What To Do When You Aren’t Feeling Productive

Let’s face it. There is a lot of pressure on us to be productive. Time is wasted time unless you are creating, making money or working towards a goal. The act of relaxation is very rarely given to us as an option of how to spend our day. We can only relax after we have produced.

Don’t get me wrong. I thrive off productivity. I make lists and plans and try to accomplish as much as I can in a given day. But every once and awhile, I stop. I don’t want to write anymore or plan or work. I just want to be and not feel guilty about it just being.

There are moments when that is just my lazy side talking and I push through. But sometimes, I feel like I’m in a kind of funk, one I can’t seem to find my way out of. In those moments, I know I need to take a moment for myself.

We are not machines. Our bodies and our minds need time to recuperate if they are going to allow us to produce anything worthwhile. IT’S OKAY TO RELAX.

Here are a few of the things I do when I know I need a break in order to continue creating:

1. Drink Tea

Yes, this is my solution to most things. But I just love tea! I love the act of filling the teapot, waiting for it to sing, dunking the tea bag into my steaming mug and breathing in the warm herbal flavors. It has become my ultimate ritual for comfort and continues to revive or relax me.

2. Take a Hot Shower or Bath 

I miss living with my mom and having a giant tub to sink into after a bad day. But, lately, I have been making due with a hot shower. I actually came up with the idea for this post while in the shower after an afternoon of sluggish writing. I’m telling you, this works.

Water is rejuvenating. Let it wash over. Take your time and feel the water on your skin. Let it warm you and wash away negativity and thoughts of failure. Let it warm you to your core.

3. Make a Face or Hair Mask 

After I am refreshed from my shower, I like to continue this level of relaxation and cleanliness by applying a face or hair mask. Since both of these require time, they aren’t something I do every day. This little act of pampering helps me settle deeper into relaxing mode so my mind and body can rest before returning to my task.

My sister got me this mask for Christmas by Lush and I absolutely love it. Made with all natural ingredients like peppermint oil, evening primrose seed, and honey (yes, not completely vegan, unfortunately), this mask both exfoliates and calms the skin. I highly recommend!

4. Get Some Fresh Air

Go for a walk. Get out of your house or the place you work. Breath in deeply. This doesn’t seize to revitalize me when I’m in a creative slump. We humans do not get as much time in nature as we were intended to. Make sure you are taking a moment each day to notice your surroundings. Whether it’s the grass growing in your front lawn before you get into your car, the feel of the breeze on your face as you walk into the office, or the warmth of the sun on your skin during your lunch break. Take time to acknowledge these moments and call them to mind when you can’t get outside. Nature is meant to nourish our souls.

5. Move Your Body 

So many of us have desk jobs or use the computer to create. We sit a lot of the time. Moving my body is a surefire way to loosen the tension in my back and get the blood flowing to my brain. If I am working at home, a lot of times I will do lunches and squats around the apartment, or push ups on the carpet.  Keep in touch with your body and listen to what it needs.

6. Listen to Music 

I don’t really need to explain this in detail. But blasting a good song or two is one of my favorite ways to get out of my head and live in the moment. Music is such a gift. Its energy is infectious and a creation of its own. It is an inspiration to keep you creating.

Let me know what tips work for you in the comments! Like and share if you enjoyed this post 🙂

What I Would Eat If I Were a Vegan Hobbit

This is probably the nerdiest post I have created. When the idea came to me, I entertained it for a moment but then laughed off its potential silliness. However, I recently rewatched ALL three movies (extended of course) with my boyfriend last week and was re-immersed into the beauty of my all time favorite film. Even though I have watched these movies more than I could ever count, for some reason, this time felt like the first. And now I’m all obsessed and wanting to talk about it all over again. Despite the fact that the film just celebrated its 15-year anniversary, which made me feel strange and old, I wish Lord of the Rings was relevant again.

So here is my funny attempt at bringing hobbits into 2017.

As you may know, hobbits eat 7 times a day. For some that may seem like a lot of food. For me, I think that’s a pretty great life.

Here is what I would eat in a day if I was a vegan hobbit:

Breakfast: Strawberries and Cream Smoothie

I love to start my day off with a smoothie and I think the hobbits would too if they had access to electricity and a blender.

