Why and what you need to declutter before the new year

What are you willing to let go of in order to start the new year right?

Prevent yourself from living in the past

We are leaving yet another year behind us and the next stands, daunting, at our front doors. I have always been emotionally attached to time. I would characterize myself as a sensitive person and so I have often caught myself stuck thinking about the past, how time fast times, and how it literally feels like just yesterday that this particular memory happened. What I'm talking about right now are the happy feelings we get from thinking about heart-warming past memories. In these cases, we may be unwilling to acknowledge difficulties that are happening in our present lives, whether or not we recognize them as problems.

Physical items can mirror our emotional state

The alternative scenario is, that your past has been difficult and as much as you tried to persevere, it is so hard to allow yourself to move on or let go of the emotional weight. Often times this can be tied into the material weight you are holding onto. Material items can say a lot about us and simultaneously they can emotionally affect us. The way we treat our material belongings - hoard them, clutter them - says something about us. Are we holding onto material items because we are unwilling to let go of emotions of resentment or hurt? Are we reorganizing crap (instead of getting rid of it) because we are simply unaware of the fact that it represents the way we have been reorganizing our goals, without ever really doing anything about them?

If you feel that this connection between your physical space and your mental state explains the messy situation you are currently in, do not fret! I have outlined three small steps you can take to begin to declutter and create order moving forward into the new year.

Reflect on your year first  

Before we even begin looking at our material belongings, lets first look back on this year. What was this year like for you overall? Without immediately labeling it "good" or "bad," what are a few emotions that come up? Perhaps feelings of courage or strength arise. Maybe love or hurt. Before we can even begin to connect material belongings to our emotional experiences and our past, we need to recognize what happened this past year and most importantly, what has been holding us back.

Ask yourself that question. What is holding me back? What happened this year that impacted me in some way? How did I change? Did something happen that shifted my focus? Did I do something that I need to take responsibility for?

There are so many things, little or big, that hold us back from moving forward because we don't deal with them. We have to deal with our shit before we can freely move forward; otherwise, your shit will pile up and start blocking your way. You will be building a wall in front of yourself made of your emotional stuff and your material stuff.

Take 10 minutes right now. Set a timer and reflect on your year. Be really honest with yourself. You have got to confront what has happened to you or what you have done in order to truly move on and grow from it.

Next, Declutter your material items

With this new year slowly creeping up, I want you to ask yourself this: what material items can I declutter and let go of in my life?

This first step is all about recognizing the excess of clothes, products, and goods that you have that are no longer serving you. This does not need to be a huge and complete decluttering process, but it can include the first few things that came to mind when I asked the question above. Maybe you've known that those items have served their purpose for you and it is now time to let them go. What comes to mind right now? Go get it and then let it go. If you don't feel like you have anything do declutter, take 30 minutes and reorganize a drawer in your closet (or maybe the whole closet!). I guarantee you will be confronted with items that you no longer spark joy or are keeping you in the past, preventing you from moving forward.

Before we move onto the next step, reflect. Have there been any material items created a negative emotional connection? Did you perhaps become calmer after organizing a bookshelf or a drawer? Pay attention to the mental shifts that are happening as you let go of items or a mess that is not serving you.

Now, declutter your goals 

What can you release yourself from? Sometimes we create goals and routines that are far too ambitious and we cannot give them enough focus because they are not our priorities. They may have sounded cool, but they weren't broken down into manageable sub-goals, or maybe they don't light a fire within you anymore.

Get rid of any goal or project that no longer aligns with your goals, who you are right now, or where you want to go! Allow yourself to let go of these past to-do's that are no longer a priority for you. Feel the release of letting them go. You do not need to do everything, and decluttering goals because they no longer serve you is not failure - it's called self-care.

Take it inside 

Now take your reflection, the stuff you decluttered, and the goals you let go of, and let's take a trip into your emotional self. What emotional realizations did you have from decluttering your space or your goals? What emotions do you need to deal with now that you have reflected on your year? How do you need to show up for yourself right now, in order to let all the emotions you have been carrying with you go?

What are the resentments, guilt, and anger you are willing to let go of? Is there shame or embarrassment you can declutter from yourself? If there is someone you need to forgive (even yourself), now is the time.

What are stories that you are telling yourself? What are the false beliefs that are becoming embedded in your mind because you tell yourself over and over that you are too young or too old or not successful or too poor or not lovable or emotionally unavailable? Let go of all of the disempowering stories you tell yourself. Would you say any of these stories to your best friend? Would you try and tear them down the way you have been doing to yourself?

Confront and release the negative emotions, situations, and stories that you have been holding onto. You will not need them from here on out as you enter this new year.

Do whatever works best for you in order to declutter your emotions. Write out the situations and at the end forgive or state how you will no longer continue this practice in the future. Maybe you need to write up everything you need to let go of on individual sheets so you can tear them up or burn them. Maybe you need to take a bath and wash them all away. Do whatever you feel will work best to help you declutter.

I think it's important to add that some emotions need to be worked through with a professional and/or it may take more than a day to let them go. If that is your case, that is okay too. This exercise will serve as a good starting point and the fact that you clicked to read this post shows that you are already in the mindset of healing and decluttering.

Why decluttering mind and space together is so important

The way we deal with emotions or past situations can often show itself through the material items we treasure (or don't) and the way we handle our possessions. So first and foremost, this practice will help you realize what you have been holding onto that is affecting you emotionally in order to help you let go of it.

