A Double Whammy

I love quotes! Who doesn't? The only issue that seems to come from humanity's great love of quotes is that we often post quotes in an empty fashion, meaning that we like the idea of the words and can see how they would apply to our lives, but we don't take the next step of actually living by these words.
I liken it to waving a white flag without the intention to surrender, or saying "I stand for this" without really knowing what it means.

Not saying that it's easy to just integrate a quote into your life right away - it will take practice! So, I totally support creating a Pinterest board of quotes, or having your favourites posted on your mirror so you can look at them each morning. Kind of like a mantra, right?
But, choose the quotes that really resonate with you! Some that you feel are actually reasonable to integrating into your life, often by the same person or by people within the same genre.

These two quotes really hit-home today. Both represent something I am struggling with, and speak to my heart very profoundly and eloquently. Lovingly, I accept the guidance presented and commit to putting these into practice.

"The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you."

"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger."

- The Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)

Image courtesy of coward_lion at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Namaste, All!

PS. Tell me your favourite quotes in the comments!

Metamorphosis

Does anybody else do their best thinking in the shower? I swear it's not just me that solves problems and brainstorms solutions and gets crazy awesome ideas while the water is pouring down from that heavenly shower head. 

Tonight I got into the shower late - around 12:30am - and started thinking about time management and my work habits after a long day (yes, even those of us who work from home have long work days). See, I have a consulting company in which I write creative and business copy, along with providing other services like customer inbox support and social media content creation and management. I work for some incredible, incredible people (and companies) and I truly feel like I'm doing what I LOVE! But, I'm also a full time university student taking much too long to complete my degree, so the time management skill is something I'll admit I severely lack.

This can be a problem and it stresses me out; I know I can do the work, and I know I can do it well, but why am I not DOING IT?!?

We've all been there.

It was during my shower that I started thinking about it: how can I better manage my time? Just one simple thought that inspired a veritable brain stew of juicy personal insights and, ultimately, a metamorphosis. 

So... what's the big deal? Well, I have grown up with the notion that I was a doormat - a person that could not do anything right and was basically walked on by everyone. I was bullied... a lot. I was taunted and teased and I put on the victim hat and wore it very convincingly... I ALLOWED myself to be walked all over by playing the part of what we'll call a "lost girl". I lied to make myself look better and build myself up, and purposely put myself in situations that were just not a good place to be. I did it to myself but I don't regret it... not one bit. Sure, I made SO many mistakes, but learning, growing, and moving on from who I used to be shaped who I am today. I shed that skin and, now, I kinda like me. I kinda like me a lot. 

So, what does this have to do with time management? Well, I realized that my aversion to DOING stemmed from my attitude about myself: the doormat mentality. I will apologize and take on burdens that either are not mine to take on, or simply do not exist. I tend to make a big deal out of nothing and then beat myself to a pulp for doing something wrong or going at a pace that I think that others probably think is too slowly. This makes me not even want to do anything (and may explain why I sleep so much - it's not cause I'm tired, it's cause I'm a professional avoider! I kid, I kid) and, thus, has caused me to have poor time management skills. But this is NOT an excuse... nooo sir. This is an epiphany - a revelation if you will. This may seem like something totally obvious to you, but for me it is going to change everything. 

I am remarkably privileged to work for Eyes Wide Open Life and be a part of the brilliant EWO Collective. I used to think that being surrounded by strong-willed, tenacious women would overwhelm me and squash my voice and personality, so I avoided these women in both my personal and work lives. Boy, was I wrong! I am surrounded by some of the most strong-willed, smart, tenacious, GENIUS women in both aspects of my life and I am thriving! 

These women truly know how to embrace their feminine and have introduced me to a type of sisterhood I thought only existed within the relationship I have with my best friends and actual sister, and I am eternally grateful for it. They nurture and incubate my strengths and voice, and don't blame me, judge, or berate me because of my weaknesses, and I strive to emulate them and study their practices and ideas. They inspire me so whole-heartedly and I have, once again, shed a skin that has become too heavy and worn. 

Because of this inspiration, my lifestyle has changed for the better. I am more outspoken and upfront with what I want and I understand now what my path is and that it can change... and to embrace that change and where it may take me. I do yoga every morning I can with my amazing cousin and her love (check out their FREE yoga program here) and I have more clarity now than I feel I ever have. Sweet, sweet clarity. 

