Grow self-awareness to “believe in yourself” never grows old. That mantra can change your entire day and how you feel about yourself… and still be you, but better!
Be You and Believe in Yourself! 🪞And love yourself with chocolate heart cookies. A health conscious sweet cookie recipe below… 🧡
A few weeks ago, I published Part 1 (of this 2-part series) on using yoga meditation as a way to develop and grow self-awareness for your happiness. And the one thing yoga and your happiness have in common is self-love.
Think about this, you are loving on yourself when you’re focused inward (and in yoga pretzel bends 🥨).
…So first and foremost, love yourself first.
And if that’s what you’re doing, then that love energy radiates and carries over to the (and your) world that needs more light.
And know that the opposite of love is fear. (It’s not hate that can be usually what we’re constantly upset about).
And by knowing this, we can do something about it as we grow self-awareness.
Our ego is built-into our brain construction that serves up internal obscure thought messages to us every day in a “lizard brain” protection way. Triggers turn into threats in the subconscious ego mind and thrives in our dark area where self-love is missing.
So to grow, we want to bring back love to restore.
Ego fear shows up first in our thoughts, so we have a chance then to shut it down, walk away, change our thoughts, and replace with loving thoughts that grow self-awareness and our happiness.
And if anyone you know thinks they’re not affected, then their ego is definitely playing them every day.
As silly as it can sound to our ego minds, telling yourself and believing “I am loved” (or substitute with your fave loving mantra to build yourself up) will eventually kick out the ugly ego imposter ways.
And then you have a concrete go-to way that helps the next time. And you count on that there will be a next time whether it’s later in the day, week, or a few weeks away.
And if this ego idea is newer to you, think of ego as fear and how you feel when you’re scared in some way. Similarly, an unhealthy amount of ego shows up from time to time from some situational trigger, memory, or enemy forces (where ego stands for Edging God Out if you’re spiritual).
And know that ego fear is disguised on a platter to you in your subconscious thoughts, behaviors, and decisions. More serious is when it shows up in you, and that affects others in your actions if the thought is allowed to grow.
So, do yourself good…
Healthy Love yourself more… and stop the ego fear madness!
When you bring out the accumulated baggage in self-awareness that you’ve been carrying around already too long, let it go, and magnify self-love, then you’re on your merry way to personal happiness.
I wrote a special Valentine’s Day personal happiness article on self-love (the most important love relationship you can have, and that’s no hype!)… so, enjoy and I’ll leave you here with some tasty chocolate biscuits 🍪 for your own sweet inspo.
Consistent is the balance needed for a Vata whose middle name is “irregular” and “variety.” The balancing remedy is routine.
Oat Pear Crumble dish with Vata happy balancing cinnamon and oranges! Recipe below. 🧡
Today I share some better ways to get consistent so you’re in mind-body alignment. And if you’re in a season where you’re not in alignment (or have never been), you’ll have a hard time with the “A” word because you’re not there yet. But you can make that a mantra to get aligned!
And being in balance helps us get there …This time I’m focusing on Vatas, where every month looks different, like moon periods…
And every day of the month is inconsistent in some way… on top of the world around us is changing. The good news for all of us is, like plants, we’re growing just a bit daily. 🌱
And Vata patterns change more often than Pittas and Kaphas, even though those could be secondary dials that can ratcheted up.
For a Vata looking closely at her life, you’ll see how this affects your sleep, food, and play minute-by-minute… even what you reviewed in your productive time last time looks different.
And even though nothing about the work has changed. Because your last name is “change.”
Like the wind, Vatas by nature is changing all-the-time. Vata bodies don’t withstand temperature swings well… more like orchids than enduring palm trees.
So to balance and restore, doing the opposite helps. You want to be consistent and stay on task instead of letting the mind run you by sending a list of things you need to do this minute that aren’t urgent.
If you look at a tipping scale, the way to balance it is to add some weight to the opposite side. …makes sense, right? ⚖️
And if you’re feeling like you can’t sit still, or are going from task to task more than usual, you could be heavy on the Vata. And some daily tweaks could help you restore back to your usual ways pretty quickly.