Second, recognizing the mental and emotional connection to our physical belongings and the declutter that can be done for both spaces, will encourage more intentionality in the future. Hopefully, the four categories of reflecting, decluttering material items, decluttering goals, and confronting emotions and beliefs will stay with you as you move forward. That way, you can be conscious of what you bring into your life or know when something needs to go because it has begun emotionally impacting you.

With that, I will leave you until next year. Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this journey or consistently read and visited D3. It means the world to me and I love sharing on this platform.

A very happy new year!

The importance of a colour palette based wardrobe

One way to own less and ensure that everything matches is to build your wardrobe around a chosen colour palette, keeping your wardrobe simple and decluttered

On my decluttering journey of simplifying, I have purged my closet many times. I purged it after I watched The Minimalist's documentary and again after I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by following the Konmari method. I purged and decluttered my childhood belongings when I went home to my mom's house and then again at my dad's. When I got back home, I had started establishing my own method of tidying and simplifying, and I decluttered once again. I began creating my own version of what minimalism meant to me and continued to explore what belongings sparked joy and in turn, I started practicing conscious consumption. 

Colour Scheme Realization

A clients closet after purging and decluttering: earth tones, white, black, and maroon

The last and final time I decluttered my closet, I came to a realization; the clothes that sparked joy and I had chosen to keep all followed somewhat of a colour scheme. I realized the colour that suited me best was a mauve taupe like purple and many of the clothes I loved and felt great wearing had that colour in them or went well with that colour. The rest of my clothes followed a colour scheme of earth tones, pinks, oranges, and of course, black. What can I say, I love the basic natural tones and then lots of black!

Anyways. The point is that a clear colour scheme formed for me and since then, I have continued to base my wardrobe around those colours. The practice of sticking to a colour scheme has encouraged me to become a more conscious consumer, as I now only buy pieces that fit with my chosen colours and I know what colours fit me best. 

The Goal - Pick out an item with your eyes closed, and love it! 

When I started putting my clothes back into my closet after my last purge, I was able to colour code them so easily because all the colours fit together. I also loved looking at my closet and picking out outfits because I could literally close my eyes, reach into my closet, pull out any top and want to wear it! In the past, it would take me forever to get dressed because I didn't truly love everything I owned. If I did this "pick a random top" test back then, the chances of me wanting to wear it would have been slim. 

I have continued to keep this goal in mind, it has allowed me to become a more conscious consumer. I don't want to ruin the beautiful collection and colour set-up that I have going on, so I am very careful with what I choose to bring into my closet. To pass the wardrobe test, the item needs to truly spark joy and fit into what I have identified as my style and colours.

Remember, there are a million beautiful things out there; that doesn't mean they fit to your concept of beauty. Be mindful of what you bring into your space.

A shot of my closet; all the colours match with the sweaters in the heading photo of this post!

A Wardrobe Colour Scheme results in a Simplified Closet

My wardrobe had decreased significantly after my final purge and I am in love with the results. I am sharing this with you because I believe that one major method to creating a wardrobe that sparks joy and becoming a conscious consumer, is to create a structure for the things you buy. Determining what your colours are, what colours you love, and what looks good on you, will prevent you from purchasing items that don't spark joy or fit the rest of your style.

Additionally, you may end up having less than before even though it may not feel that way. Hear me out - if everything in your closet falls under a colour scheme, then at least 80% of the pieces in your closet should match (depending on what your chosen colour scheme is). When everything matches, you really don't need a lot of pieces to create multiple different outfits. This will also help with packing, as you can create more outfits from fewer items.

One colour scheme approach is using "colour families" instead of just single colours, to give yourself wriggle room. This approach is about helping you find focus and direction in your wardrobe, instead of enforcing a feeling of confinement.

Another client closet - colour scheme does not need to imply having lots of colour. If you like the neutrals, blacks, and whites, stick to those.

The Final Purge

I have been referring to my last closet decluttering as my "final purge." This is because this realization of what clothes and colours I love has helped me limit the amount of items I buy that are short-term fills. By this, I mean that we live in a consumer society where deals and access amounts of items are available to us, and in turn, we tend to buy things we don't absolutely love. I am hopeful that the structure of a specific colour scheme will help me maintain a minimal wardrobe of pieces I love and that are long-lasting.

Less is more. This client put her clothes she loved back into her closet after purging and then did not want to ruin the simplicity of the closet by adding items she didn't fully love. Be picky! Use this method to help identify your colour scheme.

Progress not perfection

Now that you have read all this information, here is the most important takeaway: don't worry about making it perfect. My wardrobe is still far from perfect and I could probably still consume less and "want" less. It's really all about progress; I have become a more conscious consumer and I have created and continue the process of creating a wardrobe that is sustainable, functional and represents me. Don't stress about the little things. Don't worry if you have a shirt you love but that doesn't fit into the rest of your colour scheme. That's okay! If you love it, keep it! It's that simple ... so don't over complicate! 

Reach out! 

Are you interested in purging your closet? Or have you been purging and now want to find your colour scheme around which to build your wardrobe? Or do you have questions about what a conscious consumerism is or tips on how to become a more conscious consumer? Reach out to me! Send me an email, leave a comment, or DM me on Instagram! I would be so happy to hear from you!