For this smoothie, simply blend:

Frozen Strawberries

One Frozen Banana

A Scoop of Vegan Vanilla Protein powder

Almond Milk

A splash of vanilla extract

Second Breakfast: Oatmeal

I suspect that hobbits loved porridge so here is my take on a hot second breakfast.

I love mixing cinnamon, a little agave, and apples into my oatmeal before topping it off with a little almond milk. Unfortunately for this picture, I was out fo almond milk so I opted for some slices dates instead. (Definitely prefer with any non-dairy milk, however).

Elvensies: Tomatoes and Avocado

Time for a snack! My go to is one avocado and a tomato sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Given a hobbits love for gardening, I think they would approve of this.

 

Lunch: Salad (Nothing Fancy)

I am pretending that all these veggie came out of Sam’s garden.

Afternoon Tea: Apples and Peanut Butter with Tea

As much as I would love to be grazing on tea sandwiches and cakes, this afternoon snack is better suited to my lifestyle. And I’m pretty sure hobbits had apple trees in their backyards…right?

Dinner: Seasoned Potatoes with Siracha Mayo Dipping Sauce

I am simply obsessed with potatoes. They have such diversity (you can boil them, mashed them, stick them in a stew perhaps) they are a great way to start out my evening of eating.

First, slice the potatoes into “chips.” Then place them in a container or Tupperware with a lid. Drizzle olive oil and seasoning. I like to use this seasoning mix, which includes spices like onion powder, garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, pepper, and parsley.

 

I also sprinkle paprika for some kick. Once this is down, cover with the lid and shake so all the potatoes are nicely coated.

Baked on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes, on each side at 400 degrees.

For the dipping sauce, I simply mixed vegan mayo, siracha, and mustard. So GOOD.

 

Supper: Mushroom and Veggie Rice

I wanted to incorporate some earthy flavors for my hobbit recipes and mushrooms seemed like a good fit. Also, hobbit LOVE mushrooms.

This is barely even a recipe as it is so simple. But is my go to dinner.

Start by sauteeing zucchini, chopped garlic and mushrooms in a pan that is lightly lined with olive oil. I saute the zucchini first, as they take longer to soften than the other ingredients.

While these veggies are cooking, put on a pot of rice.

I added spinach right before serving to get a good dose of protein. Add some salt and pepper or if you want to trail from these hobbit recipes a bit, sprinkle some soy sauce on top as well. I had originally made this meal with sweet potatoes, which you could substitute if you don’t like what I had for dinner above.

 

Be sure to finish your day off with some weed or a mug of ale in true hobbit fashion.

I hope this post both encouraged you and reminded you how awesome life would be as a hobbit.

 

One Month Off Social Media: Here Is What Happened

The moment you have all been waiting for! THE VERDICT

If you are new to my site, you can read why I decided to take this social media break here.

So something happened this past month, that I did not intend…

I didn’t miss social media at all.

For years, I have gone back and forth, deciding if I should delete Facebook and Instagram. I don’t use it very often, unless in dire moments of boredom (or promoting this blog). What kept holding me back from deactivating them was this idea that I would be missing out on something. I would be the odd one out. For me, that was a good enough reason to keep it.

But after this little social media detox, I realized I could have deleted Facebook years ago and it would have in no way interfered with my life.

Now, this post is not intended to bash social media platforms. I find them fun, informative and interesting in a lot of ways. What I find distasteful is the amount of time I spent on each platform. I used Instagram as a distraction, Youtube as a time waster and Facebook as a form of procrastination.

Now, what did I do with all this extra time in January?

I read 4 books.

I started writing again.

I created a notebook full of ideas for future posts and projects.

But I noticed something particularly important. After about three weeks in, I realized how clear headed I felt. I had been reading more, yes. And finding other ways to spend my time. But I was doing so fully present. Fully engaged. I wasn’t conscious of how I was going to present each moment with the rest of the world through social media.

This month, I had a sudden burst of creativity. I was inspired, full of positivity that I could create the things I wanted to. I felt confident in myself and in my abilities.

At first, when I felt the urge to pick up my phone and realized there wasn’t anything there to look at, I felt a strange level of stress. It probably equates to the feeling a smoker would have once quitting cigarettes. I didn’t know what to do with my hands.

I, instead, picked up the book I was reading, even if I only had time to read a page or two.

Or I stood still.