For any of us, it doesn’t take much to get off balance in our Vata, Pitta, or Kapha.
For Vata, these are the balancing tricks you can help to tip the scales back to equilibrium:
1.Consistent sleep – just like you’ve been told is a good idea, keep the same schedule as much as possible. Even if you go to bed late, try to get up at the same AM time you normally do. You want to take advantage of circadian rhythms.
If you sleep in because your body has been tired for a season, you’ll be even more tired once your body gets a sleep dose. It’s part of the process of our bodies trying to restore balance.
Our one-and-only bodies send obvious signs and blaring warnings that we can still miss in our busy modern lives full of external noise. Alarms and coffee only go so far to help us awaken.
And while 8 hours of sleep is healthy and on average what most of us need, if you’ve had enough sleep, that’s all you need.
Worrying the Vata head is worse than not getting enough sleep in the mind-body connection, because then you add silent stress to your body. With a lack of sleep, your body will let you know by your tiredness, and other new symptoms over time.
Your body knows what it needs to reset and we’re not in charge of that. And if it’s running efficiently and you’ve been good to it by not overdoing yourself, then you may only need a few hours of sleep one night to be recharged.
The recommended 8 hours is just an average and works neatly for 1/3 of our 24-hour day.
But even if you have a perfect sleep record streak from measuring your sleep… at the end of the day, that just says you’re off to a good start with your daily health. It doesn’t indicate much else.
It’s more what you don’t do in sleep that shouldn’t be ignored. Any daily health telltale signs show up on the body and should be attended to quickly so they don’t become a new normal.
And getting the right dosage of sleep amount is individual as we all have different symptoms and bodies.
So… In short balance, the goal for each of us in sleep is getting enough. 💤
2.Consistent eating – and having regular eating patterns is good. I shared how time-restricted eating (or Intermittent Fasting) could help set a discipline, like it does with me for snacking and late-night eating.
And one thing I would steer more into the Vata ways is variety and diversity in healthy foods. Pittas and Kaphas tend to stick more to the same foods.
Different healthy foods offer different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and amounts. It’s also good to have macros: lean protein, healthy carbs, and healthy fats in the diet.
Muscle gradually declines as we age so we need more protein. Healthy carbs give us bursts of energy and keep us full enough while junk carbs rob us. And healthy fats help the body absorb foods and fat-soluble vitamins better this way.
3.Consistent Practices and Activities – keep you calm as you do your daily routines you enjoy.
That can include exercise, your craft, quiet time, reading, etc.
When you’re tired, try to plow through those moods and do at least a little bit of your routine or practice. This will teach you to keep at it, which helps with balancing inconsistency. And you’ll be working on a skill you can use the rest of your life.
And if you need ideas, you can find outlets like this one here that gives life advice on pillows:
LIFE IS GOOD…
And keeping it good is part of the balance. Because we all run into situations we’d rather not at some point. It can’t be all sunshine and roses (as part of the balance). 🥀
4.Consistent Behaviors with Other Influences
It’s important to stay consistent even when we don’t live in a bubble. We interact with people and society.
And you do this in work and life where you can get tested.
I’ve had many experiences starting something new with new people involved that can be a bit stressful… and sometimes throw the balance off. I’m sure you can relate.
And to make those times easier, what I do is I stick to my gut thoughts, feelings, and boundaries. It’s smart not to react as the air shifts around you and in you.
I know not everyone has offenders in their lives (living in a bubble, haha!)…
But kidding aside, in daily life, some people have no idea how they come across to others (in lack of self-awareness). And sadly, others knowing better let their bad sides run, trying to work (play) the systems. You just happen to be someone muddled in their system.
That’s just how it is in this imperfect life where we only control and manage ourselves.
…And that should be enough to keep us all busy!
We all come from different backgrounds. Sticking to our own values and not compromising is going to do you and the world a world of good (say that 10 tongue twister 10 times 😊).
You teach people how to treat you and how to behave toward others.
I know it’s not easy.
But always remember: your life is not a dress rehearsal. You will never get this year or today back.
And you don’t want to live in your own regrets if you need a motivator.
