Orange coffee as in orange juice in the coffee is a powerful tasting combo. You may be scratching your head wondering how that odd combo is… that works unlike other citrus.
Below I share a couple orange photo inspiration as to what brought this on me…
And I understand if you need a ‘lil nudge because we’re used to separate cups and glasses for the two drinks.
Part of a popular American breakfast has both OJ and coffee.
But you gotta admit adding orange juice to your coffee sounds convenient (one less cup). ☕️
If you’re at a breakfast buffet, it’s one last cup you have to carry.
I’d say… also a smart idea that makes sense for boosting the immune system during holiday travel season… and calming anxious moods that oranges do. It’s good to carry one on ya!
Plus, orange 🍊 adds a nice flavor to your black coffee. Think of it like orange and chocolate or cocoa… another drink idea. 💭
Oranges brighten up your cup o’ joe choices.
And if you’re a Vata, you love the variety and oranges!
In a cup of coffee ☕️, the orange flavor comes through nicely… half orange (or at least 1/3) to half coffee makes it a brightened, pleasant taste…
The best way is with liquid orange juice you can freshly squeeze or mix with prepared juice. You can also use orange zest if you don’t mind the solid textures.
Those are the best ways for the zesty flavor punch to come through.
…Cold brew coffee has less acidity than regular brewed coffee ways. And fresh orange juice has less acidity than concentrated juices you would buy at the grocery stores.
If acidity is a concern, you can add spices like cinnamon and ginger to help tone down and counteract effects.
The caffeine in coffee btw is loaded with antioxidants that are good for not only quick cognitive reasons, but also improving heart health.
We all love that! ❤️🔥
And when you use fresh whole oranges, you bypass sugar added to processed orange juice from concentrate.
You get the Vitamin C and A antioxidants plus minerals and fiber.
Orange juice sales ramp up in the cooler winter months when people are thinking about ramping up on Vitamin C for cold and flu season.
And as helpful nature would have it, oranges are winter fruits.
That’s a great way to start the morning!
They support happy hormones and reducing stress hormones. Gotta love that too! 😀
Your choice of orange is based on your preference and where you are.
For a sweeter orange, you could select a blood orange, navel orange, or a Cara Cara orange.
You can also sometimes find oranges year-round depending on if there’s a good sunshine season.. That’s why Florida and California are the abundant king and queen orange states. ☀️
A Florida orange has thinner skin than California navel, and are more like Valencia oranges that are the most common kind internationally and around the world.
You can tell where you are located just by the oranges in the stores and trees. 🍊
…Like these Spanish ohh-ahh orange trees I saw. Can you imagine these fresh ones for breakfast?
I had my first Sevilla orange for the first time years ago and it was coffee life changing. That was one of the years I spent Thanksgiving overseas.
And then back home n the States, had Sevilla orange coffee that was inspired by my fun visit to Spain.
Homemade orange juice is a healthy OJ option without refined sugar, a plastic bottle, or wasting any part of the orange that attracts fly critters… this could be your new way – o-range you glad!? 🧡
Morning meditation thoughts matter! And, if you tuned in last week, I gave a calming idea for night meditation to doze off to. To keep the balance this week, I have a morning meditation routine idea to empower and inspire your healthy mindset and emotional well-being.
The morning meditation begins when you have those first few awakened thoughts… and maybe your body hasn’t caught up yet. Like, we haven’t stretched our wings yet, even though we know the early bird catches the worm. 🐦⬛
We can blame that on our morning head that often comes with messed up bed head hair. If you don’t have those assets, then consider yourself blessed in the morning. 🧢
But if you do (that’s most of us), then changing attitude is the way up. We know what’s up from down even if we can’t yet think or speak logically.
…And considering some of us (Kaphas) are naturally Sleepyheads or (Vatas) inconsistently wake up feeling tired or awake with no rhyme or reason.
…Tired or not, you want to rewrite the negative thoughts especially if you woke up on the wrong side of the pillow.
And in my early meditation years wayback in the time machine when Y2K was in our sights, meditating was thinking thoughts and seeing how those thoughts feel. ❣️ …decades later, that’s still how I meditate.
The goal is to come out with better ideas to implementsolutions and workout my creativity genes… and not so much focusing on stress-reduction and wellness that meditation today has primarily become.
…And btw, that Pitta and Kapha minds are naturally better at this than the Vata minds.
…And epic ideas also lead to less stress if you wanna look at it that way in attitude. 😉
Your Attitude
Because attitude is everything!… it’s a choice, not a feeling.
You decide that you do X or Y that have very different decisions. And if you choose the first choice, there is X consequence (and choosing Y has the Y consequence). Different consequences and results is what you have to live with mid-week and in your night meditation. So it snow balls with compounding effects.
Beginning with the end in mind (…thank you, Steven Covey!), focus on your outcome consequence so you can show your mind at the moment how different life can be by your thought choice, especially in those groggy early morning moments.
The best choice is always the positive and loving responses in any meditation method you choose.
Even if the situations you faced in your past life weigh heavy, today you rewrite what wasn’t right and that you aspire your future to be. And that gives you a new today and future.
You have everything you need to be happy.
And your attitude will steer your decisions and outlook that determine your future.
Choose to restore your thoughts starting with morning meditation.
Do it consistently every time as best you can. We’re all imperfect. Don’t you wish everyone in your life with expectations would say (and mean) these 6 magic words: just do the best you can. That should take the pressure off.
Say that to yourself as your deepest critic.
Come out peaceful.
Then develop a better mindset belief today that creates better habits.
Consider that even if you don’t know what that is, you believe it so because you’ve consistently pulled a rabbit out of the hat in those areas, so today is no different. Believe in yourself.
