Dr. Khadijah Haji, ND
2662 Austin Ave, Unit 22 V3K 6C4 Coquitlam, BC, Canada

messy hair. tired eyes. but heart so so full. writing always fills my cup. check out the link below for the latest blog post about my blogging journey so far https://aheartfulife.com/bloghome/why-i-started-my-blog

LIVING WITH INTENTION // Since moving back home to Calgary, I’ve really been trying to be intentional with everything I do. Self-care is so important to me, and now that I have more time, I’ve started to realize that I can infuse that self-care into my daily life through intention. Like setting up my space intentionally with things I love. Organizing my stuff in a way that makes sense and is aesthetically pleasing for me. Intentionally getting rid of/donating things I no l...onger enjoy. Creating non-negotiables like a morning routine, skincare, journaling, exercise, reading, etc. Buying clothes I want to with intention (mostly the intention of: I don’t want to freeze, because I have definitely forgotten what it’s like to experience a Calgary winter). In the past few years I would never spend much on clothes because I felt like it needed to be justified. But then I would never feel good in what I wore. And even though the outer stuff isn’t what truly matters, it does help you feel confident when you love your clothes. It stops the spiral of not knowing what to wear and struggling to find something that fits right and then criticizing your body because of it. And that’s been so empowering for me and such an act of self-care. Something I never considered before. Same with creating a space I love. Even though it takes time, and I’m not completely done yet, I feel so much more clarity because everything serves a purpose and was chosen with intention. So it’s not about getting stuck on material things. Or going out and spending everything you have on clothes. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be intentional with what is around us and care for ourselves through everything we do. Self-care is no longer about those few moments you get to yourself once a week. It’s about doing little things with intention that fill you up everyday. See more

It’s not about the destination. We often believe that we need to achieve something or get to a certain state of being in order to have made it. But life isn’t really about that. Health isn’t a destination. Wellness isn’t a destination. Mental well-being isn’t a destination. Success isn’t a destination. And yet we are all striving for some form of these things. I was looking back at some old journals the other day and I realized that I was writing about some of the same th...ings I do now. Some almost exactly the same. And yet I feel so different now than I did back then. I haven’t really made it to a place of perfect mental wellness. Or perfect health. None of us make it there. And that doesn’t even matter. Working on it daily is truly what counts. And instead of beating ourselves up for who we are not, let’s pat ourselves on the back for everything we have done so far. For the journey we have been on to get here. The highs and the lows. The subtle changes that most people don’t notice. Even though I struggle with some of the same things I used to struggle with, they feel completely different. Because I’m proud of the work I’ve done on myself and I trust that I will continue to work on myself. Those things don’t weigh on me as heavily as they used to. I have my moments. We all do. And goals are important. Striving for something is important. But perhaps it’s time to shift from striving for an ideal and instead strive for joy, happiness, integrity and fulfillment. When we approach things like health and mental wellness, we need to be kind to ourselves. And really dig deep and understand what it is we truly want. And then appreciate the heck out of how far we have come. And ps. You don’t have to have solved an issue or overcome something in order to share your journey. You can be a work in progress and still have something valuable to share. You are worthy in every stage of your story. See more

WELLNESS ON IG// Working towards living a healthier lifestyle can be such an empowering journey. But it can also be challenging. Throw Instagram into the mix and things can get really...confusing. I love Instagram for sharing, learning, growing, expressing and building. But I also have to remember to take everything with a grain of salt. We pick up so many tools on Instagram whether it’s health related or not. And it’s so great that we can share these things with each othe...r. But it’s important to think about where your information is coming from. Seek out professionals within the health field. Get to know them and their approach before taking their advice. I can’t count how many times I’ve tried a product I saw on here only to have it completely not work for me. And that’s the thing. We are all unique individuals. What works for me may not work for you. And vice versa. So let’s be inspired by Instagram but always remember that we have the power to research, ask questions and test out things ourselves. There are endless wellness trends out there now but you know your body the best. Respect your body. Honour your body. Love your body. Trends are just trends. Your health is forever. Don’t ever forget that. See more

Life plans // Swipe to read __ I’ve always been nervous when it comes to making life plans. Will it work out? What if I can’t do it? What if I need to change the plan? What would others think? ... This year has been challenging on all of us. Plans have inevitably changed. And sometimes it is hard to remember that it’s truly ok if things don’t go as we planned. Because we can discover a lot about ourselves through change. And change often allows for growth. And yet I need these reminders. We all need these reminders. Because sometimes we are just too hard on ourselves. And sometimes...surrendering is the best thing we can do for our hearts. See more

