Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Work-Life Balance Idea To Get What You Really Want

Work-life balance idea is a good one! Let me explain…

Being a living balanced advocate and practicing balance as a way of life, I often hear others who believe that the work-life balance idea is unrealistic for dream life goals to pan out.

Work-life balance doesn’t have to be like a non-working time warp clock (in photo). It can be a priority for your best life yet 🧩

…That is, if we want the life we want, we have to go all in. And giving up on work-life balance is one way to better achieve this.

But, I don’t think “either/or” is the best option.

And from my perspective, the more you lean into deeper desires from your intuition source, the work-life balance idea becomes more important (not less)… and then you don’t want to live without it so you can explore and discover more about yourself and manifest more in your life.

It can become a spiritual pursuit, and not necessarily the desire you start with.

You can aim for self-discovery, balance, and success goals, and be healthier and happier.

If we delay gratification in those two places (healthy and happy), then we’re most likely seeking instant gratification in other ways like outward material things and experiences that have a short-lived impact.

So I break down below how balance can be part of the life you want if that’s what you choose, to not miss out unintentionally…

Balancing Life Priorities

As an adult and individual, you’re busy and usually juggling your time working, managing your relationships, and putting yourself out there. Plus, spending time and prioritizing what you value most today.

Balancing time can be a challenge as we all only have 24 hours in a day.

But prioritizing living out balanced healthy intentions today (and not some future someday) is still a good goal even though it’s not measurable… and I wholeheartedly believe leads you to the best life.

In the process, you dig deeper into your heart’s desires and purposes in this life.

You get further investing in yourself more than in the things of this ever-changing world.

And by prioritizing and investing in yourself, you have more to give to the people around you… and get more out of this life.

It’s where “it’s better to give than to receive” has a deeper meaning.

On the other side…

Without work-life balance, the regular daily grind of draining tasks, stress, and overwhelm is taxing and a burden on health.

Our bodies keep score and one day can snap. And just like that, the juggling balls can all drop.

So then it’s best to prevent an ongoing or recurring stressful life situation that an unbalanced life can bring.

By replacing a giving-up-to-get perspective with mindfully focusing on today’s priorities that build your tomorrow, you can let go of control over things that aren’t the best for you.

Gradually I made this mental shift away from the first perspective that I now think hinders abundance.

…But in my earlier bright-eyed-bushy-tailed days, I had no work-life balance. I worked in hotel catering sales where events I planned happened every day, including weekends.

Hotels are a 24-7 operation like hospitals, but without the saving life aspects.

In my high-energy 20’s, I was drained by the end of the 60-plus hours including commute time.

Plus, my role included sales weekend hours and rotating hotel manager-on-duty responsibilities (to relieve the general manager) where I would stay in the hotel over a weekend.

Dine for free in the restaurant and stay in a luxury hotel. …sounds fun, huh?

…But it’s not when you’re stuck under one roof with 400 occupied rooms in a full-house hotel where anything can go wrong.

And then exhausted, I would go home for a few hours and put on a new customer service smile and clothes for work Monday.

My manager co-workers were the only others that fully understood this life, as it’s not usually uncovered in the news.

And as an insider… the first hotel I worked at was an airport property and many hotel guests were unhappy because they were distressed passengers that couldn’t get on their flights.

You can imagine how a whole new level of customer service has to show up engaging with a bunch of grumpy guests whose flights were canceled.

I’m happy I never had a guest throw a drink in my face or anywhere on me. I think my naturally friendly and happy aura rubbed off on them. 😊

…And then I moved out of that hotel life for a more balanced corporate 9-5 gig where I could actually get vacation time off… and enjoy a hotel room without any responsibilities.

Ah, but stability in any corporate job is dependent on the world and the economy. Through recessions, I moved on sometimes landing back at rung zero with more experience… but no lasting balance learning the ropes in new and different organizations.

Starting over seemed to be a theme for a while. But striving for work-life balance was not something I EVER gave up on after my first taste. And I learned to value work-life balance even more having seen both sides.

My lesson takeaway over the years, is that balance is not always consistent but you can high-value prioritize it if that’s a desire you choose. And it’s a healthy sustainable design in this changing, sometimes chaotic life for us breathing humans.

Experiencing constant change amplified to me that nothing here lasts.

The systems and routines that I desperately wanted to stick, didn’t… like when I left a job or moved.

All those accumulating pivots (…would be great if they were like travel reward points 😊) had left the impression on me that only this moment matters most.

“Today is all we have.”

The timeless cliche is wisdom when you’re navigating uncertain waters that most of life is in some way, shape, or form.

You get to keep going and growing and let go for a better outcome.

Staying open to possibilities is more achievable with a healthy work-life balance lens. It can help to steer you in times of setbacks or disappointments when you start over and aren’t sure of the next steps.

And balance keeps you from holding onto a part of life or a desire that was never meant to last.

You can decide it all ends up working out and those beliefs work out as reality.

With work-life balance, you can spend more (or as much) of your free time being reflective instead of busy. Reflection time is more strategic.

…I’m sure this has happened to you as it does for me often… where I reached out to someone I know and they say, “funny, I was just thinking about you this morning.”

That ain’t no coincidence.

In texting, I usually would smiley face back with my words, BUT through mindful reflection I know that was the Universe orchestrating connection. I could’ve just as easily dismissed the moment.