Usually, the people who want to test your buttons are the ones who aren’t doing the right things to begin with… and they’re not the ones that you want to follow anyway.
So with the troublemakers who aren’t considerate and are annoyingly kicking up your Pitta, initially it could seem like a good idea to follow along their ways or at least not create waves. But wise not to fall into this temptation.
…But the innocent often fall and don’t follow the good rules. They cave into the squeaky grease and play along on their blind path game that leads to nowhere.
And innocently that’s ’cause they don’t want to cause friction with themselves or other people. But you teach people how to treat you today and in the future.
If you let others step on you, then expect more of that when you allow it once. That’s how it is with children, and some adults haven’t grown up yet or figured out their ego sides.
And last tip on that note: never, never ever reward bad behavior unless you want more of the same behavior.
To be a productive leader, you want to create and forge your own path. Be considerate but stop caring so much. And think for yourself. You’ll be glad you did at the end of whatever you’re facing.
And be consistent where you tell your heavy anxious Vata mind to stop worrying about what will or won’t happen.
Because what will happen is you’ll get respected by the people you respect, and get to do more of what you want (and work with the people you want to work with).
And you’ll get to build the consistent, work-life balance that you really want!
Next time I’ll follow up with the 2nd part of the self-awareness series I started a few weeks ago that you won’t want to miss! 🧡
Accumulating is a Kapha heavy natural trait that can turn into accumulating stuff, weight, and bad habits. BUT you can turn the tide with healthy habits when you know how to restore the Kapha mind using your 5 senses in your body!
In winter months, it’s easy to start accumulating for any of us… and one healthy move is growing something green even when you have a brown thumb. Details are below 👇 on how to easily grow a year-round avocado seed to a plant that can serve as a healthy reminder on your bookshelf. 🥑
I once had a maintenance worker who was curious about my avocado babies (I had several around my apartment) and I explained how easy it is to grow this plant from a seed after you’ve enjoyed your avocado toast and smoothie. I suppose they would make happy gifts too. 🌱
How to plant an avocado seed step-by-step instructions below. 🌱🥑
…Now that’s accumulating points! And so is a wellness, balanced approach that’s more sustainable and healthy (and is what this week is all about)…
And the reason I prefer a wellness new year over a hard list of rules and resolutions. I believe in positive reinforcement and being easy on yourself is motivating.
That’s how it is for most of us striving for balance. Sometimes it is two steps back, and one step forward. In a year that can be a big difference, and amazingly undescribable in a decade.
When you set the bar low and you make progress (over perfection), then you have an optimistic outlook, want to do more, and that leads to success in the areas you’re working on.
That’s what happened when I started on 6 minutes of cardio a day which has now turned into 8 minutes or more. That may be light or a lot for you… but just sayin’ it’s not easy for a Vata to like cardio.🧘🏻♀️ That’s work. And for Kapha, that can be yoga or not eating.
Whatever that tough activity is for you, your progress is all that counts. If you purposefully stand for another minute when you would’ve sat down, that’s a positive move. 🎉
All of that is accumulating in a good way that helps with healthy energy where body-mind balance thrives. It’s in the small moves and micro habits.
And then you can see what the optimized life can be all about… when you’re self-controlled and calm (that’s counter-cultural in our busy society) …and then get to your deeply creative self where you find meaning and purpose.
That can start by enjoying a healthy dose of time in self-love and building up self-esteem.
An easy way is standing in front of the mirror which seems to grow less important as we age. We can nitpick on an area we don’t like… but that doesn’t have to happen!
We can change why we look in the mirror.
It’s a good idea to find ways to build and love yourself up. And actually, the first chapter in my published book Empowered Happinessis all about ways to focus on loving yourself first, and keeping that priority first.
All your happy and healthy energy adds up and builds deeper confidence and happiness within you as you build up your deeper self that I believe life is meant to be about.
There’s so much more to us than meets the eye or when we first started out as adults.
And both our outer and inner selves are so important for running around healthy in this forever-changing world. Our mind-body connection is the gateway that runs deep alongside us taking in cues from our thoughts and feelings affecting us and our day. This point is often missed so it’s a hidden secret from us until we are aware.