This concept has become a complicated one in our society. Stillness. We don’t have to practice living this way because there are constant distractions. Even waiting in line at a store or sitting in traffic, we have the ability to create consistent noise or stimulation through our smartphones.

It felt good to have a break from constantly thinking about what to post. As pathetic as that sounds, you know we all do it. When you see something beautiful, interesting, funny, sad…you think about taking a picture and posting it. You think about your caption and what you will use for a hashtag. Even though this is meant to be fun, and often times is, many parts of your day are marred by your future post. Your stillness, your ability to live in the moment is interrupted.

I strongly encourage you to take on this challenge. Even if just for a week, a day. I felt better about myself because I was putting the time into reading and writing, two extremely important things in my life.

I felt more quite inside and at peace. A huge part of me wants to keep everything deactivated. However, I love this blog and I want to continue promoting it. (I also have another project I’m working on which I will be sharing with you soon!)

In some cases, social media is necessary, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. I hope my creativity continues to grow and I strive now to not let social media platforms take over my thoughts and my actions as I move forward.

Would you ever take a break from social media? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

 

Vegan PB&J Sundae

I’m back! (Social media detox update coming soon)

I have been a huge fan of banana ice cream, even before I was vegan. It is SO versatile. You can make it any flavor, add any topping…and it’s actually good for you.

This week, my boyfriend and I were craving something sweet after dinner and I remembered we had a bag of frozen mixed berries in the freezer. After making them into a sweet sauce and seeing what else I had in my cabinets and refrigerator, this delightful sundae was created.

It really is freakin amazing.

Ingredients 

2-3 frozen bananas

2 tablespoons of cacao powder

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2-3 tablespoon of peanut butter

1/2 of frozen mixed berries

1 teaspoon of agave nectar

shredded coconut (if desired)

First, add the bananas, cacao powder, vanilla and peanut butter into a food processor. I like to let the bananas thaw for a few minutes, as it is easier to blend them. Blend all your ingredients until smooth, like ice cream.

While your food processor is mixing everything together, add the frozen mixed berries to a saucepan and let simmer on medium heat. Once the berries begin to melt, add the agave nectar. Let simmer until the berries aren’t frozen anymore.

Next, simply assemble. I topped this with shredded coconut for some texture. I would also suggest adding some more peanut butter on top! I love this recipe because it feel like I’m eating a dessert but it’s all nature’s goodness instead of processed sugar 🙂

 

 

It’s Time For A Social Media Detox

I have decided to take a month long break of all social media. Starting January 1, I will be deleting Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Youtube from my phone.

This idea has been a pressing one, in the back of my mind for the last month or so. What has stopped me from doing it has been this blog. How would I promote and let readers know that I have posted something new without all my social media accounts? I thought that by letting go of social media, I would have to abandon this blog, which I am not ready to do. I get a lot of joy out of creating these posts and it keeps me writing regularly.

However, I have decided to take a break, or a detox as I am calling it, for just one month. In that time I will still be creating posts, but I won’t be sharing them until February when my detox is over.

This social media detox idea came to me, after I noticed an increase in discontentment within myself, that I couldn’t figure out the source of. I practiced gratitude, listing the things in my life that I am grateful for such as my boyfriend, my family, my apartment, my job, my healthy body…But still, this discontentment kept slipping in.

It was then that I noticed the correlation between my unhappiness and my attachment to social media. While scrolling through Instagram, I see what other people have. The things they possess, the beautiful locations they live in, the amazing photos they take, their clothes, their bodies…and I couldn’t help by compare my life to the image I was seeing. Naturally, I felt I fell short while making this contrast.

Comparison is the death of happiness.

If I had put my phone down and looked around me, I could have found just as much beauty and happiness in my own little life.

AND on top of that, we all know that the majority of what you are scrolling through is absolute bullshit.

Between photo shop and other editing apps, people can alter their bodies and the overall tone of their photos with a few simple clicks. So I’m wasting my time, comparing myself to a woman WHO DOESN’T EVEN LOOK LIKE THAT.

Yeah, I’m not doing that anymore.

I am getting rid of these distractions (because let’s face it, that is ALL social media is) and am spending my down time doing proactive, soul enriching activities. For me that is reading and writing. There are a few writing projects that I have been putting off that I am fully committing to finishing or at least, STARTING.

