Why and how the things you belief shape your life

Just some thoughts on the stories we tell ourselves that become the beliefs and perspectives by which we live our lives  

‘Letting go of the past means you can enjoy the dream that is happening right now. If you live in a past dream, you don’t enjoy what is happening right now because you will always wish it to be different than it is. There is no time to miss anyone or anything because you are alive. Not enjoying what is happening right now is living in the past and only being half alive. This leads to self-pity, suffering, and tears.’ - The Four Agreements

We all carry and hold onto so much of what has happened in our lives. It is important and has shaped us, but too often it becomes unconsciously imprinted in our brain. Past Feelings, experiences, and pain write stories that we tell ourselves about how life should go and how we see ourselves. That we believe is "Truth". That we end up living by. The most difficult part about this is that we don’t even realize that they are there and that we are confining our perspectives on life to what these stories tell us. These can derive from little things or big ones that determine how we view relationships, break-ups, jobs, money, and desires.

There are so many of these stories that I am beginning to acknowledge in my own life. There is no one to blame for why I believe the world should be this way, but it is so important for me to identify the beliefs and be aware of when I take them to be true. All of these beliefs and story’s come from my past and I am grateful for the lessons I have learned but they don’t need to determine my beliefs in the future and identifying and acknowledging them is a lesson I need to learn and continue to practice in order to free myself from them and change my perspective.

Take a Look at your own life and beliefs

What are some things that are holding you back? What is something that you are holding onto? What are your beliefs about money or relationships or friendships or money or work? Are those stories you believe about them holding you back and weighing you down? If you believe these stories then they will be true because you will live your life with the idea that they are true. If you believe relationships can only end badly because perhaps that is what you have experienced in your own life, then you may be scared to leave or enter into one.

Of course, it all ties back into that minimalist mentality. Minimalism isn't just about cleaning and decluttering your physical belongings but it’s also about your mental state and baggage that we lug around with us. What you think and believe attracts more of what you think and believe. If you have the belief that you are not smart enough for a promotion, then your views and emotional state will weight you down and prevent you from doing your very best and every little failure will simply reinforce that belief. If you believe you are a bad ass intelligent powerful person, then the failures will only be small setbacks you need to overcome and they will not break you.

Take a moment and scan your body. Think about your relationships. Think about your relationship with money. Think about your relationships to your family. What are the "truths" about these things for you? Do you believe money is evil because you have always struggled with it? Do you believe relationships are dangerous because that is what you saw growing up? Do you believe you are not enough because of a situation or experience? Write it down. Then give gratitude for those experiences and those beliefs because your mind was implementing them in your brain in order to protect you. Let them know you no longer need protection and that you need to let them go now. Then write down what kind of beliefs you would like to put in place of the ones you just let go of. You need new beliefs that you have consciously chosen in order to fill the empty space. Hold and carry these new perspectives with you for the next few days and remind yourself of them. You have the power to change your perspective so 'you can enjoy the dream that is happening right now.'

30 Day No Buy Challenge Week 3: Re-shopping your Closet

This weeks challenge: "re-find" a piece (or multiple pieces) of clothing in your closet that has/have been neglected too long and create a new outfit!   

The Halfway Mark 

Week 3 is upon us and with that, you have made it halfway through this 30 day 'no buy' challenge! By this point, if you have been honest with yourself and have truly refrained from buying everything outside of essentials, you might be getting to the point where you are craving a retail fix. We all know it... it's that dopamine rush you get right when you buy something. The excitement of having something new and the act of purchasing it can take control over our rational thinking. This weeks challenge is meant to help direct that need in a new direction and to uncover something "new" in a different way.

We are neglecting our clothes 

We only wear about 20% of the items in our closet. That means that the job of the other 80% of the clothes is to simply sit in our closets. Maybe they are occasionally worn but most of the time they are being neglected. This becomes a huge problem to our habits in this consumer society, since we constantly want 'more' and 'new' while we are simultaneously we are not appreciating the items we currently have. I'm sure you can think of a handful of things, right now, that you don't wear a lot ... Or maybe not because you have so many items that you start forgetting about most. Just take a moment and become a bit more conscious about which kind of person you are. Do you know you have things to get rid of but can't seem to let them go, or are you unaware of everything you have and the way in which the filled stuffed closet adds stress to your life?

Our closets fill up with new pieces, the older items are neglected, and we constantly feel like we have nothing to wear! Sound familiar? When there is too much stuff, we have a hard time identifying what we really like, especially when close to 80% of the stuff isn't your favorite (at all). When you can eliminate the excess from your closet and minimize it down to the basic favorites, you will always have something to wear. Additionally, you will be more picky regarding the pieces you bring into your closet, ensuring that you are absolutely in love and need each one and that it adds to your overall style.

