Redirecting My Focus: New Beginnings

Feeling refreshed, highly motivated, and so happy to be back to doing what I love.

This blog post is LONG overdo, but I am absolutely ready to move onto bigger and better things with this website. Brand new ideas, experiences, and a whole new focus. So many exciting things to share with you all.

Where do to even begin?

If you’ve been keeping up with me on my YouTube Channel, you would know I’ve been doing a little bit of traveling, preparing for some trips, completing a few Yoga Challenges, and in the midst of all of this, I have also been completely redirecting my career path to fit my life purpose.  Originally, I created this website to help re-light the spark within me, for what I had gone to school for. And, for a little while, I thought if I focused hard enough, I could somehow be able to make it return. That I could maybe force myself to love it a little more.

It did not return.

Photo by Nathalie LV on Unsplash

The thing is, is that I knew I was unhappy with the direction I was originally going in; the career that I had dreamed of myself doing for more than half my life— all along, I was actually being steered elsewhere. When I came to the realization that I could turn my passion for yoga into a profession, that’s all I could think about. Nothing else really mattered nearly as much anymore. The problem was that, I had already begun making plans for my future. One that didn’t really have much to do with yoga.

No matter which way I looked at it, I needed to make a choice. Sooner rather than later because the more I brushed it off, supressed it, and down right ignored it, the more anxious and frustrated I would feel. Eventually, I decided that this change was absolutely necessary. If I wanted to be the best me I could be, it was time to speak up.

And now?

I’m on the path to becoming a yoga instructor! My 200 RYT (registered yoga teacher) course is booked, and I am so ready to learn from incredible, international yoga instructors while I spend two months in Thailand.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

Thailand was always a dream destination for me, so naturally, my training had to take place there. There is something so magical about South-East Asia. It was just calling on me to to be explored. Now it is finally time for me to answer those calls. If you read one of my earlier posts about a few weeks after I came home from Costa Rica, Melanin Vegans Who Travel, I definitely wanted to make sure that this time around I would explore with a few buddies! Although, if I do end up solo traveling again, I’ll still be more than thrilled. There is just so much to see.

Going against what most of the people around me are doing, is something that I had to find the strength in me to push through. Apparently, dropping out of college wasn’t something that most people would brag about. But, the fact that I got to drop out of school in order to do pursue a career that I am in love with, travel the world, experience new vegan food and cultures, along with documenting it all through my website and YouTube channel, it definitely makes any disapproving looks beyond worth it. Just reminding myself that I am the only one who truly has to live with these kinds of decisions for my life, career, and future makes these choices so much easier to make. I have control over only myself. Once I realized this, it honestly didn’t matter what others thought about my new path. Next, it was just up to me to… ya know, get to it!

So, expect to see so many more posts relating to yoga, travel, and of course all of the wonderful things that come along with veganism, sustainability, and minimalism! This new change is so exciting, yet peaceful at the same time. And I am SO looking forward to taking on this journey with all of you.

Thank you so much for being patient with me while I was figuring all of this out. Tons of new posts on the way! Also, as a thank you to everyone, I have JUST announced a new Vegan Giveaway on my YouTube channel! The details for how to entire my contest will be found in my video here 🙂

 

Photo by Robin Noguier on Unsplash

 

 

Ways to be Eco-Friendly for the Holidays

Another holiday, another excuse to break the bank with expensive decorations which may or may not last us until last year. Trees that end up in the trash, broken, plastic decorations (some tacky, some not), stringed lights with blown bulbs…

The holidays are notorious for waste, but they don’t have to be! I have put together a series of ideas which will help us put on the most beautiful AND sustainable holiday decor, to help with our eco-friendly festivities, this season. Whether you’re throwing a Christmas party or saving this time for an intimate get-together with family, these tips will help save us from contributing to the most wasteful, yet wonderful time of the year.

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

The Tree

Let’s start out with one of the largest debates when it comes to sustainability during the Christmas season. The real v.s artificial Christmas tree debate. On one hand, you have the real Christmas tree grown on a tree farm, only for the purpose to be chopped down for the holidays. On the other hand, you have the generic, artificial trees which can serve a purpose for the next 5 to 10 years if we’re lucky, before throwing it in a landfill, which also makes it near impossible to break down.

