Some 4th of July Fun

NOT a news flash, I adore food.  With this time of year I particularly enjoy making smoothies, creating all sorts of different flavors and colors.  There are some pretty amazing people out there making all kinds of artwork, using none other than some of my favorite things... FOOD!  And not just any food, but healthy, whole foods.  Foods that make me feel good, causing me to use ALL of the senses I've been blessed with, instead of taking them for granted.

For my latest food adventure I was prompted to create a layered smoothie. Okay, so the possibility of winning a new Vitamix helped.  Yes I already have one, but my thought was if I win a new one I can give my current one to my oldest, so she too can enjoy all the benefits Vitamix has to offer.   Geez, the things we do for our kids ;).  I really like making smoothies, but to be honest, I wasn't sure about this layering thing.  I thought, wow, they look really pretty, but do I want to be spending that much time creating totally different smoothies at once?  Isn't it a pain to keep cleaning out the blender?  How many ingredients is this going to be? Pretty much I was psyching myself out.  Finally I thought, my goodness don't be a baby, try it once, if you don't like then just stick to one from here on out.

I realize preparing foods isn't for everyone, but when I experiment with whole foods it's visually pleasing for me, you know, eye candy.  It gets my juices flowing (don't go dirty on me).  With greater appreciation, I find that seeing all the amazing natural colors makes me want to create something that will nourish me from the inside out.  My sense of vision gets activated first with all the colors.  Then I get to add my sense of touch by being mindful while I am preparing the food, noticing if it's cold, if it's textured, does it have seeds or pits? My senses start to do a sort of dance, moving sinuously from one to the other, and back again.  Now my sense of smell gets to join in as I peel, chop or dice up rainbows of joy.  Even my sense of sound is included as I pay attention to the sound of the peel, or the blend of perfection.  Of course, all of this has literally been setting my sense of taste up for the grand finale.  With my mouth already watering, I experience the satisfaction of my, I mean my blenders, hard work.  Once again, all of my senses swirling in synchronicity as each one is sent back into action by that first sip or bite of whatever I've created.  As I think about all of this I become eager to finally create a layered smoothie recipe, if nothing else, at least it will be pretty, I hoped.

As I decided on what my first attempt at a layered smoothie might be, there were some ground rules I set for myself.  One, make it simple, and two, tie in the upcoming holiday.  So this has led me to a 4th of July Smoothie concoction.

4th of July Layered Smoothie (serves 2)

Ingredients:

Red Layer -
1 cup unsweetened coconut water
1 1/4 cup frozen strawberries

White Layer - (coconut cream)
1 can coconut milk (full fat) placed in the fridge the night before
1 Tbsp. lucuma powder (or pure maple syrup if you want it sweeter)

Blue Layer -
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut water
1 packet Blue Majik
1 large frozen banana

Directions:
1.  Combine red layer ingredients, blend until smooth.
2.  Pour into bottom of two cups, rinse blender (don't bother washing or drying it).
3.  Open the coconut milk, pour out coconut water (save for later or use in next layer).
4.  Scrap the thick cream into blender, add lucuma or sweeter of choice, blend until smooth.
5.  Pour some onto red layer, you will have some left over, store in an airtight container in the fridge (use on pancakes, waffles, etc. or freeze to use later)
6.  DO NOT rinse blender this time, the little bit of cream will add a nice flavor to the blue layer.
7.  Place blue layer ingredients into blender, blend until smooth.
8.  Pour onto white layer, top with chopped strawberries, blueberries and coconut shreds.

This literally took me about 5 minutes to make.  I wasn't sure how long each layer would stay thick enough to hold the next layer put on top, so I put the cups back in the freezer between each layer.  I'll have to work on my layering skills, but my goodness this smoothie is rich, creamy, and most definitely satisfying! I hope you enjoy.

Is Circadian Rhythm A Real Thing?

I do not know why, but I woke up one morning last week and had a strong urge that I needed to rebalance my body somehow.  I eat fairly healthy, practice yoga and mediation, so what else was there?  Then the words circadian rhythm began to echo somewhere deep within the reserves of my brain.

Huh, circadian rhythm. I remember vaguely learning about circadian rhythm and reading articles about how it affects your sleep in the past, but what exactly is circadian rhythm, and how would it help me to feel the overall rebalance that I was looking for?

A little scientific refresher was in order.  Thanks to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, I was quickly reminded about the perfectly planned connections between the exquisite human body and our amazing natural world.  Beyond regulating sleep, I was surprised to find out how our circadian rhythm can affect us in other areas as well..."Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder -NIH".  This last part was interesting because I have experienced seasonal affective disorder before, particularly in the winter, so this was nice to learn.    

Now that I had my refresher, and knew how crucial circadian rhythm is to my health, I needed to conduct a personal experience.  When I say personal, I mean family (they are so lucky to have me ;)).  How would I go about this experiment in a way that made sense for our life today?  We don't live on a deserted island far from civilization, so becoming hermits was not an option.  We needed to continue interacting with the world, and I needed to continue running our family business.  

Talking with the kids, we decided this experiment would last four days, Monday through Thursday.  There would be limited electronics in the morning to allow for our experiment check in, social media check in, and business updates.  This would be on the computer, should last no more than about an hour, and there would be no phone use.  The remainder of the day there would be no electronics, and all day/night there would be no lights, only candlelight.  

Watching the girls interact with each other and nature during those four days was beautiful.  We had sincere interest in each other's words, played more games with each other, went outside more, read, colored, got some much needed cleaning accomplished, practiced yoga outside, meditated more, and the quality of sleep was incredible.  Every evening we would go outside and watch the brilliant show the fireflies put on.   While we may have enjoyed fireflies before, this experiment gave us a greater appreciation for their beauty.  We can't stand human created fireworks because of the environmental and health damage they cause (cue eye rolling from many of you, but that's how we feel).  Realizing fireflies truly are natures fireworks was amazing, there were 100's of them, and Gracie would name them as they landed on her (she is the cutest!).  