As part of our morning meditation routine, we can change our beliefs starting with ourselves.
You can do this with positive messages you listen to, uplifting music, and quote inspirations.
You won’t hold onto a positive and a negative belief for the same idea at the exact same time (as our brains won’t allow the confusion), so we have a small time gap to make a choice.
In the gap, make the positive up-choice easy.
And we delay our lesser knee-jerk thoughts and responses. And if we need to take action like write an email or message back to someone, we wait until we can re-write with the positive emotional undertone.
We can’t take back our words ever, and when they’re written (especially). These days on the whole, we’ve become a kinder more sensitive society, so we’ve been trained to be more thoughtful.
And re-wording to a positive narrative helps us receive kind back in kind.
Lessons are a Learning Opportunity
And if self-control in any shade is a struggle today, think of the X and Y consequences I mentioned earlier.
Fast action thinks there’s one consequence, but that choice is a gamble…
Remember times when acting fast backfired, and if a timeout would’ve been called, that second thought would’ve given a better play (consequence).
Slowing down the ball play in your life, you may have discovered this. And in mine, I accidentally missed a work beat to a problem at hand and learned it was ok, and: leave a problem long enough, it solves itself.
That sounds reactive, and not proactive for productivity. But choosing to not do anything until you know what next step to do is the wiser decision with a better outcome.
Offering a quick fix can require cleanup.
So stick to your inner wisdom.
Don’t be in such a hurry to put fires out (unless there’s a real fire 🔥).
Make your stamp of approval mean something aligned with your thoughts… and maybe ones you’ve noodled out in morning meditation…
Let your session permeate the day as the theme of the day.
Listen and weigh your thoughts as a learning opportunity. Build on permeating better thoughts one day at a time. 💭
Wellness morning routines are not easy when you live a busy Western lifestyle.
Cramming in a few minutes to eat healthy, do yoga and get some re-centering quiet time is not usually the routine unless you get up super early as trade off for sleep or staying up late.
I’m exhausted already when I hear how hard charging some people are in their season descriptions… and then I quickly remember that was my life not too long ago when I worked in the corporate world 40+ hours a week and had side hustles.
Matcha sourdough bread and satisfying crunchy chewy bagel 🍵… I couldn’t wait, I had to take a bite! 😋
If you’re of a Vata mind, a structured wellness routine can be challenging as the mind fights against set consistent routines when a routine is what’s needed most. …And heavy Vata minds can’t sit still as obvious signs.
If you carry a Vata mind (that any of us can), you can easily tire from to-do tasks like opening up or pulling out your calendar every day or several times a day. Those simple, but mundane types of activities can be draining.
…Today, living daily aware now years later from what was filtered or partial conscious life, I personally don’t do life without daily checking in on my balanced-imbalanced moods and well… wellness.
Your moods show you what’s going on inside. Your mind-body is intuitive, so it serves you the truth and gives you the information about what you need to restore your health. And, restoring sour moods back to happy and neutral is one way to accomplish more daily.
We all can get affected by external factors that can put us in daily moods. That makes us human. But moods can create more disruption than an external interruption, so it’s better to manage ASAP to nip sour moods in the bud.
As a quick scan, as long as you feel good for stretches of daily moments, and about what you’re doing, you’re probably in good shape. Or you know how to bounce back quickly, so that doesn’t become your season longer than it has to.
One routine I changed up to avoid uninspired moods, is I gave up working on a calendar that I used to color code as a planner. I found better systems that worked for me. And that’s something you can consider for yourself…
To Have A Working Calendar (Or Not?)
On purpose, I avoid having a working calendar these days (and the past few years) as they distract from my productivity.
I do work on other people’s Google and Outlook calendars, but not my own. I’m sure you have examples in your life where you do things differently for yourself than others. I do a much better job and follow through, managing other people’s stuff, as I want to help and serve them the best I can. That helps to keep the balance.
But I found that as pretty colors as my own rainbow calendar looked, I was following it when I didn’t have to. And that was not helpful! So I had to come up with a better way. 🌈
Plus, I also did professional catering management for many years, and all I did was rely on and live off of a calendar religiously year-round, knowing and planning other people’s event dates. And at times, an unhealthy task holding onto dates as though my life depended on it.
So, these days I like to be less reliant on a calendar. If you’re wondering how to live or wean yourself off of a calendar if that’s your want, here are some ideas (and what I do)…
First, I created slightly different weekly goals for each day of the week. And I have deadlines for different tasks on each day, no matter how small.
The thing is, if you don’t apply what it is you’re doing to something meaningful, it becomes meaningless.
On purpose, we’re meant to teach, share, encourage, and use whatever gifts we have, or we lose them. And when we USE them, we get more, and some we may not know we have (e.g. hidden talents) until we get there.
You discover the next talent once you start and develop the first talent. Then you’re ready for more!
And I found calendars got in the way of that as I spent time managing them when I could be working on a talent without working within boxes if you know what I mean.
Like these waffles that can be made healthy.
Healthy chicken and waffle recipe below. 🧇
We all have our special preferences. ❤️
And to make life easy, when I was getting used to the habit of different daily tasks, I set up specific reminders. I’ve learned to let it be easy with no self-imposed struggles or habits. And that takes observation and not being too busy to notice.
It’s also useful to know what day of the week you’re on as the world runs on this time. And if different night TV shows are how you keep it straight, hey that works! 📺
To capture the best of your creative and productive time, find the balance that works for you and where you feel relevant and making good strides. That’s all part of the good wellness journey.