With every little situation, we get to decide what we see and act on (free will). And in the balanced order that this planet we live on is, the steps we take are the ones that were specifically meant for us. Like a mysterious puzzle piece that just fits. 🧩

We can grow and become aware of our greater and empowered existence which makes us want and strive for more out of this life.

Especially, when we choose to see the amazement of our world in the small and joyful moments. Without work-life balance, we can miss it like a vanishing rainbow. 🌈

And without balance, I know I would have taken longer routes. And worse, I could’ve stayed in the Murphy’s Law realistic or pessimistic way of thinking that used to be popular in my adult formative years… when I was meant to be (and better off) optimistic and hopeful as I am today.

With a work-life balance, I was more proactive in my life and am able to see out from two helpful lenses instead of just one. These two are:

The achievement lens that’s on the level of our choices and decisions we make, our rational brain, and what we want. Most of us look out from this healthy lens.

Aiming and working at high standards makes for better personal progress and innovation than just waiting to see what happens.

And then there’s the spiritual lens. The one that’s trusting the Universe when we let go, that our mind-body can help us better see when we’re calm, and not stressed or busy.

There can be an internal tug-o-war between the spiritual lens when at odds with the achievement lens.

Because the achieving mind can become unhealthy with our born ego in us, where we can lose sight of what’s good, and then reject mind-body health and happiness.

Keeping the mind-body-spirit alignment is part of the smart checks and balances. And being attuned to your intuitive and balanced mind-body can lead you to your best life… and not just listening to and relying on the mind for answers.

These are just some good things I encourage you to think about this week. 💭

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Experience Your Deeper Joy Instincts

Instincts help you out. You’ve probably heard of the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO).

During the global lockdown, we went with our better instincts to make decisions, as no one knew for sure immediately what next steps to take.

Deeper joy is unleashed here in my Sunday brunch experience. Onion pizza recipe below 👇

watermelon mint salad.

Some healthy outcomes during that time were that a lot of people grew, became more resilient, and today are still reaping the benefit of becoming better versions of themselves. That’s something to celebrate! 🎂

Even though “missing out” wasn’t something we chose, that’s what most of us did to stay safe and healthy in the world.

But tell that same story logic to a child or a teenager (…or the child still in us 🧸), and missing out on events can be devastating. But it doesn’t have to be!… and below I share two ways that “missing out” can be the biggest blessing for you and us all.

If our happiness is based on external situations, and not on ourselves, we can suffer sadness and disappointment.

Instead, inside us, we have the peaceful joy instincts built-in that today we may or may not have developed fully yet like we would in learning a skill.

…Wherever you are on your journey now is great. You are exactly where you’re meant to be, and you have a choice to replace what doesn’t work best.

And from what I’ve experienced, I know those deeper instincts are there to help us if we’re ready. They give us more peace and steer us to our best life. And I wish I tapped into my inner joy instincts sooner in life.

Feeling inner joy gives us better control over our lives and our feelings in situations we can’t always control dealing with specific people, places, and things we encounter.

And with practice, we can bring out our inner joy and turn it into a daily healthy habit we apply (replacing our original “happy” lens that doesn’t always help us).

I know this all too well from my younger days when I got excited about going to parties that sometimes got out-of-hand… a little too many Animal House-type parties that I wish I could take back now (…and go figure I became a professional party food event planner as my first career to round it all out).

During those immature pre-school graduation days, I wasn’t in control of my life on the inside. I lived for the outward happiness feelings that put me on an emotional roller coaster when situations didn’t go as planned.

And as I grew up… and as you and I are growing now, we naturally grow out of what we already experienced that wasn’t good for us whatever that looked like… and maybe even a bit relieved that we’re past those years and times… grateful we’ve “been there, done that” and not going backward.

For me today and maybe you too… happy fun is re-defined from a new lens of daily joy.

Inner joy is more freeing than external happiness that’s fleeting.

It doesn’t mean giving up on fun because that would be no fun! But coming up with new ways… that’s what I do anyway to please my Enneagram 7. We tend to get our enthusiasm from fun. That’s one thing I hope to never change.

…And that motivated me to set out a fun day (Sunday) anti-inflammatory donut table while Nadal showed his sustainable match win, and the Queen her Jubilee and longevity.

You don’t usually see donuts on an anti-inflammatory menu, but these ACV cinnamon honey ones are without added sugars.

…While creating a menu and daily food joy like this is nice, it doesn’t make or break the day. That’s an example of finding joy in the moment and then movin’ on.

And that keeps the inner peace, and naturally feeling good in daily calm living. Good grows. And I don’t mess with good growth! 🌱

And if you’re into growing, want new experiences, and are ready to tap more into your deeper sides and joy instincts if you’re not already… or still wondering why that matters or how it’s different than what you could be doing…

Here are a few more differences…

By developing your joy instinct by filling up your moments with your peaceful and calmer desires, you feel less disappointed moment-to-moment (or not disappointed at all) when events don’t happen and situations don’t pan out.

And ultimately, you’re in deeper control of yourself, thoughts, and feelings… and that’s super powerful to your life. Finding deeper instincts feels like a superpower when you discover it later in life.

Finding that life-giving abundant space inside is a gift. I think so, anyway.

