7 Ways to Live Mindfully

Self-awareness is a life-long process that needs to be nurtured. If you are new to this, here are some things you can do to incorporate mindful living into your life. If you’re a veteran, there might be a few things you haven’t thought about trying or have been meaning too.

1. I practice yoga several times a week, but you can choose other forms of mindful practice such as tai chi or reiki. Whatever form of energy work you choose, commit to practicing at least three or four times a week for optimal calmness.

2. Mindful walking is also a great way to become in tuned to your body. Try taking deep breathes from deep within your diaphragm (also known as base breathing) as you walk. Not only does this relaxes you, but it helps clear your mind.

3. Meditation reigns supreme in clearing your mind of clutter, finding your inner voice and listening to your first attention. There are many types to choose from – guided, independent to focused meditations. Lately, I’ve been using Calm, an iOS app. It has several different guided meditations targeting various aspects of your life, and some free ones to get you started. I especially like the bedtime stories to help set the mood for a restful sleep.

4. Practice base breathing to relieve stress and become more in-tune to your body. When you focus on breathing deeply from your diaphragm, you calm your mind and body. You can do this while walking or in a seated position. Take a deep breath through your nose and fully expand your lungs. Hold your breath for a second and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Try taking six deep breaths daily to get started. You’ll notice that your thoughts are clearer and you feel more energized.

5. Keep a journal where you can write down your intentions is a powerful tool for creating the life you want. This is where you state to the Universe exactly what you want in life If you want to go back to school to become a nurse or work in finance, make your intentions known and follow up with actions that will manifest your goals. It’s also a powerful way to manifest energy for your goals because writing with intention gives you focus and clarity. One thing to remember is that journaling is not the same as keeping a diary. A diary is more of a record of your life as it happens. Journaling is about reflecting on your life, examining your emotions and discovering realizations as you grow consciously. The best part of journaling is that it can be adapted to suit your needs. It can be done on a mobile device or handwritten. The idea is to find your quiet space where you can quiet the chatter of your internal dialogue and listen to your inner voice.

6. Volunteering …there is something special about sharing a passion and working on a cause or helping someone in need. The energy you gain from doing something selfless is priceless. Need ideas on how to begin volunteering? Try these websites to get started and check local free weeklies in your area. They are usually full of ads requesting help or announcing an event.

Volunteer Match
http://www.volunteermatch.org

American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/disaster-volunteer

Humane Society
http://www.humanesociety.org/

7. Affirmations are where you voice to the Universe and yourself what you intend is true. They redirect your thoughts in a positive way. Ex. I am a pediatric nurse at xx hospital, and I’m living my dream. Intentions and affirmations work together to manifest your life as you have created it. You don’t need to know how you are going to achieve it. All you need to focus on at this point is that is the goal you’ve sent out to the Universe. You will notice that once you voice with intent, doors and opportunities will start to open that you previously thought were closed to you.

Remember, you’ll never get what you want unless you voice your intentions to the Universe and follow that with action. So, what are some things you do to live mindfully?

#Gratitude #Affirmations #Motivational

Transitioning to Green Beauty | Tips

This is an excellent article for anyone transitioning or thinking of switching from conventional beauty items to natural products. I’ve been in the process of switching to totally green products for the past 18 months and it’s been the best decision of my life. While the process has taken longer than I expected (I never realized I had so much shampoo and body wash!), the time spent reading ingredients and education myself was well worth it. One app that I use to help me make informed decisions on clean/green products is Think Dirty and it’s available on both iOS and Android. All you have to do is scan the barcode and the app tells you if it’s a clean product and what level of cleanliness is has. Pretty cool, huh?

ocdRN_Beauty

You may have noticed in recent months I have mentioned transitioning my beauty and skincare items to greener, non-toxic products. My reasons for this transition include:

1. Taking better care of my skin and health, as the products that have nasty chemicals infiltrate through the skin and can cause issues on the inside of the body.

2. To be more cognizant of what I am purchasing and how those products are made. Not all green beauty brands have amazing ethics, but many do, promoting sustainability and pure ingredients that cause less harm to the body.

3. Creating intention (see my 2017 Goals post) with what I bring into my collection and ensuring the product comes from an upstanding brand, with quality ingredients, and give me joy when I use them.

I was contacted by Kayla, a representative at consumersafety.org, to share tips on how I plan to transition my…

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The Power of Mirror Work

Mirror Work is a concept that I’ve been using for years without realizing it. Whenever I felt down or discouraged, I would look in a mirror and tell myself, “You can do this. I am enough. I’m Okay.” I never realized what a gift I was giving myself, even when people made fun of me talking to the mirror. Fast forward 20 years and people are starting to take notice of the power of positive thinking and affirmations.

