Simplicity

As I have walked this journey, many have often expressed how difficult it is to transition to a raw vegan lifestyle and marvel at how I seem to have adapted with ease.  My response is honest, it is not difficult.  It is about making simple choices.  Right now, I am 99% raw.  I occasionally have eaten a prepared hummus while dining out or consumed a few nuts that were not raw.  I do not concern myself with this overall percentage as each day, I am on target.  This because I start daily with a focused simplicity to eat whole foods.  Throughout these postings, I have previously referenced keeping it simple and short, sweet, or satisfying. (KISS).  "Kissing" yourself if the best approach to not only raw vegan transition, but to anything you face in life.  Of course, there will always be fancy, decadent, complex dishes that mimic cooked or animal based meals which requires some form of talent to create, however, just a piece of fruit or whole vegetable will suffice.  Worrying about converting exquisite, complex works of art with way too many ingredients can lead to failure as one can easily begin to walk the path of procrastination while attempting to obtain everything they think they "need" to create mini masterpieces that will just be eaten in less time than it took to construct.    Save the fancy for every now and then.  Treat it no differently than consumption of a special dinner during an

evening out.  Realistically, how many of us, raw or not, eat fancy gourmet meals every day?  That being said, let's get back to kissing.  Make an honest effort to keep things easy.  Focus on just one simplicity and expand as you master it, one at a time. As simple as life seems to be, we've all somehow managed to bog and burden ourselves with materialistic, unnecessary objects and artificial deadlines.  It is important we learn to un-complicate our lives. Apply the Kiss to every aspect of your life -  keeping each component simple will relieve your stresses.  Kissing your life is loving yourself.  A peace-filled, zen based life will calm your soul and quiet your being.  I believe we were intended for simplicity.  Yes, I enjoy some technology as much as the next person, however, everything should be placed properly in its place and not take precedence over the simplistic way of life.

Fast Food for Real

In our modern world, fast is the way, steadily increasing its pace.  We want everything quick, we want it fast and we want it convenient.  I find it perplexing that the very people who obsess with the fast life do not consider fresh whole fruit and vegetables "fast food".  How is it not?  Live food is the same as the "value menu" cholesterol

 increasing, artery clogging, fat filled burgers and fries when it comes to convenience:  no prep time, easy to pick up and take on the go, relatively cheap and you can feed your entire family for less than $10. The crucial difference is that whole, live, raw foods are actually GOOD for you, free of fats, sugars, increasing instead of decreasing energy.  When eating real fast food, you don't have to worry about triggers, dis-ease, and illness.  The first stumbling block when converting to veganism is always trying to figure out what to eat.  My suggestion is simple:  stop worrying. Nothing complex to determine.  Pick up some real fast food - an apple, bananas, celery, cucumbers, dark green leafy plants, etc.  

Life Uncomplicated

As you simplify when, how, and why you eat, begin to apply these techniques to the other aspects of your life.  It doesn't make you different, it just makes you uncomplicated.

"Instead of thinking outside of the box, get rid of the box" ~Deepak Chopra

Uncomplicate your life, remove your boxes, get off the grid and make your life as easy as you can.  Reduce your stress and any object that you associate with it.  For example, people find it strange that I do not own a cell phone.   It was the first thing I got rid of when I began to simplify my life. I understand the practicality of a cell phone, however for me, it represented the stress of always being on call. I admit, when I first let it go, I felt I had made a mistake, yet I felt compelled to stick with it.  Quickly, as I re-educated and re-programmed my needs versus my wants, I discovered I no longer needed it.   I haven't had one for nine years now and enjoy the freedom of not being attached to it. Except for the younger generation, most of us grew up without a portable phone and life was grand.  This simple exercise led me to begin to align my thought processes in tune with needs and wants.  The stress and complications come with forcing wants into needs.  Mastering the ability to distinguish between the two is empowering.

The Power of Simplicity

John Lewis, the Bad Ass Vegan, first introduced me to the concept of active simplicity during the Rawgust raw food celebration in the summer of 2011. He created a mental challenge to eat simple.  It spoke to me.