Stear clear of stress and cramming with these insights on time managment

With final exams right around the corner, you will want to read these time management and organizational tips

The winter break is on the horizon, midterms have only just finished (thanks Western!), and the end of the semester has suddenly snuck up on students. Across campus, students are cramming for exams, and swearing they will do anything to not be cramming next exam period.

The cramming struggle can only be solved by the one thing your parents always nagged you about: time management skills. It may have been annoying at the time, but now you realize that if you plan ahead you can rest well knowing your assignments will be handed in on time.

Coming into university life is an adjustment, but over the years, students are able to figure out what professors want and how to best go about getting all their work done. If you are new to the university workload, or just simply done with trying to decode why your professors insist on making impossible exam questions, this one’s for you.

Maybe a bit late now as we border on December, but here are the best time management methods

If you are currently cramming and don’t have time to read the full length of all the tips, let’s make a long story short: plan ahead, use a planner, write notes in a planner, plan what’s coming up, and then plan some more!

Students and experts alike advocate for using some method of calendar and task planning. “I find that the best way for organizing my studying is to really plan out in advance what I have ahead of me. I do that with my notebook planner and with a calendar on my wall,” Lucas Heine, a second-year BMOS student, says. Being able to visualize his deadlines helps him stay focused and decreases stress.

Adrianne Disimoni, a fourth-year criminology student, also uses a whiteboard on her wall for an overview of upcoming deadlines. “I use two calendars. One is a day planner and the other is the computer calendar to allow notifications for upcoming tasks and assignments.”

If you are new to this, it is important to keep it simple and only use one tool for planning. I suggest using a physical planner because it gives you the ability to write down to-dos and physically cross them off. 

Sarah Skwira, a fourth-year student double majoring in environmental health and medical science, learned from her cramming experience for a chemistry exam in first-year. “I had a bio exam the day before and prioritized that, so I ended up really taking the ‘L’ on the chemistry one. Needless to say there was a ‘let’s forget this happened’ party afterwards.”

Now she also encourages having a schedule or a calendar for deadlines. “This saves so much stress. When you do a little bit each day, you will never feel the need to cram or stress about leaving things to the last minute,” she says. “Your brain also can’t absorb information as well when you are stressed.”

If you don’t have one already, your first to-do on your new to-do list, is to go get a wall calendar or a planner or open that iCal app that’s just hanging out in your dock, and put them to work!

Morning Motivation … but I went out last night!

Mornings are the enemy and bane of most people’s existence. Especially in the university lifestyle where there is no 9 am job keeping tabs on you, it’s easy to sleep in until your heart's content.

Disimoni and Skwira have recognized that their motivation and focus is much greater in the morning. “I get up early and go to bed early and I do most of my work in the earlier part of the day because of that,” Skwira says. “Working late into the night or in loud spaces is not something that worked for me,” she adds.

For others, mornings are a definite no-go. “Getting up stupidly early and trying to get a bunch of stuff done has not worked for me,” Heine says. “If forcing yourself to get up will just make you unproductive, don’t do it.”

Generally, people are either night owls or early birds.

“I work well when it’s dark out,” Lucas says. Lucas can be found studying on the 5^th floor of Weldon Library where there are no windows. If you too are a night owl vampire, join him, because he admits it gets depressing after a while.

Identify your habits – when and where do you work best? Determine your habit for focusing and create your own personalized routine. Maybe sleeping in is in the cards for you after all!

Make Prioritizing into a Meal

The key to time management success does not come from solely writing deadlines down. You actually need to do the work. The best way to demolish all your assignments and exams, is to break them into bite-sized pieces.

Oliver ranks the priority of his to-do’s depending on when each task is due. “Don’t just plan to do five hours of ‘studying,’” Oliver says. “I try to break it down into specific subjects and time periods; mine are ‘make study notes, study notes, practice questions, study difficult or wrong answers’, and so on.”

Creating sub-tasks under one bigger task helps increase efficiency and decreases feelings of overwhelm.

After Skwira’s stressful chemistry exam back in first-year, she now organizes her time based on what requires the most studying: “The work that requires more cognitive energy will be done earlier in the day. Other work that is more passive I leave for the evenings.”

Make your to-do’s into a meal: Know what’s for breakfast lunch and dinner, and cut each piece of food down into chewable bites. See, fun analogies make the dread of studying a bit better already! You are welcome.

Good is Good Enough

This advice is short and sweet. As a university student, there is so much going on with assignments, exams, clubs, friends, family, and other jobs as well. Sometimes, you just need to do things to get them done.          

           

Oliver suggests making a framework of how long you intend to spend on each task and subtask after you’ve prioritized them. He adds that the most important thing is to not spend more time than is needed on any given task. “When the to-do list feels miles long, done is better than perfect.”

If you are determined to do everything absolutely perfectly in life, here’s the big secret: you will be spending a lot of unnecessary time on things that might not get you anywhere. Spend forever on your thesis, but just write the damn forum post already!

Beware and prepare (again): Other difficulties you might encounter that no one tells you about

1.     “Adulting” gets real

This happens during a stressful exam period when you realize what the concept “adulting” really is. In other words, you finally appreciate everything your parents did for you because you have to plan so much more than just your school work.

Adrianne says she also uses her day planner for personal tasks like meal planning and grocery shopping. This part of student life quickly becomes even more frustrating when you have to carry your close to ripping plastic grocery bags on the bus and through the snow. Without nourishing meals, focusing will become difficult, so use your new found love for planning and have your meals set for that week of study grind time.