For us our circadian rhythm rebalance was fun, but more importantly it allowed us to reconnect with each other by taking our faces out of mind numbing technology, honoring the person in front of us instead of half listening. It provided time for self reflection, tuning in through silence and gratitude.  It allowed us to realize that circadian rhythm can help with other disorders beyond sleep, which is an important piece that can offer hope and healing to many.  

We decided we liked how this felt, and we will practice being more mindful to our interactions with each other, and use electronics less.  Sometimes pictures or videos just cannot do justice to the beauty that is the people and nature we are surrounded by, you have to go out, turn off the television, put down the phones, close the computers, and immerse yourself in it.  

Want Some Movies With Meaning?

Although I love that the weather is becoming warmer, and want to be outside immersed in it, we have had some pretty wet weather as of late.  So what to do when it's too stormy to be outdoors?  Well, we like playing board games, cards or coloring, but we also enjoy watching old movies or TV shows too. While I enjoy watching some things just for the sake of watching, I generally want to watch things, and have my children watch things, that will cause us to ponder the meaning or lessons that may apply to our life at that moment.

Nothing puts a smile on my face more than when watching something that produces questions from the girls such as, "she said the Mystic could be anywhere after the Mystic passed away, that is so true" or, "it made me think about looking past the outside and seeing what's on the inside".  What movies can cause children to come up with these statements?  Movies with meaning, that's what.  Yes, even animated movies and shows can create thought provoking questions in children AND adults. The list of movies with meaning is endless, I thought I might share a few that most people have probably never heard of, but should definitely make it a point to put on their "to-watch" list.

My movie reviews:

Our all time favorites is Song of the Sea:  The movie is about mythical meeting modern, and the choices we have to make living in each.  One theme that certainly strikes a cord with us was something that our last book club book, The Gift of Imperfection, brought to light.  That lesson is that you cannot numb the painful moments that cause suffering, without also numbing the joyful ones.  You cannot pick and choose emotions to numb, when you numb one, you numb them all.  Sometimes there is suffering, but you should not close off from that or you risk losing that experience and others that may provide powerful lessons and possible joyful moments.

The Secret of Kells has an amazing storyline about releasing your fear and holding onto your faith even when times seem dark.  It also explores how sometimes those in power may feel they have our best interests at heart, but that building walls to keep others out can sometimes create more walls that never truly allow us to live.

The Secret World of Arrietty is a more recent version of The Borrowers.  The lessons in this one relate to unlikely friendships that allow courage to blossom in new ways.

My Neighbor Totoro brings imagination back to life, and reminds us that we should never lose that child-like imagination to foster hope, creativity and patience.

Howl's Moving Castle explores the issue of vanity, and how outward appearances may not always tell the whole story of what is going on inside of someone.  It also provides a lesson in not running from our problems because they will still be there, it requires courage and bravery to face our most troubling issues so we can find inner peace and stability.

The Dark Crystal is a Jim Henson production, and an extraordinary viewing as the lessons in this are numerous.  The most obvious one being that each of us has negative and positive elements within us, it is up to us to put our ego and greed aside to allow the positive ones to shine, or we risk losing ourselves to the negative ones.

Jesus & Buddha: Practicing Across Traditions causes us to, again, put down the walls we have built in regards to a "right" faith to embrace the root of both Christianity, Buddhism, and many others, which is all about living a life based on love, kindness, compassion and service.  I might add that living in this way applies not only to others, but to ourselves as well through self care.  Without love, kindness and compassion for the self, you cannot be of authentic service to others.

Want one that is more recent?  Okey dokey, we recommend Inside Out.  This one is not only hilarious, but drives home the message that inside of us are all these emotions (five in particular for this movie), but as The Song of the Sea taught us, you can't only harness the joyful ones at all times.  You need to experience and allow the other emotions (fear, disgust, sadness, anger) as well to provide balance and a basis to understand the lessons that life offers us.  For instance, some fear can keep us safe in a dangerous environment (i.e., not walking alone at night in an unfamiliar area).  Some disgust can help us to learn that certain things keep us healthy (i.e., washing hands after going to the bathroom).  Occasional sadness allows us to process pain instead of burying or numbing it, provide better judgment capabilities based on past experience, and/or create a stronger sense of motivation for growth (i.e., acknowledging the loss of a loved one and how it hurts to not have the physical body here can open up the door to growth in other areas, creating the opportunity for us to remember all the beautiful happy memories, and can motivate us to experience positive tools in creating, albeit different, but new happy memories.  Wheres hiding the pain may create other health problems and possible addictions).  Even allowing some anger helps by keeping uncontrollable urges in check, and this keeps us, and others, safe ;) (i.e., using words to convey our annoyance, not yelling or cursing, can release our feeling in a more constructive manner, causing us and others to question and respect what is making us upset.  We then can choose tools to help physically release that as well, such as a punching bag or power yoga.  Whereas always ignoring our anger/irritations so people don't get offended will eventually create powerful pent up volcanic reactions and explosions, again not healthy for ourselves or those we've lashed out at).  Finally, we have the joyful emotions, which are pleasant to experience.  Joy grants us the moments of elation and happiness that can boost health, gratitude and appreciation (i.e., beginning a new project, hobby or friendship).

I hope at some point you can view one, or all, of these movies.  Check the weather, pick some upcoming rainy days to pencil these into your calendar, and see what your take away may be from each.

Have an inspirational, thought provoking, movie/show to share?  Feel free to add them in the comments!

My Humbling Yoga Practice

I decided that my personal yoga practice today would go a little differently.  I think striking a balance between inner and outer peace is necessary to stay rooted, and I feel that the effort I put towards that is genuine.  However, as I was looking out at all the beautiful scenery, I couldn't help but wonder if I was being truly present in my practice.  I think it's absolutely fine to admire and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, but sometimes even peaceful settings such as the one I see from our yoga studio window can be distracting.  I wanted to experiment with how NOT using my vision would affect my yoga practice.  Determined to really get into what gift this could give to me, my practice consisted of moving through most of it with my eyes closed.

Sitting in meditation with the eyes closed can offer some insight, but I wanted to sincerely open up to the opportunity of what this experience could bestow.  As I moved through the warm up portion, I felt calm, then it was time to come to my feet and begin Surya Namaskar.  This was different, with even Tadasana feeling a little like a stranger.  Initially, I almost felt as if I were grasping at the posture, which was not a comforting feeling.  As I stood, with my eyes closed, I realized that this was because I was so used to finding a tangible drishti for my focus.  If I were to be able to continue this experiment, I needed to release the grip of the comfortable and find something less tangible.