Craving a Retail Fix? Shop your closet this week! 

If you are craving a retail fix and are wishing for a stroll through the mall, but are maybe nervous of actually going in case you end up wanting to/actually buying something, go for a stroll through your closet instead. Find an item that has been neglected and try putting it into a new outfit. Maybe you can find a new combination that will re-spark your love for that piece again. Pretend you are at a thrift store of unique and special items, and perhaps an item will attract your attention in a different way.

This weeks challenge: "re-find" a piece (or multiple pieces) of clothing in your closet that has/have been neglected too long and create a new outfit! 

Share your new found outfit on Instagram or Facebook with me using the #30daynobuychallenge!   

Bring in Some Decluttering 

This basis of this weeks challenge is not to make you declutter, but it might end up coming to that. If you pull out a piece of clothing for this challenge that you haven't worn in a while and it doesn't fit right anymore or you don't feel amazing in it, that is a sign. It's time to let go of it and free up space in your closet, just for the purpose of having some breathing space. This exercise will not only help, at least partially, fulfill that retail therapy craving but it will also help you identify what your favorite pieces are while encouraging you to eliminate the rest. 

 

30-Day No Buy Challenge Week 2: Food and Groceries

This weeks challenge: Make your grocery list (based on your meal prep) and only buy what you wrote down! Don't let grocery store psychology get the best of you!

Food Advertising 

One category that I assumed didn't really need to advertise to us consumers is food. I always just thought "well, we need food, the industry knows this, so marketing food to us is just useless". False. 
The reality is that food manufacturers, grocery stores, and restaurants are constantly marketing to us. They know we need to buy food, but they want us to be buying their food! 

The food industry is constantly selling us shit. Like not just shit as in stuff, but also literal shit... like as in the food and the quality of the food they want us to stuff our mouths with it just shit! Your diet and what you choose to eat is your choice at the end of the day, but places such as grocery stores are knee deep in persuading you of certain things as well.

The Psychology of Grocery Stores 

The experience of going into a grocery store is a completely orchestrated process. According to Martin Lindstrom, brand expert and author of Buyology, high shelves in grocery stores and confusing isles only lead you deeper into the labyrinth and increase the amount of products you could add to your cart. The longer you stay in the store, the more you will end up putting in your cart. They will place tomato sauce next to the pasta to remind you that you should probably get some extra tomato sauce with that pasta you're buying - you know, just in case. The bakery and produce section is usually near the entrance to flood our sensory neurons with yummy smells and fresh colors. Additionally, the right lighting will be set to increase the appeal. And the milk and eggs you just quickly needed to pick up - well, they're at the very back of the store! And there's a pretty high likelihood that something else with catch your eye on your treck back there.

So basically, there are all kinds of behind the scenes psychology happening, trying to convince you to buy more than you actually need!

I could go even deeper into this topic in terms of other products and food groups and industries that have been promoted by doctors and scientists ... but that's for another day. If you are interested, check out the documentary Food Choices and What the Health on Netflix!

This Weeks Challenge 

Based on all the psychology, it can be difficult to go to the grocery store and really only buy the necessities.  

One way to become more conscious of this is to not only write out a grocery list but to also meal prep and to construct your grocery list around your meal prep for the upcoming week(s). A lot of times we buy what we consider to be necessities; some fruits and vegetables, some meat, some dairy products, etc. But do you know when or for what you will be using that food? When you know exactly what meals you want to be making in the next few weeks, then you can buy based on those meals. Your grocery list will be the ingredients needed to make those specific meals and you know the food you're buying will be used and not wasted. 

Additionally, you can add some snacks or treats to your grocery list but then try to only buy what is on your list. It's easy to walk past and see something like tea or chocolate or popcorn and think, I could use more of that. Do you really though? I mean, it took you coming to the grocery store and walking down that aisle to remember you "needed" it ... that doesn't sound like you really needed it. Try to stick with buying only what's on your list. If you see something in the store that you suddenly think you need, write it on your next grocery list and get it next time if you still really need it.

Make your grocery list (based on your meal prep) and only buy what you wrote down! Don't let grocery store psychology get the best of you!

 

30 Day No Buy Challenge Week 1: Putting your "wants" into Lists

Refrain from impulse buying by writing out what you feel you so desperately want ...

This weeks challenge: "Post a picture of the list that you have created on social media using the #30daynobuychallenge this week!"

This list is your new best friend

Every time you get hung up on wanting to buy something over the next 30 days, or are just craving that dopamine "new purchase" rush, write that item down. Start a list where each time you see something you want, you simply write it down. That will "fulfill" you mind because you are acknowledging that you want this item and you are not completely ignoring that feeling and it's existence if you add it to your list. 