And I found that bi-weekly appointments and schedules can mess that up. So keeping it weekly simple works! 🗓
From experience, I know that building any kind of complicated system is a recipe for disaster in life. 😒
It can build a house of cards that will eventually crumble as there’s too much to manage when the enjoyment factor can disappear one day. Some of the excitement wears off of newness (it always does!).
That’s where the overwhelm and reality feelings can creep in, and easier when you keep it simple from the start.
And after taking a sabbatical in 2016, I realized that sometimes your calendars don’t open up, or they disappear, and then you waste more time trying to backtrack. That’s when I took the hint as a sign, tossed out the calendar and lists, and figured out a more reliable way.
And a way to go digital calendar-less AND paperless.
And to add the internal clock reminders back in… what people in the past probably did before paper was invented.
If you live spirit-led and wellness bound, it’s easier to go to simple ways where you discover your natural internal compass that you learn to trust over time.
And today, you can use digital reminders like alerts or notifications as a backup plan. Those are like a trampoline that ensures you bounce back without falling.
In this way, I haven’t missed a Zoom meeting yet when we were all doing Zoom calls, because my internal clock is wired to the energy around that activity, even if it’s just a one-time event.
And if you’re in a season or work environment where a calendar is expected of you, then you can still do this.
You could go hybrid… using a personal calendar when you have to, and then relaxing the policy when you don’t. 😎
Testing out ways that work for you is a good change to find out what is reliable and helpful for your life now if you want better outcomes, or to improve your life and wellness.
Having been at many jobs, in my wellness balance journey, I realize that none of the tasks are all that significant in the grand scheme of things.
…When you leave a job, you leave the calendar behind. Plus, the next person in your shoes (that you may even train) has their preferred way.
And, the last day of work ends the calendar work cold turkey, and your next day is like the calendar didn’t exist. And then you’re off to your next venture and bigger and brighter things.
When you do this work transition enough times, re-inventing yourself and pivoting, you get the pattern.
You can also can get a-ha’s about your specific past getting you to where you are today. And letting you become who you are today. You can keep moving forward and quicker if you want.
So on that note, I wanted to share 5 quick morning wellness habit stacks that I’ve found useful this season (that may be useful for you).
Habit # 1: Keeping same waking up hours every day even on weekends or days when you don’t have to be somewhere.
This could be what you do today… but also adding a few minutes of intentions time is good for a wellness practice so you’re not just running in the morning.
Intentions could be about what you want from this life, so you can head in that direction and work ON your life, and not just in it.
In the morning, you have the most mind-awakened energy and that can be with or without caffeine.
And you never know what the rest of the day will bring that can change your productivity, moods, or stress level.
Getting up early has a lot to do with the way you’re naturally wired, your environment, and your habits.
Irregular sleep is common with Vata’s (…you too?). In that case, you could challenge yourself to get up earlier than you’re comfortable with, but where you get enough regular 7-8 hours of healthy rest.
Keeping the same getting up hours can calm your Vata. It’s one routine where the instructions are simple.
You can get motivated to naturally get up earlier if you go to bed earlier and if you change up some of your habits like allowing yourself one entertainment show, instead of watching until you’re bored 😊.
Habit # 2: I first drink water and warm water or ginger tea as a primer to get the body running.
And then I work in a preferred green banana, quinoa cereal, lentils, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, OR a fruit smoothie. I mix it up. I may even choose a few from the list.
And then I’m ready for a cuppa joe.
I drink low acidic organic cold brew that I homebrew and drink black or with almond milk (extra calcium) and dilute the acidity further… I don’t have a fancy java machine on purpose.☕️
And my coffee rule is: I don’t drink coffee past 12 noon (…that’s easier than counting cups) or on an empty stomach. This helps with habit #1.
…Oh, and I started coffee late in life, so I’m OK to quit early in the day.
Habit # 3: Ab crunches and yoga wellness
Last time, I talked about losing weight that’s often one struggle aspect of a Kapha imbalance.
And one way I’ve figured out how to incorporate an exercise habit is, I’ve been doing an abdominal crunch challenge (…that may be something to try).
It gets easier as the weeks go by than the first week when it can be a struggle to peel yourself off the mat. But don’t give up!…
In the beginning, all the torso area fat can appear to move to the gut center. But don’t be fooled by the looks as that will eventually turn to muscle if you keep at it. That’s what I plan to do 50 ab crunches per day later. (And if that’s not what you notice if you try, good for you. It doesn’t have to be hard and preferably it’s easy).
The benefit is: strong abs allow your back to strengthen, and each vertebra becomes more flexible. You can roll up more easily like a roly-poly bug (…remember those? I don’t see those around anymore).
And if you start these now (or you take a pilates class), you’ll be better off in your golden years especially when bones get weaker despite the increased calcium and magnesium you may intake.
Falls for women and men are common accidents for seniors. So maybe that gives you a little motivational edge today to start today.
Ab work keeps me grounded, literally. And then while I’m there, I do yoga and exercises. You actually wake up and get happier faster as your endorphins kick in. And you feel more clear-headed because of this, and get excited about your day if that’s what you need this season. That’s well-rounded wellness.
You can get your daily re-centering done on the mat as well. My mat says, “you got this” that’s still my mantra.
Habit # 4: Have a reward activity (or two).
Towards the weekend, I healthy bake in the mornings as part of my wellness routine. This is a reward for me if I’ve met my deadlines earlier in the week. I always have recipes lined up and ingredients on hand, so that’s where the relaxing part comes in. No stress baking.
Another reward is I watch a show for an hour. Usually cooking shows (no surprise there!). One I’m enjoying is about pizzaiolos around the world who’ve opened up wood fire oven pizza parlors. 🍕
Having worked in a pizza shop, I can tell you it’s a lot of fun and one of the easiest bakes to make that brings smiles to faces, young and old.