And experiencing that chosen path opens you to a whole bunch of other great things you pick up along the way.

…Like, I rid of the worry habit. Worry is helpful until it isn’t. It helps when it gets you to think, and those thoughts help you to initiate solutions or a new way to look at a solution.

But staying in the habit of worry is not helpful or healthy. So one day in the bookstore (…remember those?), I picked up The Power of Positive Thinking written by the late-Norman Vincent Peale, and read the “Worry” chapter in the self-help book.

It starts like this… “Worry is just a very bad mental habit. And I can change any habit with God’s help.”

I read that chapter over and over again and practiced the 10-point steps that literally transformed my life of worry in less than a decade. That sounds like a long time, but most great things take time.

And at the time, I loved it so much that I went out and bought a few additional book copies and gave them to my co-workers around me. And I’m passing it on to you here. Hopefully, you can read it…

How to Stop Worrying Chapter (Steps 1-6)

The Power of Positive Thinking Book — How to Stop Worrying Chapter Continued (Steps 7-10)

So then I carried less unhealthy worry turmoil, and I worried less about my workers as they knew what to do. 😉

So leaning into joy has perks and side benefits.

…I hear myself talking about joy like it needs to be sold as a natural drug, haha. And sometimes it does feel that way in a good way!

Two cool perks about stepping into your inner joy are:

Feeling contentment – and not getting emotional when things pan out or don’t. Being free of this feels relaxing, stress-free, and breathes in more joy. Back in the day, when we didn’t know any better, we would describe this as, “you’re so mellow.”

With contentment, you feel more peace and get more done without the thought-feeling drama.

Your creativity – is the gateway to your highest purpose, second or next act, and clarity with what you want to do with your life if you’re not feeling fulfilled with the one you’re in. You can unleash greater imagination, gifts, and buried talents. There’s a treasure trove in you. And it costs nothing to discover what’s inside. Not only can it bring new ideas and save you from spending money, but also save you from losing time and unnecessary headaches.

The two C’s can be a ticket to your best life today. They can make the difference or be your launching pads to a “new life” in a world of uncertainty and give you a peaceful escape from your job, especially if you’re not happy there.

If you’re looking for more joy in your life, be encouraged that the way you started out and the path you’re on doesn’t have to be the one you stay on.

And choosing to trust and lean into your healthy natural instincts is easy, light, and aligned when you pick the channels meant for you.

Whole Wheat Onion Pizza

Course lunch

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

whole wheat flour
red onions
white or light cheese (optional)

Instructions

Make the pizza crust.
Bake the onions beside the crust about half way through.
Add the cheese to pizza crust and add onions on top.

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Ayurveda to Unleash Creativity + Cherry Sherbet

Ayurveda is today’s topic. It’s part 2 of 2.

ayurveda - your mind body calm recipe to unleash creativity

This week, I’m breaking down the secrets of Ayurveda and how it can free you from feeling stuck. And how it restores calm, improves mind-body health, and allows for daily creativity which leads to your best life new opportunities, and passions.

…Plus, I’ll clear up the common confusion about Ayurveda if you’re wanting to learn more… and how you can apply simple, but completely effective Ayurveda ways to your lifestyle where you’re at… and with a special invitation offer below.

cherry sherbet ice cream. — Today is a good to celebrate with joyful cherry Sherbet. Recipe below. 🍒

Last time, in Part 1 of Ayurveda, I talked about why you want to care about the mind-body connection. If you missed that blog post or aren’t sure, you can go back and read that one too as it could make a game-changing difference in getting your best life today…

I also shared how change and permanence are part of the natural order in this life. They keep us going and growing.

You get to choose whether you want to do this life holding onto anxiety, fears, or worry, or letting them go daily for your emotional freedom and better moods.

…You can restore daily calm even with life chaos happening around you. That’s a healthy choice.

You can change how anxiety, overwhelm, irritations, and triggered situations stick to you when they don’t have to …but, interruptedly rear their ugly head into your system and you just want them to go away!

As humans, we experience these negative emotions to varying degrees. And everyone grows weary and tired at some point.

And, that’s when we want to be vigilant to snap out of those emotions after we purge, process, and know what’s behind them so we can take necessary action, and so that we don’t stay stuck in those places any longer than necessary.

…How?

You step out and sidestep into your daily calm and productivity with the strategy of partnering with your mind-body to soothe and get the most out of the situation and your life… with small effort and adding healthy enhancements.

At some point, you probably figure(d) out that Life is about being in the process. And filled with trying lessons.

Sometimes it can take several similar, but different scenarios to play out to catch onto the lesson and make changes for a better today, tomorrow, and life.

But, when you see your part and role in what happens next, your eyes are open and you can apply wisdom. That takes awareness in the moment or in reflection.

And if you have knowledge or know what to do, you can save yourself from unnecessary pain… and sometimes your life. Like if caught in a rip current wave, you survive by not panicking, calling for help that’s nearby, and swimming parallel to the shore if you can.

You also can survive your daily life situations and undesired moods weighing you down if you know what to do.

Getting through your non-life threatening situations can be challenging for a day or two, as moods can stick like mud, but don’t have to play out and grow into a season!…

And you don’t want them to, because health and stress are on the line, and your moods can worsen and influence you to make poor decisions and miss out on great opportunities.