You can use a piece of paper that you hang up in your house or you can simply create a list in the notes app of your phone so you can get it down whenever you have a buying urge. 

See how the list changes over the next 30 days

The point of this list is to write the items down instead of immediately buying them. You can then take some time to think about the item. Are you still thinking about it and wanting it in a week from now? In two weeks? In a month? Give it some time to sink in. Evaluate the reason you want to purchase this item; were you just wanting to buy something while you were at the mall on the weekend or is this item truly going to add value to your life?  

Giving yourself time to think about the purchase by writing it down will prevent you from making impulse buys and ensure that you are becoming conscious of buying what you need and what sparks joy. 

Above you can see my list. I will be honest, I haven't been writing things down in a while, but this challenge is encouraging me to do that again. On my list is what I felt were "needs" ... not actually but staple pieces and replacements of items that were broken or not working anymore in my life (like my yoga mat for example). I checked off the items I ended up buying and stared the items that were more important necessities, like socks, underwear, and an iPhone case (because just knowing I don't have one makes me more prone to dropping my phone). 

Having your material wants or needs written down will give you an overview of them and allow you to acknowledge they are there without feeling the need to immediately purchase them. Use the list as your "place holder" for that item. It's not going anywhere just because you are taking the time to really access your needs for the item.

This weeks challenge! 

Start your list! Make it pretty if you want or quickly jot it down on your phone. Over this next week, or while you are at the mall with your friends this weekend, take notice of the buying impulses you have and each time you write them down, you are recognizing them instead of giving into the emotions. 

Post a picture of the list that you have created on social media using the #30daynobuychallenge this week!

There is no need for embarrassment! Like I said, my list would be a lot longer if I kept it going more recently. Plus, it's all about the learning experience and we are all here to support one another! If you can, keep your lists going over the course of these next 30 days and see what has changed, and what items you have decided to cross off because you decided you didn't want or need them after all. 

30 Day "No Buy" Challenge!

Challenge Yourself to a 30 Day Consumer Detox!

About this Challenge: 

This 30 day “no buy” challenge is all about learning to shop with intestion to help you get to the point where you are only buying things you truly need, that you have thought about, and that sparks joy or add value to your life. This is all about creating awareness around shopping in this consumer society that we live in. We are constantly being bombarded with messages that make us feel as though we are lacking something and that the only way to counter this feeling is to buy into the product being advertised. In reality, we live in an immense amount of abundance! Minimalism itself is about living with the awareness for all of the material things we have and buying with intention; each and everything you own is important to you and it adds value in some form to your life. There is no way to no be part of this consumer system, but we can learn to be conscious of the messages and how we respond to them.

Minimalism can partly be about decluttering (which I obviously LOVE) but it’s also important to look at how you deal with purchasing and consuming once you have decluttered and started taking on more of a minimalist mindset. And that can be super hard to do when we live in a society that does all it can to make us feel shitty and “less than” so that they can build us back up again with their products. It's important to differentiate between the things that we are told we need to buy and that truly have meaning to us, that we buy with intention.

Each week will be focused on a different topic of things we buy and spend money one. A few of these include clothing, food, and entertainment. Additionally, I will also discuss topics such as impulse buying and ways of dealing with it, as well as a bit of decluttering along the way! 

Rules: 

• Don't buy anything for yourself that is not crucial to your day to day survival 
• Yes, food and drink are necessities, but they are included to a certain extent because not all of it is always necessary 
• Categories to not purchase from in the next 30 days: clothes, kitchen supplies, house decor, sneakers/shoes, jewelry, hats, notebooks, etc. The list can go on.  
• Follow and partake in the weekly challenge categories by posting a relating picture and hashtagging it with #30daynobuychallenge.  
• Technically, you can buy whatever you want through these 30 days... you can always justify it as "absolutely necessary"; I can't check what you are buying and will never know. But this is really about you. You should choose to do this challenge because you want to become more aware of this phenomenon of the need for stuff and you want to shop more intentionally. So you have to be the judge of what is an absolute necessity during this challenge. 

Purpose: 

• Intentional buying. This challenge will help build awareness about the amounts of stuff you are buying and their true importance so that you can consume less and for the right reason you do buy things in the future. 
• Consumer messages squashed. Re-appreciating and realizing the abundance that you already have will make it harder for consumer messages of "lacking" to get to you because you are happy with what you already have.

 
Join me in this challenge to kickstart intentional buying! 

 

End of Summer Declutter

With summer coming to an end, it's time to be honest about what you used!

