By Stacie Rose
As life becomes increasingly more complicated, the world seems to spin faster, and the unrelenting information flying at us at lightspeed leaves us way over capacity. We ultimately have two choices. We can give in and fall prey to the perniciousness, pressure, hype, and unregulated industry in our world, or we can decide what matters most, simplify our lives, and keep it as real as possible. Getting down to what matters most and being more intentional could save you from a life of regret and help you cultivate more joy and better health.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
—Leonardo Da Vinci
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Let's start with the basics. Food is nourishment and sustenance, but it can also be a source of great pleasure and help foster conversation, connection and community. Food is medicine, according to Hippocrates, and he was a pretty smart guy. So why are so many of us hooked on overly processed foods and ingredients we cannot pronounce? When did cuisine become so convoluted? It's incredible how the culinary world has exploded with a cacophony of cooking shows and endless new restaurants from coast to coast. Real people can become celebrity chefs, and food is finally fun and glamorous, and anyone's game. But are we missing the mark, losing the plot, overlooking the ingredients, and true opportunities to nourish ourselves and our loved ones?
What goes into food is very much what we get out of it. It doesn't mean we must do away with take-out, vowing to spend all our precious time meal-prepping and cooking our lives away. It's perfectly okay to indulge occasionally and frequent our favorite dining spots with our favorite people. But it's essential to our health to keep it seasonal, simple, and uncomplicated whenever possible. Try to taste foods as they are, rather than muddling the essence with chemicals, dyes, fake sugars, fillers and the frivolity of over-flavoring. Start with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Eat mindfully. Read labels. Ask questions. Be an educated consumer. Don't put products in your body that you cannot properly digest. Notice how certain foods make you feel. Try utilizing the Eighty-Twenty rule. Eat nourishing, healthy (organic when possible) food eighty percent of the time, Twenty percent of the time, you can relax a little. Think about moderation and intuition. Work plant-based foods and healthy protein into your diet. Hydrate yourself, eat slowly and take care in the preparation of your food. Move your body for better digestion. These are all simple things. It's the mindset that matters. Pay closer attention to the things that make their way into the food you eat; simplify, and you will notice a difference in how you feel physically and spiritually.
FRIENDLY ADVICE
Making better dietary choices can be an excellent opportunity to get together with a friend for a healthy meal, and friends nurture our souls. A good one is true blue and sticks with you like glue. It's a simple concept. But somewhere along the line, people began to form cliques and became caddy and judgy, callous and superficial. For some, it's about money and status, politics and clothes and anything one can drum up to complicate the basic principles of friendship.
Studies show that having true friends can be good for longevity. You don't even need many—just a few keepers. Simply being a friend to others can also be a mood booster and remind us of our humanity. It helps us feel less isolated, connecting us to others and the universe.
It doesn't have to be complicated. Listen. Be present. Be you. Allow others to be themselves. Hold space. Offer your time, perspective, a hand, a ride, a laugh, support, and cookie. It can be that easy. It can be challenging, too. But it doesn't have to be.
Sometimes, friendship will knock you down and tear out your heart. But even this kind of misfortune is simple. It's clear and informative. Any person who neglects, betrays, decimates or takes you for granted should be put in the "undeserving" category, boxed up and sent away with no return address. Life is full of good people and potential friends. The authentically good ones will deeply appreciate your wonderful essence and stand by you.
"A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden."
—Unknown
LOVE IS THE ANSWER
Love. It's one solitary notion with a bazillion nuances. And the very thought of it can seem impossibly complex, possessing the ability to bewitch us, boggle our minds and break our hearts -sometimes simultaneously. But what if we simplified love? What if we focused on showering others with that magic potion and started noticing the quantity and quality of our love for others? What if we gave freely, generously and more often? It's a simple plan and a powerful step towards improving our lives and ability to sleep more soundly, breathe easier, tamp down our daily anxieties and revel in more joy.
"True love is inexhaustible. The more you give, the more you have."
—Antoine De Saint-Exupery
JUST BE YOURSELF ALREADY
Have you ever noticed that the most magnetic people are the ones who waste little time worrying about the opinions of others? They are authentically true to themselves and unapologetically real. They are too well-adjusted to judge others. They live their lives by their own rules. This freedom is possible for anyone who chooses authenticity. When you read the books you enjoy and listen to the music that makes you happy, spend time with people who lift you up and help you feel at ease, and when you dance to the beat of your own drum you are simply living your best life. There is peace and calm clarity in this headspace. It's a mindset, a perspective and a way of framing things. Our stress is often tethered to inauthenticity and exhaustive over-analysis of things. The phrase "just be" has been popularized for good reason. It seems like the hardest thing to do. But it is the easiest once we wrap our hearts and minds around the concept.
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."
― Carl Gustav Jung
EASY DOES IT
Taking a simple, straightforward, less-is-more approach to life can be transformative. Clean the clutter in your mind, home, and heart—one step at a time. Come to know yourself and your worth and get clearer on the people, places and things that matter most. Those who feel like home to you are pure gold. You deserve that wealth. Building a healthy, sustainable lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. Create a blueprint. Write down the things that matter most and focus your most energetic attention on those things. Kicking toxic foods and unhealthy relationships to the curb, embracing your individuality and leading with love are all achievable things. You don't need special training. You just need to prioritize your well-being and believe in yourself. Ready? Let us Begin.
##
Comments