Appreciate simple life....

It fell in sync with my walk.  It became my mantra.  This past month, another friend, raw vegan super athlete,  Jeff Sekerak, launched a new initiative, Power of Simplicity in which he highlights how empowering it is to live, eat and be simple. When you live simply, you gain a power.  It allows you to "see" for as you stand present in your moment, you are able to observe all around you and make conscious decisions with wisdom instead of in haste or in stress which most often leads to more stress and waste of valuable time.  A simple life is a powerful life.  It  gives you appreciation of the gifts provided to us through nature - grass, trees, water, air, love, life. Use this power to make choices to transition from complication into simplistic hedonism.  Enjoy the taste and smells of sweet succulent fruit, the burst of energy from pure nutrients, the feel of  natural clothing, the quiet from unplugging the television, the sound of crickets at night, birds in the morning, the satisfaction  water provides,  the tranquility of release.  Taking one step toward simplicity will envelope and cleanse every other aspect of your life.  Give yourself a kiss...think about what you can do right at this moment to simplify your life, it can start with eating an apple and instead of a bag of chips.  

"The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step" ~Lao Tzu

Yoga:  Pranayama - Breathing Techniques

The simple act of breathing is one of the most crucial components in any yogic practice. Breath is the key to life.  Without it, we cease to exist.  Breathing is one of the most simplistic things we can do effectively.  Pranayama literally means control of lifeforce.  Yogic breathing techniques balance the mind and the body.  Control of breath oxygenates, creating greater levels of consciousness as well as reduces stress, improves mental clarity and aids digestion. 

A Day in the Life

A year ago this week, I made the commitment to become a raw vegan.  Although I had only become vegan three months prior and still stumbling my way through food selections,  it wasn't a dramatic decision.  In fact, the choice to become raw just happened naturally.    I had been invited to participate in my first juice fast.  In preparation, my coach suggested that we eat raw the week leading up to Juice Day 1 to ease our way into the fast to avoid a jolting  "shock" to our systems.  Despite eating raw, as you'll recall, my first attempt did not go over so well (Rescuing Failure).   Keeping that episode in mind with  respect to the realization that that my body had begun to purge itself of toxins, the last thing I needed to do was consume cooked foods.  I began to eat raw and starting researching how to "eat raw properly".   I liked the way I felt after eating raw.  It was a noticeable difference.  I had energy, stamina, and a feeling of euphoria.  I did not experience the lethargy that accompanied a cooked meal.  I suddenly could practice yoga or even workout in the evenings if I were inclined to.  My second fast (Breaking Fast) was a success, most likely due to the fact that I had practically one full month of eating at least 75% raw.   What I discovered is that:

Better preparation leads to better results.

Wow.  All of that seemed so long ago.  Today, I am constantly asked what I eat in a day or how can I "be full after eating raw all day"?   It is not difficult to eat raw.  Yes, there is a gourmet raw version of  practically every cooked dish and it is fun to be creative.  However, keeping it simple is the easiest way to eat and maintain a raw diet from day to day.  I save the fancy raw meals for fancy times the same as anyone consuming cooked foods treat "going out" to eat.  A common mistake when transitioning is consuming high fat raw meals.  They are tasty and mimic cooked counterparts.  By keeping it simple, you can eat low fat raw with ease. Keeping it simple was the very first lesson I learned when I first converted, (What a Bargain), remembering to KISS my foods (Keeping It Short and Simple). Show your love as you give yourself a kiss with each meal.   You can, in fact, go about your tasks:

Kissing Yourself All Day

To demonstrate how easy it is, here is my picture diary of a typical, random day.  It is my KISS to you:

Early Morning 

Water                   Herbal Tea                           Water  

6am - I always start the day with a glass of water, keeping a full glass ready by my night stand. Meditation and  yoga followed by a cup of herbal tea.  Usually drink two glasses of water prior to daily 5k run. The morning is completed with weight training and a glass of water.