Here’s a great video that can help you get started on learning to love yourself without conditions. You’re worth it.

The Easiest Healthy Breakfast Cookie!

I’m always on the lookout for new breakfast cookies, and this one I’m definitely making.

My Journey to Clean Eating

What I love the most is that these cookies can be so transformed from person to person and lifestyle to lifestyle that everyone can enjoy them!

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BAKE @ 350 for aprox 25-35 min judging by the size of your cookies.

I make 24 larger cookies, at it usually becomes my breakfast, however, you can make 48 small cookies for a yummy snack! Sometimes I do make smaller ones for the holidays so I know I have cookies on the table I can eat and still stay on track!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Oatmeal (old fashioned oats)
• 6 super ripe Bananas
• 2/3 cup unsweetened Applesauce 
• 6oz Craisens  (pictured), or raisins, or any other favorite dried fruit!
• 2% Milk (that’s what I had on hand today) again… fat-free milk… almond milk… your choice!
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Probably way too much Ground Cinnamon

That’s All You Need! Yes……

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Lavender Lemon ice cubes and Lemonade

This looks so yummy! I’m going to try it rosemary too.

Salty Air & Glitter

My mom just got back from lavender harvest in France & brought all of this wonderful fresh dried lavender home. I just couldn’t wait to make lavender lemonade with it! But first… Ice cubes…

I love having my kids do intentional work in the kitchen. Just look at the concentration!
Lavender lemon ice cubes

• Ice cube tray
• Organic lemon
• Organic lavender flowers
• Organic sugar with 4 drops lavender essential oil & 2 drops lemon essential oil (Here is where I get mine) you don’t have to add the sugar but I love how easy it makes it to add the oils.

Load up the ice trays with filtered water, lavender flowers & lemon slices. Then make a mix of sugar & lavender oil & lemon oil… Put a bit of this in each cube… Freeze

Lavender lemonade

• 4 lemons squeezed
• 6 cups filtered water
• 1/2 c honey
• Lavender…

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Do not give into negative self-talk

How to Manifest Your Dreams

What if you could see your perfect future, would you do everything in your power to achieve it? Did you know that your thoughts and emotions are tied to actions? Every thought has a reaction — good or bad. So, think of your thoughts as food for your soul. Affirmations laser focus your intentions and desires. Take 20 minutes a day and change your life. 

DIY Toilet Bombs

What a great little shortcut for cleaning the toilet.

Clean Eating Made Easy

Here’s a nice little cheat sheet for quick clean meals. And always, if you can, eat grass-fed beef. It tastes so much better than grain fed.

Snowbird In Training

Clean eating doesn’t have to be hard. Make your meals simple by using just the basics- lean (good quality protein), organic veggies and fresh fruits. These meals are simple and include very few ingredients. Once you cut out processed/junk foods, you’ll be amazed at how much better you look and feel.

Breakfast: Choose 1

• Two Boiled Eggs- Slice in half  (remove egg yolk and mix with 2 slices of avocado- mash and fill eggs with avocado mixture, tangerine
• Slice of Ezekiel bread toasted- spread 1 tbsp. of nut butter and add 1/2 sliced banana
• 1/2 Grapefruit, 100 calorie pack of raw almonds
• 1  cup of plain Greek yogurt, drizzle 1 tsp of organic raw honey, top with 2 tbsp. of walnuts

Lunch: Choose 1

• Grilled chicken breast (size of palm) sliced on top of 2 cups of organic spinach, 4 organic cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp. of feta cheese, 1…

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11 Reasons to Feel Joyful

Today was one of those typically gloomy spring Seattle days – gray, wet and cold. I loved it! Cold, damp days aren’t for everyone but for me walking in the fog and rain reminds me of when I lived in London. It was a time of amazing self-discovery when everything seemed possible. Every time I eat a fig, I’m reminded of Ali, the storekeeper from Algiers, who introduced me to figs dipped in honey and nuts (pure heaven). Every afternoon I would visit his store to grab a handful. I was never charged. He said the smile on my face was payment enough. That memory invokes such a feeling of joy and happiness. There have been several times over the years that I’ve thought about that time in my life to get me through challenging times. To remind myself that whatever I’m going through is temporary. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the little things that bring us joy when life gets stressful. We can get mired in what’s going wrong and forget to acknowledge what’s going right.