[In physical health terms, moods are like inflammations… you want them out or on the way out within a few days, or else it could spread like poison ivy inside and become a bigger problem.]

But the really good news here is… you can nip-in-the-bud those less-than moods weighing you down as easily as they entered.

How?…

Co-create the right and comfortable environment that your mind-body wants, and therefore is what you also want!

Remember, you are not your mind-body. Your mind-body runs 24×7 and never shuts off when you’re asleep. Keeping your mind-body in mind (no pun intended), for your optimal life you want to do what will turn things around fastest for you.

That doesn’t mean you need to move or uproot your lifestyle, that just means a few healthy tweaks that your daily mind-body wants.

Ayurveda (the science of life) helps to restore and bring natural balance and order back into our lives despite constantly changing situations… and naturally, the way it’s intended.

In our work-life balance modern world there seems to be a gadget for everything to solve our daily problems and make life easier and help us live longer. But we don’t always use (and sometimes ignore) the most effective tool that’s already built inside us!

In Western world, our health is often seen through the lens of food, fitness, wellness, and self-care. In our healthy efforts, we don’t always get to the root cause and directly restore or heal what our mind-body needs. And that can lead to a long (sometimes painful) season.

…BUT be encouraged, it’s restorable and not your fault!

As you have free will to choose. You do what you feel like doing or think will help based on the (limited) knowledge you have at the time.

And also because…

Our Western Society… The Good and Bad

Conditioning that you and I have received since we were children, that goes like this… Oh, the doctor will fix that…

And as an adult, if you were sent home with a prescription for resting or exercising more, you’d be dissatisfied as most of us know that’s helpful but not what we want from our doctor. We expect a procedure, prescription, or two.

The problem is your body doesn’t want medicines if it can handle the foreign body disruptor on its own. But we don’t know what exactly our body needs because we can’t talk to our body or get inside for those knowing answers.

So, our common Western way is curing with medicines, “just in case,” and because we’re conditioned to expect those protocols.

But, too many antibiotics in the system damage gut health, and surrounding systems that alter your body. Good probiotics can only help so much to reverse effects.

So that’s the bad, but there’s a lot of good in medicine…

Like when used for a disease outbreak where massive chaos in the body has already erupted and medical intervention is needed. Your body needs help.

We can learn from Steve Jobs’ story in more than his genius Apple tech abilities. He passed away too young from cancer. Wisdom leaves clues.

Western medicine doesn’t usually prescribe natural herbs to cure cancer or other diseases.

Anything supernatural can happen in our favor at any time, but that’s not the common or wise protocol. God created doctors and gave us our brains to make good decisions to see doctors when needed.

…So then where does Ayurveda (science of life) fit in?

Ayurveda’s sweet spot is in health prevention, and helping change unwanted common everyday moods and annoying flare-ups.

It’s risky for most conditions that require medical attention. …and I wanted to clear up in case that wasn’t clear and obvious. So good, now you know what Ayurveda is good for…

Ayurveda works for what it’s meant for. But as a practice, not mentioned much in our society partly because prevention can’t be measured. And that’s not where medicine focuses attention.

So, it can get brushed aside or seen as a health fad.

…Even though Ayurveda has been around working as an Ancient healing system for thousands of years.

People smartly use it as part of their daily healthy lifestyle.

They can be part of the routines and habits we stack and track in our day.

When you have a healthy lifestyle and know how to use Ayurveda in your daily life, then you’re better off leaning into your balanced natural essence. There are no downsides to report.

And a decade later… in my opinion, it’s still the “best-kept secret.” And why I’m unpacking it here.

Your mind-body is a direct source that knows what it needs… and Ayurveda cracks that code.

Enter Eastern-Western Ayurveda Awareness

American society tends to lump natural, holistic, alternative medicines, and Ayurveda as mystical and woo-woo, when really what Ayurveda needs is rebranding.

Ayurveda is not just what you see as available products on the market.

Two things that could make people iffy in the beginning about Ayurveda (I know I was!) are:

1.. Messy oils, strange elixirs, and take-time-out routines. They don’t always mesh well in a Western modern society that’s go-go-go where schedules are filled to the brim and even fitting in eating can be trying.

2. Silent practices when you don’t have a door that stays closed or that can shut out the world around you. And without a list of to-do’s or worries for the day running in your head.

Those daily practices are more Eastern (slower-pace life) than Western techniques.

And what works in Ayurveda for Western-style living and restoring mind-body techniques, can be woven into your busy day with very little effort or inconvenience.

You can skip the Eastern-style practices and you won’t be missing a mood-improvement beat… I promise!

And some universal practices you may already be doing sometimes or regularly… like, yoga is a today-popular Western Ayurvedic general practice. Sometimes you have time to fit in, and sometimes you don’t, but it’s not the end-all-be-all to making moment-to-moment restoring changes because yoga reset to feel-good feelings lasts for a 90-minute class, a cup of tea, and maybe a relaxing spa visit, but then you’re back to your life, triggers and interruptions in your mind, and your work.

Even though I love yoga!… maybe you too?

In 2008, there were few studios when I had to search around so I’m glad it has taken root.

Another popular example is eating plant-based anti-inflammatory foods. Yup, that’s part of a healthy Ayurvedic lifestyle. Wherever you are, you have access to markets, online stores, farms, and gardens (…or you can start your own).