I was watching a webinar that featured some of the on-fire business priestesses I work with at Eyes Wife Open Life: Amrita Khalsa, Kiva Leatherman, and Anne Perry (watch it here - you'll be more than glad you did). They were talking about time management and stopping the overwhelm, and one key idea really stuck out and resonated with me: it's about taking time for yourself, too! 

This seemingly simple idea is, of course, easier said than done, but it is possible and it is REWARDING! Giving yourself some freedom and taking the time to focus on yourself gives you breathing room and energy to get to work when the time comes. 

So now, I'm changing again. I'm shedding the old, tired, worn out skin that was saturated with overwhelm because of mismanaged time and not enough inner peace and dialogue. 

I'm not saying, "I can't do it" anymore; I'm replacing it with "I'm going to get it done" and I'm confident that I will do it. 

Can't wait to see what my next shower brainstorming sesh brings me! Tell me how you make the most of your time in the comments below and what you do to relax. 

Stop Apologizing For Love!

Love is a force that captures our minds and bodies in the same way fear does. Love is one of the most frequently-used, most-trusted, and most feared words in our vocabularies... and it seems like many people are forced to, or just do, apologize for it.

Why?

Love is beautiful and inspiring. And yes, while sometimes it can be overbearing and scary, love is the precursor to new beginnings, to good feelings, and to PEACE. 

So stop apologizing for love. Love fearlessly and always, love until everybody around you can feel it, and love because you want to, not because you need to. It doesn't matter if you are gay or straight or what the colour of your skin is, be accepting of love and let it inspire you - stop resisting it!

A fundamental Kadampa Buddhist teaching is that you should love all others, and recognize that their happiness is more important than yours. This is, of course, not saying that we should abandon self-love, but encouraging self-love and self-improvement so that we can be at our best to help others. So that we can inspire. So that our love is pure. 

So that our positive karmic intentions carry on throughout our world that so desperately needs it (like Pay-It-Forward).

Reflect: how did you LOVE today?

Photo from Pinterest

Daily Dose of... Buddha

Photo from Pinterest

Namaste.

Freedom

Be Not Afraid of Failure... Welcome It!

'Nuff said

Let's Talk About... Kadampa Buddhism

(Almost) every Monday night for the past couple of weeks, my sister, my husband, and myself have been attending Kadampa Buddhist teachings at the Akshobya Kadampa Buddhist Centre here in Calgary.

Life-changing.

You can check out more about the centre, and Kadampa Buddhism, here: http://www.meditationalberta.org/kadampa-buddhism/

Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982-1054).

In the word, ‘Kadampa’, ‘Ka’ refers to Buddha’s teachings, and ‘dam’ to Atisha’s special Lamrim instructions. Kadampas, then, are practitioners who regard Buddha’s teachings as personal instructions and put them into practice by following the instructions of Lamrim.

By integrating their understanding of all Buddha’s teachings into their practice of Lamrim, and by integrating their experience of Lamrim into their everyday lives, Kadampas use Buddha’s teachings as practical methods for transforming daily activities into the path to enlightenment.

(from http://www.meditationalberta.org/kadampa-buddhism/)

Come From A Place Of I CAN!

Man... spin class kicked my ASS today but it was so worth it!Afterwards, I felt like I had accomplished something and it felt GREAT :)
Instead of coming from I place of "I can't" and start thinking "I can"! 

So many people dread working out (I am one of these people), but it feels so good and even better when you finally see the results.

So, my new mantra for this is:

I am grateful for this opportunity to be healthy.

I am grateful for this opportunity for me to improve myself.

 

Daily Dose of Buddha

If for just the time of a finger-snap a monk produces a thought of loving-kindness, develops it, gives attention to it, such a one is rightly called a monk. Not in vain does he meditate. He acts in accordance with the master's teaching, he follows his advice. How much more so if he cultivates it.

- The Buddha (Shakyamuni)

Namaste 

Did You Know?

Let's Talk About... Change

"Everything changes, nothing remains without change." - The Buddha

I feel like the word "change" is just an overall loaded word. I also feel like it's connotations are highly feared when they should be celebrated. Should we replace "change" with "metamorphosis"? "Growth"? "Blossoming"? These all have positive connotations - when we think of metamorphosis we usually think of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, or a flower "blossoming" from a plain, green bud into a thing of beauty.