On top of that, this detox will allow me to notice how addicted to my phone I am. I want to be able to fully enjoy a movie, without checking me phone while watching it. I want to be able to wait in line at a store and just be, not clawing at my pockets to get my phone and  scroll though Instagram so I have something to do with my hands. I want to be fully engaged in moments, instead of thinking about how I can capture them to show other people. (Also, side note, NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT MY LIFE ENOUGH FOR ME TO STOP MY OWN ENJOYMENT IN ORDER TO HAVE PROOF THAT I AM ENJOYING SOMETHING)

Bottom line, I want my attention span to continue to grow, not dwindle for constant sensory over load. I want my creativity to not be interrupted by the pointless and distracting habit of being joined at the hip with my phone. And most of all, I want to find fulfillment in the things that have always brought me fulfillment before Twitter was even a thing.

See you all in a month!

My Favorite Flowers: A Brief History

I’m not sure if it’s because this is my first winter in California, but I’ve been feeling inspired by the sight of flowers and budding trees on my bike rides to and from work. I decided to do a little research (because I freaking love researching) and delve deeper into the meaning and symbolism behind flowers, as I was sure that there are many ancient meanings or holistic traditions surrounding our practice of adoring ourselves, our homes or giving flowers as acts of love or thanks.

I also wanted an excuse to make a pretty post.

Here are some of my favorite flowers and their symbolic meaning:

Sunflowers have always been my favorite. To me, they are always happy, stretching themselves as tall as they can to touch the sunshine. In many cultures, the sunflower is a symbol of unwavering faith, adoration and longevity. In Christianity, for example, the sunflower is a symbol of God’s love and the faith that guides souls to a higher place, as the sunflower is facing the life giving rays of the sun.

Another symbol I found particularly interesting was in Greek Mythology, where the sunflower represents Clytie, a water nymph. She was a lover to Helios, the sun god, until he decided to pursue a love affair with Leucotha, daughter of Orchamus, instead. Upset, Clytie told  Orchamus about the affair. Orchamus sentenced his daughter to die, by burying her alive. Clytie thought that Helios would love her once again, however, he didn’t think of her anymore. Clytie ends up laying  on a rock, naked, for nine days without food or water. Simply staring at the sun. On the ninth day, she is transformed into a flower, a sunflower, which turns towards the direction of the sun.

I love the tragedies of Greek Mythology, and find, the often carelessness, of people with their bodies in an act of love, grief or longing, romantic and dramatic. As an English major, I have read my share of myths, however it has always been a subject I would like to get more familar with.

The color of sunflowers is quit important to their history, as yellow is associated with vitality, intelligence and fertility. Native American culture saw the sunflowers as signs of  a bountiful harvest in their late summer festivals. It can also represent certain energies. According to whats-your-sign.com 

As a yellow flower, the sunflower can be compared to the solar-plexus chakra (Manipura). This chakra and its color governs intellect, and is a central force of perception as well as self-awareness and personal evolution.

Yellow is mind expanding and spiritually enriching. As I mentioned, I associate these flowers with happiness and sunshine, but I loved learning that there are so many other ways to view the beauty of the sunflower.

 

I have been loving red roses lately. To me, they are whimsical, romantic and feminine. I put a picture of these flowers as the background to my phone and it fills me with joy every time I look at it. Most know roses symbolize romance, love and affection, given on Valentine’s Day or anniversaries. However, it is more than just love they represent, but eternal love. Even after death.

In mythology, red roses are associated with Aphrodite, goddess of love, as she is often portrayed  with roses around her head, feet and or neck. This is because, according to the legend, after Aphrodite’s love, Adonis, was slain, a rose bush grew within the pool of his spilled blood. Because of this, we have the tradition of roses tied to ever lasting love.

Images of Christ within Christianity, as often depicted with red roses are well  as the sacrifice of his own blood to save our souls is the portrait of the ultimate sacrifice for love.

To me, a red rose is the most beautiful plant nature has produced.

 

 

Daisies are wild and free.  I love seeing them grow, untamed, in fields, out of place and without order, sprouting their roots where ever they want.

In most cultures they are a symbol of purity, cleanliness or chastity. Just like the cliche “fresh as a daisy” implies. The name daisy actually comes from an Old English word meaning “day’s eye” because the flower “only opened during the daytime, ” according to flowermeaning.com.