…So you may already have a ‘lil Ayurveda in you! 😉

…So, is an Ayurveda lifestyle right for you?

These are questions you can ask yourself and things to think about:

Are you interested in preventative health?

Are you interested in unleashing more daily creativity?

Are you a lifelong learner who is open to the deeper self?

And do you want to live sustainably healthier and longer?

…Like Blue Zone Centenarians who live healthy lifestyles that are part of their culture. They don’t live like most Americans (and not even the Adventist Health Blue Zone community in California).

Some live more simply, slower lives, eating from the land, and need less mood restoring without all the complicated high tech. 😉

And so many countries rank higher in longevity than the States, that’s ranked closer to the bottom. That’s a hard pill to swallow considering all the conveniences we have.

…Even though I can’t imagine my identity with any other culture.

So I added Ayurveda into my lifestyle to make up for the deficit.

And you can too. The thing is… you’re probably already habitually doing Ayurveda to some degree in your healthy every day routine. You’ve been using all your senses since you were born.

…But probably not for balancing moods consistently as you didn’t know what really works with your specific mind-body, type, and imbalance combinations you’re experiencing. That’s really what it boils down to.

And when you do change your moods and imbalances, then you can get to your inner creative self more easily and consistently.

Creativity Inside Us

Sometimes there’s a creative block. And we don’t know what we don’t know could be, or are missing out on our greatest passions that give us joy.

I was creatively mind-blocked in my corporate management work life.

I couldn’t be fully creative beyond short spurts of free time where I delved into hobbies for creative outlets.

In those few moments, I experienced calm, joy, and felt weight off my shoulders. I could get into a creative flow where I lost track of time and those were usually well into the weekend or on a Sunday.

…Have you been there or can relate?

Unleashing the creativity inside feels free-ing. And when I got longer stretches of time away from work, I realized I had creative hidden talents I didn’t even know I had, that were waiting inside me for the right-ready time.

…And you do too. Plus, ones that you haven’t uncovered because you have gotten there yet to take action.

After you remove the anxious, stressful, and overwhelming layers and feelings, you can get a direct path to your creative juices and energy.

That’s your ticket to your happiest and best life. When you feel lighter and good, you feel on top of the world.

You feel empowered at the very least, and maybe even superpowers to take on activities you didn’t know you could perform (like sing or dance… you get the point).

And that’s a time when you get the most out of your life and push the pedal forward and make breakthroughs.

It’s the opposite of these types of common feelings (that keep you uninspired and stagnant):

–Tired: where you don’t want to do much let alone work on a creative pursuit. You lack energy but with a good night’s rest you can be renewed and passion-filled again if you’re re-energized, aren’t triggered, feeling burnout, or are depressed.

–Anxious: where you’re trying to manage your anxiety symptoms to stay afloat… trying to stay relaxed while your body-mind takes over. That’s a bad time to make good decisions, let alone try and be creative.

–Irritated: where you’re trying to get over negative feelings and a critical-judgmental mind that permeate your system when energizing the wrong thoughts. Good creativity doesn’t emerge in non-loving attitudes.

But, you can change the channel or get your relaxed self back as quickly as you got in your tense state. Like in the shower, the ideas can come. Or in a joyful activity where you lose track of time.

And, if you’re feeling balanced and calm throughout the day as the normal way, that changes everything. You can switch to your creative self when you want without losing valuable time.

And those steps take you to your next move in life, passions, and pursuits.

And if that’s where you are ready to go and be your very best today, but maybe feeling off or not quite there yet, start with the body balance quiz that shows symptoms on the body as part of the mind-body connection.

And in creativity, I made this swirly dessert (nostalgic of Cherry Garcia and the tie die T-shirt era…). 🍥

Cherry Sherbet Ice Cream

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

maraschino cherries, chopped
natural food coloring (creatively select your favorites such as beet or cherry juice, Pandan, and matcha)
egg yolks
milk of choice (you can also add plain Greek yogurt if you want a thicker sherbet)
monk fruit sugar (optional)

Instructions

Whisk your egg yolks. And add sugar if you will be using.
Add milk, cherries, natural food coloring of choice.
Mix by hand or use an ice cream maker to set.
Freeze and enjoy!

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Using Ayurvedic Ways For Calm and Balance (Part 1)

living an Ayurveda calm and balanced lifestyle — …I was told 🙂 I should show my face more, so here I am checking in on my avocado plants They look good 🥑

…Ok, today I’m sharing about Ayurvedic ways and living, my favorite topic.

This is a longer blog post than I usually write, so grab a beverage and get comfy because today is about getting calm and balanced.

Because getting consistent daily calm and balance is achievable with Ayurveda… and I believe has never been more needed in our world.

And yet in America, calm and balance are seen as nice-to-have intentions that aren’t built into our busy lives.

We’re used to running into stress, and at times have grown numb to our underlying stressful ways of living… despite short-lived self-care practices, unwinding on weekends, and happy hour-type fun that aren’t enough for our health and wellness.

Finding daily balance is dismissed in priorities and daily noise. It’s often seen as unobtainable or overmentioned. Plus living sustainably whole and healthy is not excitingly trendy …But when you’re 100, it will be!

And getting mind-body balance is part of the Ayurvedic ways, and what most people need to be the best version of themselves that would transform the daily stress and busy overwhelm into healthy and happy lives. That’s a mouthful that says it all.

