Balancing Emotions, Thoughts and Fears: One Easy Answer

I can be very owl-y in hermit mode. I like to observe, think, and play by myself for a while.

Every so often I go into hermit mode. It’s not that I don’t like socializing with other people, but I’ve recognized in the last few months that I need time to observe my world and my thoughts.

Hermit mode gives me time to think about any feelings I haven’t quite come to terms with yet. You know, those little passing moments of stress or frustration that we brush off in order to get on with our days. When all of these moments build up, I feel like I respond to everyone with fire or like my head will explode.

So, my solution? I take some loner-time. I’ve found that taking at least a half hour every week to do Abby-things helps to keep me feeling balanced. I zone in to my thoughts instead of zoning out in front of a screen. I walk along the water, take extra time to meditate, write, or take myself out for tea (and savour it rather than slurp it down). I come out of hermit mode feeling happy, social, and at peace. This week I made myself a delicious carob-almond-milk-english toffee stevia cappuccino before going on a half hour stroll and meditation next to the seawall. I noticed how beautiful the water was with the sunlight glistening against it, and was super grateful to be exactly where I was, alone in hermit mode on a Sunday morning.

I highly recommend everyone try this.  It helps me to remember that I can make myself feel better, which is a very powerful feeling. On the flip-side, I’m also learning the value in asking for help, even if it’s just asking for an ear while I spout out my worries.  It gets these feelings out of my system, and sometimes brings amazing advice. Remember, when your life is really awesome, lots of great things happen to you. Taking time to acknowledge all of them helps to keep them coming! Happy Monday!

My Other Life: The Awesomeness Advantage

Aside from totally rocking it as a nutritionist, I have a fun video series I’ve started with the lovely Miss Kelsey Grant.  We’ve dubbed it The Awesomeness Advantage, and each week we bring you ways that you can make your life even more awesome.  Intention setting, instant manifestation of your dreams, lots of giggling… that kind of thing.  Here are the first two episodes, enjoy! Feel free to share and subscribe too

7 Things You Can Do to Feel Better Instantly

Everybody’s looking for a quick fix.  Whether it’s to lose weight or achieve their dreams, people are searching for the magic pill or perfect practice to make their lives “better”. There’s a tendency to believe that what we want is outside of who are already are.  You want world peace? Ask how at peace are you with yourself, your body, and your life. You want to lose 30 pounds? Ask how much extra “baggage” are you carrying emotionally. It’s not that we’re hypocrites, most of the time we’re just not aware of the inner turmoil we have going on.  You have to dive deep to find the answers you’re looking for.

All that being said, there are things you can do right NOW that will help you feel better instantly.  Keep in mind that you have to do these things consistently to see and feel real change in your life.

1. Breathe more deeply. I find this is especially useful when I’m eating, since it allows me to feel how full I’m getting and actually enjoy my meal. Breathe deep into your belly, feeling your diaphragm expand.  Breathing lowers your stress levels, rids your body of up to 70% of toxins, increases your energy, improves your digestive, immune, nervous and cardiovascular systems, relieves pain and helps you let go of tension.  Here is one simple deep breathing technique you can try: breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and slowly exhale for 5 seconds through your nose. Repeat 5 times.
2. Drink water as soon as you wake up (well, drink more water in general).  It helps you wake up and gets your digestive system
   

   Average work day: green tea tumbler, Santevia water bottle, Klean Kanteen bottle to refill the Santevia!

   moving (nothing starts the day off right quite like a great bowel movement).  I drink around 3 to 4 cups first thing. I find that keeping water right next to my bed helps me to keep this habit up.  Your body needs water, especially after seven to nine hours of not drinking any.

3. Add spinach to your smoothies.  Spinach, kale, chard, chlorella tablets… whatever.  Just add something green.  Greens help to increase your energy, alkalize your body, provide a dose of antioxidants and phytonutrients, and generally just make you feel amazeballs. Plus, you can hardly taste them in a smoothie.  If you’re really worried about your smoothie tasting too green (as if there was such a thing), start with spinach and work your way up.
4. Go outside.  Coming from a mainly self-employed bloggerista, trust me when I say going outside for some fresh air makes a huge difference in your overall state.  I work from home (or next door to home in a coffee shop) and I know how easy it is to forget there even is an “outside”.  I’m sure everyone working in an office can relate. We can live without water for weeks and without food for months – oxygen is the most important nutrient we need. In efforts to save on fuel costs, we insulate offices and buildings that cut off our fresh oxygen supply. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes, go outside and get some fresh air.  Practice deep breathing (see point #1) and notice how much more calm and happy you feel.
5. Throw on your favourite song. I told you guys about how music keeps me in flow.  Listening to music releases endorphins and makes you happy.  Seriously it’s that simple.  An epic track can change everything.
6. Put your fork down between bites.  It can be tempting to shovel food into your mouth sometimes, such as when you’re eating a delicious meal or eating at your desk.  Enjoying food is one of the simple pleasures us humans take for granted.  Unlike the little lovepuff wonderdog I live with, I get to actually enjoy each morsel I put in my mouth instead of inhaling it. You also give your body time to recognize when it’s getting full.  As you eat, your stomach expands.  This expansion helps to tell the brain when it’s getting full and to stop eating.  This technique also helps to balance your weight and allows you to get to know your body.
7. Smile more!! The simple act of smiling, even if you’re not in a particularly good mood, makes your brain THINK you’re in a good mood, and releases happy endorphins.  Let’s say that smiling just because is like eating more vegetables.  It’s good for you, so you should probably do more of it.  Step up your happiness-intake by smiling at strangers, laughing more, or performing random acts of awesomeness   There’s no losing in this situation.