In Roman Mythology,

In the west, the daisy is a symbol of simplicity, chastity and transformation. We see these meanings sussed out in the Roman myth of Vertumnus vs. Belides. As the story goes, Vertumnus, Roman god of seasons, agriculture and gardens, became utterly enchanted by the dainty nymph, Belides. Vertumnus was so beguiled and infatuated with Belides – like a creepy stalker – he became obsessed, and would not cease pestering Belides with his unwanted affections. Being the sweet nymph she was, Belides transformed herself into a field of daisies rather than hurt Vertumnus’ feelings.

Youth and new beginnings are also associate with this bright and lively flower.

 

 

Lilacs are my mother’s favorite flower and I will forever associate these with her. I have many memories of their fresh and pungent smell wafting throughout my childhood home, symbolizing the beginning of Spring.

Lilacs have many different meaning, depending on the culture. They are most commonly associated with romance, specifically a new romance. According to ftd.com,

During the Victorian Age, the giving of a lilac was meant to be a reminder of an old love. In fact, widows were often seen wearing lilacs during this period.

Lilacs are some of the shortest blooming flowers, only lasting about three weeks.

When I think of the jasmine flower, I think of jasmine tea. I love tea and find it extremely comforting, especially the floral essence of jasmine in the afternoon. However, contrary to popular belief, jasmine tea isn’t really made from jasmine. According to flowermeanings.com,

The tea is brewed from green tea, and then infused with the fragrance of jasmine. To make the tea, jasmine buds are gathered during the day and added to the brewed tea at night, as the buds begin to open and release their fragrance. It can take up to six hours to infuse the tea with the scent of jasmine. It is important to note that jasmine flowers and foliage are not edible and should not be brewed for tea.

While jasmine is another romance flower (can you see a pattern here), it also represents beauty and sensuality.

I also learned that jasmine is the national flower of Pakistan, adorning brides on their wedding day and decorating garlands during burials, as a final goodbye.

 

Last, but not least, the hibiscus flower reminds me of a phase in my adolescences where I was obsessed with all things Hawaiian. My bedspread was covered in hibiscus as I dreamed of laying on tropical beaches, eating coconut. I still have this dream and hope to someday achieve it.

Hibiscus represents beauty, specifically young, feminine beauty. According to Cherie Roe Dirksen’s research on her blog,

The Hibiscus is known to help women to reclaim their sexuality, vitality and authenticity and has aided many women who have been sexually traumatized (through the use of Hibiscus essence).

Hibiscus petals can also be made into a tea that can holistically aid in the healing of heart disease and high blood pressure.

Now that I know this beautiful flower represents femininity and female sexuality, I am interested to research further and see what else I find. In the mean time, I will most likely find ways to adorn myself with this flower in an effort to harness more of my female vitality and authenticity.

 

I hope you enjoyed this little research project of mine. If there is anything else you would be interested in learning the symbolic meaning of, please comment down below! I would love your input.

“Where flowers bloom so does hope” – Lady Bird Johnson

Veganism is Greater than Food

I have mentioned before that going vegan has changed me, for the better. Not only have my eyes been opened to the horrors of factory farming and the intolerable torture animals go though on a daily basis in these places, I have been become aware how much we use animals for other commodities besides meat and cheese.

Makeup, hair products, clothing, shoes…These everyday products are largely tested on or made from animals. And these animals suffer greatly to give up their fur for our own use or to make sure that our new mascara doesn’t cause infection or blindness (There are many other ways to test this without harming anyone).

After researching this, I took stock of my current possessions to see how I had been supporting animal cruelty over the years. Of course, my makeup drawer was full of brands who test on animals and my skin and hair care didn’t have any indication on the label that they respected the lives of animals over the money they will make by selling their products to the masses. Also a number of clothing companies, such as Forever 21, produce their inventory by the labor of under paid humans beings, in terrible working conditions over seas. Ugg boots are made from the wool of sheep, who are often sheared so quickly they are severely cut and wounded, left to die. (Thank God, I have always considered Ugg boots the ugliest footwear on the planet).

Veganism is about all life, not just animals. Human beings are also treated as commodities for their labor, especially in other countries. I’m sure if you check the labor of the majority of your clothing, you will see that most if not all were not produced in the United States, where labor laws are mandated (as far as we know).

