarity, increased energy and a renewed sense of passion and purpose. I felt more connected which is rather interesting since social media is meant to be about connecting with people. This detox has changed the way I use my phone. I often leave it at home these days and turn it off for hours at a time. I get on social media with purpose, to leave a message there and then I get out.
My tips for creating a balance:
Before you jump on social media each day, know WHY you are logging in and WHAT you are posting. Share YOUR message before scrolling through everyone else’s. Evaluate how many social media platforms you are on. Do you really need to be on 3 plus? Pick your favourite’s and pour your love into the messages you share there. I log in twice a day to post a message and reply to comments/check events. I like to limit this time to 10 minutes anything more than that and I’m just distracting myself and missing the beauty around me.
Choose no phone zone’s or no phone times. These days I do not wake up with social media. I have a shower, put on a feel good playlist, cook my breakfast, drink my green tea and journal or read a few pages of a book or go to the beach before I log on to social media. If you’re looking to break the habit of rolling over when your alarm goes off and reaching for Instagram, roll over and reach for a book full of quotes or messages. I’ve made a commitment to have most afternoon’s at the beach phone free and just a few days here and there where I take my phone to capture some pictures.
Committing to a social media detox will shine a spotlight on how you use social media and you’ll return with clarity around how you want to continue your relationship with it from now on and I promise you’ll be more inspired to create YOUR work in the world.
SCC: What is the best advice you have ever been given? From who, and how have these words helped you over the years?
Kristen:For as long as I can remember I’ve had an internal voice that guides me. Tuning in, listening and conversing with that voice has been a guiding force and divine light in my life. That voice has gifted me with endless cosmic guidance. Let me share something that this voice revealed to me this year. You are more supported than you can even begin to imagine. – Let’s just call this Cosmic Guidance And here’s one from a friend of mine. I fell in love with these words the moment I heard them and I now allow them to guide my life. Kindness makes the world go round -Alex Olsen Violet Gray.
And then there’s this.. Love is the most powerful weapon on the face of the planet-
Prince Ea. Boom doesn’t that hit you in the heart?
SSC: What can we expect to see in the future for Kristen Graham and your ‘Wild Spirit Feather’ blog?
Kristen: Well this brings me so much excitement. I’m saying sayonara to the Wild Spirit Feather blog and I’m starting fresh. This chapter feels spacious, free and a tad rebellious. The Wild Spirit Feather space has served me for the last three years but these days I feel like an adult living in little girls bedroom with purple walls (I was actually the little girl with purple walls) and I’m ready to release it with love and begin again. I have been working behind the scenes on my new website so you are soon to see a fresh digital landscape at KristenGraham.com.au I’ve put a lot of focus on sharing the things that have changed my life. I wanted this space to answer questions that have been asked over the last few years. I wanted to share my secrets and life changing resources. I want it to be place of transformation, wellness, spirituality, but most of all, the stone that causes a ripple effect and leads you to remember who you really are.
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Bec Van Leeuwen is a truth-seeker, devoted wife and mother, a globe-trotter, a nature lover and a human potential activist. Her mission is to support and inspire awakening women who are on a quest to create real and lasting change in their lives, their communities and the world.