Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Planning Your Unforgettable Next Vacation Using Ayurveda

Are you deciding on where you should go next for vacation or for summer vacation? …Or maybe thinking about taking time off and what you could do with it?

Vacation should be fun & enjoyable, but it’s also an investment in cost, time, and energy.

…So below I help spell out some Ayurvedic perspectives to consider for planning your next vacation.

Keep in mind there are many vacation time-off options, but not all of them will leave you the happiest. And before you start packing your bags, you may want to pause for a minute and consider your Ayurveda mind-body needs (that could be a bit different than your wants).

…And possibly telltale in what’s going on with you in your life today, so that you have the opportunity to discover more about yourself.

But first and foremost, of course, you want to plan an unforgettable vacation (and not just any ‘ol vacation with your precious time)!

So, the below tips are meant to help you figure out what will be your most enjoyable and memorable vacation wearing an Ayurveda hat… (and using me as a ‘lil guide). 👒

…Which btw, I’m someone who loves adventure and travel exploration, so I’m not one to deter anyone from exploring the world and what it has to offer.

But I also know when it’s better to just chill near home…. so I’ll give you the different takes below.

But before I do that, I wanted to show you my fruity celebration of the summer solstice week that just passed in the U.S. I made a healthy grit-based morning pie with high Vit-C papaya, pineapple, and kiwi fruits. The final rainbow version is above.

Okay, so back to your vacation planning…

You want to be sure to stay cool, especially with the changing extreme climates everywhere. You find places and countries that are hotter, feeling droughts, and/or more humid these days that can drive our bodies haywire.

If you’re a natural Vata, you’re sensitive to changes. Think of yourself like the wind with gusts changing around you.

(There’s a chart in my last blog post in case you missed it, and want to know if you’re mostly Vata, Pitta, or Kapha?).

…And keep in mind, thermometer temperature doesn’t always account for humidity, so it can easily feel 10-degrees hotter outside. And your thermostat can automatically turn on when the temperature reading on your phone or internet check-in appears lower. That can keep you wonderin’ about the real temps around you.💭

Traveling Vata vs. Kapha Body

On two extreme poles, Vata and Kapha bodies have different tolerances for weather, travel activities, food/beverage changes; and traveling can exacerbate or calm.

And certain foods, such as tropical juicy fruits like the ones above (kiwi, papaya, and pineapple) will help Vata stay hydrated.

For Vata, take liquid pouches and an at-hand water bottle; and for Kapha bodies, you may want to go for more dry fruit options like berries, papaya, or apricots that make for good trail mixes to take on your vacation.

As for activities, sometimes you want to explore, and other times, you wanna chill and relax by a pool, beach, or be by nature. This can be influenced by your body type and what will best restore you.

You can leave an old mood behind that gets enhanced by your vacation (or can add some havoc to your mind-body while away).

..And what you wanna avoid on vacation, is arriving at your destination and then feeling really off and not enjoying your time that can happen if you in a season that needs mood reset.

And if you run into vacation hassles on top of that, that can compound your unenjoyable vacation experience, leave remorse, and thinking there’s nothing much to write home about.

So here are some tips on how to pick the best and right vacation for you (and not just the one others envy!)…

First, if you’re holding onto salty moods (irritated by people, news, situations, etc.) that have been with you almost every day every hour for an entire season, then you’re better off to stay-put with a staycation.

Going to check-in counters could add to stress levels plus the unpredictability of travel delays and hassles. Your mind can be on overdrive and it’s better to inner calm first before you enter situations that can create more stress.

If you’re in a busy go-go-go season where your body has been working on overdrive or lacking sleep, visiting an easy to get to beach or mountain lake, can be just what the doctor ordered. It’s the next best thing to rest your body while enjoying relaxation.

Even though flying to tropical locales may sound nice, after you factor in time zone, layover, and connectivity changes, you could enjoy your closer-to-home spots over a tropical place on island time that you can’t fully get into.

If your busy times are filled with high stress and burnout that work and life situations can bring… stay away from crowds like Florida spring break beaches, or even the busy beaches I grew up on along the east coast in the Delmarva area. You’re better off going south or further north to quieter Carolina or Maine beaches.

If you’re tired or depressed, an adventure filled with activities could be a better choice for you. Like an eco-tour or hiking in tropical terrains.

If you’re feeling stuck… and here I mean trying to decide not only what type of vacation to take, but what to do with your life (or if you’ve hit a main roadblock), then there are two route options that are better for the different situations.