Breakfast to Mid Morning

Bananas & Pears        Water                        Apples              

Breakfast is either fruit, a fruit/vegetable smoothy, or a green juice followed by a glass of water.  Mid-morning snack is a mono-meal of fruit.

Lunch to Mid-Day

                   Salad                           Water          Red Bell Peppers

1pm -Lunch through mid-day is when I eat the largest meal, usually foods which are hard to digest or take longer than fruit to process. This is also when I will consume the majority of fat intake for the day. A glass of water is typical after lunch.

 The perfect mid-day snack is a mono-meal of a fruit or vegetable.

Afternoon

Herbal Tea                        Bananas                       Water

Afternoon is the beginning of "winding down".  A late day cup of herbal tea is wonderful.  A mono meal of fruit usually will hold me over until dinner followed by a glass of water.



Dinner to End of Day

Squash noodles/sauce         Tangerines        Herbal Tea

5pm - Dinner consists of a light vegetable meal.  Later, around 7pm, a mono meal of fruit.  The day completes with a quiet evening asana and a cup of soothing herbal tea. The evening ends by pouring a glass of water to sit, on the nightstand,

                                                                                 ready for the next morning's wake. 

Getting Started
As you can see, it isn't an arduous, formidable task. Some days, I eat fruit for every meal.  Other days, I drink thick juices or soups made from extracted fruits and vegetables.  It's up to you. The more simple you make it, the easier it is. To get started, I suggest to begin by substituting foods, one meal at a time.  Breakfast is probably the best meal to begin with.  After you have replaced a meal successfully and repetitively for at least one week or more, move on to substitute all mini-meals or snacks before you continue with the next major meal replacement until you feel comfortable.  To be honest, I did not do it this way.  I took the plunge and dove in head first, replacing 75% of all meals within the first week and moving to 95% within the first month.  Here are a few quick tips:

1. Do what is best for you. Pick the fruits and vegetables you enjoy to get started.  If you eat something you like eating, it will be all the more easier to stick with it.
2. If you fall off the wagon, dust off and jump back on.  There isn't going to be a test at the end of the day.
3. As always, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Not only is water "brain food", it is crucial to the digestion and will help elimination process through your body consistently and in a more efficient manner.   
4. Eat frequently.  I eat an average of every 2 hours in a 12 hour span of time.  When you add that up, that is quite a considerable amount of food.  I am satiated and never "feel" hungry.  If hunger pangs hit you, a piece of fruit will always answer the call.   
5. Phone a friend.  Find a coach or someone who is an established raw vegan who will be happy to aid,  guide you, or provide step by step resource materials as you need it.
6. Discover new ways to prepare and eat foods previously cooked.  Explore! Throw away old fears - trying a new exotic fruit or vegetable you never had before.   

Enjoy yourself, have fun "uncooking" and seal it with a kiss.

Namaste.

Common Senses

When I left the corporate world, I stumbled into a new profession as headmistress of a Montessori school.  It was a wonderful experience.  I was very familiar with the Montessori methodologies as my children were educated in this manner.  My husband and I selected Montessori because we loved the idea that our children would  go to school in a calming, non-competitive environment where they could learn kinesthetically - using all of their senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing.  I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to "give back" as our children flourished and did very well.  Thinking back over my years at the school, I thought, "Wow! this experience is no different".  Light bulb moment!  Use common sense!  This experience of learning new ways to prepare food would be easy if I used a sensorial-based approach in the same manner the Montessori method teaches young children:  practical hands-on material that focus on the use of your senses to stimulate and awaken.

A Tommy Moment

In 1969, the great rock band, The WHO, released the rock opera, "Tommy" about a mute, deaf, and blind young man who becomes a leader influencing millions..  One of my favorite songs from the opera is (hear/play:) "Listening to You"©1969.   Tommy silently pleads "see me, touch me, feel me, heal me".  He finally gets attention, by using the only senses he has left: to touch and to feel, ultimately becoming brilliant influencing millions:  

"Following you  I climb the mountain, ...On you I see the glory, 

From you I get opinions, From you I get the story."

