“Our personal attempts to live humanely in this world are never wasted. Choosing to cultivate love rather than anger just might be what it takes to save the planet from extinction.”
– Pema Chodron, The Places That Scare You
I’m reading this book right now, and it is a stellar work. Chodron, an American Buddhist nun, most known for her bestseller When Things Fall Apart, gives clear instruction on how to open the heart (and keep it open) especially when we don’t want to do so. A review is coming soon. If you’ve read the book, or any of her books, let me know what you think.
“……my therapist taught me, “Everything in moderation, except joy.” As I looked back over my life, I began to understand that my joy, indeed my very existence, depends on me inhaling goodness unapologetically.” – “Sharing ‘Good Vibes’ Only Can Save Your Life” by Danielle Young (link to full article below.)
I read that quote in the December 2019 issue of Essence magazine. I was reading the magazine at Firestone Auto Care while waiting for my car to be repaired after an unexpected breakdown. The column struck me so much that I took a picture of the above paragraph.
So how to inhale more goodness, more joy when the “dailyness” of life is wearing you down? Reading Mocha Angels 365 is always good! That Ms. Mocha Angel is on point! (HA HA!)
Doing things that bring you joy is key.
Enter ellieejay from the Pointless Overthinking blog. She wrote a post called “How to Love the Repetition of Life.” (link to full post below) Simple pleasures, with minimum effort and minimum cost, are the key the enjoying the repetition of life, says ellieejay. I’m down like four flat tires with her line of thinking.
The simplest of all my pleasures is singing. I sing all.the.time. Everywhere. Anywhere. Ask my kids. I dance too. I can’t dance worth snot, but I don’t care. Song and dance bring me joy. I can’t do either one of them too much.
How do you inhale goodness? What are your simple pleasures?
Sharing ‘Good Vibes’ Only Can Save Your Life by Danielle Young: https://www.essence.com/videos/watch-the-overexplainer-good-vibes-only/
How to Love the Repetition of Life by elliejay: https://pointlessoverthinking.com/2020/01/10/how-to-love-the-repetition-of-life/
Do not berate yourself for past mistakes. Instead, learn from them. To live in the past is to miss out on today. The present is a present to you!
Mantra:
I focus on the present today.
And if you need a boost of energy, my present to you is three-time Grammy winner Lizzo. This will make you feel fantastic.
Before you dive into any endeavor, meditate on it first. Getting other people’s opinions about your new venture is fine. However in meditation…that is where you find the true answer to your question.
Mantra: I meditate before I act today.
I made it through the rest of January with only a half of cup of coffee at work on the 15th. I threw it away because it tasted weird. I didn’t have anymore coffee the rest of the month. This was the most successful “living without” I’ve done since I started.
I didn’t believe I could do it. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The carrot smoothie that I wrote about yesterday really does help with my energy level. I’ll keep going with this challenge into February.
The challenge for this month is “no sugar.” I’ve got my meals planned out already. Wish me luck.
Original post: https://mochaangels.com/2019/11/01/a-year-of-living-without-or-breaking-the-chains-of-resistance/
“Lean not on your own understanding” means not to only trust what you perceive with your five senses. There is more to this planet than what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. Your understanding of life is increased by the gift from God: intuition.
This sixth sense is your Higher Power guiding you in the right direction. Intuition is always your first thought about a situation. The thought is usually quick and fleeting. Sometimes intuition is felt in your body, a la “I had a gut feeling about……”
Listening to your intuition is a skill to be cultivated in order for you to trust it. That’s why meditation or even quiet time with no media distractions is helpful. They both teach you to listen to your own inner wisdom.
Mantra: I trust my intuition today.
A follow-up to yesterday’s Day 31 “I change my mind today” post.
As Louise Hay says in her book You Can Heal Your Life, “I’m willing to change.” Willingness is the key. Being willing to go out of your comfort zone, willing to do and try new things, willing to feel uncomfortable, willing to look foolish…all those things are new and feel weird right?
It’s okay to be scared to try new things. Forming new thought patterns is difficult, yet not impossible. I know some of my readers in real life, and I know what their struggles are. Just keep saying “I’m willing to change” a million times until it feels true. Dip your baby toe in the water of new experiences and thoughts. You are breaking old thoughts and habits when you say you are willing to change. Y’all know what old patterns no longer serve you. Start with something small, not attached to a big emotion.
Be gentle with yourself. Take your time. Create small changes one thought at a time.
Carrot Smoothie
Add all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth!
I’ve been drinking this in the morning before breakfast. It makes a great coffee replacement. Carrots have a lot of natural sugar in them. I notice a boost in energy whenever I drink this.
All of the ingredients are to taste. If you want it sweeter, add more agave or another banana. If you want to make this smoothie more of a meal replacement, add the walnuts which adds good fat and extra calories.
Once I made the smoothie with water instead of milk. Yuck! Milk is definitely the way to go. I love this smoothie (I love all the smoothies I’ll share on my blog!). It’s an easy way to get vegetables in you. Also the kale (or any leafy green) is not noticeable. Try a couple pieces of kale instead of two cups if you are hesitant. I promise you won’t taste the “bitter greeniness” of kale.
A high-powered blender like a VitaMix or Ninja or Blendtec are preferred for all smoothies, especially for blending a tough vegetable like carrots. Use what you have in your kitchen now. Add more milk until the smoothie is no longer chunky (hence why it’s called a smoothie and not a “chunkie!”) Enjoy!
Albert Einstein once said, “A problem cannot be solved in the same consciousness in which it was created.” In other words, whatever beliefs that got you into your “mess” must be changed so you can get out of it.
Mantra: I change my mind today.
Ms. Mocha Angel 