…And with the right insight, a whole and healthy lifestyle is attainable by this or next season. And even better yet, using consistent balance as a predictable strategy springboard for better things ahead in life! (More on this point below.)

…You know you can’t always trust the external world to come through for you, but you can count on your intuitive and intelligent mind-body that has better answers and insight to your health.

Your mind-body follows you along the ride of your life’s journey and its good health is the difference maker to your getting the life you want, that can free you from what’s holding you back.

Like, living with accumulated stress (linked to inflammations and aging) is not doing you and your mind-body any favors… even though that’s baked into the Western world culture, lifestyle, and the air we breathe.

And a common reason why two people at age 45 look like they’re decades apart in age.

In a 2018 study, an international group of researchers led by scientists at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that adopting 5 healthy habits could extend life expectancy by 14 years for women and 12 years for men:

eating a diet high in plants and low in fats
exercising at a moderate to vigorous level for several hours a week
maintaining a healthy body weight
not smoking
consuming no more than one alcoholic drink a day for women and two for men

Ayurvedic Ways For a Heatlhy Lifestyle

We know a healthy lifestyle that takes care of the body is necessary for longevity and to prevent debilitating diseases.

And having or starting a stress-free, calm, and happy life optimizes your health in the mind-body connection.

It’s never too late to prioritize your physical and mental health.

One way to improve your life is to pay attention to your daily moods and symptomatic flare-ups. And not just brush them aside. When you’re 20 that’s fine, but as you get closer to mid-life, the accumulated wear and tear shows up.

And moods are subtle beginning signs of your balanced mind-body drifting, and what’s impacting your health inside you.

The Mind-Body Connection and The Past

Ayurvedic ways is all about the mind-body remedies for balanced living. Your mind-body is a part of you, but you are not the mind-body. You aren’t your thoughts, your gut, or arm.

Then there’s the mind-body connection based on the concept that your thoughts can be connected to body symptoms and your physical health. Like acne sprouts due to stress.

But not so quickly obvious are your past thoughts or traumas that show up in signs of aging (wrinkles and aging maladies), and your inflammations. The dots are not so easily connected. But they play havoc on your calm and balance, and mind-body.

…All unbeknownst to you.

And when you carry baggage such as buried childhood wounds (thoughts), they overflow into and affect your daily current health and life, through the mind-body connection. They still show up in the workplace, in your current reactions and attitudes.

It’s invisible trauma you may not know you’re carrying, but your mind recorded and has not forgotten.

And if triggered, can show up when you least expect, and where you don’t recognize the link to past trauma.

And, then there are some past traumas that you are fully aware of, and you may have never felt comfortable sharing with anyone. Or you haven’t purged the feelings enough to get all the wound hurt out of your system yet, so you can scar heal.

TED Talk presenters who share a trauma story rehearse over and over, and in the process, they get the poison out even if their wound was decades ago!

While Shark Tank presenters are asked on the fly about their personal tragedies related to their business, where tears are shed on the spot and healing begins or continues.

And that can be part of what frees them when they’re present, let go, and let their guard down. When trauma is acknowledged, a person can heal back to their natural essence.

Your Natural Mind-Body Now

Now is the present. And the present is a gift. It’s where you can be most aware and find your calm and joy.

And if you add being balanced, then you’re unstoppable!

Being balanced in Ayurvedic ways means leaning into your natural and primary mind-body dosha. That’s the way you’re wired.

“Natural” here also means favorable to the mind-body.

Like your favorite foods that you naturally like. Or your desire to do a certain exercise. Those are natural to you, but not to everyone else.

…And here earlier I was leaning into my Vata for a late afternoon sweet snack (…you know it’s healthy! 😉).

A healthy snack like these Samoa Bars is an example of Ayurvedic ways. — I shared the recipe last week for my healthy, no-bake Samoa bars… and I made a new batch that I’m enjoying for longer than the 5-minute break it took to make 😊

And Vata could be your natural way too, but we all have Vata in us that can throw us off balance.

And same goes for the mind. One way to get off balance can be from what we think of as our natural thoughts. The negative ones are not helpful if you put energy behind them that impact your mind-body. You’re best to ignore or replace those ASAP if they’re not helping you noodle out a productive solution.

Like… a negative thought pops up in your head and you want to blurt out what you’re thinking, but in a professional environment or amongst strangers, you don’t do it when you’re unsure as you don’t know how it will be perceived.

And later on in reflection, you’re glad you didn’t say anything. Or else you wish you had said something and now have slight regret that you missed the moment.

…Which can then turn into a negative thought that turns into negative energy.

Holding onto negative energy no matter how it sticks, spills into the mind-body and can cost you time and energy. That can turn into an attitude, mood, and imbalances that show up in the mind-body.

So it’s best to just nip it in the bud.🌹

Restoring Our Mind-Body Imbalances, Moods, and Ayurvedic Ways

If we’re lifelong learners, we’re constantly wanting to grow and improve, and recalibrating our balance makes good sense.

With those intentions, you can ask yourself:

Do I have… repeated anxiety, anger, burnout, tiredness, lazy mind or body tendencies, irritation, or excessive worry? …holding onto these types of moods and feelings can cause stress.