Habit # 5: Then about an hour after waking up, I start my work that includes the unique daily task goals where I don’t need a calendar (that I mentioned earlier).
I used to reserve the morning for writing because that’s when I could get in my writing zone. But I realized after a couple of years into writing, I can pretty much do it anytime with the same result, as I’ve built up the writing muscles. 💪
And if I had to crank out a quality book in a week, I believe I could. That’s just practice.
And that’s one reason why I think it’s good for anyone to start a daily practice for their creativity and to discover their talents. If you need a quiet environment, a walk-in closet is a good space.
Also, one of the best investments you can make is having an air purifier, not just for the obvious use of better air, but also to cut out distractions with the white noise. And when you’re ready to go to sleep, it’ll help you get good rest and start all over again the next morning. 🌅
And starting with chicken and whole wheat waffles could be protein energy you need to power through your day.
For Southern-style brunches, this is a common dish that you can make super healthy and get your daily protein points.
Course brunch
Cuisine American, southern
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets
Ingredients
chicken breast
apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
bread crumbs
Instructions
Cook chicken breast. Bake on 350°F until chicken is safely 165°F cooked or higher. This usually takes 45-55 minutes depending on chicken thickness and oven placement. For a whole chicken, follow the instructions on the packaging that can be 1.5-2 hours for a small chicken. Check 165°F temperature to be sure.
Add apple cider vinegar to cooked chicken. I use an eyedropper but you can use any method that works for you such as dipping chicken in a bowl of ACV.
Toast panko crumbs and stick to ACV dipped chicken. Alternatively if you want to be super healthy, you can crush sunflower seeds or nuts.
Add any spices you would like (e.g. oregano, thyme, black pepper, cayenne for a hot kick, etc.).
Positive thoughts like “you got this” can make a positive impact in your day.
And starting your day with a heart healthy recipe (🍓 below) like this delicious quinoa bowl breakfast idea to get excited about.
Easy strawberry quinoa cereal recipe below. 🍓
If you’re wanting a better day, you recognize the difference between positive thoughts and negative ones.
Thoughts all start in the divided minds we’re given, that’s either hurting or helping us. And if this is new territory for you, start there.
Maybe you recognize which bucket your negative or positive thoughts belongs in, but you don’t know how to toss out the draining ones.
They can show up anytime: when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or when triggered by a memory, situation, or person.
And then the subconscious mind (ego) feeds off the nourishment of holding onto negative feelings or pain as a form of protection and masks its agenda from you. But now you know better.
Bypass the unnecessary time wasted in dramatic sorrow. Be proactive with positive affirmations, meditation, yoga, or healthy distractions that are great ideas to reset and get rid of thoughts that have no good business being with you in the first place.
Sounds like a plan, right?
But then going about your day or even seconds later, new thoughts occur from news headlines you read, someone offends or irritates you, a situation stirs an emotional chord, and then you’re right back to negative thoughts and moods. It’s daily and non-stop.
Your mind and the negative thoughts grow even if you think you’re living in a safe bubble.
The unhelpful thoughts never have a chance to go away until you decide the one thing you can change and have in common in every thought is YOU.
And so, I share in this detailed blog article what needs to change to get the happy and helpful thought life you want.
This is the second part of the article from last week on relaxing your mind for the best ideas.
Managing thoughts is essential for lifelong learners, and as a prerequisite to being your most productive self, unleashing your creative self, attracting people to your energy, and living your optimal life.
Years ago, I thought traveling to exciting, new places and feeling in woo would conquer negative thoughts, as they temporarily disappeared when senses were heightened (like when you’re newly in love or starting passion work). But those fickle feelings don’t last and things always change after the newness wears off.
So then I dipped my toe in collaborating and aligning myself with the Universe and how to manifest the best life (that’s woo woo to some).
For me, I was on the right path and things were looking up, but I still had to do the inner core work in my mind.
When all that eventually clicked together, then I could feel the woo hoo! And that’s what we all can celebrate in our lives if and when we get there.
It takes all the pieces–knowledge, process, and application. And if you’re feeling lost, it helps to have a guide.
These are a few guiding and starter points that helped me and hopefully can help you or anyone else who’s trying to figure out a better (thought) life.
The first part can be the hardest–knowing that it all starts in your mind and not someone or somewhere else.
This seems elementary after you learn this, but the ego wants to steer you in another direction like something else is the cause or problem.
So if you’re busy or not paying attention, that can happen and go on until you’ve had enough.
Another point is, don’t let nagging thoughts (or drama in your mind) that won’t leave you alone play out for longer than needed which is no more than a minute.
And in relationships, especially. It takes just one step to cross the invisible boundaries of another person with your words that originated from thoughts.
Walk away from your thoughts to give yourself more peace. Below I have some suggestions on what to do.
So, How to Change From Negative to Positive Thoughts…
Our thoughts are natural to us, and they cause us to take action that can appear inconsistent or as disconnects to others.
To change this, operating from awareness is imperative. Initially, this may feel like work and working harder (like walking uphill with heavy boots instead of sliding downhill). But it’s totally worth it.
You learn a life skill to purge those unwanted thoughts that pop up impromptu and when triggered.
I think there should be a required course on this that you learn early on (and would solve some of the world’s problems as people are the problem or solution).
But anyway… changing thoughts gets easier when you’ve learned the skill and it becomes more automatic.
The negative thoughts won’t disappear immediately, but much quicker than before in your thought choice, and you’ll be wise enough to know you don’t have to act out or say aloud negative thoughts.
Which btw, doesn’t change your personality. It makes you more attractive to the right people.
And that’s part of what separates our discerning brains from animals, young children, or when we were younger…
We all started out immature compared to who we’ve become today.