2.     Accept and that you will not be able to stay on top of everything

With all the planning and assignments, there is no way you will be able to wait till you’ve finished everything to take your break. It seems as though professors are worried you might have too much free time, so they just pile up some extra assignments. “When you plan ahead and know your schedule, you will legitimately have time for a break,” says Disimoni.  

Give yourself breaks! Watch a show. Read a book. Hang out with friends. Call your mom. Reward yourself for all your planning and hard work. Just don’t wait until you have finished everything; that won’t happen until your semester is done, and that’s a promise.

3.     Sleep is non-negotiable

As hard as it may be with parties, dorm room hangouts, and all-nighters, prioritizing sleep is a must. “I have realized how important sleep is in being productive,” Oliver says. “Decide how many hours of sleep you need and plan it into your study schedule.” That beauty rest is helping you with more than just looks.  

As the exam season nears think of all the Christmas cheer, that is to come when you are done, planning and studying like a crazy one! 

How to Adapt a Minimalist Lifestyle when living with Roommates

5 Tips for wanting to be a minimalist whilst living with roommates

I got lucky but that's not always the case 

I will start this by sharing how blessed I have been to have found roommates that are wonderful, sweet, kind, organized, and clean human beings. (In case that they are reading this, I want to score some brownie points!) We are all organized. Still, we have our own way of doing things, similar to the ways in which we all make different meals. Even though we all value healthy meals, we still prepare food a certain way or love specific meals because we come from different upbringings. Still, there are people who don't value having a tidy space; I've had my own share of experience and I have also lived with boys who do the bare minimum and you find yourself cleaning up after them to keep your own OCD mind at peace.

I feel the need to reiterate that you can be a minimalist and simultaneously have roommates. You simply need to be easy going enough to compromise, which you probably are if you are living with rommmates in the first place!

Here are a few of my tips for dealing with unorganized roommates whilst trying to adapt a more minimalist lifestyle.

1. Make your space your minimalist heaven 

Make your own room and your own space your place of minimalism. Declutter, sort through, organize! Watch minimalist documentaries, read books on creating your space, learn how to let go of the excess clutter.

This space is your own, so whatever is motivating you on this minimalist journey, this is your space to express that. Here you can change the style of the room or make a vision board about what you want your minimalist life to look like, and work towards it.

Remember, minimalism does not need to be something that happens overnight. That may be the experience for some people, but there are no rules so take your time and incorporate what works for and feels right to you. I'm still learning and adapting, and my version of minimalism may look very different to what yours ultimately becomes.

Tip: Your room = your space. Make it your version of minimalism.

2. Let go of the things you can't control 

There is a plain reality of living with roommates: you can't control every part of the house. There are simply shared spaces that you need to let be. The kitchen is one of those spaces where you may have multiples of the same items because each roommate owns one. In my home, everyone brought a few plates so you can't really follow minimalism here because you are all going to move out on your own at one point and no one wants to rebuy items they already had.

Additionally, you don't want to become the person who is shoving their beliefs down other people throats. Just because you have suddenly decided that you want to start your minimalist journey, does not give you the right to go into the common areas and say that there are too many couches or spices or nicknacks, and proceed to get rid of them. (Your roommates may be getting rid of your fairly quickly following that).

You can share your beliefs, but do so by acknowledging that other people are entitled to theirs and try to respect their positions as well.

Tip: Let go of all that you cannot control. You are sharing a space with people, so do not expect everything to be perfect or to go your way. Focus on what you can control and be willing to 'go with the flow' for the rest of it.

3. Share your values with your roommates 

They might not be organized and they may have no interest whatsoever in your quest towards a more minimalist lifestyle. That is okay! Leave them be! You should not try to change their minds, but you can, however, share with them what you are doing. Let them know that you are getting rid things and tell them why. Share the values of minimalism that resonate with you, and communicate how and why you are planning to bring them into your everyday life.

Even if they are not partaking in a shift towards minimalism, sit down with your roommates and explain to them what it means to you. Share with them what some common goals of yours are or maybe what some expectations are for you. Perhaps you suggest that you all try and keep the common areas clean and that every night everyone collects their things they have left lying around throughout the day. Finding common ground in advance that will work for everyone, ultimately saves you from future fights about the order of the space.

Tip: Being open about what you are doing and how you plan on doing it will keep your roommates in the loop and they will (hopefully) be more willing to support you on your journey, even if that means keeping the common areas cleaner.

4. If they are interested, make it a family affair! 

But... maybe they are curious. Maybe they want to join you in some declutter. That's how it started for me. I was so excited about minimalism after reading and watching and hearing about it. I was telling one of my roommates about it, and then she started to get excited about it too. She started listing all the things she had lying in her room or hanging in her closet that she didn't ever use. So that night we both ended up doing a huge purge and it turned out to be an entertaining night of letting things go. It was also motivating to have someone to declutter with and we were able to help each other stay grounded in regards to what we actually needed and loved versus what we were just making excuses for.

Tip: If they are interested, invite them to join you - two is better than one!

5. Be a minimalist roommate

Minimalism is all about adding value to someones life or bringing things into your life that add value to you. Keeping that in mind, being a minimalist roommate means communicating and interacting with your roommates in a respectful way that is value-adding to both of you.

