Happy August!
Two weeks ago, in an effort to limit distractions and build more positive habits into my life, I removed: Facebook, Instagram and the News app from my iPhone.
That means: I have not seen a single “feed”, a single promotion, or a single piece of news about anything in the last two weeks.
And, of course, there’s no need to even say these words but here I go:
I am so much happier.
I am so less distracted.
I am comparing myself, the way I look, my accomplishments, my recipes, and my travels to others way less than I have in years.
Not surprisingly, I picked up Gretchen Rubin’s Better than Before from our local Half Price Books a few days after I made this jump. It’s a great book, for those of you both familiar and unfamiliar with her work and her quest for Happiness. It’s all about habits, why we create them, why we need them, and why they’re so hard to stick to.
What I realized is: I am the type of person who must say hard no’s in order to get my life to be my best life. I can’t do things in moderation. It’s why I said a hard no to alcohol, a hard no to dairy and animals, a hard no to teaching yoga in hot studios, a hard no to being in toxic environments, and a hard no to social media.
If I say I’ll do it in moderation, I am allowing things into my life that I don’t enjoy and that don’t have to be there. We already have enough of these things! We work, for one. As much as many of us love our work (I do, too), it’s still work. We have commitments with doctors and family and the grocery store and gyms and many other places and people that we don’t always enjoy doing. So, why have more of it? Why have something in our lives that brings us down if we can control it?
No social media. It’s as easy as that.
Except, I run a blog. This part, I didn’t think of. I write in a blog weekly (well, up until last month I did) and I create new recipes weekly (again, up until last month). Although I’m getting back on my routine – my habit, let’s say – I now don’t know how I’m supposed to tell people about said habit. If I make recipes and no one knows about them, what’s the point? If I write words and I have no way of getting these words out, again, what’s the point?
So this is what I realized: I write for myself, and I cook for me and my husband. I still do those things. I don’t need the extra likes and comments and emojis. Or, do I?
This is where the new challenge begins. So I’ll see how long I can keep this up.
For now, I do have ideas for new recipes and I am working to get the time to actually cook again. And I always have something to write about, so maybe this recipe blog will turn into a normal blog more often. Maybe it’s all about balance.
If you missed any recipes these last few weeks, here’s a little overview:
No Distractions + Weekly Veggie Sandwich
As American as Apple…Crumble (gosh this one was delicious and with so little sugar!)
10 Things I Know for Sure With Jo Koy’s Rice
Brain Health, Meditation and Black Bean Salads
500RYT and Candied Yams
And, Where to Eat Vegan in Santa Fe
What’s coming up in Fort Worth:
Saturday, August 10: Beer Yoga, HopFusion, 10:30 a.m. I had so much fun planning a throwback 90’s sequence and playlist in July that I might do something similar in August!
Wednesday, August 14: Yoga and Mindfulness Book Club at Monkey & Dog Books, 6:30 p.m. We’re reading A Woman’s Guide to the Yoga Sutras this month. We’ll talk about the book, do 20 minutes of gentle yoga and 10 minutes of meditation.
What’s coming up in New Mexico:
We have one room left in the big house this November 6-10 for our Women’s Yoga Retreat to Taos! We’re staying at the Mabel Dodge Luhan house, a writer’s retreat and the woman largely held responsible for getting Ansel Adams, DH Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe and many others to visit this gorgeous country. Go to WayfaringYoga.com/Retreats if you’re interested.
Andddd the pic above is the food we’ve been eating every week, which I mentioned in my last post, from King’s Indian here in Fort Worth. My friend Sue turned me onto this place and ever since she did, we’ve eaten it – twice a week, (sometimes more, not kidding), every week, for months now. It’s. That. Good.