So here’s how you can reset and get your loving daily juice. To promote loving thoughts, witness your thoughts (I’m sure you’ve heard of this).
Practice being aware of what’s coming in. If it’s garbage, then reject or walk away.
If it’s something that you have feelings about and need to process or work through, then allow yourself that grace.
Again, you don’t have to air your thoughts to anyone, and not putting energy into negative thoughts is going to help you avoid wasted time.
Let them pass through and find the loving side of those thoughts (i.e. how can these thoughts help me?).
In the beginning, as you’re learning or practicing, you want to draw a line in the sand and separate thoughts as helpful or hurtful, good, or bad.
Make it easy on yourself and not leave thoughts in the confusing gray zone that’s part of the baggage carried around.
And let’s be clear, these are thoughts and not the actions that could follow. We want to nip them in the bud.
The good thoughts you accept and the bad ones you reject for your own good. If it hurts others, then you toss in the reject pile and you figure out a win-win or kinder way to confront if that’s needed.
Ask yourself daily and often: What just came out of my mouth and what’s going on in my head? Hit the archive button if it’s a worry thought until you can find answers, and hit the delete button if it’s a harmful thought to you or anyone else.
Know those thoughts will still be there if you need them, which you won’t, but your brain tries to convince you that they’re important to protect you when they’re not needed (for survival). You can blame the ego (yet again) on that.
So, after you start to live life this deliberate-thinking way and focus on positive thoughts, you can see the difference in the quality of your life and the better air that’s there.
You’ll feel more peace, and that helps your stress level and health.
You allow room for ideas to come in, and you become more useful to the world with your abilities. You become part of the solution.
Find A Mantra for Positive Thoughts
Pre-social media days, we were not part of an aware culture like we are in today.
In those days along my journey, I came across these words: “Whatever the question, love is the answer.”
I don’t know who the author is that wrote that, but I knew back then that I wanted that. So I printed out and framed those wise words that are now ingrained in memory.
With intention, I used that as my mantra. And even though I didn’t know how to apply it in every difficult situation.
I knew that if I aspired to the meaning behind the words, it would one day catch up with me and my self-actualized desires.
So, if you have similar aspirations of a learner mindset, find a mantra or intention (or use the one I used) to go to if you’re trying to change to more positive thoughts and aspirations.
It can be used as a distraction from negative thoughts. And you eventually become your words and what you think of.
Use Your Internal Guide
As mentioned, it can be helpful to have a guide and for those ahead of us in certain areas and times in our lives.
But the best overall guide is your internal compass.
But we want to change them because sour moods can crowd out positive thoughts and exacerbate our need to judge, be critical of others or ourselves, and get easily irritated, which can cause our negative words or actions.
Being in healthy alignment with yourself is better because, in the end, you and your caretakers are the only ones that will be with you.
You’re the only one that’s with you (and your thoughts) always, wherever you move or travel to.
Sometimes, listening to your internal guide can be countercultural and a bit uncomfortable when you make decisions that aren’t popular or go with the flow.
And especially if you’re a harmonious or extroverted person who just wants to get along or people please.
That can make it difficult to live in integrity (doing, saying, and thinking the same thing).
Robots will have it easier than us in this way, but sadly the tin man is missing a heart. 🤖
As humans, when our thoughts don’t align that’s when we have a new chance to re-adjust.
Years ago, no one talked about mental health or wellness as part of the daily talk. Now we embrace “knowing better” in our lives.
We don’t have to just take our thoughts (or others at face value) that turn into actions that don’t always get good results and can even get us in trouble in a hyper-sensitive society.
Plus, we have more options to change the channels in every sense. And we’re more accountable.
We need this accountability. It makes us better as individual people and all together in our complex world.
So these are some accountable thoughts and maybe some personal growth homework (should you choose to accept the mission?) for turning sour cherry thoughts into sweet ones.
As a bonus, you’ll become a better person as a byproduct. I know because this is all stuff I went through. It takes one to know one, and we’re all here to figure out our best life and selves.
So, no judgment here (and actually that’s one of the assignments) 🧡 That’s a balanced Pitta way.
Pause on the gossiping:
Here’s the better way: if you wouldn’t share the news with others and the person you’re gossiping about in the room, then find a way to filter and say less.
If you’re not sure, ask.
More likely you’ll just zip your lip and that’s fine too. It’s really that simple. But even simpler is just not gossiping at all.
That becomes an automatic, better way.
When you find you can’t sit and talk in the same conversations with those who gossip, then you know you’ve changed that about yourself.
You end up productively filling your time with better ways that lead to better things.
Learn to not judge:
We never know the full picture of what’s going on with anyone else no matter how much we think we do.
Take the objective and loving-kind stance.
If you want to have an optimal life, the sooner you learn to let go (of judgment) and to stop controlling so much, the sooner that will start.
A prerequisite for this type of freedom (that it is), is to stop judging others at the first judgmental thought that enters and let the negative thoughts pass through.
Quit complaints:
If you say negative things, then you become a negative person when what you really want is happiness.
So if the first thought that enters your mind is to emphasize complaining, that hurts you.
Maybe you’re used to complaining to get your way (and learned the squeaky wheel gets the grease).
But also what’s happening in the process is you’ll be seen as a complainer.
People who don’t complain will stay away from you, so you’re in company with complainers or those who want you to complain for them or their causes, bringing more negativity in your life and less in theirs.
…If you can make these 3 life changes, you’ll be well on your way to a more peaceful life. It’s simple, but not always easy in the beginning.
It takes desire, self-control, and holding yourself accountable. Be patient and easy on yourself. The good news is these traits are changeable with practice.