As a habit, we can check in with ourselves often and daily to see what’s off, just like checking the daily weather in our own part of the world keeps us on our toes …it was actually hailing small ice chunks in my neck of the woods over the weekend (in May!). 🌨

…And if we zoom out of our world, we see a bigger global world in organized chaos and crisis that affects us.

Gradual shift is omni-present happening everywhere and all the time, even when we can’t see. And that grows into stressors on earth, and to us and our mind-body.

For example, take a framed wall photo that you’re constantly straightening. Over time, it naturally shifts and becomes crooked. And in a new house especially, when the living earth below is still shifting.

But you know how to easily straighten the photo frame with a light touch tilt to bring it back to alignment the way it should be.

Or, you could “permanently” iron-clad anchor the photo to the wall, so the framed photo doesn’t shift again. But then one day, you decide to take down the photo to paint the wall behind it or to change the picture… or you completely move to a new house.

The framed wall picture is just one change away from its original “permanent” state. And like life, we don’t know what will happen next that can be stress-causing, or when our life could use some healthy adjustments even when we don’t have awareness.

Stress comes in all shapes and sizes, from earth-shattering situations to slight tilts, like slowly growing bored.

And change can help spice it up. But we also need some permanence for balance and alignment. Even if it’s temporary.

Balance is the natural desired order of this world and of your body, and mind-body.

And adopting Ayurvedic ways (the science of life) as a healthy way back works to bring back the order in us.

It works in the modern Western world to restore, prevent, and bring back natural balance. And it works for those who live in noisy cities as well as slower-paced towns, as all roads can lead to a desired healthy life taking different paths.

And that’s what I did and do. And you can too!

It doesn’t have to be just yoga or meditation… those are just a couple daily common practical household practices. 🧘🏻‍♀️…and maybe you didn’t know those were Ayurvedic ways 😉

Ayurvedic ways could be new or foreign to you, as it may sound like an ancient mystical or woo-woo set of Eastern healing practices. And it was to me too in the beginning.

But how I powerfully use it today, is as a West meets East approach to healthy living, with the West running the show in our busy American lives.

And that’s just scratching the surface on the description for all the benefits it adds.

One simple health benefit that’s achievable, is to change the course of our annoying mind-body symptoms daily through our lifestyle choices. That could be our higher standard goal and preventative norm so long-term stressors and symptoms don’t settle in.

And doing so helps your health and teaches your mind-body you’re on the same team 😊. That’s integrating Ayurvedic ways into daily balance.

Always Invest In Yourself (You and Your Mind-Body)

Another way you can help yourself is not accepting “just getting through the season.” That’s not effective ayurvedic ways in practice. You can do something today to start restoring or help along your natural healthy self as best as it can shine.

Only when we’re not conscious, do we not have a say in our lives.

Instead, adopt the norm of living each season blissfully, and enjoy daily!

Remember the old saying about your life isn’t a dress rehearsal. 🎬

You can be joyful and find joy every day (and not just some days!) even amongst the chaos. And while you’re going through difficult times.

Each year can have its challenges, but that’s part of growth and change. As you become more resilient (feeling less stressed about situations) that will help your health, balance, and calm.

When you get daily balanced health, you get the opportunity to show up as your best self, and unleash creativity every day that you may not even know you have today.

…And, find your purpose and true calling, that will give you your greatest life satisfaction and lead to your best foot-forward life.

And that can also lead to your leaving a miserable day job for a better-chosen life that fits you uniquely where work doesn’t feel like work, if that’s what your heart desires. You don’t end up where you started or in an unhappy middle.

…So, that’s what I have for you today to hopefully inspire and encourage you this season and the upcoming ones that will be your best ones yet (in your belief).

Next week I will share part 2 about how you can learn more about Ayurvedic ways (and even if you’re not sure exactly what it is today), and how you can start uniquely implementing mind-body restoring techniques into practice if it suits you. Talk then! 🧡

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Chocolate Coconut Bar (No-Bake) and Porridge Oats

Chocolate coconut bar is a delicious snack flavor pairing. We can all think of a girl cookie and happy candy bar that has the flavoring We can all think of a girl cookie and happy candy bar that has the flavoring combo. But they aren’t healthy ones that you would eat for breakfast.

Below is the recipe for healthy bars you can take anywhere to tie you over. Think field trips, hikes, and sweet tooth substitutes.

The best part is there is NO Baking involved. And even for a home baker like me, that puts a smile on my face as as EASY healthy snack.

And even better, they are low-sugar (no refined white sugar). So you’ll feel good about eating them. And most importantly, they taste great.

The chocolate coconut bar can also be a great breakfast morning snack because they’re loaded with oats.

And another healthy dish idea is porridge made of oats, that’s an underrated breakfast for any age.

It’s not just for Smurf characters or Goldilocks (characters I grew up to).

It’s a great meal idea year round. You can pair with a little sweetness… like these healthy chocolate coconut bars.

A chocolate coconut bar morning. — Healthy chocolate coconut bar recipe below. 🥥

The easy, no-bake chewy chocolate coconut bar recipe is made without any refined sugar.

You can also decide if you want to make a soft or crunchy version too. 🍪

But let’s get back to porridge before we go for the sweets…

If you’re a cereal lover and want to find alternates, porridge could be that nourishing sub.

