I've been having so much fun getting to know my fellows authors in It's Not About the Food! In addition to quite a few Facebook Lives with all of them, I caught Melissa Rosenstock for an interview! ​Here it is!

My “aha” moment came to me when I was sitting at my desk at my previous job - I was on the brink of turning 39, had two young kids, and while I was living a seemingly happy existence, I was unfulfilled. I spent 50+ hours per week away from my kids and husband, at a job that I didn’t like, and was simply going through the motions to get by. I knew I was meant for more and I knew I couldn’t sit at this job for the next 20+ years of my life simply because it was the “responsible” thing to do. I have always been interested in health, nutrition, fitness and wellness, but had only pursued them as hobbies, until a dear friend of mine posted about a Health Coach Training Certification program through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). I reached out to her to get more information, and in that conversation I decided it was time to pursue something for myself, to put my needs on my own priority list, and to listen to my desires. Making the decision to sign-up for that certification program was the catalyst of change in my life.

That decision catapulted me into a new trajectory of my life, where I was completely clear that this was my calling, and I was passionate about sharing with others. I knew that if I could design a life I love by putting myself on my own radar, then it was my duty to share this and inspire other women to do the same. I began to look at wellbeing from an entirely different lens, where instead of focusing externally - on food and diet, I began to focus inward and learned the importance of heeding to my emotional wellbeing.

The silver lining was how much better I felt, and how I felt whole. For so long, I felt broken or like there was something wrong with me because I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and saying “yes” to myself and enrolling in IIN changed the entire trajectory of my life. From the first module, it was an epiphany and it became crystal clear this was the path I was meant to be on, and I could help others to experience the same. I felt it down to my core that this is my mission in life, and I want to help others to experience this profound fulfillment, happiness, and ultimately - freedom - freedom to design a life you love.

It’s the crux of everything! If you do not put yourself on your own radar, then your health and wellbeing will suffer greatly. You have to feed and nourish your soul from the inside out. 

My chapter is about Boundaries and Emotional Wellbeing. The message I am sharing is about feeding and nourishing your emotional wellbeing. Eradicate the word “diet” from your vocabulary, and instead focus on redefining what balance, success and being healthy looks like for you dependent upon what stage of life you are in. These definitions are meant to change over time, as you grow and evolve, and when you set and adhere to the boundaries you’ve put in place, then you are creating an avenue to support your ultimate success. Your emotional wellbeing is the primary pillar that holds the key to you thriving in body, mind, and soul, and when you begin to not only become aware of it, but put practices in place to feed and nourish your emotional health, then you are on the path to designing a life you love to live. 

I live in Santa Monica, CA, with my husband, two children, and two dogs. 

Dark chocolate with mint or dark chocolate covered almonds. Okay, anything dark chocolate... except coconut.

That I lived in Israel for a year, and volunteered in the Israeli Army. (Although that was 25 years ago!) Also, I do not like cooking, which may come as a surprise, as a Health Coach. 

You can find me over at melissarosenstock.com and over on Instagram @melrosenstock_healthcoach