Since discovering this, I have taken it upon myself to only support cruelty free companies. I am in the process of transition all my makeup, hair and skincare to all natural, vegan products. (Check out what I use for my skin and makeup routine here!) Clothing has been a bit more difficult but I am trying my hardest to not support companies that use animal skins and furs.

To help you all out, here are some links to cruelty free and vegan companies! Comment below with some of your favorites.

Beauty 

• 100% Pure 
• Pur Cosmetics
• Milani 
• NYX
• Wet n Wild 
• E.L.F
• Nars
• Urban Decay 
• Too Faced
• Physicians Formula (most products)
• Seaweed Bath Co
• Nature’s Gate
• Pacifica
• Acure 

 

Clothing (These are popular brands that offer cruelty free products) 

• Free People
• American Apparel
• H&M (Some products)
• Stella McCartney
• Target 
• AlternativeOutfitters.com

Shoes 

• Moo Shoes 
• Steve Madden
• Nine West
• Payless (Zoe&Zac line)

A more extensive list can be found at Farm Sanctuary’s website, under Vegan Fashion. I will link it here!

I feel so passionately about living an entirely vegan lifestyle and living as holistically and respectfully to all life, as I can. I urge you to rethink your purchasing decisions, especially around this time of year of extensive buying. Please share this post and spread the message of animal rights, respect for the planet and love for your bodies, to everyone.

 

 

How I Holistically Soothe My Anxiety

Even though I have not been one to suffer with severe anxiety or depression, I have my share of boughs of anxious feelings or overthinking. Almost a year ago I experienced my first anxiety attack, or what I think might have been close to one. (I’ll link that story here.)

After moving to California, I have had more moments of being extremely anxious, which I think comes from changing everything about my life all at once. Sometimes I felt short of breath or couldn’t fall asleep. Sometimes I felt like crying is the only way to let this feeling out of me. Other times I laminate over the choices I have made in my life and wonder if I am doing everything “right.” These moments were particularly difficult, and not beneficial to me or my overall health. I could usually link these episodes to lack of sleep, as when I am really tired, I can’t function mentally at all.

As this feeling become more frequent, I started focusing on ways to calm myself and allow these feelings to pass. Here is what helps me when I am feeling particularly sad, out of control or afraid.

Breathe/Meditate

Closing my eyes and feeling the air fill my lungs always calms me down. By taking this moment to tune out everything around me, I can focus on my physical body instead of the thoughts whirling around my mind. I take note to relax my facial muscles, my hands, my feet, my shoulders….and breathe. I channel the peace I wish to receive by relaxing my body and feeling the effects of this relaxation.

Photo from Tumblr.com

Drink Herbal Tea 

Herbs, like most medicines, make changes in the body’s chemistry. According to LivingHerbalTea.com,

When we ingest herbs through capsules, tinctures, or teas we are allowing their benefits to come into our systems so that positive changes can be made. In the modern day, one of the greatest changes we can receive from healing plants is the removal of stress.

I love green tea, however, when I’m feeling anxious I like to drink chamomile. Chamomile tea actually relaxes the muscles and the whole nervous system. It can relieve nausea or digestive issues as well. There is something extremely comforting about drinking a hot cup of tea.

Photo from Tumblr.com

Write

Since writing is a channel for my emotions that I feel the most comfortable with, this is my go-to task when I am feeling anxious. I find this particularly helpful when I don’t know the exact reason I am even feeling anxious or sad. By marking up a piece of paper with a stream of my own consciences and then reading it back, I find that I can make sense of what is going on in my head a little more clearly. I usually feel relieved. I also love writing down quotes that calm me or fill me with hope.

Photo from Tumblr.com

Make a List

If I am stressed or overwhelmed in anyway, I make a list. I draw hollow boxes next to each bullet point and look forward to the moment I can fill them with a check marks. I am a visual person who needs to see everything that is floating around in my brain, in one solitary spot. I can look at the list and know that it’s never as bad as my mind was making it out to me, or I can take it on as a challenge.