When I was a kid, we ate cereal for breakfast before we left for school. It was fortified vitamin and mineral goodness drenched in Vitamin D milk that young, fast-growing bones and bodies need.

It’s also loaded with the sweet stuff that puts a smile on a kid’s face.

But, most cereals aren’t a good daily breakfast option.

The problem isn’t all the added sugar (even though they’re often loaded with 12 added grams per cup or more)… or knowing about the disturbing traces of Roundup that have been found in certain cereals (that’s a good enough reason!)…

And the real daily problem is…

Cereals are never filling enough for the most important meal of the day (or at least one of them).

It doesn’t do the fulfillment job for kids or adults… and it didn’t do it for me as a growing child that felt the stomach gurgles by mid-morning.

This is the reality for most school kids that just plow through their hunger discomforts.

So I remember bringing a snack to school.

But then I forgot about it or was too busy to eat it. My mind was somewhere else as it wasn’t lunchtime when everyone else around me was eating.

We’re easily influenced by our peers.

Decades later, these conditions haven’t changed.

Cereal is still the popular go-to convenient breakfast.

Cereal grocery shelves are filled or empty.

Plus, we still forget and get too busy.

Also when I was growing up, enriched white Wonder Bread was the magical bread that kids felt proud of bringing to school and parents felt good about for lunch sandwiches.

Enriched bread today has a different context. It can be enriched with dairy, eggs, or sourdough. And “fortified” cereal is also different in its wonders.

But travel around the world, and wholesome porridge is what you find in many less modern-convenient cultures. And where people live longer.

These cultures and places go straight to filling stomachs with nourishment.

They’re masters at adding nutritious flavors, often living with less.

And we can learn a healthy lesson from them. And we could start slow like choosing oats or whole grains as breakfast alternatives.

And then switch to a porridge meal with protein and good carbs that can carry through the busy morning. And does your body healthy goodness.

It doesn’t have to be boring… it can be more like this mushroom porridge.

I thought this letter to you “from your gut” would be a cute way to highlight and get the point across for healthy encouragement. 😉

Dear Person I Live In,

Please don’t make me work extra hard today. And give me what I want: more rest, but also enough nourishing energy, so I don’t have to hunt around for help from the surrounding systems.

Thank you for a glass of water that signals to me that you’re up. Then for starters, a prebiotic and probiotic breakfast would be great!, like oatmeal, banana, yogurt, berries, and even a healthy smoothie format is fine. This gets me going, before you really feed me…

You can mix it up or eat the same thing daily, but I do like some healthy variety. It keeps me from getting bored and helps me run best. I love healthy savory foods.

And yes I do rumble and signal to you when to go to the rest-room, so I can rest.

Please remember (…write yourself a note maybe? 😁) …fill me with small nutrient-dense meals every 4-5 hours so I have the time to churn the last meal and can consistently count on being fed. Then please give me energy again… plant-based carbs would be good… oh and btw, I’m not as color blind as you think I am ‘cause I do recognize when you eat from the rainbow (haha!). 🌈

And don’t wait too long to fill me with some healthy proteins that I love. Then, I don’t have to work so hard. You know how those old-timer people from the Blue Zones eat beans to add 4 years to their lives. And they only break out the celebratory meat once in a while.

Please consider my needs. And finally, I would love if you would provide more fiber and roughage, sprinkling in healthy fat, Omega-3 sources, and good fiber as daily garnishes. I also love nuts and seeds as snacks. Now I’ll be quiet because you know the food language that keeps me happy.

We’re in this together.

Love,

Gutty

P.S. A ‘lil sea salt helps me balance, as does fruit and spices.

So, here’s the recipe I promised…

This chocolate coconut bar is no-bake, easy to make, and low-sugar.

Print Recipe

Chocolate Coconut Bar (No-Bake) - Low Sugar

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almonds
3-4 pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp applesauce, unsweetened
1 tbsp raw honey

Instructions

Combine ingredients together and shape into bars. Tip: for dates, use a serated knife to cut.

Alternatively, you can make this chocolate coconut bar recipe with a food chopper. Simply leave out combining the applesauce and honey until the very end after the other ingredients are chopped and blended.

Either way, here’s another tip: it’s easier if you tear up the dates into smaller pieces or cut with a small serrated knife (with jaw edges) before you add to the processor or chopper.

Then, when you have your final mixture ready:

Put on a plate or in a small container and shape your mixture. This is the no-bake version.

Cut the bars or cookie shapes you want to make using a pizza roller or sharper knife (so there’s no crumbly bits falling off that you can’t put back together).

Then drizzle your chocolate coconut bar or cookies you make with a pre-made chocolate sauce.

Or you can make your own: add chocolate and coconut oil to a bain-marie (double cooker) to heat and melt the chocolate.

Adding the oil will give you a better liquid consistency and more chocolate sauce using less chocolate (especially if you’re low).

Afterwards, you can put your bars or cookies in the fridge or freezer to eat in a few minutes or save for later.

They’re better served chilled from the fridge.

The ones in the photo above just came out of the freezer.

If you want to make them crunchy, use an egg instead of the applesauce, and then bake on a low temperature until you get the right baked crunch.

Now that’s super calm baking.. oh, how easy!

Easy is my jam! 😉

Next time, I’ll share some reframing ways to get more balance and calm so stay tuned…. Take good care for now 🧡

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