Here are some great reasons to feel happy.

1. The smell of grass after it rains.

2. Finding the perfect pin on Pinterest!

3. Ah, the smell of fresh baked cookies.

4. Hearing children laugh or watching them play. Their joy is infectious.

5. Getting a text from an old friend saying they’re thinking about you.

6. Yoga!

7. Spending time with friends.

8. Wandering a used bookstore – even better – finding that old book you thought lost to you forever.

9. Being told you’re appreciated.

10. Doing something you love.

11. And finally, explore a place in your city that you’ve never been before.

Tumeric as a Tooth Whitener

Tumeric seems to be a wonder spice! Not only does it reduces inflammation but it turns out that it whitens teeth. I’m definitely going to try this.

Are you lovable?

Self-love it the most powerful force in the universe.

Health Benefits of Avocados

Avocados are truly a nutritional powerhouse. I’ve added them on multi-grain toast with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a quick breakfast. Recently, I added a few slices to my usual green smoothie and WOW! The taste and texture were amazing. So go ahead and give it a try!

Alternative and Integrative Medicine

By Brandi Tacdol; First Year Project Manager

The avocado originated from South-Central Mexico between 7,000 and 5,000 BC. Avocado seeds were believed to be domesticated back to 750 B.C since they were found buried with mummies. Around 500 B.C, avocados were cultivated in Mexico. Today, they are grown in tropical and subtropical climates; however, California produces 90% of the avocado crop in the United States with one single avocado tree producing up to 500 avocados each year.

Avocados are that are considered to be one of the most nutrient-dense fruits available. Because they are very high in nutrients, they have many health benefits that are significant.

Avocados are high in healthy fats, and compared to many other fat containing foods, they are relatively low in calories, sodium and cholesterol. The source of healthy fats are the mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which are important to help reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and…

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Stop Saying No To Your Dream

I get it. You have a ton of stuff to do. Between work, family commitments, community activities and even the occasional cup of coffee with a friend, it can be easy to put your dreams on the back burner. This is especially true for those of you who are completely overwhelmed with the day to day challenge of simply paying your bills. Dreams get lost in that overwhelm, but they don’t have to. You can stay focused on your dreams even in the midst of life’s daily demands.

Source: Stop Saying No To Your Dream

What Happens When You Stop Eating Sugar

Sugar is the new cholesterol –  it’s making you fat and slowly killing you.

The average American consumes 75 pounds of sugar a year. Think about it. That translates into the weight of the average 10-year-old, or one-half cup a day. It’s in practically everything we eat — salad dressing, pasta, even health-sounding foods like yogurt and granola bars!

But what happens when you stop eating sugar?

Slows the aging process

Sugar take a toll on your skin. Excessive consumption leads to a process called glycation, allowing the sugar in your bloodstream to attach to the collagen in your skin causing inflammation. The result: dehydrated and discolored looking skin — not to mention being more prone to wrinkles. If this doesn’t appeal to your vanity and convince you to toss those sugary snacks, nothing will!

Your brain fog disappears

Brain fog is a sign of inflammation in the body. One UCLA study concluded that too much sugar sabotages learning and memory. Avoid eating simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and rice to keep a clear head. So ditch the carbs and grab some leafy greens.

Your colon performs more efficiently

Removing sugar allows your bowels to reset to their normal function of processing food. Because of your new clean eating habits, your intestines aren’t working overtime to digest processed foods. Eating more fiber helps you move your bowels more often, and increasing your water intake helps flush toxins out of your body. Think of it as a mini cleanse.

Your blood sugar stabilizes

Stop eating sugar and your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes drops dramatically. Period. Of course, other factors play a role such as predisposition and weight, but making a commitment to cut down on sugar cannot be underestimated.

Your energy soars

Eating sugar makes you sluggish. It may seem like grabbing a quick chocolate bar provides you with the energy boost you need to finish your work day, but the opposite is true. That energy burst is brief, and you’re left feeling more tired than before. Removing sugar allows your body to adjust to functioning without the spikes and crashes. You’ll also find that you have sustained energy throughout the day.

Watch the pounds drop off  

Eating more whole foods and less sugar helps your body burn calories efficiently. More healthy fiber-rich foods fill you up and keep you satisfied longer. Empty calories found in soda and other pre-packaged process foods can cause you to crave sugary snacks even when you’re not truly hungry, leading to weight gain.

Now, that you know all the incredible benefits of getting rid of sugar, what are you waiting for? Remember, small, gradual changes create life-long habits.