~ excerpt from "Listening to You" 

Some days in this journey are harder than others.  Some days I wake up energized, excited to try new recipes and tastes, while other days I feel defeated.  The difference is always the same:  motivation or lack thereof.  There was nothing palpable to encourage my way.  Have you ever felt this way?  If so, you like I, need a "Tommy" moment.  Something that will allow you to use your senses commonly, to enable you to climb your mountain and to see your glory.

Palpable Reminders

palpable coffee pot replacement

Realizing the need for common sense, and determined to make things physical, and tangible.  I purchased a basket and made a pact with myself to keep it stocked with fruits.  I placed this basket on my kitchen countertop in the same location where my coffee pot used to be (since becoming vegan, I have no taste nor use for it any longer).  Now, each time I enter the kitchen, I  can see, smell, touch or even taste the fruit.  The  physical being of the fruit reminds me to stay on track. It inspires me to be creative, to "get the story", to inquire, "seek opinion" and advice from others which then leads to success - "the glory of climbing the mountain" - a personal Tommy moment.   My initial success was to use the fruits and a few leftover greens to make this Simple Citrus Salad after I thought I needed to go to the market on a snowy day.  It became my sunshine as the sight of the fruit sparked a little ingenuity:

Tommy moment: unexpected sunshine on a snowy day

Simple Citrus Salad

Cabbage 

Carrots

Green Apple

Navel Orange

Lemon

Grate cabbage and carrots (slaw style).  Peel and dice orange and apple. Mix ingredients.  Squeeze fresh lemon over the top.

The salad was very delicious.  The smell and taste of the lemon cleansed the palate allowing the combination of  tangy apples and sweet, juicy oranges to supply an explosion of fruity flavor. The roughness of the carrots and the cabbage provided the right texture against the softness of the fruit.

When you make things elementary, it's much easier to stay motivated and to learn.  Create your own tangible, sensorial,  kinesthetic, practical reminders that will awaken or heal you and bring you to your senses.

Yoga:   Third Eye (to feel and to see)

In Yoga, it is said that meditation gives you peace of mind, calmness, and a sense of well being. There are several types and methods of mediation each focusing on a different energy center of the body, one of which is the sixth chakra, the point on the forehead just above and between the eyebrows.  This location is called the Third Eye or Mind's Eye.  When the eyes are closed, this point is considered the seat of "concealed wisdom". It allows you to see and to feel, enabling you to retain energy and strengthen concentration.


To awaken, hear, see and feel your inner wisdom, using your third eye:

• Sit cross legged (lotus pose-if not possible, sit comfortably on chair or bed)  
• Keep your spine straight
• Close your eyes
• Inhale and exhale deeply three times
• Concentrate on the middle of your forehead around the area which is a few centimeters above the middle of your eyes.
• Keep your eyes closed and draw both of your eyes towards this center point of third eye (just look upwards with your eyes closed focusing on the point between your eyes).  
• Once you have achieved this state of stillness, you will feel as if you can see your thoughts...just like a screen appearing before you.      (source: mediationiseasy.com)

Om Shanti (all peace)

This Too Shall Pass

After turning the corner of my "impatience episode", of last week, I realized that every thing has its peaks and valleys.   In the midst of the valley, with cleansing breath, I recited, "This too shall pass", knowing that I will be blessed with the path forward.  As I thought, I reminded myself of other things that have passed since I began this initiative:  toxins (via adult acne), lethargy, negativity, and gas.

Yes, I said gas.  

I was happy to see my skin clearing. I had experienced a few breakouts since starting this process but didn't become alarmed because as you cleanse, any toxins in your body will release through whatever avenue available.   In some instances, it will be your skin. As you continue however, your skin clears.  This lasted only in the initial week or so.  I was more excited about feeling physically energized in the mornings.  Always an early riser, I still felt the need of caffeine to get me going.  Since the elimination of meat, I realized that I have more energy upon waking and no longer desire coffee.  Despite spending time in the "valley", I'm feeling quite positive.  There is beauty in the valley - it's all how you look at it.    