This is where I brought my awareness back to my breath.  Ahhh, this feels better, less scary.  Connecting my movements with my breath as I began flowing through Surya Namaskar, I found a rhythm through my breath.  It was then that I noticed a deeper connection to my movements that I had not ever noticed before.  Not relying on visual alone gave me a new sense of where my body was through each posture.  It was as if I was encountering all of these postures for the very first time.

Continuing through my practice, I arrived at the time for standing postures.  As I shifted into Vrksasana, I felt everything in my body struggling.  Coming back to my breath helped, but with standing in one pose, not moving and balancing on one leg, it quickly registered that something else needed to happen here if I was going to stay there, and not end up on the floor.  My internal dialogue went a little like this: "okay, I've got this, take a breath, start out in the lowest foot position... still wobbly, what is happening?... alright, what would I do if my eyes were open?... oh, right, I would find my drishti, probably looking at the beautiful green trees... okay, let go of the green trees and focus on what will provide centering at this moment... right, sorry... drishti, drishti, where is my drishti?... I know, not only let go of the green trees, let go of all other outer sensory grabbing energies... here we go, deep breath, shift back into Vrksasana, now focus the closed eyes to the center, third eye area.  Oh...my...goodness, there it is!... oops, little wobbly, got too excited for a moment.... there it is again, breathe, stay, this is nice".

I moved through my remaining practice much in this same way, having this internal dialogue as I shifted into each new posture.  I'm not saying that my practice looked pretty, but it felt beautiful.  As I kept finding an inner drishti, it allowed more awareness to the postures.  Yes, I could feel every muscle quiver as I stayed for several breaths, but it was actually liberating.  Not to say I will be doing every practice with my eyes closed, however, it brought a new sense of body and mind awareness.  I will definitely revisit this practice in the future as it gave a fresh sense of grounding, while leaving a piece of harmony in my soul.

Oy Vey, Can Animals Having Cognitive or Mental Disorders?

Well, last nights walk was such a joy!  Let me start at the beginning.  When it is just my younger two and I each of us walks one of the three dogs.  On occasions, such as this, our youngest gets the biggest dog, Mya.  This may sound strange, but she is really well behaved (I'm talking about the dog, stay with me here, sorry Gracie).  As with any being though, there may be a time when Mya sees something she needs to investigate such as a bird or groundhog.  In this instance, we have instructed Gracie that if Mya is hell bent on running, let the leash go (we may not have used the word hell bent when talking to Gracie).  This will prevent ER visits due to road rash, and Mya will stop and come back when we call her.

Okay, moving forward with our glorious night.  All the dogs were harnessed and leashed, so on to the walk we went.  Not five minutes into the walk, I see a large black dog, no leash, approaching.  I immediately freeze, Gracie immediately drops her leash, and Ashley has a panicked expression as she is looking back at me, because I have the pup that prompted the question I am asking in the title of this post. Chevy and Mya are fine, and sniffing the [non member of our family] dog that they have not seen since he was a puppy.   Our third, and precious, little nugget had already stiffened into protect mode.  If only the other dog had stayed up with our other two... but, he didn't. He decided to come visit Janie.  Seriously? can you not read her body language, or the fact that she sounded like a demon?  I am pretty sure our other two dogs, and the girls, were frozen in fear because nobody was moving.  Thank goodness for our neighbor, who called the other dog over to her while the owners finally made their way to get their fur baby.

By this time, I am fairly certain something ruptured in my brain because my head was pounding more than my heart.  Needless to say, our walk was done, everyone was shell shocked.  

Let me remind anyone who is reading this that I view all beings the same.  I do not feel humans are a superior species so for me to ask a question, such as the title suggests, I am being 100% serious.

I am a firm believer that other species can, and do, have diseases and illness that are generally associated with humans.  You know, like cancer, diabetes, AIDS/HIV, leukemia, food allergies, environmental allergies, etc.  So for me, I do not see why it would not be just as possible for them to have mental disorders as well.  I have told my family before that I think Janie has ADHD, and possibly some form of Autism.  This seems extremely likely for animals to have these disorders as well.

After our stress filled event, Ashley said she would go and apologize to those people, and while I am happy to know we have raised a conscious child, I thought about that a moment.  I reassessed the entire thing and told her I did not think that was necessary. Before your judgments take over, let me explain:

1. We live on a quiet road that dead-ends and only has two other neighbors.
2. We had all of the dogs harnessed and leashed.
3. We were not on the property of the business that owns the other pup.
4.  Our other two pups, who were in the led, are sociable.

To explain further, just as with humans, some animals are sociable, others are not. The reasons for this are varied, and I could not begin to pinpoint any one reason. Janie was adopted as a pup and was without her biological mom at a very young age (earlier than 7 weeks), we do not know her story, or the story/genetics of her parents.  We can make all the assumptions we want as to why she is riddled with anxiety and a fierce protector of us, but in reality, we just do not know.  As much as some people may think, doggie school is not an option for her.  Out of the eight fur babies that have been a blessing to our family over the years, only two ever went to doggie school.  For the others we used the same methods and educated at home.  You know, we are homeschoolers for our humans, same with the pups I guess.

Anyway, as I look back, some were sociable, others less so.  For the less so ones I always felt like maybe we were bad parents.  Now, I feel completely confident in saying I do not feel I always need to apologize for one of my babies behaviors just because it makes someone else uncomfortable.  Don't get me wrong, there are precautions that need to be taken when it comes to safety, which I feel we do by harnessing, leashing, not taking her to dog parks, and not walking her in a high pedestrian area.  Janie is highly intelligent, and knows all the commands such as sit, lay, stay, here, come, and she knows how to help herself to the water and ice dispenser on the fridge.  When we take her on a walk all by herself she seems to have more control over her emotions, but when with the entire family (dogs and humans), she is stressed.