The interconnected mind-body sends daily signals we can’t see and affects how we behave. If we are holding onto past trauma, this can shows up in our mind-body.
Some signals we receive are loud, and some are subtle.
And when you comply with the signs, your mind-body loves that and can show you by making more happy hormones that you can feel in your daily life as accomplishment or a warm feeling.
And if your goal is to improve daily mental health areas, then healthy habits like getting mindful in the moment, doing yoga to set intentions and balance, and changing negative thoughts regularly are daily game changers.
And if that becomes how you operate in life, those are also accumulating habit life game changers.
Another win can be in body goals to lose accumulating weight from last year and holidays.
One of the ways is to enjoy healthy foods as they often come with less calories and better nutrition, like cups of broccoli with a little flavoring. One of my favorites is edamame with a tad of coarse sea salt.
And one of my health wellness desires is to go more plant-based and add more veggies. …You too? 🙋🏻♀️ It’s good for the additional energy and nutrients that we all can use more of, Vata and Kapha alike.
And if you’re a natural Kapha body, healthy foods and veggies could also be part of the plan to sustainably maintain a comfortable dress size that sticks. That makes picking out clothes in the closet easier. And Kaphas often fluctuate in clothing size variety.
While Vatas lean toward wanting variety, so often there are a lot of clothing choices by choice. And that can be a different problem not in belt size, but in the wallet.
Either are self-controllable if we better balance our Vata mind and Kapha body and mind. And remember, we all have traces of Vata and Kapha even if they’re not dominant in us. And they can get out of balance at the drop of a hat or if our life situation changes.
But whatever your current scenario is…
It’s always easier to say what needs to happen to restore, but it’s not always easy to do as life can be hard…
There are too many ups and downs in life that lead us to food as the immediate soothing comfort blanket. Or our shopping habits to make us feel better.
Since we were a child, we’ve had a relationship with how our clothing made us feel more confident. And with certain foods that still light up our faces. But as adults, don’t show up on our bodies in a way that lights us up. 😏
And cutting out foods and food groups to cut calories doesn’t always work in the life long term. It’s hard to sustain unless you live around others who do the exact same to support your efforts. Or you live a slow, stress-free life. And that’s not usually the bubble we live in if we’re working and have busy lives.
With new situations come new situations to juggle in different seasons. And rarely if ever do you have the exact same situation triggers. It takes discernment.
Each situation can look different in disguise of the same effect, so it can take a few times to catch on to pinpoint our stressors. It’s easier for us to just make them go away with food and clothes buying, but then we pay the price.
A better way is…
Seeking a daily-balanced approach that can get you back on track (as you know when you’re off balance). You can use balance as your new comfort…
Balancing your Vatas and Kaphas (and occasional Pittas) can be your daily way.
With food, I started out working long hours in hotel catering planning for clients. And then in some foodie restaurants doing the same. I didn’t eat good for my body…
I ate well, but not always healthy. I definitely didn’t count calories or look at nutrition information as none was available with the hidden sauce calories and still isn’t published in those types of venues (like you find today at fast food joints).
And when I wasn’t in the food work lifestyle seasons, I was doing other work and I had a greater healthy eating balance.
No-frills home eating is actually my favorite (and I’ve had plenty of good food tastings and work experiences in catering event planning). And most of us have spent more time at home over the past couple of years.
You may have slid or improved your diet. What helped me was focusing on simple and tasty, healthy grocery foods and home-cooked dishes that I felt better about than food with amazing reviews!
And that helps with keeping calories low and the body running more efficiently and happily.
When you eat healthy, whole, and organic foods, you’re accumulating healthy points and healthy habits for life.
You appreciate the food’s natural tastes. Like avocado has a very pleasant taste. And then when you add 2-3 complementary flavors ontop of sprouted toast and tomatoes, that just takes it up a whole ‘nother level. And it’s so easy to put together and is as good and fresh (or better) than takeout. 🥑
The simple rocks!
And as much as I still love the French recipe cookbooks that helped paved the way to tastier catering meals like the ones described in Julie and Julia movie, some recipes still have over 20 ingredients, that’s not practical or easy for most of us modern-day people to whip up.