Being in the Valley can be beautiful.

Flatulence

The one thing that not expected was flatulence.  It's an embarrassing subject.  After speaking about it with an associate, she made an interesting point,  "You are probably a little bloated and have gas build up because of what you've been eating."  Light bulb moment!  Of course!  The main staples of my diet have been cabbage and beans.  We all remember snickering at the rhyme we said as kids, "Beans, beans, the more you eat, the more you fart!"
It was the reason we did not want to eat beans.  Now that we're adults, have any of us heard the rest of the poem?  It's a revelation:

"Beans, beans, the more you eat, the more you fart.  

The more you fart, the better you feel.  

So, beans, beans with every meal!"

Although I had not gained any weight, my belly was a little extended.  I started doing yoga abdominal massages and stretches which helped and got things going however, the situation would soon return. I decided to check into it.  According to Nexium Research, flatulence occurs when the bacteria in the large intestine break down undigested food passed from the small intestine, it produces hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane gases, which are then released...which translates - it's a natural bodily function.  Foods which produce gas in some may not effect others in the same manner.  The lesson? Learn your body and make adjustment accordingly. 

Just let it go!

Not to be offensive, but pun is intended.  I realized that some of the very foods I have come to enjoy are causing more nature than I care for:

• Broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, carrots
• Apricots, raisins, bananas, prunes, pears, peaches, artichokes
• Cauliflower, radishes, turnips, rutabaga
• Eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, onions
• Bran, nuts, seeds (fennel, sunflower, poppy)
• Cabbage, celery, cucumbers
• Legumes - dried beans and peas, baked beans, soy beans, lima beans
• Potatoes, corn, noodles and wheat

WOW!  This is exactly what I've been eating this past month.  But, as far as I know, the vegans I have been face to face with haven't been uncontrollably letting loose around me.  How to "let it go" without giving it up? There must be an answer. I found out that suddenly increasing your fiber intake is the culprit.  That is exactly what I've done.  EUREKA! I discovered that to counter gas, the answer is not a complex concoction or recipe.   

Reduce flatulence:  Increase water;
add fresh peppermint or ginger

It is very simple:  water (guilty!)

Increase hydration - add fresh peppermint or ginger

Eat smaller portions per setting

Eat slowly

As I sit here drinking a glass of water, I realize that as I work my way out of the valley, the intricacies within my body will slowly mesh and will work its way out.  As you pass, you release that which you do not need. Nothing stays in the same exact position forever.  The doldrums that gripped me will also eventually subside in the same manner as the euphoria.  That it is okay to let go, and by doing so, I will find comfort in neutrality and equilibrium - perfect way to prepare for the next up and down ride.

Favorite dish of the day:  Black beans, brown rice, with tomato sauce and red pepper flakes
Exercise: 30 minutes
Yoga: tree pose - grounded yet sways freely; passing in the wind; going with the flow...letting go.  

What A Bargain!

Full all day!  The beans I've been eating really make the difference are a great staple.  Two small bags have lasted over one week.  I've made a few variety of meals with just white and garbanzo beans.  The cost for both bags was just $2.36!  Not only have I saved quite a bit but I feel as if I have earned energy and confidence. Thus far, I have no feelings of sacrifice.