The same value-adding concept works in reverse situations as well. You can be supportive of your roommates and respect their outlook, but they might not be supportive of yours. Reaching back to those minimalist values, it may reveal something about that roommate to you if they are not accepting of who you are. Are they adding value to your life then? This is not a situation you need to be stuck in for the rest of your life, and like the state of your common areas, you cannot expect everything to be perfect. This situation may also be necessary for the time being. Still, it does not need to be forever and you can have the ability to change it.
Tip: Try and put focus towards your actions and being conscious of your relationships with your roommates, and not just the decluttering your own belongings.

Are you wanting to adapt a minimalist lifestyle or already on your journey and living with roommates? Share your tips and hacks to navigating a non-minimalist house of roommates with me in the comments below! I'd love to hear what you are doing to incorporate minimalism into your life when it does not only affect you!

 

Sweet Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

A healthy take on a delicious original 

I am going to make this short and sweet, much like this meal! This is the perfect healthy version of the delicious take-out original sesame chicken. This recipe is mostly plant-based... I say 'mostly" because I am using processed ingredients like soy sauce and sriracha for the sauce. You can, of course, adapt the recipe to your dietary needs! If you do, please share your version with me so I can try it too!

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Serves: 1-2 

As always, my recipes are for all the single people because the recipes I share are the ones I have made myself, and generally, I am cooking solo! I say it serves 1-2 because I generally make enough for dinner and lunch the next day for myself. Yes please, leftovers! So if you are cooking dinner for two people and are only wanting enough for dinner, these measurements should be good. 

Ingredients 

Rice Base: 

• 1 cup of rice (white or brown both work, but jasmine goes best with the "sticky" part of this meal)

Breaded Cauliflower:

•  Half head of cauliflower, cut into pieces. Choose the size that suits you best.
• 1 cup coconut flour (using 1/2 twice)
• 1/4 tapioca flour 
• 1/2 warm water water 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp pepper  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil 

Sticky Sauce: 

• 4 Tbsp Sesame oil 
• 1/4 Maple syrup
• 1/2 Soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
• 2 cloves of galic chopped
• 1/2 tbsp ginger chopped
• 1/4 tsp Chili flakes or to taste
• Sesame seeds for garnish 
• Chopped scallions for garnish 
• Coriander for garnish

Instructions  

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (or 180°C.
2. Start cooking 1 cup of rice so that it is done at the same time as the cauliflower. 
3. In one bowl, combine 1/4 tapioca flour, 1/2 cup of the coconut flour, and 1/2 warm water and stir until slightly thick. It will not be really thick because the tapioca somewhat dissolves, but the tapioca will give the cauliflower breading a nice chewy taste.
4. In the second bowl, pour the other 1/2 cup of coconut flour and mix in the garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, salt, and pepper. 
5. Prepare a sheet pan and take your pieces of cauliflower, dipping them into the wet flour mixture, then into the dry flour mixture, and then placing them onto the pan. 
6.  Drizzle one tbsp of the olive oil overtop of the breaded cauliflower before putting the cauliflower in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. After 10 minutes, turn the cauliflower over and added the second tbsp of olive oil. Bake for another 10 minutes.
8. While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the sticky sauce. 
9. Put the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan on medium heat until it simmers. 
10. Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha. Sprinkle in some chili flakes if you like it hot.  
11. Keep simmering the sauce until it thickens slightly. 
12. After the cauliflower has baked for 10 minutes on each side, pour all but about a 1/4 of the sauce over the cauliflower. 
13. Mix the cauliflower around in the sauce and then put them back in the oven for 3-5 minutes. 

Take the cauliflower out of the oven, put the rice in a bowl as the base and add the stick cauliflower. Pour the extra stick sauce overtop and garnish with sesame seeds, coriander (if you are a coriander lover!) and chopped scallions. This dish is best served immediately, but I still enjoyed my leftovers the next day!

Zero-Waste Household Must-Haves

Top Nine Must-haves to go out and get right now!

It seems to me that people are slowly becoming more aware of the zero-waste movement, the importance of sustainability research, and the effects on the environment. In the spirit of that, I thought I would share my top nine sustainable household item must-haves that I have at hand and consider to be life-savers!

A little note
I think the zero-waste movement is incredibly important and I really support all of the awareness that is being raised, and I also believe that every little bit counts. Having said that, I would like to add one small little note. I am deep in my studies and one of the things we often discuss in a theoretical-based field is the issue of placing responsibility on the individual when the issue is really a structural one.

To clarify, the issue is that plastic is being mass-produced, and industries and mass companies like grocery stores are one of the main wasters of plastic and other non-compostable materials. Instead of looking at the structures in society that enforce pollution and waste, we turn to individuals and put the responsibility on them to not use plastic, even if that's often the only thing available. It is beneficial and makes a difference when individuals stop buying plastic water bottles and cease using new plastic bags from the grocery store each time they go shopping.

However, this becomes a problem when, for other structural reasons, people are unable to contribute to the movement out of their financial situation or socio-economic location. I would simply like to create some consciousness around this inequality and the danger of making individuals responsible for problems that are bigger than they are. Additionally, I also want to acknowledge that not everyone can afford to have zero-waste products, and the purpose of this post is to simply share what I love and endorse as opposed to shaming those who are unable to have these things. If you are able to afford all these wonderful zero-waste products, go get them! What are you waiting for!?