Doggie school in this situation, and with this particular princess, would not go well because she cannot focus once stimulated, and we would be kicked out, or politely asked to leave and not return.  I guess some questions that I have are: why do people judge and assume you are a bad parent if your child (fur or otherwise) does not act according to societal standards, or why do people think they always have the answer? Giving suggestions or sharing information is one thing, judging, when you have no clue, is another.

I end with, yes, each of our fur babies has their own unique personality.  They each want to be loved, and to give us love.  They may not act appropriately for YOUR liking, when steps can be taken to adjust that we will take them, otherwise, respect the fact that they are amazing beings in their own right, with emotions, fears, behaviors, stresses and anxiety that may not always be remedied by strictness, control, school or anger.  We will continue to work with our little bundle of "not the norm" emotions, but we will do it in our way, letting her know that she is loved no matter what.




*If anyone has noncritical comments or suggestions I would be open to hearing them.  I do not like traditional muzzles so that is not an option, and would make her anxiety heightened.  If there is a muzzle that would not make her feel like she couldn't protect herself or us, let me know.

What The Heck Is Sole?

I am feeling energized this morning as I've implemented the Ayurvedic practice of Sole. Pronounced SO-Lay, Sole is purified water that is saturated with Himalayan Pink Salt. The water gets saturated to the point that it cannot naturally hold any additional salt. 
Does this sound conflicting with reports regarding salt? So how, and why, would people do this? Well, first and foremost you DO NOT use table salt, which has been bleached and stripped of the minerals and elements that are good for us. You use a pure salt, such as Himalayan Pink Salt. Sea Salt is also beneficial, but with ocean contamination on the rise, when making Sole, I prefer to use Himalayan which comes from the Mountains, generally far from industrialization and, therefore, less toxins :).

Himalayan Salt contains 80+ minerals and elements that our bodies need. What else does Sole do? 

• Helps to rehydrate the body after it has used energy and water during sleep to repair our cells.  
• Helps nerve cell communication throughout the body.  
• Helps to rebalance electrolytes in the body (which is why nerve cell communication is enhanced).  
• Due to natural rebalancing, sleep begins to improve.  
• Stabilizes blood sugar.  
• Promotes clearer skin, healthy hair and nails.  
• Helps to reduce allergic reactions due to it's natural anti-histamine effect.  
• Reduces/eliminates muscle cramps.  
• Boosts energy and mood.  
• Increase bone health, which stands to reasons with all those natural minerals!
• Reduces/prevents vein problems (i.e., varicose veins).  
• Improves digestion, which in turn can have an added bonus of promoting weight loss.
• Often can reduce blood pressure.
• Due to it's natural anti-bacterial makeup, helps to detoxify the body.

Holy smokes! Where has this stuff been all my life?!! This is absolutely one of the easiest, and cheapest, ways to rebalance and promote health throughout my body. If you want to try it for yourself this is what you do…

1. Get a glass jar with a glass, or plastic (BPA free), lid. Do not use metal, as it can interfere with ionization. The ions are what makes the whole process good for you. Don't worry, I won't go into a science lesson here. If you are interested in the whole ion, electron, proton process visit this cool site I've used for my kids, okay, and myself too ;).
2. Purchase pure himalayan salt from a reliable source. Check a natural food store, Amazon (read reviews) or Salt Works. I happen to live by a salt cave that gets high quality, food grade, salt chunks.
3. Fill jar with pure, filtered water, making sure it covers the salt. If using grain instead of salt chunks be sure it covers the salt several inches above the grains. Close with lid, give it a shake and leave it overnight.
4. The next morning, get a fresh glass of filtered water. Do not shake or mix the sole, add only a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (remember, no metal utensils) of the Sole (salt mixture) to your fresh water, and drink. Be sure to drink this before eating or drinking anything else to allow the body full opportunity to assimilate the benefits.

That's it, how easy it that? Add water to the himalayan salt, set overnight, done. Because himalayan salt is anti-bacterial and anti-viral, the leftover Sole will keep indefinitely. You'll just want to add more salt and/or water as the mixture gets low.  

If using salt grains, and the next morning they have all dissolved, then add more grains to the water until there are grains that sink to the bottom. When you see grains sink to the bottom, and are no longer getting dissolved, then the Sole is at the proper level. Remember, Sole is created because the water can longer absorb the salt added to it, meaning, the water contains enough salt. The extra at the bottom is fine to leave and is a good indicator to you that the water is at the proper salt to water ratio.

The water really does not taste the same as when you've been at the ocean and swallowed a mouthful of salt water. Of course if you took a swig from the whole jar of Sole, that probably would taste the same as a mouthful of ocean water. It's an interesting experiment to perform to notice the slight weight difference of fresh plain water vs. the water with the teaspoon of Sole added. It is really hard to describe, it has a slight salt taste, but the water actually feels more weighty, or full bodied than plain water. You do the experiment for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

I don't think that water has much taste, but if it bothers you, when adding the teaspoon of Sole to your fresh water, also try adding a few drops of fresh lemon juice to your glass and see if that helps. 

If you give Sole a go, be sure to share your experience and what you think about it. If nothing else, you'll know that your body is getting lots of minerals! If you find you just can't stomach the taste, get creative in figuring out ways to add a tsp. (that's all you'll need, trust me), to your favorite dishes. I love adding it to rice, roasted veggies, soups, etc.

I am a firm believer in doing what makes my body naturally feel better. If I add, or eliminate something, I take notice how I feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. For me, noticing how I feel is a key indicator if it is or isn't beneficial, and a deciding factor if I want to keep doing it. A great example of this is gluten and refined sugar. They send my auto-immune disorders into a frenzy, so I don't particularly need a doctor or test to tell me otherwise, but that is a whole other blog post that I'll save for another day ;).

*Please note, I am not a doctor or Ayurvedic Practitioner. If you have concerns for yourself, then by all means, check with your healthcare professional before implementing into your routine.

1,2,3 = A Happier Me

This weekend was our first book club meeting.  The book we tackled was The Happiness Project.  Let me tell you, I definitely recommend reading this book.   Not because it regurgitates an exact list that you need to follow to ensure your happiness, because, let's face it, any book that does that is full of BS.  So why then?  Because this book makes you think about YOUR life, and YOUR happiness, and YOUR project.  The key to reading any book like this is to remember, it's not a one size fits all.  There is no, I did A, B and C, so now I can check them off and be happy for the rest of my life.  It is a continuous journey.