Sealed with a KISS

Once again, I am feeling full and I am surprised.  I felt I had to force down the remainder of my breakfast of fruit and salad .  I guess my mother's adage "you better eat everything off of your plate" was in my head.  But why continue to eat when not hungry?  I decided to put the food away for another time and KISS it.  KISS, or better Keep It Short and Simple.  Later in the day, I went into town to have lunch with two dear friends.  We met at a franchise restaurant, so I felt I would fare better than I did at the diner (see "Choices", Week 2).  Not!  The dreaded salad bar was there along with a loaded down 1400 calorie guacamole (same for the cheese-based spinach appetizer at 1200 cal).  Remembering the experience from breakfast, I decided to KISS the situation.  I ordered three veggie "sides" :

• mashed cauliflower  (much yummier than the potato version)
• grilled asparagus
• grilled whole green beans

The entire meal was 490 calories and my bill totaled $8.70.  What a bargain!  The point was to "keep it short and simple":  to enjoy the company of my friends, to concentrate positively and to eliminate the urge of stressing over what I "could not have".  When faced with what seems to be a complicated situation, it is important to remember to stop, regroup, and give yourself a KISS. 


Favorite dish of the day:  Mashed cauliflower w/garlic (yummy)
Yoga: 30 minutes




Be Prepared


Today, was a day full of white potatoes.  Not by choice but because there were no other alternatives but meat.  The day started with a breakfast meeting full of the traditional American breakfast staples, bacon, sausage, eggs, pastries, white breads, and potatoes.  As the food was professionally catered, the presentation was beautiful.  Everyone around me had plates spilling over with things I would not eat.  "Aren't you having breakfast?" or "Did you have something to eat?" were the questions I received most frequently during the initial 15 minutes. 

Fortunately, I has prepared myself by eating prior to attending the 6am meeting.  I had natural peanut butter on whole grain toast.  It was simple but filling and was just the thing I needed to provide the ability to avoid temptation.  I was happy when the meeting actually began and everyone started to focus on the content instead of my empty plate.  It felt a little weird just sitting there while everyone else chomped down.

Unbalanced...too many white potatoes!

Later that day, there were white potatoes left over from the meeting.  I felt okay having a few with the corn and green beans I had brought from home.  I finished it off with a serving of grapes.  The problem came that evening.  I attended a BBQ.  Now that I am beginning to look at things differently, I was astonished at how much meat people actually consume.


While I was able to handle the morning meeting situation, I was ill-equipped for the dinner party.  There were ribs, chicken, fried fish, hot dogs, steaks, and burgers - all things you expect to find at the traditional barbecue; but nothing for me.  What surprised me was the limited amount of side dishes.  No one seemed to notice because everyone was devouring all of that meat.  I didn't want the hostess to feel bad as she started apologizing to me so I put a little of the the only choices available on my plate: corn on the cob, baked beans, and potato chips.  There were no green or fruit choices. I ended up eating  more potatoes:  the salad (with the traditional mayo) , the chips (processed of course), and the corn.  I did not eat the baked beans after I realized they had bacon in them. It was nothing against the hosts as they were very nice and tried to be as  accommodating as they could.  I felt bad because I hated that they felt they had to apologize and more so, that I had created an uncomfortable situation.  


The difference between my success of the morning and my failure that evening was how well I had prepared for the situation.   If I had not succumbed to the temptation of those potatoes at lunch, perhaps I would have felt better about eating the potato salad at dinner.   If I had prepared myself mentally about what may be available at the barbecue in the same manner I had at breakfast, I would be able to handle the situation without calling so much attention to myself.  A little more depressing was the fact that I felt I had to defend myself after a few guests made remarks like, "Vegan?  I like meat myself, I don't know how you can do that"  or the same old "you know you need protein, how are you going to get it if you don't eat meat?".  I don't know what was more astonishing, the fact that the last question came from someone I had just met five minutes earlier, or the sense of negative judgment.


To be prepared also means to be ready mentally.  I am in new territory.  I have to prepare myself to be ready for questions, comments, feedback, and meat-laced menus whether I want them or not.  