1. Metal Straws 

Metal straws are GAME CHANGERS. Let me say that again. Metal straws will change your life. Not only are you not putting the plastic particles in your body but your also not throwing plastic straws into the oceans (maybe not literally, but pretty much). I got this set of four which came with one straw cleaning brush. If you live with more people or just want a whole bunch of metal straws, you can buy them in larger sets too.

2. Wax Paper 

 
This wax paper honestly makes me so happy. I got my first wrapping wax paper from Abeego and I love it. Wax paper works like magic. I  recently went to a vegan festival and got some more wax paper from Earthology in these beautiful patterns. How can you not want to support the environment when your lunch wrap has the ability to make you happy?!

3. Mesh Produce Bags 

 
These are life-savers. They hold food for longer than plastic bags do, and you save the environment by not using all those plastic bags at the produce section of the grocery store. I got mine as a gift, but these from Kmool are exactly the same. I highly suggest getting different sizes, like with the wax paper, so that you can divide up your produce.

4. Non-Plastic Waterbottle 

Plastic is not only harmful to the environment but using plastic products to store our food or drinks can harm the contents we are consuming as the plastic particles seep into them, and in turn, they can harm us. Anyways, enough "science" from me. To move away from plastic water bottles I got this amazing silicon waterbottle. Metal water bottles work too but I love the silicon. Silicon is lighter and see-through which also makes it easy to wash. I take the water bottle with me EVERYWHERE (literally.)! It's from 720°Degree, and you can get the bottles in various different sizes and colors. It was the best thing I bought on this entire list because now I only have this one great bottle as opposed to five shitty ones.

5. Biodegradable Pela Phone Case 

When I stumbled across Pela Cases I knew what everyone was getting from me as their next birthday or Christmas present. Pela is a Vancouver based company, producing biodegradable phone cases. The cases are long lasting and when you are done with it, you simply throw it in the compost and it will break down. Amazing!

6. Jars 

This one costs you nothing. Simply wash and reuse jars from food products you've bought. Old salsa or pickle jars are just two great examples of glass jars you can reuse. Putting these jars to good use will also encourage you to buy glass packaged products as opposed to plastic!

7. Stasherbag or Re-zip

I must admit, I do not have my own stasher bag or reusable zip lock yet. I am obsessed but haven't been able to find one that works for my shipping situation. But this is definitely next on my short list of buys!

8. Reusable make-up cloths

This one is more of a "cute" thing. I guess if you really wanted to you could just use a small cloth towel to remove your makeup... but i mean, how cute are these little guys!? I got mine from the vegan festival but you can find multiple versions on Amazon too! I got a pack of 10, and each pad has at least two uses (front and back side), if not more depending on how much make-up you are wearing. After its dirty, you just throw it in the laundry and then start all over again!

9. Bamboo Toothbrush 

This one is kind of just a no-brainer... you can buy these in packs of four or more and share with all your loved ones! We go through toothbrushes so quickly, adding to the mass amounts of plastic ending up in landfills. Here is one pack of 10 ... really there is just no wrong answer here.

 
Share your favorite zero-waste items with me and fill me in on all the other cool eco-friendly products that are out there! I would love to hear if you ended up purchasing a new zero-waste product after reading this post!

Social Media for Organizations: What's the (Biggest) Problem?

One of the biggest problems social media organizations face is gaining followers; even though they have a social media strategy, the organization must ensure their content is more than just advertisements. The organization must create a brand persona through content that adds value to their customer.

Social media is not a substitute for one channel marketing, such as an advertising space in a newspaper or a 30-second clip for a radio or TV commercial. According to Jeff Bullas, with one channel marketing, companies would set up their marketing campaign for the year but now organizations must adjust to continuous marketing. If marketing needs to be continuous, the posts must become more creative and veer away from constant obvious advertising. Social Media Today rates “being too spammy” as the second reason why organizations are not gaining followers. The traits of “spamming” include posting the same messages over and over again and posts sounding too sales like.

Posts by organizations on social media need to add value in order to retain and gain followers. Only talking about yourself and bombarding people with even more advertisements about how much they need you and your organization will cause them to unfollow you as you are not posting value-adding content, according to Inbound. Due to the qualities of social media and digital platforms, people have become picky about which brands and pages they choose to like and follow.

There are various value-adding posts organizations can incorporate to appropriately connect to their community of followers and entice potential followers. Social Media Today provides examples of value-adding posts, including sharing useful information relevant to the field of your product or reposting posts of followers to make them feel special.  Running a social media competition with winners to promote your product can be value adding to the customer because they can win a product or gift bag; however, this should be a rare event to gain followers. It can simultaneously be value adding to your organization in gaining followers and using the followers to promote you, by liking and commenting to enter the competition. Posting beautiful content such as the environment where the product could be used or images that relate to the lifestyle of the audience are vital to breakup clear advertisement posts.

I am by no means arguing that the product is not vital in the content of the social media posts because losing focus of the product would not be financially tenable. The organization simply needs to find more creative ways to make the product the forefront without making it obvious. The wisdom of this approach does depend on what you are giving away; adding value is not inherently transactional. Still, the value is not destroyed simply because the company is giving something away as opposed to directly selling their product. The value of the content supplements the value of the product and company through their online persona.

The customer needs to feel as though the organizations social media platform has more to offer than their product line; the customer can find that on their website. On the social media platforms, the customer wants to connect to the meaning of the brand. The biggest problem organizations then face with social media is they use the outlet to purely advertise, which prevents them from gaining followers. Adding value is not transactional but it is vital in showing the customers that they and their time are respected.  