Does that last statement sound ominous or too hard?  Well, for myself, doing all the things that seem easier never really brings me any kind of lasting happiness.  Instant gratification may seem easier, but the crap that I am left to deal with afterwards is actually a lot of work.  For instance, I eat fairly healthy, but do allow myself treats once in awhile. The times in the past that I would eat junk repeatedly may have seemed easier in the moment, but then I was left feeling like #$@&.  My arthritis would act up, I was grumpy, then those around me became grumpy, so then I felt guilty, which then caused even more horrible physical, emotional and mental feelings and symptoms.  Now, those once in awhile treats of a sweet or greasy food are just that, a treat, instead of a habit or convenience.  Eating and preparing healthier options may seem like work for some, but for me, the payoff is so much better.  In reality, my awareness and proactive efforts of my health does, in fact, bring me happiness.

After reading the book and discussing it with others I found that, although I may not have resonated with everything she said and did, I was able to begin thinking about what my project would look like.  I guess, in a sense, I had already begun my project at the beginning of the year when my family started our gratitude jars.  So, yes, that is where I am beginning my project.  I don't think I'm taking a shortcut by going back to something already started because the gratitude jars are an ongoing project that lasts the entire year.  In the book, the author tackles lots of ideas and goals.  I decided my project needed to be simpler, so that I didn't feel overwhelmed, and to increase the chances of me sticking to it and creating those lasting life habits.  Remember, most importantly, this is MY project.  This isn't what yours has to look like.  It's just a place to get the wheels turning, for you to think about what you may want for YOUR project.  Ready for phase 1, 2 and 3?  Here we go…

Phase 1: Gratitude

First up in the gratitude department was the gratitude jars (GJ).  I don't even remember where I had seen the idea, probably Pinterest or something.  Anyway, it is an ingenious concept that reminds me to appreciate all the good and abundance that already surrounds me.  The last few years our family has done vision boards, which are also fun and inspirational, but the GJ seemed like a new way to practice gratitude on a more consistent level.  My oldest got all of the supplies, jars and decorations (for us to make our jars unique to each of us).  Each day we write a simple sentence or word that expresses the good in our life, then place it in the jar.  That's it, it takes only seconds. The best part is that it causes us to think about the good, instead of reflecting on the negative. This has been especially helpful on days that seemed not particularly pleasant.  Here's the payoff, it creates a new habit of looking for the positive, and at the end of the year we get to read each slip of paper to remind us.  As I continue with each new gratitude item, I keep the items I have already implemented so that my gratitude muscles keep growing. The next gratitude item I recently added is to appreciate how much better I feel when I get enough sleep.  This one I just started, so I will keep you posted on my efforts!

Phase 2: Organization

This is something that I started at the beginning of the year.  Notice I said started because, just like the gratitude jars, this will be an ongoing goal.  Clutter is inevitable for most of us.  There's that spot on the floor that clothes always get dropped, or that drawer in the kitchen that odds and ends find their way to, or my all time nemesis, the counter that acts as the drop off for everyone's stuff.  In a family of 5, plus LOTS of animals, clutter abounds.   Organization can seem like a daunting goal in my project so I decided that instead of trying to do it all at once, and feel completely stressed out, I would break it down into smaller organization projects (OP).   It's no secret, I love being in the kitchen.  So, you guessed it, that was my first OP.   This took several days because I broke down which areas of the kitchen to do each day.  I want to stick with it, attempting to do the entire kitchen in one day would have been too much, and too frustrating.  Day one and two, I organized the spices, moving them to a drawer for easy viewing and access.  Day three and four was the cabinet that contained oils, vinegars, super foods powders, flours, etc.  Day five and six was our pantry, where all the extra and duplicate items are stored.  I took a break for a few days, then went on to where the cookbooks and dishes are kept.  I am not done yet, but already it feels soooooo much better.  Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it has taken away many frustrating moments of trying to find or dig something out that was buried.  Once I feel satisfied with the kitchen area, I plan on moving to closets.  For sanity sake, I will be saving my youngest child's room for last ;).

Phase 3: Be Tiffany

This last phase is a big one in creating more happiness in my life, and ultimately, for those I interact with.  A key phrase that resonated deeply with me throughout The Happiness Project was to Be Gretchen (the author).  Such a simple statement, but can encompass so much.  I am a people pleaser and nurturer by habit, and it often brings me great pleasure to make others happy.  However, it also can bring tremendous stress and pressure at times. Sometimes, when asked or looked to for help, I didn't really want to do it, but felt I had to.  When this occurs, instead of being happy, I was irritated, which creates this unpleasant cycle of reactions.  If I did something I really didn't want to just to please someone else I felt annoyed, I would be short with responses and agitated overall.  This, of course, was readable to that person, who then felt irritated with my reaction.  So the whole experience ended with bitter feelings instead of happiness for anyone.  I did something I didn't want to in order to please someone else, but instead only made them feel bad too, kind of defeats that entire purpose I did it for, right?  Over the past few years I have been making sure to take time for myself, and to be okay with that, which is a hard thing to do when you're not used to doing that.  Taking this one step further to create true inner peace is to put into practice those two simple words - Be Tiffany.  I am bringing more awareness into whether I truly want to do something or not.  This isn't selfish because it is causing me to be honest with myself which, in turn, allows me to be more authentic to those around me. If I can't, or don't want to, do something I now will nicely decline, refer them to someone or something else better suited, or ask them to choose another time for me to help.  I realize there may be times where people take offense, this is even more so with close family and friends who have been used to me dropping what I am doing to help them instead, but that will be par for the course.  I value my health and happiness, so this is an important part of my project that I intend to continue, they will get used to it :).

I am excited with my happiness project and goals.  Since this is MY happiness project, I may decide to add additional goals in over time, but for now, I will focus on my three phase plan.  I already am feeling positive shifts in my well being so I know it is working for me.  Hopefully my project efforts will have a domino effect, in that, if I am genuinely happier, those around me will be too.

