How ‘natural’ are you willing to go?
Recently I find myself really wanting to move my family out to the country, set up a homestead and really live from the land. Lately all of my conversations have been centered around chickens, goats, goat milk soap, growing vegetables — anything that will make me more intuned with getting closer to mother earth. I am even contemplating moving my salon out to the country so my clients can get the total experience of peace and tranquility! It just so happens that I am not the only person that wants to capitalize on the whole natural experience.
During our natural journey we eliminated processed sugar and replaced it with honey… so we became beekeepers!
This mother and wife decided she wanted more for her family than the city could offer.
There is oftentimes a preconceived notion that people live out in the “sticks” because they don’t have the educational background to do much else. For the sake of proving people wrong, mother and wife Pauline Abello graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science from Grand Canyon University. Her husband Derek Abello was Pre-Med at ASU and graduated with a B.S. in Life Sciences.
“Like many, what we do now has little to do with what we went to school for,” Pauline explains. “We have multiple streams of income from several businesses. I am a certified nutritionist; I also have a YouTube channel and blog that teaches people about homesteading, eating healthy, losing weight, and homeschooling. During our natural journey we eliminated processed sugar and replaced it with honey. So we became beekeepers! We sell raw, organic honey, and no chemicals are used. I feel so blessed that we took a leap of faith and started our businesses, it has been the best decision we ever made.”
Why homesteading? “As we began eating healthy, growing and raising our own food was a desire in our hearts, and I love gardening. I also wanted my kids to have acres to run around on and explore! There is such a peacefulness being in nature. I save a lot of money and have a great feeling of assurance knowing we are self-reliant.”
Pauline explains there is a downside, stating that “our kids are not in football or ballet, driving to the city for everyone’s different sporting events 10x a week. Instead I just have to remember we are giving them a different experience — just as valuable, but different.”
There is never a dull moment.
“There are always projects on the ranch; it is never ending! But it’s a good thing in that way. You’re always being creative and thinking, ‘What can I do next?’ or ‘How can I improve this?’ The biggest project that is in the works is purchasing more land and building a house. The current house we live in came with the land when we purchased it. Fast-forward to 6 kids later, we have outgrown the existing house. We will be building a bigger house, which is something we have never done before, but like homesteading you just take it a day at a time and eventually it all comes together.”
Be your natural self.
“Be true to yourself. The world needs more authentic women who are willing to be truly and authentically themselves. When you combine that with your passions and doing what you love, wonderful things happen and the world will take notice.”
Pauline’s tips for curly hair
“I brush my hair before I get in the shower (always when dry, never brush wet”>, shampoo and condition. [After getting out I] gently scrunch with a towel to get the excess water out and start to define the curls, then I spritz with a moisturizing hair milk. I follow up with a maximum curl defining cream, gently scrunching that into my hair. The last product is the real magic. I allow my hair to air dry! It looks best that way because the blow dryer blows the curls everywhere, even with a diffuser, and they lose their definition.”
To sum it up
Pauline has one ultimate piece of wisdom: “Take joy in your natural curls and don’t wish for anyone else’s hair. Your hair is beautiful, unique, and special!”
Follow Pauline on Instagram @paulineabello and on Facebook
Read Would You Uproot Your Family of 5 for a More Authentic Life?