And if you find people to support your efforts (and let go of the ones who aren’t), it’s easier.
Your supporters are your best allies.
Ultimately you decide what type of life you want to live. You get to decide what thoughts you keep. Copy that. 😉
My first career job was in hotel catering. Those were the days where I learned the hardest management lessons. And as a young adult who was free to make choices, I could develop habits. These eventually evolved into the modern ayurvedic-inspired atomic habits I do today (that I share below).
You see… back then, it became obvious to me that I didn’t have a work-life balance as I missed all the new Friends (and my friends’) episodes, weddings, and any other current events happening other than the ones I was booking.
I didn’t have body balance (I was lucky I was young 😉). And I didn’t think about anti-inflammatory spices as they weren’t existing headlines in western world, metro-city area living.
Instead, I was surrounded by high-calorie, buttery-tempting, sweet foods from a daily chef-prepared food spread and kitchen where I spent most of my day.
I had a dilemma because part of me liked the rich foodie foods, and part of me just wanted to eat healthy every day. I knew I had to find a middle ground.
So when I left that job and decadent eating world and lifestyle, I entered another dilemma… Yup… fresh Doubletree chocolate chip cookies 🍪 that sat inches away from my office desk (how dare they!). They made for a good snack I thought back then, and was a filling breakfast, high-calorie meal.
Life back then was a blur.
My good habits were going to work, surviving, and trying to do better tomorrow. Little did I know that I was creating space for better work-life habits.
And life improved when I started getting a work-life balance after switching careers. I was able to have a normal work life more like my friends. Working on me, personal growth, the life I wanted, and getting better habits became real.
The previous work must’ve been a test and as far as I’m concerned, all that matters is I passed 😊
But that didn’t come without consequences. I had to replace bad habits I accrued working in a sometimes dysfunctional work environment and from my past.
And I didn’t become serious about better habits until I learned ayurvedic best practices and yoga (about 7 years after I went to a “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” workshop that Stephen Covey taught).
I think the habit stacking idea that James Clear introduced in Atomic Habits (I mentioned in last week’s post) is perfectly timed for what we need now in our complicated society and lives just so we can keep up with all of our habits.
Habit Stacking
Today, in a lot of ways, it’s much easier to develop and stick with healthy habits like eating healthier as we have better resources and tools (digital calorie counters), researched information at our fingertips, and better food options. It’s also easier to get distracted.
But if you focus and lean into the homecourt advantages in your daily surroundings, you don’t have to compete with your possible two critics sitting on your shoulder, and your digital devices staring at you.
Technology and conveniences help us develop automatic and consistent habits, that can eventually become a part of who we are.
Like: I have a writing habit, so now I’m a writer (and a blogger at heart ❤️).
Or, if you can prepare at least 1-2 healthy meals every day, you’re a health-conscious person. In his book, Clear describes these identity shifts as helpful for your atomic habits to take solid root.
For me in my story, I could’ve started a healthy way in my long, hotel workdays, starting each day with a homemade, healthy breakfast (not a cookie) and a light dinner if I had made the decision to create a process or system for healthy eating habits. (Not an excuse, but it’s extra hard for a Vata, as variety is our middle name).
That wasn’t my story though. That would’ve required body-mind agreement in the stressful life I had back then. And I wouldn’t have known how to begin in my life’s busyness.
And that’s how many of us are:
We delay our best life… We can fall into the trap of thinking, “I’ll get healthy (or happy) when… (fill in the blank with the perfect situation… retirement, kids grow up, I have kids, etc..). We don’t know we can do a little here and there to influence a lot.
To make changes, doing the small stuff regularly makes big differences (atomic habits).
James Clear makes clear (his name works for him!) 4 traits to creating habits that stick.
They are: make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
Your description of each of these will be different than mine but here is an example for creating a healthy snacking habit:
I purposefully set up a nice snack table (… festive decorating is part of the territory of someone who has worked in event planning 🎉). But you can set out a tablecloth and that would be just as good!
On the table, I set out a bowl of almonds or healthy nuts and other seasonal healthy snacks and fruits like baked apples and whole apples.
You won’t see a disguised trail mix, a bowl of M&M’s, or potato chips. That would defeat the purpose.
For the habit creation, I leave out healthy food items that can stay out (obvious food props) on a pleasing presentation (attractive display) that is convenient for a snack hankering (easy) and is enjoyable (satisfying).
And when it’s an afternoon snack or break time I can pull out any refrigerated items like this.
Healthy sweet snack: Sweet potato casserole with apple crisps, oatmeal, and lightly sprinkled toasted marshmallows.
You can take this same idea to other places or find a better way that works for you. In most cases, it’s up to you to create the work-life balance and lifestyle you want. Ideally, I try to make a short break, a small party. Life is short and I’m an Enneagram 7, so I lean into the enjoyable as a motivator and as often as I can.
…I have a smiling photo of me (on my about page) where I’m holding a Strawberry Twizzler, one of my favorite non-fussy sweet treats I can just pull out. You don’t see me holding a healthy baby carrot because that’s not a happy reward unless you’re a rabbit.
Carrots and almonds are the healthy snacks I default to the majority of the time. Because we all want a healthier body as an end goal, so beginning with the end in mind, I have a process (eating healthier most of the time) that supports that.
I keep the end goal in my mind as the compass pointing north.
If you want to be healthy and happy, and ultimately both, then maybe these unwritten rules can help you.
Let me start with… You can cheat along the way with unhealthy foods, but be mind-body aware that you are doing so, so you’re the one in control of your decisions. Make sense?
…Happy is happy (healthy or not), and most of us healthy-minded also want to be happy.
