a month away

leaving shortly for a month in Hawaii. the program is called Kalani and I'll be staying in a tent, working in a kitchen. I fly from Newark-->LA, then from LA to Hilo where I'll be picked up and taken to Pahoa. I'm not very nervous. I'm thrilled and looking forward to see how this transforms me and my outlook on life.

Here's to hoping for safe travels

xx

reduce, reuse, recycle

why you should use a glass water bottle. or: why you should refuse to buy plastic water bottles

1) Tap water is FREE. And perfectly safe to drink, depending on where you live. Plastic water bottles can be super pricey. Even at $1 a day (I rarely see them sold for that cheap), a glass water bottle can save you over $300 a year. 

2) Glass is much safer to drink from. I don't know about you, but I'm personally not going to risk drinking from a plastic water bottle that may or may not include BPA, that can mimic estrogen, which may have detrimental effects, including cancer of the brain, breast, and prostate, on the female reproductive system and the immune system in adults. (http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals)

3) Adorable, endless options! I have three glass water bottles that I rotate; two love bottles (http://www.lovebottle.net/) and one that has an adorable knit koozie. Check them out: http://www.freakerusa.com/collections/all. (I have the Ralphie) Don't they make you want to run out and buy a glass water bottle?! How much more appealing are they than plastic water bottles? I get complimented on mine often, and who doesn't love compliments? I sure do.

4) LESS WASTE! Plastic water bottles produce millions of tons of waste each year. Think of how easy that would be to avoid.

5) Think about what a pain in the ass it is to get a case of water bottles form the grocery store, into your car, into your house. For me, getting a case of water bottles into my dorm room was something I dreaded all week, they are heavy as hell and take up a ton of space in those small rooms. The solution: a glass water bottle! Takes up a fraction of the space, and you can fill it up as you please.

 To me, buying bottles of water is like buying bottles of air. What sense does it make to pay ridiculous prices for something that is freely available to us? This is what I mean by think for yourself. If something seems off, it's because it probably is. It really isn't that complicated.

So.. can you think of any good reason to keep drinking from plastic water bottles? Take control of your health, your funds, your time and energy, and get yourself a beautiful new glass water bottle!

ads

I didn't watch the Superbowl last night. I didn't see Beyonce or Destiny's Child. I didn't see a single commercial. I think this was the first year I intentionally avoided it. Unlike years past, I genuinely had no desire to take part in this. I happily laid in bed, took a bath with my new bath salts, and meditated with my new crystals. This was much more fulfilling than being brainwashed by Superbowl ads. Some people refuse to believe that commercials affect what they buy or how they live. If that is the case, then why are Superbowl commercials, which millions of people are sure to see, worth millions of dollars? Think about it. We can boast all we want about how there's no way advertisements influence our thoughts or what we buy or don't by, or how we view ourselves and others, our sexuality, our thoughts on happiness, what we think we "need", etc.

This is such a misconception. We are made up of bits and pieces of all of our experiences, the noises going on around us, the moods of people we spend time with, the shows we watch, the books we read, the material of the clothes we wear, the food we eat.

That TV show on in the background is affecting you. The message that show is portraying is seeping into your thoughts on a subconscious level. It is ignorant to think that we can consciously block out these messages. We cannot! The only thing we can do is avoid it at all costs. Of course, we cannot avoid every advertisement, unless we live in a very secluded area with no technology, billboards, etc.

If we cannot avoid it, it is best to recognize the ad, what it is trying to tell us or sell us, and meditate on whether this serves the general population, is a major misconception, or is just misleading in general. For example: do we really think drinking coca-cola (which is mainly used to remove rust from massive ships and is really just poison in a can) will make us happy, sexy, and look great in a bikini? It's safe to say the answer is a big fat NO! The best advice I can give is THINK FOR YOURSELF! Question EVERYTHING.

Be sure to check out this article, which inspired me to write this post: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/superbowl-ads-mistruth/

We need to be aware, we need to make our young people aware, we need a major shift in awareness from "things" to love and people and experiences.

simplify

my new year's resolution: simplify.

this means being less busy, more productive.
I made a list of the things I need to do in a single day to feel satisfied and happy. they are: meditate, some form form of exercise (nothing crazy!), drink a green juice, read.

Not very complicated at all. The more difficult part is recognizing what it is that brings you joy. It takes time and reflection. But now that I've figured it out, it helps me prioritize and makes for a happy life.