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. - Joshua Becker

It’s really important to go through your closet at the end of each season to assess what things you wore and what items were ignored. Summer is one of those seasons where you have specific types of clothes that you most likely do not wear all year round (depending on where you live – aka Canada is not a kind place to summer clothes for the better part of 8 months).  With winter, fall, and spring weather you can spread items throughout those seasons and you won’t look out of place.

Summer season clothes are hard to get rid of because it’s easy to hold onto items for that “beach vacation”, “tropical”, or other “what if” vacations. Somehow the reason to keep them ‘just in case’ always comes into play. Still, you probably wouldn’t be wearing these clothes at home in your own environment. That is why it’s super important to go through your closet right at the end of the summer to assess what you actually wore this summer versus what you “planned” on wearing but then ultimately opted for something else. Get rid of those things that would otherwise just be taking up space for the next full year. Additionally, it's difficult to get rid or summer clothes outside of the summer season because you cannot make a decision based on how much you wore them. Perhaps you know you don’t like it anymore which makes your life easy, but we usually go back to all those ‘what ifs’ and ‘just in cases’. Summer is just one of those special unique seasons.

Here are quick 4 steps and 4 piles for your quick summer declutter!

Pile 1: What did NOT get worn

What are things that have just been sitting in your closet all summer that you planned on wearing or really like, but you ultimately forgot about it or continuously opted for some other item?

Pile 2: You wore it but its time has passed

This pile is for all the items that have been loved and are not falling apart or that you bought but don’t feel good in or that don’t fit right. I have a pair of jean shorts that I have had since the end of middle school that I LOVE, but they are not ripping and tearing because the material is so worn, and honestly, because of that, aren’t very appropriate for anything other than wearing them to the beach. I was quite reluctant to give them away but they were loved and worn for years and they had seen their best days. Let go of the old to make room for the new! It’s important to recognize when this time comes or when you need to let go of the items that don’t truly make you feel good.

Pile 3: Gifts and Impulse Vacation busy

I don’t know about you but I’ve gotten a few gifts from people who go on holiday and bring back something that is cute, but for some reason, it probably looks cuter when worn in the place where they were. Or, you went on vacation and bought that cute market dress that everyone else was wearing or that fun flower shirt, but it just doesn’t really fit anything you would wear at home. Get rid of that stuff! There are two or three items I have the I keep for when I go kitesurfing (‘cause I know that is a repeated trip) or the beachy dress, but for the most part, I have simplified my summer clothes to make it possible to wear them in any summer environment.  

Pile 4: Any doubt, wear it out … now!

If you ever have a doubt about a piece of clothing, wear it right now. Use it today. Create an outfit with it for tonight. The warm weather is not completely over yet so if you are struggling to get rid of it, wear it today! See how you feel in it. Do you feel good in it? Maybe you can create a new outfit to go with it and you create a new “space” with a new perspective of that piece in your wardrobe. On the other hand, if you are hesitant right now feeling like you “have” to wear it today when you would really rather wear something else, that is a sign! Don’t ignore it! 


Now you can put your summer clothes away in your closet knowing that there is no unnecessary space being taken up. All the clothes taking up space can be passed on to those who will use and love them now that their job with you is done. Be proud of yourself, knowing that you shaved down a few more pieces that were not adding value to your life!

Five Minute Sweet Potato Sesame Toast Meal Prep

Plant-Based Alternative Toasts 

Welcome to the beginning of my plant-based healing journey. Due to health reasons with my digestion organs, I have decided to make the shift towards a more plant-based diet. One of the biggest issues I have struggled with in this regard is what I should do about lunch. My days are busy and I don't have time to be trying out different creations everyday. I need a simple sandwich type meal that I can make in 5 quick minutes, put in a Tupperware (glass of course!) and leave for the rest of my day. This is that sandwich! I am also slightly obsessed with all the things you can do with sweet potatoes... so there is a bit of a sweet potato overload happening right now!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a Sweet Potato
• 1/2 Avocado
• Tahini
• Sesame seeds 
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Tsp Chopped Garlic
• Spices: salt, pepper 

Directions:

1.  Cut the sweet potato into chunks and spread out in a pan. 
2. Drizzle olive oil onto the sweet potatoes and season them with about a tsp of salt, pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Put the sweet potatoes into the oven for 30 min at 350°F or 180°C. Check them at the 15 min mark and stir them. 
4. When the sweet potatoes are finished, put a slice of bread in the toaster and mash the potatoes slightly with a fork (does not need to be puree... just make them merge together!) 
5. Spread the slightly mashed sweet potatoes onto the toasted slice of bread. Add a drizzle of tahini, sesame seeds, and a avocado slices.

You can add whatever else you might like onto this toast... raw spinach would be yummy too for example! Let me know in what other combinations you have created!