Read a Book

I am obsessed with books, as I have probably mentioned. Reading is my ultimate comfort and, according to my mom, it has been since I was a little girl. Getting lost in someone else’s words, feelings or story takes me out of my world and into another, one that I can understand because it is written out in front of me. I usually accompany a novel with hot cup of green tea. It honestly can’t get any better for me. 🙂

Take Time to Myself 

I am quite introverted at times and some days I would rather stay in the house alone and read, write or watch “The X Files.” If I don’t get this time to myself, I can easily feel overwhelmed or anxious. When I have a day off, I try to relax and do some of the things that are important to me or things that make me feel good about myself. Even if that is just reading a book. I also really enjoy taking the time to pamper myself by taking an extra long shower, applying a coconut oil hair mask, clay face mask or maybe doing my nails. When I feel clean and good in my skin, I feel better overall.

Pray

Whether you believe in a higher power, or the universe, I find it comforting to know that there is someone or something out there that has more control than I do. Offering up my tribulations or stresses and believing that everything will work out, is extremely helpful to me. I like knowing I’m not alone with my anxiety.

Gratitude 

The best thing for me to do when I feel this way, is think about what I am grateful for. I write it down in my journal and list as many things as I can. My health, my eye sight, my strong body, my home, my boyfriend, my family, the clean water that I drink and the fresh fruit and vegetables that I eat. There are so many aspects of my life that I am grateful for and making a conscience effort to remember and recite them, often time takes away the anxious feeling I am experiencing. I have the ability to see the good in my life, or focus on the bad. My anxiety or sadness comes when I focus on the latter.

Gratitude trumps discontentment, worry and fear, every time.

I hope you found this list helpful! Please comment below with anything you do to holistically help and sooth your own anxiety and depression. I would love to learn more 🙂

A Hobbit’s Guide to Minimalism

For those that know me or have known me for the last 10 years, you know that Lord of the Rings is a passion of mine. Yes. I say passion because obsession implies an element of creepiness and my ability to quote any line from all three movies (extended versions, duh) in any real life situation is not creepy. In fact, it is an admirable skill to possess.

As I began to write this post on minimalism, a quote from Tolkien (said by Bilbo in the films) popped into my head.

 

I realized at this moment that I haven’t watched the movie in months and am due for a fix. But more to the point, I realized I can connect the pleasant and simple way of hobbits to the way I live my life now, as a new found minimalist.

When my boyfriend and I decided to move from Massachusetts to California, we wanted to do it the easiest way possible. Since we were driving, we packed only the bare essentials, what we needed for camping and some clothes. This meant getting rid of the majority of our belongs before the trip.

The hardest part for me was getting rid of my books. I am a bit of hoarder when it comes to literature and I love a good book shelf. After years of collecting books, I had to filter though them and decide which I would be giving away, which I would be keeping in storage at my moms house and which few I wanted to take with me. Since books are so sentimental to me and full of memories, some of these choices almost brought me to tears. But I ended up piling about 10 or 15 novels in the back of the car, books I couldn’t leave behind or that I had not read yet. (A copy of “The Two Towers” that I purchased in Oxford, England, the very town that Tolkien wrote the novels in, came with me, of course.)

All my other belongs seem to have little to no importance  when they were laid out before me, ready to be sorted. I stuffed trash bags full of clothes. Clothes that I had to buy and couldn’t live without in the moment, now had little value to me. After many trips to Goodwill and moving most of my furniture to my brothers room, I was left with two bags of clothes, the books, my record player and my comforter. I was confident this was it. I didn’t need much else.

Hobbits value simplicity. As Bilbo Baggins says as he introduces his kins folk to the audience in the beginning of “The Fellowship of the Ring,”

But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet, and good tilled earth. For all Hobbits share a love of things that grow.”

This sounds like a wonderful life to me. When I am able, I would love to create my a garden and grow my own fruits and vegetables. But more importantly, this idea of a quiet, peaceful life is one that we are not always encouraged to seek out.

In our consumer driven society, we are constantly told that our lives will be better with more. More money, more clothes, more makeup, more furniture, more electronics, more cars. Women are told that they are not beautiful enough unless they have the best clothes, and makeup and haircuts. I was caught up in that and experienced days of sadness and feelings of being unattractive because I didn’t have enough money to afford the “things” that I was told would make me look better.

Quiet and peaceful are two words I would not use to describe capitalism. But we are all right in the middle of it. Those with lives of excess, like celebrities, are celebrated and admired. Their “status” is our end goal. More, more, more.