With my healthy identity, I’m no longer fully happy if I’m not overall healthy and I’m not happy if all I’m eating are bean sprouts and edamame pods. So having this happy-healthy (working with each other) attitude helps with daily micro-decisions that become overall atomic habits.
This mix of healthy and happy I believe is sustainable, balanced living and the right environment for creating healthy habits. Because if you diet or go to the extremes or deny yourself, then you can end up yo-yo dieting, quitting, or reverting backward. It starts out good and then is worse than when you started.
I use moderation as the measuring stick. So my internal dialogue can be something like this, where I ask myself, “is it satisfying enough?” or…”will a piece of fruit satisfy me now as much as a biscuit or cookie?”
And if you think you’re missing that gene or self-discipline, you’re not alone. But then you accept the consequences that instant gratification brings.
I know this isn’t new news, and if it’s a struggle for you, then it’s probably a touchy subject and especially if you’re trying to lose weight. But the less aspiration and more awareness you can apply to your situation, the more it can help to break down disconnects from getting you what you ultimately want in your life and what ends up happening.
Some may think who know me…”OK, that’s easy for you to say because you’re naturally trim.”
That btw, is a natural Vata body trait. But that’s not the complete picture…because back in my hotel catering days before I discovered my ideal weight, I fluctuated in my dress size.
Back then my daily dress size was at least a size or two larger, and I couldn’t fit into the clothes I wear today. There shouldn’t be comparisons because it’s all relative to your body because you only get one in your life marathon.
But, that’s how I know in my experience, that it is a healthy habit that makes the difference or at least gives you that edge to what you want, body and all. The body is important because without good health you can’t live your optimum life. And ideal weight is one of the medically accepted measurements to determine this. And low blood pressure is another.
So to me what our hearts look like is more important than how we look in jeans. So cardio is the ultimate for all. But to stay the same jeans size, here’s what I do:
I think of the small, regular daily habits as healthy ones that will make a difference (atomic habits principle)…and the rewarding, happy habits like having a weekly treat, as special celebratory ones.
You are better off when you stay sustainably moderate and don’t deny or go overboard either way. Staying consistent year-round is the ultimate test to seeing if a healthy-happy attitude (like I described above) is stacking into habits.
If you apply the 80/20 rule, then 5-6 days of the week you are eating healthy, and 1-2 days you can be roughly taking off. Like a yo-yo, you resiliently let your string out and pull it back in, and you say no thank you to any yo-yo fad diets that come your way.
I think it’s much easier to do this without keeping score. Your body is always keeping score, but you don’t know what the exact rules are or what the magic number is.
It’s a guess as to what your calorie balance or deficit goal is.…If only your body could give you those exact formulas at any moment?
So, in my opinion, artificial calorie counters or counting sugar grams take the enjoyment out of life when you could use that same useful time and energy to create natural atomic habits.
You can more or less feel the middle balance (and that becomes a worthwhile habit). It’s like training your brain to do quick math without a calculator, but much easier as you’re just using binary numbers 1=yes (eat) or 0=no (don’t eat).
In my world, that’s cutting down the sweets, cookies, and cakes (like those that used to be in open sight in my catering sales days). And now, not indulging in The Great British Bake Off recipes no matter how much I’m a fan of the show! The Jammie Dodgers will have to wait 😉
But I digress.
Healthy and Happy Atomic Habits
If we evaluate our current habits and see which ones are replaceable, tweakable, and what we want to happen, then we can have a balanced (healthy and happy) outcome in life.…And nowww we’re getting somewhere!
Here are 5 atomic habits you can also do if you want (that started small for me and made a big difference):
1.Daily Morning Atomic Habits:
Last time I talked about my morning yoga habit I created from habit stacking that took a lot of tweaking for my Vata self.
For you, maybe you just need to reframe and substitute “yoga” to “a stretching habit,” and then it’s doable and not a formal or intimidating practice that you’re not ready for.
When you get up, you’ve already stretched at least once or twice (so why not give a new name called “habit?”).
And from there, you can keep habit stacking, like doing a few situps or pushups, etc… your mantra here can be: a few adds up!
-Create a habit to be intentional for the day. Getting intentionally grateful for something or everything changed everything for me.
I used to have a weekly gratitude journal so I could really take in appreciation for the small stuff… and I mean small relative to my part of the world where people are blessed! (We all start somewhere as it keeps us humble, hungry, thirsty, and wisdom-seeking).
You can journal or simply look at a joyful image like a framed artwork, photo, or outside your picture window for inspiration.
In this place of gratitude, you find peace and contentment. There’s no room to complain. Or to put up with gossip. That changes your joyful outlook and what happens in your day as you create your next forward step. Don’t just look at what happens to you. See how you react and what your attitude and beliefs are, that will shape your habits.
-Check-in with yourself. Take at least 5 minutes in the quiet morning and scan your mind for any ideas and anything that isn’t in a place of appreciation for your day (or sitting as neutral thoughts)… remember, we all start somewhere.
Get up a little earlier if you have to, in order to claim your quiet minutes.
If you didn’t sleep well, shake off any negative energy, thoughts, and nightmares. You will be okay if you don’t hold onto those thoughts. Let your mind know that your skull is protecting your brain and your thoughts, so it doesn’t have to. I’m serious.
Forcibly if needed, let unforgiveness go. Let the world just be as is in your brand new day – no judgment or comparison to other days. That’s where peace is and you can save yourself the time from eye-shutting transcendental meditation (that I don’t do).
Decide to rise above your insecurities and let go of your worries. Shift to a loving higher road lens that ends fear. (I know because I started out in life afraid of just about anything and everything).
Reset to a day full of abundant possibilities that rely on your hopeful beliefs.