It’s meant for the competing Bobby Flay chefs out there in the world to prepare, but then you’re looking at calories again. So, a homemade simple but zhughed up healthy recipe is the best of both worlds.
…And you save time if you keep your recipes simple. And that your tastes will agree with. Because if it doesn’t taste good, then what would be the point of preparation?
But you can try a taste switcheroo. Like reaching for alfalfa sprouts or radishes instead of a sweet pastry thing that doesn’t go well with your green tea.😉
Just a thought and something sweet (that’s not sugar), and green to nosh over.
And from there, you could also lean into flavoring lentils or no-muss, no-fuss healthy leftovers that can be a meal anytime in the day. That lets you escape the urge to reach for a filler something that isn’t doing your body any healthy favors.
All of that is accumulating good wellness eating habits that you can stack, and can be part of the new year and your optimized-balanced health!
“The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why.” – All I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
After you enjoyed your avocado on toast or with a meal, you can plant your seed for an avocado plant for daily enjoyment. It's perfect greenery for an apartment or bookshelf where you can grow your own plant when you have a brown thumb or want to appreciate avocado abundance. This a great project for adults and kids! 🌱
Author: Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets
Materials
drinking container or glass
toothpicks
paper towel
Instructions
Clean off your seed. Larger round to medium seeds work better.
Peel off the brown outer layer so you see the bare seed flesh that has a peachy flesh color. Tip: Do this when before you go to the nail salon as you will need to use your finger nails. Knives and sharp objects won't do the job without damaging the seed. It may be easier to wet soak the outer layer first to make it easier to peel off.
Take a small piece of paper towel and full soak with water. Wrap around the entire seed.
Place the seed in a sealed plastic bag works best and set in a dark, cool room temperature place in a place you don't forget about.
When the paper towel starts to dry out over a few days, moisten with fresh or filtered water. Keep repeating this step. One day you will see a middle crack in the seed. This is to allow the root to sprout and grow that can take a few weeks. Be patient!
When you see an obvious root bud, you can place 3 toothpicks spread evenly around the seed to set on a drinking glass or container rim. Then add water so the bottom and middle of the seed is "bathing" in the water, but the top of the seed is not (appears to be floating at the surface).
Over more weeks, you will see the green stem grow taller and eventually leaves will sprout. Enjoy and keep adding water to your glass as your seed is thirsty. Your roots will eventually outgrow your glass where you may choose to transplant to a larger vessel. This is a great easy project for the Kindergardener in each of us.
Happy New Year’s resolution practices are a concept of yesteryear, better replaced by a wellness new year.🌱
…And better formed habits (in my healthy list below).
But resolutions are still embraced by some as it’s commonly referred to around the world.
And for others of us, we’re open arms to big changes we want to make and a healthy world revolution to head into a better future world… oh, and to make up for the losses from the past few years.
And in light of the global events affecting us all over the past few years, our world needs more uplifting. We don’t need more challenges. We need a revelation. Amen?
And maybe for you (like me) starting goals in the coldest, winter months in the U.S. is not the easiest plan to stick to and would be preferred in warmer and summer months when we have higher serotonin levels and more natural Vitamin D sunshine.
…And, that’s a time when we’re more active, happier, and apt to make changes.
So, on that healthy intention, you want to set yourself up for success and feeling good for better mental health this wellness new year (…and that’s better than last year).
When you can show up as your Best Self, then you have a chance to make a better and bigger impact. Being healthy and happy matters. And even more so as parts of our lives have become initially harder to eventually make it easier (…I believe).
And I also believe that’s where our world is headed. We see this fueled faster by new technology 🚀 advancements and awareness-growing of the need to save our planet.
And that means some of the old ways we did daily life… and the resolutions we once hung our baseball caps on… will change.
But one area that won’t change and can stay traditionally evergreen 🌲 is a wellness new year plan that will help keep you going year-round and that you can count on consistently. If you show up, it’s available.
…And these natural pinecones (above) showed up in my view, which to me is one of nature’s beauties. It also serves a purpose where the cone protects the precious seeds inside.
This natural miracle hasn’t changed through generations.