The first is, if your mind is free from dealing with problems at home, then a travel adventure could be the way to go. If your vacation getaway is motivated by the idea to escape reality or problems, that could backfire for you (as you’re stuck with your mind wherever you go).

Delaying addressing situations on vacation, can lead you to feel like you need another vacation when you get back.

Travel can exacerbate what hasn’t been put at ease in your mind.

…So how to tell beforehand? You can use the book test. Can you focus mindfully on reading a book or a chapter in a book and know what you just read?

If you sit with mind unrest, then journaling and taking yoga classes outside of the home could be better activities. If that doesn’t create the space, then maybe additional longer time off or even a sabbatical (with months or a year off) could be what you need.

Doing what you could at home in your free-time doesn’t sound exciting for vacation, but that could be what your mind-body could be telling you that you need.

To Vacation Travel or Not? ✈️

When you’re traveling, you have less consistency in your day. Routines are off and that sends your body and mind off. So too much travel excitement can actually exhaust you more than give you happy energy.

With exhaustion and stress feelings, you’re better off staying in your own country and exploring your town or nearby town excursions within 2 hours that let your mind relax and wander for a few hours at a time.

Like going to a museum and learning something new or discovering a farmer’s market. This is also a good idea if you’re looking for new ideas and want to feel more alive!

The second one is learning more about yourself and not just about your town and what it has to offer. Like in a mini-sabbatical, you’re discovering what you really want to do with your life.

If you’re exploring the town, you’re not really exploring yourself.

And if you’re watching live sporting events, that can be relaxing… but you’re focused on the game and not introspection. It just depends on what you’re looking to get out of your time off.

Activity vs. Introspection

Focusing on an activity is competing for time and introspection in many ways. If you journal, you can often tell by how much journaling activity is about yourself vs. not journaling or taking notes about activity ideas in a new skill or topic.

And the last point on this is:

Prioritizing meditative introspection helps for a better future life. You see what you want and don’t want to do next; while doing activities focuses on today for a better day.

Both have their time and place. If you’re in a social environment or with others, then you won’t be journaling or meditative. And you’re not likely to want to do both at the same time.

Vata, Pitta, and Kapha Vacation Suggestions

So, to sum up, if you have imbalances in Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, here are the suggestions:

Vata – take a staycation and day trips within 2 hours driving or flying distance.

Explore your town and/or go to yoga classes.

Pitta – take a vacation by the beach, lake, or nature.

Find time each day to do your favorite physical activity.

Kapha – take an adventuresome vacation (away or close to home depending on above moods). Add some challenging physical activity.

You could get up early for a nature challenge before the sunrises, tour another country and culture, or hike in a micro-wilderness adventure.

…While Life is one BIG adventure that keeps moving.

Hopefully, this has helped you with additional wise vacation planning considerations, to better recharge this season and into the next. 🏖

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Anti-Inflammatory Eating Diet Plan For Any Age or Body Type

Anti inflammatory eating is a lifestyle. One that I’m passionate about. And I’m not the only one.

The longest living groups of people on the planet live this way. They’re in the Blue Zones founded by Dan Buettner.

It takes a world effort.

After many moons and decades, anti-inflammatory eating has caught on like wildfire for the health-conscious.

I remember when gyms cropped up like micro greens, and healthy living in the U.S. was focused on getting fit through cardio exercise.

…And was less focused on healthy eating to prevent inflammation and disease.

…While all along heart and cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers are still the leading causes of mortality in the U.S. (according to the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm)

So, then we shifted to a healthy diet as the core strategy for preventing diseases, providing energy and nutritional medicine, and the #1 answer to losing weight.

I watched daily the evolution of this through my management lens working in catering and as an event meal planner… kinda like subscribing to and watching a YouTube channel, except social media didn’t exist back then.

Today, the health-conscious are tuned into anti-inflammatory eating, with plant-based whole foods, quality protein, healthy dairy, and good heart oils. Just in time as cognitive decline and diabetes rates are on the fast rise.

A food’s nutritional composition, low glycemic index, and synergistic food impact on the mind-gut connection have never been so celebrated.

And, that makes me happy because I’m a foodie who loves good-tasting healthy food… and maybe you do too!? 🎂

Whole, plant-based foods are greatest when they’re at their seasonal best and the star in a flavorful-exciting meal.

