Aloha mes amis, my friends...
I’m Charlotte. I was born in France and Hawaii is having a very special place in my heart for my own Health and Wellbeing Transformation.
Aloha is in fact more than just a friendly way of saying hello and goodbye. “Alo” means presence and “ha” means breath, so it’s more literal meaning is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life”. It’s a way of living and being, which begins with treating ourselves with love and letting that love spread outwards. That sentiment is really what drives what I do.
I’m a happy, dreamy, curious, active person who loves to travel. I was born and raised in the South West of France between mountains and ocean. My parents divorced when I was young and I lived with my mom. She worked long hours, which meant I grew up preparing my own meals – essentially a lot of convenience foods, frozen microwaveable meals and pasta with cheese (well more like cheese with pasta, haha!). By the time college partying came around, my understanding of nutrition hadn’t improved and I began to gain weight from consuming alcohol and junk food. I was smoking, too, and leading an all-round unhealthy lifestyle. I was young and I didn’t know any better. Also had very bad migraines and painful periods so I was under Codeine and Ibuprofen a lot.I share this part of my story because I know what it’s like to change not just your body, but your life, too, when you’re empowered with the knowledge to make healthier choices.
My Story
In 2014, at the age of 25, I experienced the biggest trauma of my life: My mom, my rock and confidant, passed away from a swift battle with cancer. At the time, I was living an unfulfilling life working in Paris as a travel agent. My heart was broken and I wanted to run away. After a trip to Hawaii with my best friend, I decided to leave my life in France. To get away from this overwhelming grief, I had to go far… To the other side of the world, in fact: New Zealand.
With the huge loss and big life transition, I began emotional eating, turning to comfort food high in sugar and fat. I gained more weight, but didn’t pay any attention as I was enjoying my life in a totally foreign place. When I returned to France a year later, I was still sweeping my problems under the rug. I continued partying, drinking and smoking. I lost my job and attracted men that did not respect me.
I couldn’t run forever, though, and eventually depression caught up with me and knocked on my door. It was the darkest six months of my life. I lost my appetite, cried all day, withdrew from my social life and quite literally lay on the floor feeling as if my heart was being torn out of me. This was my rock bottom.
One day in early 2016 I found a little bit of strength to get my life back on track. I honestly don't know how I did it. I think part of it was me wanting to live to honor my mom. That’s when I decided to start taking care of my mind and body and I called a therapist and nutritionist. It was a wake-up call to me when the nutritionist said I was overweight and my therapist said I was depressed. With their help, I finally learned how to eat healthily and balance my plate with good food for my body and my primary food as physical activity, career and relationship... The routine and discipline helped me pull myself out of depression. I was finally respecting my body, but mentally there was still something missing…
Three months later I found myself in Mexico. I was introduced to yoga and, more significantly, Mayan spirituality and culture. Wow! That was my second wake-up call. I did two hours of vinyasa (a style of yoga) and yoga nidra (a form of guided meditation) in the jungle each day, and explored different Mayan energetic practices. This is where I truly began to appreciate the mind-body connection and to understand that being healthy extends beyond what is on your plate. I went on to lose 30 pounds (15kg) here.
In the years since my mom passed away, I made many trips to Hawaii. The spiritual energy of the island “mana” – a sacred term describing power and strength – drew me in. Here I discovered holistic and plant medicine, positive thinking and meditation, and other tools to naturally relieve stress. It was on Maui that I decided to face and heal my inner child wounds and trauma, and to grow from this. The Hawaiian spirituality and culture is so inspiring and amazing to me that naturally Maui became my second home and my friends became my “ohana” (family in Hawaiian).
Fast-forward to today. I quit smoking, eat healthily and drink minimally. I exercise regularly and gained my certification as a yoga teacher. I am an outdoor enthusiast and practice activities such as surfing, running, hiking and snowboarding. With the power of a healthy diet and lifestyle I have healed my migraines and managed better my abdominal cramps of my IBS and periods times.. I’m blessed to have an amazing support system of family and friends. I still have my ups and downs, of course. It’s okay not to be perfect. It’s actually a beautiful part of being human. After all the heartache I overcame, it gives me great pleasure to reflect on the ingredients that make up my life now: healthy relationships, physical activity, spirituality, good nutrition, and doing what I love as a career.
My healing path all began with making better choices about what I was putting into my body. During those seven years of self-discovery, my understanding of nutrition deepened in a holistic way, which is what I‘m able to share with others. Health and wellbeing is a journey not a destination. We have to be patient and respectful with ourselves and others. I draw on the gentle, tolerant Hawaiian energy in guiding you through your individual experience to find what works best for you.
I am looking forward to being part of your journey of health, nutrition and wellbeing.
Mahalo, thank you, for your trust. You are amazing!
Aloha Wau Iā 'Oe,
Charlotte the Frenchie