5 Simple Ways to Create a Naturally Awesome Life

You'll never be the "perfect" crunchy person. And neither will I.

It's not because we don't try really hard. Or have the best intentions to rid our lives of chemicals and give ourselves the most nourishing real food. It's not because we are pigging out on our kids' Halloween contraband while they're sleeping. Or eating Mc Donald's apple pies in our car, so that the evidence never enters the house.

We would never do such things.

Here's the thing, most of us are perfectionists. You're saying, "Nah, not me. I'm cool with mediocrity." But I'll guess that the reason you settle for what's less than living your highest potential is because you feel overwhelmed by all the choices and decisions you could make. Eat organic, avoid dairy, get rid of gluten, meat's no good for you, cut out the carbs, juicing is key, yoga is the best for of exercise, etc.

Just making a choice about what to eat can make your head spin.

That's not even taking into account the chemicals in our products that are damaging our health, finding the "right" form of exercise, or doing things that feed your soul.

It's no wonder we choose to keep going on the same path! It hasn't killed us yet, right?

Here's the thing....living a natural and healthy life doesn't have to be so confusing or complex. It's the small steps that lead to greatness.

You don't have to wake up tomorrow morning and overhaul your life. I sure as hell didn't and you shouldn't either. My journey towards natural health has been bumpy. I've gotten lost quite a few times.

The key is to try and not beat yourself up over the minor setbacks and to focus on the journey itself.

I would've never guessed 3 years ago that today I would love drinking green juice, cut off all my hair to avoid chemical processing, and know the difference between kale and swiss chard (all leafy green stuff looks the same right?)

But this didn't happen over night. I have to remind myself of that. And just because I'm not the poster-child for being "uber crunchy" doesn't mean I shouldn't try to continually make those small changes.

For those of you just setting out on the journey I understand it can be difficult to know where to begin. Do you start with food, products, exercise, spiritual growth? What's going to give you the best "bang for your buck"?

One of my readers posed this very request. She said, "I'd like tips for the person who is no ready to go all the way crunchy. Info on what are the crunchy changes that give you the biggest benefit."

While I don't have perfect blueprint for how to implement a more natural approach to your life (because everyone has different needs and circumstances), I do know that it begins with a shift in your heart and in your mind.

From there, these simple tips should get you on your way:

1. Eat REAL, Fresh Food.

If you can't pronounce it or understand it, don't eat it! I don't subscribe to one particular diet or fad. But I know my body feels like shit when it's fed processed garbage. (Especially that Twix bar I had right before bed). I eat meat, fruits, grains, veggies, and dairy, but it's usually fresh and in moderation. Here's a hint: If it comes in a package that allows it to sit on a supermarket shelf for a year DON'T PUT IT IN YOUR BODY! That goes for all the "low-fat", "low-carb", "no-sugar" "healthy" snacks too.

If you aren't scared off by reading labels, try only buying foods with less than 5 ingredients.
 
Reduced Fat Jif Peanut Butter- 15 Ingredients

Jif Natural Peanut Butter - 5 Ingredients

2. If You Can't Eat it Don't Put it On Your Body.

I know it sounds strange, but hear me out. Your body is your biggest organ. It absorbs EVERYTHING. From your daily shampoo to your moisturizing lotion. The scary part is, many chemicals that can cause sickness bio-accumulate. Meaning they build up over time. So the sooner you replace your haircare and skin care products with those made from natural ingredients, the better off you'll be.

Mother nature has provided us with everything we need to cure almost anything. From using garlic to ward off the common cold. To reducing inflammation (which is the root of many things like eczema, arthritis, and IBS) with ginger. And if you want to look younger, slap an avocado on your face to help increase collagen production in sagging skin. If you wouldn't put it in your body, don't put it on your body.

3. Adopt the Pace of Nature. Slow the F*ck Down!

Would you stand over your garden and tell the veggies they need to hurry up and grow? No. Because A. you'd look super cray cray and B. you know change and growth takes time. We've become a world hell bent on instant gratification. If a video game takes more than 10 second to load, our food takes more than 3 minutes to make or we haven't lost 10 lbs in one day we throw our hands up and say, "This is taking too long!"

Breathe. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Take just a moment to appreciate what is and not be in such a hurry to get to the next thing. Change is inevitable and unavoidable. It's the only constant in our world. You can either push, tirelessly, against the flow or get propelled forward by riding the wave. 

So take a minute, or 5, to meditate, pray, or just be. Love where you are, because it's exactly where you were meant to be. 

4. Get Connected (For Realz)

We aren't meant to be spectators. A fulfilling life is about participation. To quote the super awesome motivational speaker and "spirit junkie", Gabby Bernstein, "Add more ~ing to Your Life."

Loving (or making' love), laughing, dancing, swimming, hiking, running, trying, failing, rinsing and repeating. Each ~ing is a new way for us to experience the world around us and make connections with our fellow crunchy peeps. We're now part of a world where we know more people online than we do in real life. The fact that this phrase has an acronym, "IRL", tells me that we aren't making lasting bonds the way we used to.

Part of living a natural lifestyle is recognizing that just like the trees or birds in the sky, WE are a part of nature. Yet we've become SO disconnected from that side of ourselves. You don't have to live on a hippie commune or only wear items that were hand made in your village to live a natural life. All you have to do get up from your desk, turn off your phone, and open your eyes to the amazing world we all live in.

5. Keep an Open Mind 

I know you are super smart and fantastic, but unfortunately even the smartest of the smarty pants really doesn't know shizz. I mean there is a WHOLE WORLD out there that is still undiscovered or misunderstood. So what if thing that we deem "crazy" or "weird" today, becomes the norm 50 years from now (You know Jesus only blew up in popularity after he was vilified, crucified, and a few hundred years passed). 

So what if you know nothing about acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic care, herbalism, zen meditation, or wonders of chia seeds. That doesn't mean those things don't have value, it just means you have a new world to tap into. So be open. Take in what will help you and put aside anything that doesn't mirror your truth. Don't take any one's word as "gospel", not even mine. What works for me, may not work for you, but at the end of the day we are all trying to live OUR happiest and healthiest.

Tell me, what part of natural living freaks you out the most? What small step do you think would  be the easiest? Share you thoughts below!

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One Day at a Time in Granolaville, 

Posted in: fresh