Today we know our energy in old age (longevity) is heavily influenced by our lifestyle and healthy eating pattern choices. (Harvard Study: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/following-a-variety-of-healthy-eating-patterns-associated-with-lower-heart-disease-risk/)

Through lifestyle choices, we get to play a big role in our physical and mental health destiny, and in the mind-body connection. It’s realistic to aim for a goal of being active at 💯. 🎯

Anti-Inflammatory Eating Goals No Matter What Age or Body Type

Anti-inflammatory eating works for all ages and body types. It’s a healthy eating lifestyle that embraces food variety (biodiversity) and includes sustainable everyday foods where you’re rewarded with feeling good and a body you’re comfortable with… and that helps so you don’t have to switch into different clothing sizes in-between seasons.

You can have food sensitivities and substitute those food items or brands with another highly nutritional equivalent.

Anti-inflammatory isn’t a diet, but it can be a lifelong food plan and THE DIET you stick to, to maintain a consistent healthy body.

…And It’s probably the only anti-anything I live for these days as I believe in peace when at all possible. 😊

In anti-inflammatory eating, there’s generally not a need for elimination diets when the body is running smoothly; and if it’s not, specific anti-inflammatory foods can help restore you back.

Meal planning with daily anti-inflammatory foods (as top of mind), you support your efforts to prevent preventable health issues down the road and chronic inflammations that can mysteriously show up one day.

When you’re younger you may not think about these maturing signs, but older and wiser, we feel our internal body changes by the quality of our daily life activities.

No matter what AGE you are, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory can be your healthy targets, as you look and feel your best today and in your bright, promising future.

We know it’s never too early to start naturally reversing any damage.

There is no downfall to anti-inflammatory eating…

I suppose you can eat too many carrots, but you’d probably grow bunny ears too. 🐰

…Anything is possible, but not likely.

And if you’re on the Vata body side of the spectrum, you appreciate all the variety 🌈, and not eating the same thing every day.

And if you’re on the Kapha end, your healthy, lighter food moves can usually get heavily rewarded, spilling over into other complex body systems winning you bonus points.

Below are the different body types according to Ayurveda in case you’re not sure what your type is.

You can see which one (and sometimes a cross between two) of the Ayurvedic body types you most resemble. By going through each of the 10 statements, you choose the one that most accurately describes you and your body.

Then total up the count for each column seeing which one you have the most check marks in. That’s your dominant body type.

It’s your natural way and the body you’ve gotten used to. Usually, one type is more dominant, but you can have a close second or a tie.

Plus, the types fit more like in a circular pie (or percentage pie if you like math descriptions), where the 3 fit as 3 slices.

Everyone has traces of all 3 types even if one type is just a small sliver or a few crumbs (…can you tell I like food descriptions?).

And this is good to know …especially if you don’t like your body type diagnosis here. I’m sure you also fall into some of the descriptions in the other types or in different times of your life 😉

These come from the learnings I had back in 2008.

No matter which BODY TYPE you have, each one of us can benefit from daily anti-inflammatory eating.

Eating anti-inflammatory is like cardio exercise. …in that, we reap healthy benefits as we have a heart that runs better with our healthy moves.

So, then armed with this information, you can better plan your daily anti-inflammatory “eat from the rainbow” meals that can become your established eating-being way.

Enter The Healthiest Combination: Ayurveda Habits and Anti-Inflammatory Eating

In my relationship with food, I choose anti-inflammatory foods when grocery shopping, and then make easy home meals based on what balances my dominant Vata sweet tooth-to-salty craving body.

And I use food as natural “medicine” to help restore my Ayurvedic imbalances—Kapha, Vata, Pitta, or a combination of them that get out of whack for any of us at any time.

Gradually getting off-balance is part of natural order in our organized, but seemingly chaotic world at times.

Think of the 3 body types in us like colliding earth, wind, and fire (…and like the timeless rock band who still plays in harmony… and just this past weekend).

…Do you remember (the 21st night of September)?… 🎸🎺🎤🎶

…So anyway, with all the chaos brought into our bodies, layering anti-inflammatory foods and balancing them with Ayurvedic food choices is a good way (and I think the best way!) to smooth out undesired moods like anxiety, depression, anger, and any shades in between.

These mood types that linger as undercurrents or that are obvious to us (and others), can cause chronic stress leading to inflammation and debilitating diseases already mentioned.

But the good news is… subtle food changes can change our subtle moods (…nice tongue twister there 😊).

This is true for all ages, types, and sizes as we all can carry off-balance moods seasonally or from time-to-time.