And like traditional pinecones, if you want to embrace traditional resolutions, then go for it…
Isn’t the post-2020 famous saying?… You do you.
Either way, here I share some of my better health and wellness new year habit tips (…27 to be exact) that give you a better wellness new year list to practice, so you can better navigate this new emerging world of changes.
1. Drink more water naturally. When you jump up and down or run circles cardio-exercise, you naturally are thirsty
5. Work on daily body balance and yoga that helps in years to come
6. Improve your heart health with cardio and healthy cholesterol levels
7. Write daily (or find your daily creative practice)
8. Color your world with inspiring home and clothing choice colors
9. Learn something about yourself, deeper than you normally would
10. Start mornings eating a plant-based meal (...cool beans?)
11. Add more spices (and make your own punchy, hit-you-in-the-nose with anti-inflammatory gut clove spice blends like in holiday gingerbread or exotic Ras el Hanout spices with fennel, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves.)
12. Do-it-anyway yoga (and any which way you can!)
13. Get enough amino acids (starting in the morning with your protein sources)
14. Put out a bowl of no-prep easy, healthy snacks (e.g. carrots, nuts, and apples)
15. Pause on feeling-frustrated and change the air you breathe by stepping away
16. Change your anxious tunes in the morning with calm breaths
17. Change your worry thoughts in the evening that stir up
18. Change your rainy-day moods with the environment around you
19. Change your negative thoughts at the gate so they build up and become your day
20. Scan the headlines and read one healthy growth article a day
21. Choose the recycling option even if takes just a ‘lil more effort as you’ll feel better you did for our planet…. and you can appreciate all the bean cans you consumed 😊
22. Remove some of the older digital overwhelm habits you no longer need
23. Spend a rainy day weekend organizing your belongings (and feel lighter afterward). Rock out to some good tunes while time melts away 🎶
24. Find your share-to-the-world message that’s part of what you do. This builds your self-worth and confidence as you get better at your talents
25. Prepare more plant-based meals. It’s easier to get veggies and lentils in if they’re cooked or ready-to-go, and in your kitchen. You could have a leftover dish for breakfast so your drinking coffee has a happy landing
26. Spend time in nature. You get out of your busy life and into the busy bees doing theirs 🐝
27. Embrace the neti pot. This is what our new world can be all about… clearing out the old stuck mess, and bringing in fresh ideas that work for us. We need the new. And happy new year! 🎉
If you want to see what your body is trying to say to about the balance it needs, take the Body Balance Quiz (…and if you already did it last season, do it again this season as our bodies are always changing. 🧘🏻♀️)
Self-empowering thoughts are one way we can count on to feel-good daily.
…Btw, how are you these days?
The holidays aren’t over yet, but we’re just one week from New Year’s and that can be a relaxing or a stressful time…
One thing that we all wonder about is what the new year will bring.
And besides putting out a spread of merry cherry gluten-free Christmas cookies, plus a couple of probiotic-rich Greek Yogurt chocolate peppermint and nutty yule logs, I’m working on cranking out a New Year’s List ✍️ of healthy mind-body tips that’s growing daily… and should be ready next time after I bake my 4th batch of healthy gingerbread cookies.😊
…And before January 6th (that’s Epiphany Day with a capital “E”) that’s meant to be a hope-filled day, that somehow got erased by an unrestful Capitol political news headline.
Which btw, used to be the area I lived in and was just a few minutes away from at the time… but was able to find peace amongst chaos. And now I’m breathing in less cultural-political air.
…And more life-giving oxygen. And you can too no matter where you are in the world.
Because you have peace inside you.
And you can look for more hope and encouraging messages to help your cause. And on that mission, I have a list today of 30 self-empowering thoughts to keep the loving good vibes going that you can check out and think about today. 📝
And these also make good journal prompt ideas, so you can better breathe in your best self today and breathe out what isn’t helping you grow into tomorrow.
Self-empowering thoughts are your ticket to happiness and the way out of mental blocks that are holding you back in this life. You don’t have to wait for situations to change… it’s YOU and your perspective that can be changed. And when you do, you reap mind freedom. It’s the difference between abundant mind vs. victim mind and sad thoughts.