:)

on christmas

Happy Day After Christmas! 

   I came to this space to share how unbelievably appreciative I am of the thought that was put into the gifts I was given this year. I know Christmas isn't about the gifts. But it's so easy to get wrapped up in that aspect of it. I love giving people gifts and I think I'm quite good at knowing what someone will enjoy, so I can't begin to explain the joy I feel when I know someone didn't get me a gift that they'd want, they really took a moment to think about what would make me happy.

   I think while becoming more in-tune with myself, more aware of my surroundings, more aware of the tiniest happenings, I realize and appreciate so much how personal the gifts I was given were. These people really considered the person I am and what I'd enjoy when choosing these gifts, and I couldn't be more thankful of that. For example, my younger brother who at times makes fun of my food choices, got me a gluten-free, almond-flour cookbook. He knows virtually nothing about the world of vegetarianism or veganism, (which I am passionate about) and although I am not gluten-free and am not very familiar with the lifestyle, it means so much to me that while at the book store, he saw this book that he truly thought I might like, and he bought it for me.

   It might seem small and silly, "of course people are going to buy you gifts that they think you'll like!" but I have become very aware of these things and it means more to me than it ever has. My co-worker bought me a big mug for work because she knew mine wasn't fitting in the Keurig. It wasn't expensive, but so full of love that I couldn't have been happier. My other brother got me huge hippie pants "that I could do yoga in" and a big Salvation Army sweatshirt. He knows my love for yoga and over-the-top clothes at times. My sister drew me a picture with a quote by 'Where The Wild Things Are' because she knows it is one of my absolute favorites. My mom got me a BPA-free hot/cold beverage container, because she knows what a freak I am about BPA's and not drinking from plastic water bottles. 

   Another co-worker got me a beautiful, simple bracelet and a sunglasses/glasses holder, because we had just been talking about glasses a few days prior. She is so sweet and thoughtful every day of the year.

   My Pollyanna was my cousin Bobby, and he got me a frame with three nice photos of us in it. He could have easily gotten me a gift card to somewhere he knows I'd like, and I would have been perfectly happy with that, but the fact that he took the time to personalize this gift and print these pictures means so much to me and I was thrilled to receive it. 

   My aunt got me a yoga book she knows I've been eyeing, and took the time to make a DIY sage burning kit. It looked so amazing and time consuming. Apparently you are supposed to burn sage whenever you move somewhere new to get rid of bad energy, and she said I should burn it in my new workspace; amazing and very thoughtful idea. A great friend made me an unbelievable coffee body scrub because she knows how much I love homemade bath and beauty products.

   My Nana got me two ornaments, one said something about me being the best granddaughter (obviously) but another was personalized. It was two tiny snowmen smiling and hugging each other with snow hats on, and one hat said my name, and the other said my boyfriend's name. It was so sweet and thought out I could have cried. 

   My best friend got me a double frame with two pictures of 'The Tree', (what we call our group of three best friends we've had since 3rd/4th grade.) It was so sweet that she took the time to do that. She picked out the most amazing and considerate card, and wrote me a beautiful letter. It was so simple but so amazing to feel like you are worth someone taking the time to personalize a gift for you.

   These people, in the past, I know have always thought about a gift that I would like, not something they would like. I know that it has never been different, but this year I am acutely aware of it. It has to do with getting in touch with my Higher Self and being attuned to the smaller things around me. I am so grateful for this awareness. 

   I am so unbelievably lucky to have these people in my life. Most of them have been in my life for years but the awareness I have now allows me to appreciate them more than I ever have. 

"Pay attention to whom you share your

 intimate energy with. Sex intertwines your

 aural energy with the aural energy of the

 other person. These powerful connections,

 regardless of how insignificant you think

 they are, leave spiritual debris, particularly

 within people who do not practice any type of

 cleansing, physical, emotional or otherwise.

 The more you interact intimately

 with someone, the deeper the connection and

 the more of their aura is intertwined with

 yours. Imagine the confused aura of someone

 who sleeps with multiple people and carries

 around these multiple energies? What they

 may not realize is that others can feel that

 energy which can repel positive energy and

 attract negative energy into your life.” 

“I always say, never sleep with someone you

 wouldn’t want to be.” -Lisa Chase Patterson"

star stuff

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” 
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos