Food for Thought

At any given time, there could be anywhere from three to twenty books that I’m reading. While most people keep their books neatly stacked on their nightstand, mine are, more often than not, scattered on my bed. Most of mine are usually in the realm of self-help or self-improvement. (Let’s face it, we all could use a little self-help and improvement, whether we know and recognize it, or not). I like to have at least one fictional book or novel to help me leave reality for a while and enjoy characters in far-off or not-so-far-off places.

Books currently scattered upon my bed include “The Joy of Missing Out” by Tonya Dalton; “Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life” by Gary John Bishop; “The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook” by Deb Robson and Carol Ekarius; “The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardner’s Handbook” by Ron and Jennifer Kujawski; “You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero; “The Greatest Secret” by Rhonda Byrne and “The Awakening” by Nora Roberts. I generally read a little of each of these books throughout the week, and there are those I use every week for projects and planning. I also have a couple of books on CD, which are almost always fiction, that I listen to in our cabin’s loft, also known as my studio, when I’m spinning, felting or knitting.

When I’m not reading or listening to those CD’s, I often continue to feed my mind by watching podcasts or listening to YouTube audios of some of my favorite subjects and authors Currently that line-up includes Very Pink Knits (amazing knitting tutorials); Simon Sinek (great leadership and motivational tips); Ashlee Espinoza (lots of information on providing virtual-based classes and content); and my favorite, Abraham Hicks (all about the Law of Attraction). The fact of the matter is, I’m pretty much always feeding my mind with something.

When it comes to feeding my body, I’m doing my best lately to avoid sugars, drink more water, and portion control. On Sundays, which I’ve now dubbed “Self-Care Sundays” I allow myself to cheat a little. This past Sunday I treated myself to an ice cream cone from the Pit Stop, and then on Monday, went back to my routine of a cleaner diet, complete with water, fruits, vegetables and protein. I’ve felt better over the last month of this healthier diet, and in the process, even lost five pounds.

My plan is to implement some sort of exercise routine in the next month and to be in better shape to walk, hike and go horseback riding by summertime.

Feeding the body well, in my experience, opens up the avenue to feed your mind and soul well too. And, I think the same can be said in reverse, that feeding the mind and soul well opens up the avenue to feed your body well My opinion is that feeding the body, mind and soul makes for an all-around healthier experience and outlook on life.

Sometimes, it’s just about recognizing you want things to be different. Almost always, the first step towards change is the one we take ourselves. For me, it was recognizing I was feeling sluggish and then really looking into what I was feeding my body and my mind. Turns out, I was eating so much take out and sugary, processed foods, it was no wonder I wasn’t feeling well. I constantly needed another Diet Pepsi and a candy bar to give me the next lift to get through the day.

I was feeding my mind all the negativity out there on social media and listening to conversations that were aggressive and even down-right mean.

How in the world could I expect to feel good with all of the negativity and poor diet? Here’s a little secret: I couldn’t.

I think a lot of us are this way. We want things to be different, but we don’t realize we are the ones holding ourselves back.

This week, I invite you to take a deeper look into what you’re feeding your body, your mind, your soul. If you notice a pattern or something you might want to do differently, start to make a change. If you notice something off in all of those areas, my suggestion (although I’m no expert), is to start in the area that calls to you the most. Start small. Maybe you’re like me and want to eliminate the soda you consume each day. Start by reducing it by just one serving a day and work your way down, and so on. I find it much easier to go slow, stay steady. If you’re more of a “cold-turkey” type of person, by all means, use that method.

There’s no right or wrong, it’s about doing what works best for you. Feed your body good, healthy foods and fill your mind with positive things. Your soul will sense the difference and probably thank you.