After experiencing the shedding of my old life as I enter a new one by getting rid of most of my belongings, I felt light and more free. I didn’t need all the things I thought I did. I was just as fine as I was without them, as I was with them.

When we got our studio apartment in Long Beach, Marty and I wanted to carry this minimalist lifestyle to our living space. We bought a bed, well just the mattress actually, a table and chairs and a bookshelf. I strung up some lights and hung a tapestry. That is pretty much the extent of our apartment.

There is a type of stress relief that comes with minimalist living. I have the clothes that I have. I occasionally with buy new clothes with the change in weather or if something is needed, but I don’t have the compulsive desire that I once did to shop all the time and always have something new to wear. We have enough money to pay our bills and get lots of delicious healthy food, because we don’t spend our money on more things to clutter our apartment or our closest.

By decluttering my life, I also learned more about myself. I learned what is actually important to me, what I value most. I leaned that my books have value to me, my music. I also learned that people, above all else, are what I value most. I don’t miss the stuff I use to have back home, I miss the people I shared my time with, my friends and my family.

Now, I have made myself content with the things I do have. I find gratitude in my simple life. I have a home, a job, a loving boyfriend, a wonderful family, my health, an abundance of food…these are things that many don’t have. Or they do, but are distracted by the unattainable chase for happiness in material goods.

Let us learn from hobbits. Celebrate your simple life. Live for the people you love most. Find out what actually has value to you. Live for your passions.

Even if that passion is just eating.

Like mine.

“In fact, it has been remarked by some that the Hobbits’ only real passion is for food.”

 

 

Last Week’s Vegan Dinners

With lack of time and money, sometimes comes a lack of creativity. Vegan meals don’t have to be extravagant to be delicious, especially if you really aren’t in the mood to think outside the box. Well that was my mood all last week, but I have to say, I still made some pretty satisfying meals AND used a lot of the same ingredients, thus saving money. (For my tips on how to grocery shop on a budget, check out this post!)

Monday

If you follow me on Instagram or Tumblr, you know that I have been on a bit of a tofu kick lately. There are a lot of warnings surrounding tofu, however, I believe that eating soy in moderation, like anything, is okay. It is a lot healthier than meat, anyway. For this dish, I started off by cooking a cup of white rice. In another pan, I caramelized some onions in avocado oil, adding a giant handful of spinach when the onions where almost done. I set that aside and prepared my tofu. My favorite way to eat tofu is to slice it into small chunks and saute it in a little soy sauce. This gives it some flavor and the pan frying gives it the little bit of crisp I like.

Tuesday

Still feeling like some tofu tonight so I prepared it the same way as I did the night before. This time I topped it on top of a big plate of fresh lettuce, sliced avocado and marinated artichoke hearts. I’m obsessed with these artichokes from Trader Joe’s (I have definitely mentioned them before) and I like to use the marinated oil as my dressing. Super easy, crazy delicious.

 

Wednesday

I was craving sweet potatoes but I was also wanted some greens. This dish is so easy, it is kind of ridiculous I’m telling you how to make it. However, I will.

I started by chopping sweet potatoes into thin slices and placing them on a cook sheet with a little olive oil. I sprinkled salt, pepper and garlic powder over them before placing the potatoes into a 400 degree oven. They only need to cook for about 15 minutes on each side, or until they are your desired crispiness. I cooked some more rice and sauteed spinach and kale with sliced garlic. Boom. Rice bowl.

 

Thursday

I didn’t realize how much rice I ate last week until I made this post. But it so easy and cheap and GOOD. Today, I topped the rice with BBQ seitan, broccoli and more sweet potatoes! I cooked the potatoes the same way as I did on Tuesday, I just cut them into smaller chunks. The seitan wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be. It could have used some more BBQ sauce, which I didn’t have. Still, very satisfying and FILLING.

 

Friday

It’s Friday, and I really don’t want rice again. In fact, I don’t feel like cooking at all. When that is the case…BANANA ICE CREAM. For this bowl, I sliced  strawberries and spooned some almond butter on top. I also made my favorite granola which is simply oats, 1/2 of a ripe banana, 3 or 4 dates and shredded coconut.

 

I hope you enjoyed this short and sweet post!

Have a happy and healthy day 🙂