Favorite dish of the day:  NULL
Yoga:  NULL - negative energy & too many potatoes 

  
Validation and Inspiration


Days 15 & 16 Just like the old saying goes, "As one door closes, another one opens",  I had a wonderful two days after a disastrous Day 14.  My husband, who usually makes great traditional dinners (meat, starch, veggie), made a veggie inspired meal just for me.  Since I started this two weeks ago, I have been making my own plant-based meals while he prepared meat-based dinners for everyone else.  I didn't expect him to make changes just because I did.  But, on Day 15, when I came home, he had stir-fried cabbage, baked yams, and threw in a whole grain fruit bar for desert - just for me!  To top it off, I found, advice, tips, recipes and support from two vegan experts, Dr. Sunyatta Amen, and The Vegan Muse(formerly the Vegetarian Muse).   With this acknowledgment came just what I needed to forge forward:  Validation.

 My new inspiration:  Spicy Marinated Rice by The Vegan Muse

Validation is empowering.  It allows you to Speak it, Feel it, Be it!  This support gave me the reinforcement I needed.  I had 12 servings of fruit and veggies today and eagerly look to re-energize tomorrow.  

Looking back over these past few days, I realized that I got more than what I bargained for by choosing this green lifestyle.  I've learned:

• that I can save money by selecting vegan choices
• to keep it short and simple (everyone likes a kiss every now and then?)
• to be prepared (change doesn't have to be hard)
• that acknowledgment and validation puts the wind in my sails!

Overall, I've learned that the sum total of this "new way" is actually a bargain, that considering the little I to put in versus what I gain, is a return of investment; the key to a healthier life.  When all is said and done, it is, indeed... PRICELESS.

Favorite dish of the day:  the one made from love - the validating dish of cabbage and sweet potatoes
Yoga:  30 minutes 

Finding Balance

Prune Juice.  Not the commercial stuff, but the real thing, 100%, thick with pulp.  My new best friend.  Don't laugh. After you remove all of the funny connotations and jokes, prunes are actually a good source of antioxidants and iron.  Since they are high in fiber, prunes provide a natural cleanse and serve as the mechanism for stability.  When you are stable, you are grounded. When grounded, you will able to find balance.  With balance comes peace. With peace comes success.

Establishing A Base

Base: My Veggie Tuna, variation 1

Day 10...I spoke with a dear, dear friend today who'd read the beginnings of this blog and had expressed her happiness for me but admitted that, she too, had concerned reservation "for the wealth of my health".  Realizing that she spoke out of love, and out of my mutual love for her, I listened attentively to what she had to say.  Feeling confident, I allayed her fears and felt grateful for her candid feedback as a true friend.  I thought about what her acceptance meant to me: building a strong base. 


In our corporate lives, my friend was my colleague and business partner.  Our different personalities meshed and provided a ying and yang compliment to each other.  It created the balance we needed to build a strong base and to establish a great foundation.  It made  us quite successful and we soon became accomplished, award-winning, industry-recognized, change management executives.  We were sought after to speak, write, present, and foster the re-engineering of processes.  I realized that this transition was no different.  It is a new opportunity for change - a light bulb moment!  Talking with my friend had sparked and helped me to remember that I had started this process without a base, therefore setting myself up for a weak foundation and poor structure.  Reflecting over these past ten days, I pondered as to what element was strong enough to be the base that would be able to help me through potential tough days ahead.  The answer was simple.  I had to find the one dish that, without hesitation, would be the meal that would keep me grounded.   


The next question came to mind, "What is the one thing I could eat repeatedly". At midpoint of this initial month, repetition is just what I needed to solidify my objective.  How else does it become a habit?  To build a strong brick by brick structure, you need to first, by rote, lay foundation cinder block by cinder block.  A stable foundation needs a good base.   Almost immediately, the answer came to me.  It was my favorite concoction.  This dish would be the one that I could eat every day or better yet, be the one that I could use to build the foundation of my new lifestyle.   It feels good. Now that brings me back to the beginning.  A strong base is level.  A level base provides the grounding needed to find balance.  I have found my balance.  I have established my base - the veggie tuna, which reminds me of my friend, Hester:

Base: My Veggie Tuna, variation 2

• Simple, yet made up of several, powerful components
• Strong, providing substance, yet soft and pleasurable to the palate
• The ying to balance the yang
• Just the right staple to be the catalyst and base for successful change.

~Namaste.