What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up?!

It has been in the last few years that I have come to the realization that I did not know who I was, what I wanted to do, what value I possessed, and the many blessings I already had been given.  The dreams I had when I was younger was to either be a veterinarian or a lawyer.  While I respect veterinarians, I knew my love for animals was too great, so vet school was out.  Moving forward, I received a Bachelors in Criminal Justice, with the thought, next step, law school.  While in college, I got married, and 18 months later, we had our first beautiful baby girl.  Now that I was in the adult world, with responsibilities, after college I needed to get a job.  I began working in the office at a nearby automotive facility.  

Where did this leave my law school dream?  Here's the recap, I was a wife, mother, working full time, and attending law school in the evening.  I was exhausted.  I know, I know, lots of people do this, and bravo for them, I, on the other hand, decided that law school would always be there, but my children's youth would not.  Instead, I decided I would focus on becoming a manager at the facility I worked at.   With my husband and I both in automotive management, it made moving a little easier.  After a few years, we picked up our now family of four, plus several fur babies (that is always a given in case you haven't already noticed ;)), and moved to Kentucky.

Great, now what?  Well, I worked for several more years as a Materials Manager, had another little princess, and rescued more fur babies.  I was living the perfect life, right? WRONG!  As I said, I have always felt a strong connection to animals, nature, and the Universe as a whole, problem was, I didn't know what to do about it.

Although I loved the people I worked with, after our third child, it was harder and harder for me to leave her at day care.  I wanted so badly to be with my children.  By the time I got home, cooked dinner and gave baths, I really only had about 30 minutes to an hour of quality time with them, and that was if I didn't get a call from work.  Let's be realistic, there is no 9-5 when it comes to being a manager in automotive, you are on call 24/7.

Well, the Universe has a way of giving you what you ask for, positive or negative.  With the looming possibility of the plant I worked in closing, I knew had to make a decision.  Do I go looking for another facility, or do I start looking into something that resonated more deeply with me?

Again, thank you Universe, my mom told me about a yoga teacher training program.   I had been practicing yoga for many years already, and knew how good it felt physically and mentally, so I gave it some serious thought.  After saying good-bye to automotive, I was now focusing on my family with better intention.  I was still a manager, really people, being a stay at home mom is a full time job in itself, and let's remember, there is no paycheck.  I was happy being with my girls, but I still felt like I was supposed to be doing more.  I decided I wanted to try this teacher training thing.  Needless to say, I was hooked.

It was through this program that I really started to gain a better understanding of what I wanted for myself, my family, and what I wanted to be able to offer others.  This was it, this is what I was born, this time around, to do!  After nearly a year, I received my Yoga Teacher Certification.  Before that was done, I was also in a program to learn more about vegan nutrition.  From there, I completed Certification in Vegan Nutrition, became a Certified Health Coach through IIN, received Certification as a Y12SR leader, and became a Reiki Master.  The best part about all of these programs was that it still allowed me time with my family, and I was able to share it with them too.  Going through a life changing journey is an amazing process, but when those around you can also learn why your are doing it, and apply some of those tools for themselves, it makes it even more incredible.

So where does this leave me?  It has been through all of this growth, and self discovery, that I have been able to heal physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  I was able to forgive myself for not being perfect, for making mistakes, acknowledging that I deserve to love myself and those around me.  It is through of all of this that I opened Bright From The Heart Yoga & Wellness in 2011 so that I could share with others, and hopefully, they can learn valuable tools and apply them at whatever time in their life they need them.  My dream now is for wellness to be a family business.  All three of my children have gone through Reiki I & II training, and my older two are completing their programs to become Certified Yoga Teachers as well.

My journey is far from over, I have much to share, as well as much more to learn.  The difference today, versus 20 years ago, is that I feel an immense sense of love, gratitude and joy in each day.  Am I all grown up now?  No, but I'm getting there :).

Project Reduce Waste: Day 20 Check-In

Wow, 20 days since beginning Project Reduce Waste!  Things are going really well, and the new recipes I have been creating are actually helping me to work more on my second cookbook, which has been in the works for over a year. Yay! freeing two birds with one move!

The fun thing we are finding is the more we have been actively participating in the goals, the more they are becoming second nature.  This translates to less reminding for each other, or ourselves, to do them (okay, it really means less nagging by mom).

Through this journey, and mini updates regarding the meals we have been preparing, several people have been asking for recipes, so I thought today I would post a few.  The recipes can be found at the end.

What are the results after 20 days of being more aware and mindful in our choices?  Let's see…
1.  Electronic use is way down.  
2.  Lights and TV are getting turned off immediately upon leaving the room, the real test will be once the utility bill arrives :).
3.  As you remember, I filled the van 2 weeks ago and there is still just under half a tank left.  This one is just unbelievable to me, and I am so excited about it!
4.  Penalty jar is at $2.90, a huge improvement from the first 10 day check in of $2.05, which means we have cut our penalties by roughly 60%.
5.  The smaller kitchen compost bin has been emptied 4 times into the larger outdoor compost barrel.
6.  The $350 two week budget was on target, we only spent $20 extra to get dish washing tabs, a bag of rice for the dogs, a jar of sun butter for our oldest, 2 bunches of bananas and 2 avocados.

What other measurements can we share?
1.  Watched a beautiful documentary about how our choices not only impact us, but just how far reaching they truly are.  We highly recommend the documentary Dukale's Dream, it's a great story about hope, and actively making a positive difference in the world through our simple day-to-day choices.
2.  Did not eat out at all until Halloween Eve, when we went to an allergy friendly Halloween party at a local restaurant.
3.  Met our two week goal of grocery shopping, just went again over the weekend for another two weeks.  We are sticking with the $350 budget, we were actually under at $285!

