Student of life...trying new things 🌞

Hello my friends. It's late morning here in the rainy, overcast Vermont mountains, and I thought I'd share with you my current view and a bit about what I've been up to. 🌱🏔 The photo above is of my exact current surroundings, I snapped it just a few minutes before sitting down to type this. 

Morning essentials:

- Green smoothie (kale, mango, banana, plant-based protein powder, spirulina, almond butter, hemp milk)

- Klean Kanteen full of water (hydrate!)

- a favorite clay mug of (nearly gone) organic coffee with coconut oil and a drop of organic liquid stevia.

- 100% pure frankincense oil

I've been relaxing into the grind lately; embracing the luxury of being a student of life, and fully awakening to the resources I have been so generously given: the ability to grow, learn, and to cultivate the garden of my mind, paving new roads for my thoughts to drive on. It's a process...and rather than striving to "get to the end" of this process, I have been reminding myself that the joy, the life, the goodness truly is right here, right now, in the journey. We have arrived!

I am learning:

- how to embrace more sustainable living without fear, judgement, or perfectionism, but simply doing my personal best.

- about cultivating a more positive and enlightened mental atmosphere

- To tend to my body's nutritional needs with greater awareness

- To carve out time to practice French. Language learning is something that has always fascinated me. I've taken French for years, and now I am deepening my practice. 

Sustainability and loving this planet in ways that help to create a positive impact are things that I am passionate about. But I think it's also important to not become overwhelmed or fall into the trap of needing to be "perfectly" sustainable. We all create waste to some degree. It is inevitable. In my personal opinion, the most important thing is to simply be conscious. Be aware of what and how we consume. Reduce, but don't become destructively obsessive. Instead, let's focus our energy on how we can better support renewable methods, such as composting. (More on this in another post! Very excited about what I've been learning on this topic. 🌞)

Every day, I have been trying to listen to positive affirmations. I love simply listening, or, when I can, repeating each one as I listen. This morning I listened and repeated while I whipped up my green smoothie...It's something I want to continue with. The good vibe is tangible, and helps to get my day started on a good, positive note. 

A few new things I have tried:

- Matcha. Ceremonial style, as well as latte style. MMMM! High in antioxidants. Rich in catechins, helps protect the liver + boosts brain function. It's so enjoyable to make: akin to the soothing process of pour-over. 

- A frothing wand! Always wanted to try one, and the other day I finally picked one up from our local co-op. It works really well, and has become a companion to the matcha latte making process! 

- Dalgona coffee. I tried making it for the first time yesterday...did not work out well, but it was fun and relaxing to experiment in the kitchen. I plan giving it another go with higher quality instant coffee. 

- Barefoot running with Xero Shoes. After quite a bit of research, I invited a pair of Z-Trek sandals into my life and went barefoot running for the first time the other night at the park. So different! It's a lot to get used to, but I can certainly see the benefits.

I think trying new things is good for the soul. It doesn't have to necessarily be something big. Small things are where life is at. :) I enjoy mixing warm, nutritious drinks, learning languages, spending time outside, and looking after my body. I think any new things that we take time to try that add value and benefit to our lives our certainly worth the effort.

On the writing front...a lot has been going on. If you saw my recent Instagram post, you know that I am hard at work on a new series that I am very excited to share with you. There's a few other exciting things in the works...more on that soon.

Alright, it's your turn: what have you been up to? How has your week been? What is one new thing you have tried recently? I would love to hear about it in the comment section below. 🙏🌿 I wish you a beautiful day. Namaste.

stay stoked,

kate