Even though my size is usually consistent year-round, I have a big Vata sweet tooth and too much sugar irritates my skin. That’s a sign of a Pitta body imbalance.

With The 2 A’s (Anti-Inflammatory and Ayurvedic) approach I know I’m doing everything I can to support my prized health and honor the body that was given to me… and that can be your intention too.

So, I put together a list of 200 anti-inflammatory foods so you know easily what to grocery shop for (and shortcut to the checkout line).

The healthy and anti-inflammatory shopping lists help you decide what to grocery buy and fill your kitchen with when you’re lazy or feeling a ‘lil Kapha… and you want to make easy choices… and not have to search high and low in your fridge and cabinets trying to figure out your next meal when it can be made deliciously in minutes or in one bowl with ideas on-hand.

Plus you can overlay the Ayurveda food lists provided, so you have all the researched nutritional food knowledge and references, food lists, and meal ideas all in one place and at your fingertips…. and have the food knowledge I acquired from my decade of event meal planning working with chefs. You can use the list of ingredients and take the flavor ideas to make similar simple, tasty meals that impress you and those you’re feeding.

Another benefit to anti-inflammatory eating that I’ve learned is that your at-home healthy practice can change your sugar.

What do I mean by this?…

At home, you can control the ingredients you eat.

Since 2020, I took up baking regularly. I built a deeper relationship with ingredients and food. I learned to modify bakes without refined sugar (or any white sugar-type substitute) that irritates the skin. And in other body types, sugar can add to insulin resistance and wreak other body havoc.

I do make a few exceptions, but pretty much I’ve learned to enjoyably swap what I once loved (sugar!) with sweet anti-inflammatory ingredients that I now prefer the taste of… because taste is super important to me, as it is to you! 😋

These days, I’m choosier with flavors and I think that makes for better-tasting and healthier bakes.

I’m sure if I got a taste of something super boozy sweet now like in a restaurant dessert with an oozing middle, I would probably only be able to take a small bite without thinking it was too sweet.

So, what you eat regularly changes your body desires and tastes to match your diet.

You are what you eat (and you can become what you eat).

…So that’s another benefit of making the healthy switch!

Your healthy desires catch up to your habits and routines.

That’s good hope for sugar cravings or any other unhealthy weak-in-the-knees food cravings (like the FF word 🍟).

…And if you were to offer a diabetic person, a sugar-free yummy cookie, they probably wouldn’t want it, but if they did, they wouldn’t enjoy it the same way they would if they had the taste of sugar regularly.

So, our tastes also change to help us out.

That’s some good inspo if you want to cook or bake more today or into this year.

And, I’d add... if you have pantry ingredients close on hand, you’re more likely to pick up this handy life skill sooner if you want. You can decide to keep a good shelf-life food pantry, in addition to shopping regularly for fresh ingredients or meals.

You could also keep a secondary “food as medicine” kitchen cabinet that includes spices like I do.

If that’s far from what you do today and you’re not there yet, but wanna be… be encouraged that your desires change. Like in my home cooking journey…

I rarely turned on the oven or stove at home when I planned menus all day at work as a catering sales manager. I came home tired and had a couple boxes of pasta and tomato sauce in my cupboard… nothing for me to get excited about even after I re-charged my energy.

Grocery store shopping was my personal foodie food event.

Cooking was the last thing I wanted to do being around food conversations all day.

And in your case, you may be dead dog tired by the end of the work week, overwhelmingly busy season, or just had a Pitta day, that all cause you to want to stay away from the stovetop oven… yes/right?

But you could change your mind and ways when you get used to sniffing and reading ingredients that you have on hand at home a few steps away from the couch that you can check out on your way back from the bathroom or reaching for a snack 😉… and that way you can see that you can actually make your own this-and-that just as easily as going out or to the store.

A factory doesn’t need to supply all the combined ingredients in a package for you to enjoy.

Food was available before we had modern machinery and even available sugar for baking.

So you can put ingredients together yourself in seconds or minutes (and without all kinds of convenient gadgets and kitchenware).

You can use what you have available.

And in those mindful minutes, you can tap into your creative and therapeutic part of your day.

That can lead you to want to learn more about the variety of interesting anti-inflammatory ingredients available out there as regular substitutions to sugar and high processed foods.

…And you can start with the most important meal of the day. 🎉 Visit low-sugar breakfast recipes for enjoyable, anti-inflammatory food inspiration.

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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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