When looking at this from a perspective of the tree farms, growing these trees aren’t necessarily taking away from the natural forests we do have, and each tree grew actually absorbs 1 ton of CO2 from the atmosphere. Also, an acre of real Christmas trees is enough to provide 18 people with oxygen every day. The cons? Well depending on where you’re located, the trees may have to travel a long way in order to get to you, which can have a negative impact on the environment. Not to mention the pesticides that have to be sprayed on the trees if they’re not organic. Plus the fact that we are still getting the trees chopped down, to serve us a purpose for max. one month.

Having said this, artificial trees have to be transported overseas, as the majority of them aren’t made in North America. And, as I previously mentioned, they’re made out of materials which aren’t easily broken down. This means that once you have to throw out your broken tree, it will stay in a landfill a hundred times longer than it provided service for us in our homes.

Still having doubts about whether to get a real or artificial, traditional, Christmas tree? Check out these other alternatives below!

Photo by Ciprian Boiciuc on Unsplash

Potted Living Trees

All the fun of having real, live Christmas tree, without having to throw it out! Potted Christmas trees are a great option if you have room in your garden or front yard, to plant them, as they do have to go somewhere once the Christmas season is over!

Paperback Book Trees

An artistic and minimalistic take on using what you already have, in order to make cute little Christmas tree decorations. Pinterest has a TON of DIY paperback book tree ideas, which is a great craft to do with the family, for an event activity, or just on your own!

Pallet/ Driftwood/ Plank-wood Tree

Etsy and Pinterest both have great options and ideas for creating your own/ purchasing a pallet tree. If you’ve never heard of these, they’re basically Christmas trees of any size, made out of plank-wood or driftwood. They’re very creative and fun to build and decorate, PLUS a lot of the times, you can just use scraps of wood which would otherwise serve no other purpose.

Cardboard Tree

The fun thing about using cardboard to decorate is how versatile it can be in order for it to adapt to the style you are going for. Modern? Cartoon-like? A “Who-Ville” look-alike? Different shapes and sizes and dimensions and patterns. Check out some styles here!

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

Ornaments

Thrift Your Ornaments

Thrifting for ornaments is a fantastic idea. Not only can you find cool, vintage decorations for your tree, home, or event, they can also make for neat little gift ideas for your guests attending Christmas parties. The thrift store is a great place for unique and sometimes even new or barely used ornaments, which will save you money, be less wasteful for the environment, and, if you need to you can also thrift some of your own ornaments, in order to rotate in your used ones!

Handmade/ Homemade Crafts

There are a TON of different designs of homemade ornament/ decorations crafts you can do this holiday season. Or, if you don’t really consider yourself the kind of artsy, creative type when it comes to making your own ornament, handmade crafts (by someone other than yourself) can still be a great choice. For starters, it isn’t as unsustainable as plastic, industrialized ornaments can be, and you can also support smaller, more local business by purchasing their handmade decorations instead!

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Wreaths

Handmade wreaths are another fun, handmade, and eco-friendly way to decorate our spaces this holiday season. They are a lot similar to the Christmas tree ideas in this way, as there are infinite designs and options available for us to recreate. Whether it’s the modern, chic and slick ones, or full of greenery— creating your own wreaths which not only represents your style, but also saves the planet is too fun of an opportunity to pass up!

Lights

LED Tree Lights

For many, Christmas lights are a must during the holidays, and if this is part of your own traditions as well, LED lights should be a must. Not only to they save energy, but they can last up to 10 times longer than regular ones and are also more durable and incredibly cost efficient.

 

Fairy Light Mason Jars

Gorgeous, fun and creative ways to light up the dinner tables. Especially great if you have younger guests and are concerned about having any candle lights, these are a great option.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Less is STILL more. We don’t need to purchase new decorations every year, nor do we need all of the clutter, to make our homes look beautiful or festive. Go for natural decor and organic fibers like organic cotton, hemp, fruits, nuts, pine, and avoid plastic as much as possible. Remember that when you purchase these kinds of organic material, they’ll be able to meet our best friend, the compost, and avoid contributing to the major waste that the holidays have the potential to bring in.

Do you have some “go-to” sustainable tips you keep for yourself for the holidays? Let me know down in the comments below! If you’re looking for some holiday gift ideas for vegans, minimalists, and environmentalists, check out my blog post here!