There you have it folks.  Change your life in seven simple steps.  Instantly.

Breakfast Bowls: Layers of Morning Goodness

Recently I have started a new breakfast phase which I have dubbed breakfast bowls.  They are comprised of three parts…

Base: some sort of protein-packed pudding/porridge mixture

Chia seeds in Sunwarrior protein almond milk with Kaia granola, goji berries, cacao nibs, and banana

Middle layer: granola

Toppings: cacao nibs, goji berries, bananas… depends on my mood and what’s available

The base layer can be any slurpy mixture you like.  Recently I’ve used the new VegaOne chocolate whole food supplement, chia seeds with almond milk, vanilla Sunwarrior blended up with almond milk and frozen banana, or some Coconut Breeze Boring Porridge.  All of these are just bursting with healthy fats, proteins and deliciousness!

For granola, if you don’t have your own homemade granola on hand, I highly recommend getting some Kaia raw chocolate buckwheat granola – I eat the stuff by the handful.  It reminds me oddly of Clodhoppers (which I also used to eat by the hand).  Otherwise look for a naturally sweetened whole food organic granola (are labels confusing for you? Shoot me an email, let’s talk).

Toppings can be any kind of magical sprinklings you like.  Sometimes I go without, depends on the base of my breakfast bowl.   Be creative! There are no limits or boundaries, kids.

Abby’s VegaOne Chocolate Breakfast Bowl

Blend…

½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 scoop chocolate VegaOne powder

1 teaspoon cacao powder

½ frozen banana

2 ice cubes

Pour into a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes.  All that nutritious, omega-3 rich flax will thicken up as it stands.  Top with granola, and sprinkle with love and cacao nibs. Enjoy and eat slowly with a spoon.

The Power of Music and Being In Flow

Walking downtown this afternoon I noticed something.  When I was listening to a song I could really rock out to, the lights changed in my favour.  If anyone’s seen me rocking out to a song, you’ll know I go hard.  Singing, fist pumping, the whole bit.  I’ve even been lovingly dubbed “Abicii” because I get so into it.  Music raises my vibes like nothing else.

I’ve turned to music for every emotion ever since I can remember.  I played guitar for a few years, worked at a record store in high school, and have difficulty doing much without my personal soundtrack playing in the background.  Heck, I even interrupt my own conversations just to sing a chorus.

So naturally, when I really get into a song my mood automatically improves. Today when the song changed to one I wasn’t quite as into, the lights in front of me turned red.  Sure, you could pass it off as coincidence, or just bad timing, but to me nothing is a coincidence.  It’s all about how in flow you are.  Do you notice the synchronicities life presents you with?  When you’re in a bad mood, do you stub your toe, drop the (almond) milk container, and swear your barista gave you a dirty look?  You could say that on one of these days, you’re not in flow.

But when your favourite song is on, do you smile at strangers, have more patience, and dance your way into the

It looks like I'm glowing!

shower?  I do.  When you’re in flow, it will show on your face too.  As I walked down Robson Street, I was stopped by a gentleman who just wanted to tell me he loved my umbrella.  He told me I brightened up the dreary streets.  We chatted for a few minutes about what we were doing downtown on a rainy Vancouver day, smiled, and parted ways.  Again, you could chalk it up to chance or to him just being super friendly, but realistically it was me being in flow.  I was singing softly and probably just glowing with pure joy from my music.  I was sending out all that positive energy and that’s precisely what I got back.  A lovely encounter with a total stranger.

It was actually right after this encounter I came up with the idea to write about the power of music and being in flow.  Music has helped me in so many ways – whether it is to tune out or tune in to what’s going on in my world.  Sometimes a sad song let’s you fully feel your sadness.  It provides that space to just be.   Other times, that sad song would bring you down from what could be a superamazingawesomesauce mood.

At the very least, all that singing and dancing I did today brightened a few strangers days.  You could say that positive self-expression is really a form of service.  You’re welcome, world, for my sensational singing and dance moves.

Wanna find out other ways to raise your vibes? Check out my new YouTube channel here —> CLICK