Plantbased Pumpkin Alfredo Linguini

The Perfect healthy comfort food for that crisp cold fall day 

This is probably one of my favorite new pasta recipes EVER. It is not my own creation but I was inspired by a similar recipe from Choosing Chia, and I was not planning on sharing it because of that. But I have recreated it to my own liking and tastes and I love it so much I need to share it!

I will confess I am not the biggest lover of pumpkin but the texture of it works so well in recreating an alfredo! I do still like pumpkin, but I did not put too much in so it would not overpower the flavour of the meal. If you love pumpkin, by all means, add more than what I have suggested in the recipe. This is a kind of recipe where you can really make it your own and play with amounts to get the saucy texture right if that's what your heart is desiring. If you add a bit more pumpkin purreé, add some more plant milk to thin it out.

This meal literally took me 15 minutes to make. You blend the cashew cream and add it to a pan of fried onions and garlic and mix in the pumpkin pureè and spices. I have written down two servings for this recipe because I am cooking for myself but this is also the perfect recipe to have for leftovers ... just make sure you make enough otherwise you might end up eating it all right away. Queue the stomach ache.

Calling all pasta lovers!
I have really been into figuring out and experimenting with all the fun and delicious plant-based pasta recipes! I stopped loving pasta for a while (believe it or not) because I was so used to making it with shrimp or chicken. But I'm slowly realizing that there are even more options and ways to make pasta now! I'm in heaven. So if you love pasta as much as I do (or whatever amount you love it - everyone is welcome), keep your eyes peeled because I have a few more recipes I will be posting shortly!

Recipe: Total time 15 min · Serves 1-2

Ingredients 

• TBSP olive oil 
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 an onion chopped
• 1/2 non-salted cashews 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 cup plant-based milk
• 1/2 pumpkin purée
• TBSP cinnamon 
• 1/4 Tsp nutmeg 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Linguini or Spaghetti - enough for 2 servings 
• Plant-based parmesan or a tbsp of nutritional yeast to throw into the sauce before adding the pasta

 Directions

1. Let the 1/2 of cashews soak in water for at least 20 minutes. I would recommend putting them in water in the morning so they have soaked all day by the time you come home to make your yummy dinner! 
2. Boil water and cook your pasta of choice. 
3. Drain the cashews and add them to the blender with 1 cup plant milk and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Note: it will be a light cream, not a heavy one.
4.  Add the TBSP of olive oil to a pan on medium high head and add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan. Let them simmer for about 1 minute.
5. Add the cashew cream from the blender and mix in the 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée. 
6. Once everything is mixed together, add in the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
7. I also added some of my plant-based parmesan to the sauce to contribute to the texture and add to the "salty-ness" of the dish. 
8. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. 
9. Top the dish off with some pepper and plant-based parmesan and voila! 

I hope you fall in love with this easy plant-based pasta the way I have and please share your own creations or any changes you've made to create your own special version!

Designing Routines that Work: Nighttime Edition

Bedtimes stories and baths were our nighttime routines as kids... what happened to them? 

The Importance of the Night Routine 

One of my favorite podcasts is the 10% Happier Podcast with Dan Harris, and one of my favorite episodes is the one where he interviews Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post. In this episode, Huffington shares her story of over-exhaustion and lack of sleep that ultimately ended with her in the hospital. Following this event, she wrote a book about the importance of sleep, called Sleep Revolution. What I want to talk about in this post stems from what I initially heard in this podcast episode and the importance I have found in this information and how you too can benefit from it. 

Huffington made a point in the episode about how we have nighttime routines when we are babies and young kids when our parents are still in charge of putting us to bed, so that we as children understand the situation and that it is time for our bodies to relax. 

 It was so interesting to me because, as she points out, somehow we totally disregard this really relaxing and enjoyable routine as we grow older. Especially today in the technologically driven society we live in, it is so hard to shut our brains down, so hard to resist the urge to check Instagram or send out a few more emails, and so hard to not get pulled into the binge-watching culture. Everyone who can relate, say "I"!

I have talked about creating various types of habits in previous posts, such as creating a morning routine to help start your day off on the right foot and incorporating a daily routine for time management and organization, so once I realized the importance of a nighttime routine I simply had to share! 

Routines are great ways to ease anxiety and create stability in your everyday life. I have benefited immensely from having a morning, daily, and now night routine. My disclaimer to you is that everything you read on this blog that I am supporting, I encourage because I do them myself and all that I share comes from my personal experience and success. 

Morning routines have seriously helped me get into a sleep routine and ensured that I show up for myself when I plan to work out or practice yoga. Incorporating a night time routine into my evenings has helped me calm my brain and body down from a busy day and has given me a block of time to look forward to where all my devices are shut off but I'm not expecting myself to immediately sleep. 

I have blocked out two hours in my calendar where, depending on the day and my appointments, I stop doing work or finish a TV show by 9.30-10pm, so I have 30 minutes to an hour (or sometimes even hour and a half) to do my night time routine.  My calendar alerts me 30 minutes before my nighttime routine is supposed to start so I can wrap up whatever I'm doing.

 I'm going to be honest, the timing doesn't always work perfectly; sometimes there are evening events or my schedule the next day requires me to prepare a bit more or I have some time to sleep in. I have realized that the timing is not what matters. The timing definitely helps you get into that routine, but if the time is not exactly to the "minute", the world will keep turning. What I believe is more important, is what your actual routine entails, and make sure those aspects are non-negotiable.