In the gallery below you'll find an assortment of the creations, and experimentations from other cookbooks, beginning with homemade crackers, the rest… Gardein chick'n scallopini (which is not only vegan, but also GF) w/ steamed basmati wild rice and steamed broccoli; more basmati (this time boiled) and steamed broccoli w/ homemade GF flat bread; rainbow roasted veggies over wild rice, topped with avocado and green onion; garlicky rice noodles w/ chopped green onion; herbed biscuits w/ gravy; sliced apples w/ cardamom, nut butter and cacao nibs; pumpkin pie smoothie; sweet biscuits w/ maple drizzle; grown up grilled cheese w/ mustard, avocado slices, tomatoes, and thyme on sprouted bread; open face tofu scramble on a tomato slice and spouted english muffin, topped with gravy and green onion; 5 minute PB fudge.  

On to some recipes…

Slow Cooker Tempeh Stew
(two options, one to prepare the night before)
Serves 6

Ingredients:
5-6 c. russett potatoes, cubed
1-2 Tbsp. avocado oil
2 pkgs. tempeh, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4-5 tomatoes, chopped (use seeds and juice)
1 large organic bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 - 1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 c. cooked wild rice
1 c. cooked pinto beans
1 c. water

Directions:
1.  Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with 1-2 inches of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender, but still firm.  Drain and set aside.
2. While potatoes boil, place a large skillet over medium high heat, allow to heat 1 minute, add 1/2 or 1 Tbsp. oil, add onion, sauté for 3-5 minutes.  Add tempeh, bell pepper, half of the tomatoes and juice, cook another 5 minutes.  Add spices and garlic, cook 3-5 minutes.  Stir and, either place into the crock pot or, if preparing the night before, in a large container, set aside for remaining ingredients.
3.  Using the same skillet, DO NOT rinse it out, add remaining oil, wait a few seconds, then add remaining tomatoes and juice, cook 10 minutes.  Add all others ingredients except the water.  Cook 5 minutes more.  
4.  If preparing the night before, place into the large container with other mixture, add potatoes, stir and cover with tight fitting lid and place in the fridge until morning then follow remaining instructions.  If using right away, place all remaining ingredients (prepared mixtures, boiled potatoes and water) into crockpot, stir and set on low for 4-6 hours.
5.  Serve with rolls and/or toppings (chopped green onion, verde salsa, "sour cream", chopped avocado).

Spicy Thyme Lentils and Tomatoes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
avocado oil
1 small onion
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 Tbsp. dried Thyme
1/2 - 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 c. dried green lentils
2 tomatoes, chopped (use juice and seeds)
2 c. vegetable broth

Directions:
1.  Place medium pot over medium high heat, add oil, wait 30 seconds.  Add onions, cook 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook another 3 minutes.
2.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, burn stove up to high.
3.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until most liquid is absorbed and the lentils are tender.  (Depending on the lentil brand, 20-40 minutes).
4.  Eat as is over serve over rice, noodles, buckwheat crisps or crackers.

I hope you enjoy, and be sure to change up spices to your preference!  Coming up next will be a field trip to Just Creations, a Fair Trade store near us where our little one will be picking out a birthday present.

Project Reduce Waste: Update

Well, it has been 10 days since the start of our family project.  If you're not sure what it's all about you check out the post Project Reduce Waste from October 13, 2015.  This is certainly a learning experience for us all.  Having the penalty jar also adds the element of ownership and responsibility, which is helping to create a better sense of mindfulness.

The one market run we made at the start was only $47 and yielded 5 cucumbers, 4 zucchini, 3 yellow squash, 2 bags of kale, 2 bags of lettuce, 1 sweet onion, 1 bunch of green onion, 1 head of broccoli, 1 head of cauliflower, 3 bunches of bananas, 2 3lb. bags of organic apples, 1 butternut squash, 4 tomatoes, 6 oranges, 4 lemons, 6 sweet potatoes, 1 bag of fresh green beans, 3 avocados and 1 jar unsweetened apple butter. As you may remember, everything else needed to come from what was already here. So our family of 5, plus the animals (our three dogs get cooked meals for dinner utilizing whole foods), needed to get creative in making healthy meals, while reducing waste.

Are you ready for the measurements?

1. We made zero runs to the grocery store or market until this past weekend.
2.  The indoor compost container has been dumped twice into the large compost barrel out back.
3.  The penalty jar has $2.05.
4.  We have spent more time finding other means of entertainment (coloring, reading, walking, playing learning games).
5.  All meals, except for one business meeting dinner, have been prepared at home.
6.  My 1/4 tank of gas lasted all week, and I only filled up on the weekend prior to the grocery store run.

Going forward…

1.  The weekend grocery store run was done to hit several stores that have our veg items and deals (i.e. Trader Joe's).  The total for all the stops made, that were in the same vicinity, was $350.  That amount is the budget we have allotted our family of 5, plus the 3 dogs, for 2 weeks.
2.  The only store run in the 2 weeks will be for essentials, such as cat food, rat food, turtle food or toilet paper :).  Although we have investigated other options, we are not quite ready to be that eco-friendly when it comes to the TP.
3.  We have made a family agreement that there would only be a once per month family meal at a restaurant.  *Special circumstances like birthdays and anniversary do not count.
4.  We are focusing more on understanding where our purchases come from, and how they effect us and the world.  This means, we will be working harder at making Fair Trade purchases so our dollars go towards helping others.

In case any of you are curious as to all the foods we prepared, here is a peak…

Here is the rundown: there was stew; muffins several ways; banana bread; caramel dip with apple slices; Amazon trail mix (the girls made this as part of schooling to tie in the lesson on South America); lentil patties; steamed rice several ways; kale/squash/black bean wraps; black bean/butternut squash chili over quinoa; kids healthy lunch (wraps using up leftovers such as lentils, veggies); steamed garlic green beans; cauliflower alfredo sauce; zucchini piccata; healthy Halloween fruits, thanks to Pinterest; homemade cashew butter; homemade creamer (sooo good, recipe will follow for this one); butternut squash/avocado salad w/ homemade tamari/apple cider vinegar dressing (thank you Ella Woodward, this salad was amazing!).

As a way to thank you all for supporting, and following, us during this project here is the homemade creamer recipe. This recipe is super easy, so much cheaper than store bought creamers, healthier (since it contains healthy fats, minimal to zero sugar, NO corn syrup, no added oil, no artificial colors or flavors, no added salt - seriously, take a look at the creamer info, it is startling) and it is way tastier!