So.... why can't we be that beautiful butterfly or that flower? Let's go back to kindergarten for a sec and be that beautiful butterfly!

 Maybe "changing" the world wouldn't seem like such a colossal task if we switched our train of thought to "assisting in world growth" or, to make it sound a bit more creative and less stick-up-my-butt, "telling the world to grow up!"

 We all have ideas about how this will happen, and that is why I love the internet. It is a world-wide forum on how we live our lives, how we achieve (and do not achieve) peace in our own lives, and our ideas about everything. Yup, every single little thing - haven't you ever perused the YouTube comments section?

Believe it or not, this is helping you to grow/change. You are taking a stance in what you believe in, whether or not you agree with something, and maybe even educating you on a topic that you wouldn't naturally stumble upon. Like.... the gluten and dairy free diet and controversies about it, perhaps?

 Growth/change can be the hardest thing. I am slowly growing up past my fears of failure, my fears of doing something wrong, my fears of letting things go, amongst others... not to mention to massive growth that it took to identify my allergies, discover cooking with them, and creating this blog!

But I am growing... and it is exciting! The new opportunities that have opened up to me are terrifying, fascinating, exciting, and will continue this never-ending growth spurt!

I am proud of myself.

Say it to yourself now. I AM PROUD OF MYSELF!

For:

- list your accomplishments, big or small (if you can't think of any, you're not trying hard enough)

Now, what needs to change? What do you need to grow past? Are you holding onto something that is preventing this growth?

Chances are, you probably answered yes to at least one of those questions. If not, you're not thinking hard enough - you can always improve!

Think of the quote from Buddha above; where would we be if we hadn't changed/grew?

When I think of who I was, especially in high school, I see much growth/change. I see my Self hurdling over obstacles to GET WHAT I WANT TO BE HAPPY.

What do you want? Write it down, blow it up, frame it. WHAT DO YOU WANT??? Will you be happy and true to your Self?

How are you going to get it? I bet that it will involve change/growth - I bet that it will take a bit of life revision to say "I need to change this" or... "I need to grow up".

Our mantras:

"I am proud of myself"

"I am ready to grow"

"I can be that beautiful butterfly"

"I am going to be true to my Self"

"I am going to be happy"

Namaste.

Let's Talk About... Cell Phones

I am still in university - after five years I have finally discovered my PASSION for writing! Hopefully it shows and you beautiful readers can benefit from it!

Anyways, for one of my English assignments, I had to read this article by Micheline Maylor. What an intriguing read! So intriguing - and inspiring - that I think I might take the challenge...

I CAN live without my cell phone... I CAN live without my cell phone... right?

Wish me luck!

Love always,

Kath

Let's Talk About... Being Mindful

Last night, on Twitter, I sent out a tweet about "mindful eating"; that is, eating to enjoy and appreciate the food, instead of shoving it willy-nilly into your face like we all are guilty of at one time.

Being mindful isn't just about eating, of course, but everything! Everything should be done by being mindful and present in that moment.

This is an easy mantra to remember: "Be Mindful" or "Be Present". Saying this in your head, or even out loud, can make you stop, slow down, and think about being present and mindful in that exact moment. This is also helpful when making a tough decision like "Should I take the job overseas?" or something trivial like "Should I post this Facebook photo?" - stop, be mindful and present and think about it! Why do you want to do that? How will it affect you, and how will it affect the environment around you? Will it affect other people negatively or positively? How will this decision aid in bringing peace to your life and environment? Those are only a few questions to ask yourself. 

In a way, it is similar to meditation - you are truly meditating for a few moments on this question by being present and mindful!!!

If there is ever doubt or a question you ask yourself that you cannot answer, then you know where you have to focus some of your energy on. If you are doubtful whether your relationship is truly making you happy, if it is what is the best for you in your life to bring peace and happiness, and if it is affecting your Self and/or others negatively, then you may need to meditate on a larger question: "What is my decision?"

Remember that this is not by any means a question to be answered immediately, but one to sit on and mull over - keeping your intentions and thoughts mindful, present and positive.

You will find your Path and your Self will rejoice upon it.