Then check if you feel something physically off in your body? Maybe your stomach needs food. Get to the bottom of what’s not feeling right, and stack onto your other healthy body habits like drinking water first thing.
And notice your bathroom habits in the morning. Are they regular? How can you healthily make them more regular? Depending on if you have a pronounced body imbalance, there are different fixes for each Ayurvedic body type.
Some interesting differences I can point out…
Vata, Pitta, and Kapha
Vatas are naturally alert, light sleepers, so having a lot of worrying thoughts is common. Not all worry is bad, but worry as a habit is.
As a Vata, we like a lot of variety. I think I could be a Vata poster child. Loving variety is my favorite Vata feature if I had to pick just one. But then there are times when this can go awry. Like if you’re in a relationship and your partner is a Pitta (a lot of men are).
They may not understand why there are so many different choices and cups of beverages around, and for different drinking desires.
For a pure Pitta, they like to drink their drink and move on.
A Kapha will leave things be and to what makes another happy (unless they’re not).
But that can be too stereotypical. …what was that movie line where the actor mentioned pigeon-holing or generalizing saves time, lol?
…ok where was I anyway?
Oh right.. we’re not just one type or the other and we can get imbalanced and change at any time. And that helps us build better habits.
As Vatas, we too have experienced impatience, being critical or more judgmental than usual, which are more Pitta traits. And have accumulated in every sense of the word (that’s more of a Kapha trait).
No one is 100% all Vata, Pitta or Kapha, ever.We can have our Vata, Pitta, and Kapha days and strengths or weaknesses (imbalances) happening all at the same time. But usually, it’s just one or two.
These human nuances I think are part of the fun in learning to read in Ayurveda 😊 (and not having to learn Sanskrit).
So then continuing on with habits… You (and I) can…
-Check in with breathing. After you’re fully awake, get in the habit of focusing on your breath so you can be more aware of this moment.
I often find I wake up with a slightly stuffy nose. If that’s you, practice breathing in and out of your mouth so you can get full breaths. See if that improves your mental clarity and from being slightly forgetful. Our brains (not just our lungs) need oxygen to optimally function.
You can also add a plant (adds oxygen), humidifier, and steaming (from the shower or in a pot on the stove). Watering can be part of the atomic habits you adopt for a more whole life.
2. Afternoon Atomic Habits:
Sandwich the news in the afternoon and early evening when you’re in the swing of things or eating lunch. I don’t recommend news in the early morning or late night (to start and end your day with other worries and gloomy thoughts).
Eating a heavier lunch will help carry you through at least part of the afternoon. I don’t combine breakfast and lunch (brunch). I actually eat breakfast, brunch, and lunch. And the afternoon snack already mentioned. And I add spices.
My body runs efficiently that way as I’ve taught it to work and burn calories when I feed it regularly, and it’s hungry for more.
Call it healthy snacking or what you want, but if you try small bites, that could be an atomic habit that works as it has for me.
I also turn music on in the afternoon and you may find that enhances your mood if you select the right genre.
3. Evening Atomic Habits:
Eat a light dinner. This works better for most body types because naturally, your body is winding down, getting ready for night and sleep that are just hours away. This is where I like to keep a light protein or plant-based meal based on the season. So that could be a homemade soup (low sodium) or a salad.
I reserve the lasagnas and similar heavier meals for leftovers. They taste better the next day anyway. I don’t eat the way I did growing up where we ate our heartiest meal at dinner.
And if you watch nightly media shows or television, end on neutral or warm and fuzzy thoughts. Watch a light-hearted comedy, cooking show, HGTV, or Friends.
4. Weekly Atomic Habits:
I moisturize A LOT. If you’re a Kapha, you don’t need to as much.
While I’m sitting down, I also make a list of revelations and progress that I made in the past week. They help me feel good and keep me focused on what I need to grow or start (that can become a good habit).
And I feed my mind-spirit with a weekly church where I hear stories and messages I can relate to (like podcast messages). I know I’m not alone. But I know a lot of people out there who feel they are.
So, frequently throughout the week in my quiet mornings and minutes I include outward prayer, higher intellect self-talk, and meditation as absorbing thoughts I get from the Universe while my eyes are open and I’m fully receiving and present.
I started this habit and process of attending church throughout the week, and spiritual identity around when my healthy identity changed. The practice makes everything else work and come alive.
5. Check Your Process (Are you missing anything?)
And FINALLY… homestretch here! For all of us, once you start a process you can recalibrate from that standpoint.
Like, when I restored my mind-body imbalances from Ayurvedic practical habits after I first learned what to do… and then I noticed sometime later, a new set of imbalances settled in.
It was like: Ok, you got this one down, nowit’s time to learn and be tested with another.
…Isn’t that how most of Life feels?
I found sometimes the imbalance combinations overlapped like feeling tired in the morning and anxious heart palpitations in the afternoon, and sometimes lingering irritation thoughts from a previous season.
So I started paying attention more from the lens of healthy Ayurvedic habits I formed that complemented my spiritual-faith-based ones. Daily and seasonal restoration work is now natural to me and doesn’t feel like work, but they too have become atomic habits, when needed.
…but I am ALWAYS checking to see (and aware) if I’m missing anything in life (similar to checking if a jean zipper is pulled up).
A balanced mind-body-spirit supports a healthy, whole lifestyle, where you’re open, but not unsure of the most important things about you and your life.
It’s never too late (or too soon) to find what completes you. And, I hope I inspired you to never give up on your healthy life and the small, atomic habits you can start that can grow wings especially if you believe the Universe has your back.
You just never know how a split-second and tiny action can help lead you to what you’re wanting most, and even when you don’t know what that might be right now.