Homemade Coconut Creamer
Serves 1

2-3 Tbsp. canned coconut milk (budget friendly from Trader Joe's)
1/2 tsp. coconut sugar (optional)
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of ground vanilla (or a dash of pure vanilla extract)

Directions:
1.  Using an *espresso steamer, place all ingredients into steamer and allow it to blend and warm the creamer, it only takes a minute or less.
2.  Pour coffee in a mug, pour steamed cream over coffee, stir if you want and drink.
3.  Store remaining coconut milk in an airtight container in the fridge to make more creamer or to use in another recipe (the cold fridge will cause it to firm up and that is fine.  If your steamer does not like it too cold, let it sit in the steamer a minute or two and then proceed with steaming).  If stored properly, left over milk lasts 5-7 days in the fridge.

*I am not talking about the big expensive espresso makers, they sell just the small steamer portion, which can be purchased at a fair price from anywhere, around $30.  You don't need anything fancy.  I used my Target one for over a year with no issues, but my mom was kind enough to give me a fancy one as a birthday present, so now I do use the new one.

Project Reduce Waste Has Begun

When I told my husband we were beginning a new project he just looked at me, no words, just "the look".  After 20 years of marriage he is used to me coming up with new projects, adventures or journey's for us to try.  So his looks are two fold, one of question and one of waiting.  The silent question is him wanting to know what part he has in this new project.  Will the new project mean "we" or "he", since our children and I are quite good at claiming "we" need to do this or that, but ultimately it means "he" will do this or that, like cleaning the garage or hanging things on the wall.  His silence and look also means he is waiting for me to explain the latest to take place in the Bright household.  So here is where I will begin, what exactly is Project Reduce Waste?

HISTORY

In our family, we each do our part to help the environment (like eating plant-based, recycling and turning off the water while brushing our teeth), but I wondered if that should be enough.  Should we sit back and feel we have done enough, because in all reality we have already done far more than billions of other people on this planet.  Right?  Then I thought, is that what this should be about?  Is it a competition as to who has done what or more?  Is that what I want to teach my children, that doing one good deed is enough?  Did I want my children to think that we did our part, and the cause seems so vast anyway, that it's just easier to be done?  These were really important questions to me that I knew only I could answer as this is, and should be, a personal decision for each person to sit with and figure out for themselves.

It just so happened that one of the homeschool lessons we were on was learning about space, which led to a lesson about the Earth, which led to a lesson about the environment, which led to a lesson regarding the condition and future of our environment, which has led us to our current lesson about what can we do.  Wow, I think I need a family tree here as to our lessons and what they have birthed.  Anyway, what we have already done is well and good, but that should not be the focus.  I realized the focus needed to shift from what we have done to what ELSE can WE do?  So we started asking ourselves some questions.  What ELSE can WE do that will create a positive impact for the environment?  What ELSE can WE do to repair damage we, as humans, have done?  What ELSE can WE do for a better future?  

CREATION

Reardon's run

From this, the creation of our most recent family project was born… Project Reduce Waste!  Headed to the kitchen, I took inventory of what we had on hand. Groceries were running low, or so it seemed when you're used to seeing an overflowing refrigerator, and I decided I would not be going to the grocery store until the end of the week.  I was determined to use up what is here.  I noticed there are actually several meals possible with what we had on hand.  I do, however, feel there should always be plenty of fruits and veggies, especially when you're a plant-based family :).  So, I told everyone I would make one run to the local produce market called Reardon's, which is only 1 mile from our house (see, saving gas and, therefore, less pollution).  I went to Reardon's and stocked up on fruits and veggies.  The remainder of our meals needed to come from items already in the house.  

Another bullet point on our project list is our compost barrel, which we have been extremely lax in using.  I decided we would rotate responsibility as to who would take out the small compost bin in the kitchen to be added to the large barrel out back.  This way the responsibility didn't fall on one person.  Not everyone likes this idea, but they understand that to make a difference it takes each of us to make an effort, and composting is a no-brainer that literally takes seconds to do.  

SUMMARY

So here you have it, phase one, two and three of Project Reduce Waste.  As a recap here it is:

1.  Use what is on hand instead of immediately running to the grocery store.  If necessary, go to the local market instead of one further away, unless combining errands in that vicinity.    

2.  Reduce gas used making unnecessary trips, therefore saving money and reducing negative impact to the air quality.  

3.  Compost all scraps, rotating responsibility for small compost emptying.  

Items that we currently do, but will make sure we are more diligent on are:

1.  Turn lights off after leaving a room.  

2.  Do not flush the toilet throughout the night if only going #1 (definitely flush every time for #2 or #3, yikes).  

3.  Turn the TV off if gone from the room longer than 10 minutes.  

4.  TV/ electronic time limited to 2 hours per 24 hours.  

5.  Recycle all paper, cardboard, cans and glass.  

6.  Turn off water while brushing teeth or washing face until needed to rinse.  

7.  Continue eating plant-based, and minimizing packaged foods which add to pollution and waste.  

MEASURING SUCCESS

So we have our plan, but how do we track or monitor this to ensure everyone does their part?  A jar was placed on the counter for each person to pay a fine per penalty.  What is the penalty plan?  

1.  Every time a light is left on you must pay $0.01 (we have a seven year old, give us break).

2.  Every time the TV is left on longer than 10 minutes you pay $0.10.  

3.  Every time items not recycled or composted you pay $0.05.

4.  Besides the jar, we will get out the 60 different cookbooks I have (yes, I have a cookbook addiction) and find ways to use items we already have. 

5.  We will limit the amount of packaged items bought by making those items ourselves (granola bars, cookies, deodorant, toothpaste, etc). 

GOAL

The goal of this project is:
1.  To bring greater awareness of our impact in this world
2.  Notice and take responsibility as to how we can help, instead of harm, the environment.
3.  Hopefully, there will be less and less fines, but in the meantime, any fines collected from the jar will then be used for home improvement items.  

This is what works for our family, each family is different and unique, thank goodness. However, our wish is that each person will allow themselves to sit with the same questions we did at the beginning of this project, deciding for themselves what makes sense and how they can make a difference.  

Please feel free to continue following us on our latest journey as I add updates and recipes, stay tuned...