 

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. (21)”
― Thích Nhất Hạnh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Everything In Moderation

When you are trying something new, like a diet, you have to remember the moderate and PORTION! The diet has worked so well for me because I read the ingredients and consider the daily value... but I also measure each item. So, below I've listed a few of my "everything in moderation" tips that have worked for me.

1. Measure & weigh your food! Buy a small scale and keep it in your kitchen - don't put it in a cupboard or drawer - keep it out in the open and weigh as much as you can... do the same with measuring cups/spoons

2.  Get creative! Stop eating the same old boring chicken; jazz it up! I am a huge advocate for chicken... and look how many ways I can cook it! If you have a thought for a recipe, try it!

3. Read the back. Consider the daily intake values for each ingredient you use; I do much of my thinking in Weight Watchers Points - consciously asking myself, "How many Points would this be?". If it feels like it would make my Points go up, I reconsider using it.

4. Plan ahead. Buy a magnetic whiteboard at the Dollar Store with a dry-erase marker. Now, plan your week of dinners. This is especially helpful if you have a spouse like mine whose favourite thing to ask is, "What's for dinner?" Make sure you stick to your schedule; check it in the morning to see if you have to defrost anything, and try to have at least three meat-free days/week.

5. Take the time to have breakfast. There's a reason that they call for three meals a day; make time to get them all! I usually try to have egg whites and a smoothie or fresh fruit for breakfast, or I enjoy 1/4 cup of quinoa cereal with 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk. If you find that eating that early in the morning makes you feel a little queasy, then make yourself something that is easy to take with you and eat it at your desk in the morning.

6. Get a lunch kit. Seriously, just do it. It will make your life, and your lunch, much easier - trust me!

7. Pack a Snack. Have a healthy snack several times during the day - it's an excuse to take a break from work and it will stop you from gorging yourself. I take fruit, nuts, veggies, and sometimes applesauce with me if I have a long day ahead. 

(Note: If you are newly dairy free and are a yogurt junkie, then buy almond yogurt - it is just as tasty and packs a whole bunch of calcium! Also, check out Daiya brand cheeses for a gluten and dairy free cheese alternative!)

8. Get Your Daily Dose. Take your vitamins! They have adult chews now, plus a daily Karma Wellness Water will give you your recommended dosage... so you have no excuse as to why you shouldn't be getting them.

9. Get Happy! Set a positive outlook on your goal - tell yourself you will get there- and feel GOOD about it; a healthy diet and regular exercise is your ticket to a better you.

10. Stay Committed. I do use the word "diet", but I really mean "lifestyle change". This truly is a lifestyle change and it won't happen overnight - it will be hard, but it will be worth it!

  Image courtesy of theberry.com

Namaste!

A Wee Bit Of Wisdom

There will always, always, always be people and situations who are there to challenge you, cause drama and controversy, and upset you throughout all aspects and times in your life. The solution isn't to expect them to change or to immediately sway to how you would like things to be, but to promote positivity and bright energy in how YOU handle that person or situation. You must be the driving force in conflict resolution and creating a sense of balance to create peaceful happiness for all. Be open to change, be open to other's opinions, be peaceful. Practice mantras... they even are working for me (formerly known as The Most Impatient Being) slowly but surely.

 

YOU can do it!

 

Namaste

 

Shine Through!

Challenging times can be... well, challenging... and can drive even the most strong - hearted to give up. But, even in these dark times, make sure that you have one goal; shine through the darkness!

Think of it like the light shining through the dark clouds. Dark clouds carry stormy, tough times but the sun always seems to shine through; this sunlight that carries such hope and bright "alive-ness". Yet, the light seems to have no "substance" to it; we can feel it hot on our faces but we cannot touch it or taste it - it's just... there. Think of that as you; even if you feel like you have no substance or place... or like you're just "there"... you can still shine through!

Just like the sunlight shining through, breaking up the darkness to reach Earth, you can break through the darkness surrounding you and brighten your life!

Namaste.

Daily Dose of... Buddha

"Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life."

- The Buddha

Namaste 

Daily Dose of... Buddha

"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."

- The Buddha

Namaste

Something To Think About Today

Happy Monday!

Daily Dose Of... Zen

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”- Thich Nhat Hanh

Namaste