JOURNALING 101 Journaling is something I turn to often for sorting out my thoughts and reducing stress. It’s an amazing tool to reconnect with myself and get grounded. I’ve truly benefited from it in many ways. You may hear about journaling a lot, and as with anything else in the wellness space, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for everyone. It’s ok if it’s just not your thing however, if you’re feeling called to give journaling a try, then check out my rece...nt blog post on how to get started! (link below) Some things covered: + finding a journal (+pen) you love + scheduling in a time that works for you + gratitude journaling + journal prompts + creating a ritual around journaling and so much more. https://aheartfulife.com/bl/so-you-want-to-start-journaling

CREATIVITY What keeps you inspired? What sparks your creativity? What motivates you to show up as your best self? I believe that we all have a creative side. Even if it feels nonexistent...it’s actually innate to us. And it’s also something we can work on everyday. It’s okay to feel uninspired. In fact, it’s normal. But it’s important to learn more about your creativity. What ignites it? What dampens it? What affects the intensity? ... Having some sort of creative outlet is really important to me, so I want to learn more about it and how to strengthen it in any way I can. And lately it’s become so very clear to me what I need in order to do that. Sharing what sparks my creative inspiration/what keeps me motivated on the blog. Link below (ps. I would love to hear what keeps you inspired and motivated too. let me know in the comments or on my blog) https://aheartfulife.com//my-number-one-tool-for-inspirati

sometimes we think we need a reason to stop. a reason to rest. a reason to recharge. that we must earn it. but let’s remember that simply wanting to rest...wanting to recharge...needing a moment...... is reason enough. See more

meditate // we think this means that we must sit in silence. and that’s it. however, when we realize that meditation is not only this, but it is in fact also a feeling, then we see...that we can find meditation in many places: nature deep breaths... art writing a cup of tea plants books a walk yoga animals through ritual through presence through reflection through mindfulness through connection through intention. the effect of meditation can be found everywhere. within you. around you. so ask yourself this: what allows your soul to breathe? and then do that. See more

you will keep changing. and that is ok.

Sometimes I wonder why are we afraid of being too much. What are we afraid to be too much of? Perhaps being too much was never the issue. ... Perhaps we are all just afraid to be ourselves. What would happen if we remind ourselves that there is no such thing as being too much. Or not being enough. Because those things only exist when in comparison to something else. And comparison isn’t what we are meant to do here. We are simply meant to be. Be who we are. And that is enough. See more

CAPACITY The things I’m learning to ask myself more: + What do you have capacity for? + What do you actually have capacity for?... + What are you pushing yourself to have capacity for? It’s ok... to not do that extra errand. Or that extra chore. It’s ok to not take on an extra challenge today. It’s ok to take a moment for yourself. To recharge. To reset. It’s ok if your capacity feels smaller than others. It’s ok if you reach your capacity before anyone else. Because you don’t need to be anyone else. You’re you. And your needs are just as important as anyone else’s. So stop when you need to. Take a moment when you need to. Adjust if you need to. Don’t forget to accommodate yourself and what you truly feel you need. Not just what everyone else needs. Notice when you’re pushing yourself to have the capacity for something you don’t actually have capacity for. Learn what those signs are for you. Because this...is how we listen to our bodies. This...is how we honour ourselves. This...is how we value who we are See more

Buy yourself the flowers. Take yourself on that date. Start that project. Learn that skill. Get yourself that thing you want.... Do it. For you. Stop looking for a reason. Or justifying why you can’t. Don’t keep waiting for it. Because you don’t need to wait. You’re worthy now. Let YOU be reason enough. See more

LOVE The past few months have been such a whirlwind. Moving, travel, meeting new people, tons of emotions, goodbyes, watching my best friend get married, spending time with family, adjusting to a new world...its been a beautiful, heartwarming, gut wrenching roller coaster. But it’s reminded me of who I am. And who I want to be. If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout this time, it’s this: you can still love yourself through change. You can still love yourself eve...n if you’re struggling. You can still love yourself even if you’re overwhelmed. Even if you feel lost. You are allowed to keep loving yourself. Everything doesn’t need to be perfect in order for you to love yourself. You don’t need to be happy and settled in order to love yourself. You don’t need to know exactly where your life is going in order to love yourself. You can be unsure and still love who you are. You deserve your own love no matter where you are in your life. Age, timelines, circumstance and accomplishments have nothing to do with it. Love yourself now. In all that you are. Love yourself through the pain, the discomfort, the confusion, the uncertainty. Stop waiting to love who you are. Start now. Right where you are // Side note to @cremebruleee : thank you for including me in your special day. Thank you for treating me like family. Thank you for always making sure I feel comfortable and valued. Thank you for showing me how much love there is out there. Witnessing your wedding was not only heartwarming but it was a reminder that love is truly what matters the most See more

Find the you that fills your soul.