Some things to Consider 

The things that should be non-negotiable are the aspects of what you are doing in your nighttime routine. Do you already have a nighttime routine? As basic as it is, you have some kind of routine; you brush your teeth and wash your face, and at the very least you are taking off your clothes from the day and (maybe) getting into PJ's. Maybe you read a book for a while. Maybe you take a shower. All these things are part of your "before sleep" routine. Take a moment and reflect and what you already do and how you can make those activities more of a special relaxation habit. 

Here are some ideas and activities to consider incorporating into your nighttime routine:

Water and Baths. Warm water in the form of a shower or bath and help relax and warm your body at the end of the long day. The other psychological aspect that I benefit from, is taking a shower at the end of the day and really feeling like you are washing the day off. Anything negative that happened or any stress or any to-do's that you're still hung up on, let them go. 

Disconnect & Screen time. Blocking my nighttime routine into my calendar helps me disconnect from all my screens with the 30-minute warning. Having a routine of things I do at night also helps me let go of any "co-dependence" I felt with my phone. I no longer answer emails or scroll Instagram until moments before I turn my lights off and go to sleep. 

Studies also show the importance of disconnecting from screens an hour before you plan on going to sleep, so that you give yourself and your brain enough time to relax. Having a nighttime routine that lasts at least an hour helps you disconnect from technology more easily, as you are putting your attention towards other things.

Essential Oils. I LOVE essential oils. I think they work magic. Feeling sick? I'm ALL about that oil of oregano. Feeling stressed? Throw on some lavender oil. Headachy? Where's my peppermint oil? I could go on, but I think you get the point. As I mentioned, lavender is an oil that helps with relaxation and can help ease anxiety or stress. If you want to incorporate (or already take) baths as part of your routine, maybe put a drop of lavender or eucalyptus in your bath water. If you are not that bath kind of person, put the essential oil of your choice on your temples, below your nose so you can inhale the wonderful scent, or on the back of your neck. There are so many other options and uses but here's just a little start. 

Meditation. My own nighttime routine has truly helped me incorporate more mediation into my life. I was continuously trying to meditate during my morning routine but I found myself either snoozing the alarm and discrediting my goal to meditate more or I would still be so sleepy that I would be dozing off instead of actually meditating. 

I still meditate in the morning but in a different way. Meditating as part of my nightly routine has truly helped me release stress and anxiety from my day and find calm. Not only did meditating at night help me find stability in my own self and body, but it helped me relax and I was finding it easier to sleep. 

I am not here to sell anything, but I do greatly benefit from two apps that guide me in my meditation. My favorite app is called Simple Habit that really breaks your mediation into categories you may want to focus on, such as anxiety, stress, sleep, focus, break-ups, and loving yourself. You can test the app with a 7-day free trial. After that, the app costs a few dollars a month. If you don't want to or can't afford to commit to that, no worries. That is the main thing I love about Insight Timer; I completely free! They also have some wonderful meditations, music, and you can even just set a gong timer and meditate on your own. I find it a bit more difficult to find a meditation that is along the lines of what I am looking for but when I have time to sift through I always find a great session. 

Gratitude & Reflection & Journaling. I have always wanted to have a gratitude journal to help me focus on finding joy in everyday life when my automatic response was to stress and struggle. As part of my routine, I now write a few things (usually 5-10) that I'm grateful for from that day. You may be thinking that 5-10 is a lot but it's amazing how many things, often times very mundane things, I find gratitude in. This part of my routine takes no more than 5 minutes and its the first things I do now when I get into my bed at night. 

Creating your own night routine

Think about your current routine again. What do you do before going to bed every night? Anything? Or do you see the time, close your laptop or whatever it is you are working on and crawl into bed with a still buzzing and active brain?

Maybe you are already doing some things regularly before you go to bed, but you have not acknowledged them as a night time routine. What are those activities? Do you read a book or take a shower? Do you set out the clothes you are going to wear for the next day or make a cup of tea?

Grab a piece of paper and a pen or pull up an empty word document. I'll wait.
Brainstorm a few activities you would like to have in your nighttime routine. How much time do you want to put towards the routine? Maybe start with 10 minutes and then increase to 30 minutes next month? Do what works for you and only add things to your routine that will make you look forward to this part of your day.

My Routine 

Here would be the important activities I want to include from my brainstorm: meditate, shower/bath, read an inspirational book, practice gratitude, and journal.

My standard routine consists of making a sleepy time tea and getting into bed. Once I'm in bed I journal and/or write down a few things I am grateful from on that day. Journalling does not always happen unless I really have something weighing on my heart that I need to get out and work through.

After I journal, I'll read my inspirational book if it's not too late or I'm not too tired. This is not one I am very good at sticking with, but reading motivational books allows me to reflect on my own life and get excited for my future and creating positive outlooks.

The last thing I do, after I have set my alarm and put my phone on silent, is meditate. I like to have my phone on the other side of the room, plugged in, so I can go to bed after the meditation finishes without having to touch my phone. I also like to create a relaxing atmpsohere with candles to have lit during my nighttime routine.

When I have more time and really need to give myself some self-care and love, my routine looks a little different. The first thing on my routine to-do list is have a bath or shower. I am a bath person, so I get all my essential oils and epson salts and candles ready and create a relaxing environment.