And, if you’re still in need of some more ideas, check out my YouTube video for some more gift solutions for all of your loved ones! I wish you all the happiest of holidays, full of love, abundance and of course, delicious vegan food, and I am sending you all luck on your journey to planning and living more sustainable and minimalist, ethical lifestyles 🙂

6 Gift Ideas for Minimalists, Vegans & Earth Lovers.

Embracing minimalism, veganism, ethical purchases and sustainability through the year, is a journey in itself. However, embracing it through the holidays, sort of feels like we might as well get the white flag ready. Too many people expect so much from us out of one holiday. There’s just something about this time of year, which usually brings out the true nature of the everyone around you. But, worry not, it’s definitely not all bad. The season of giving, when done out of love and selflessness can be so satisfying, especially towards the well-deserved, kind-hearted people we choose to surround ourselves with.

Continuing on with our Holiday Series, considering we just passed Black Friday, basically the BIGGEST shopping day of the year, (plus, since it is Cyber Monday, a blog post of gift ideas only seemed right) it gives me some time to reflect on where our mindsets truly are, this season. I find myself wondering why we feel as though we need so much stuff. It’s as if, no matter what, we can never fulfill ourselves with enough material things. And don’t get me wrong, gifts from loved ones are an amazing way to show one you truly care. But, it almost seems as though every year, the list gets longer, or guests expect more out of their hosts, to continuously set the bar higher for the best and most expensive gift. However, as we learned very early into our journey together, Less is More.

Whether it’s for our guests attending an event, our family, friends or partners, giving during the season can be a very simple and kind way to show that you care. But, more often than not, you see that people are caring more about the gift itself, as opposed to the actual action of giving in the first place. Basically, taking the “thought” out of thoughtfulness. The value is often diminished, and no, I’m not talking about the price tag. How on earth do we give gifts without thinking about how this is going to add value to our guests’ lives. Give something that doesn’t add clutter or waste to a persons life. Something meaningful. So, I’ve created a list for us, which provides different gifts for our guests and loved ones, which is not only minimalist, environmentally, and vegan-friendly, but when selected correctly, gives the receiver the perfect amount of thoughtfulness.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Some of the best gifts include experiences

An Eco-Friendly Adventure

It doesn’t have to be across the world. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be in a different town. Local tours and little kayaking/ rock climbing or hiking excursions are a great start! Often times, when we’ve lived in a city our whole life, we assume that we’ve done it all. Therefore, we don’t take into considerations all of the activities we’re missing out on, when trying not to act like a tourist in our own town. It’s time to lose this mindset, and bring back what makes where we live so fascinating and beautiful. Give your guests a guided nature walk for snowshoeing or cross country skiing (provided their on a similar walk of life as you and enjoy the outdoors).

Photo by Alain Wong on Unsplash

For the Season of Giving, Give BACK

I love the idea that instead of giving guests something physical, they give to a charity of the guests’ choice, in their name. Something that they are passionate about, wherever their heart may be. Easy, simple and very effective.

Yoga Membership

Much different into the hint-dropping gym membership, the practice of yoga, teaches us how to become one with our body and spirit. It shapes us. Helps us evolve and grow. Strengthens our connection to our divine, and helps us discover inner peace. Give your guests or loved ones (even if it’s just for one or two classes) the gift of realizing their wholeness; the oneness within and journey to discovering ourselves, is after all, an incredible gift.

Following the yoga membership, a slight alternative is meditation practices for apps, are also a great gift investment as well! Apps like Headspace already offers a free-trial, but gives you an option to extend our practices. This is a great way to help our guests and loved ones clear their minds, and more closer into achieving greater mental health.

Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

Sustainable Water-bottle

Ah, yes, the water bottle. Especially for people looking to reduce their waste, keep themselves hydrated, have some cool, trendy, bottle to carry around while going to yoga, or for nature walking in the forest, yes, this is the perfect choice. Chances are, if your guests/ loved ones are minimalists or environmentalists, they don’t want a collection of things. Which is why a water bottle which keeps liquids cool for 24hrs and liquids hot for 12hrs is a spectacular choice! It takes away the need for both some sort of thermos/ coffee/ tea holder or regular bottle. This way you have 2 in 1! Yay!

Eco-Friendly Journal

Journaling is such a relaxing hobby, which I know many people, including myself, who would rather get their thoughts out onto paper, a journal is a great idea. But again, since this website promotes sustainability, there are a few options that I suggest that you select through this website. Some, actually sell eco-friendly wrapping paper as well, which is perfect for this series! There are journals made out of either 100% post-consumer recycled paper, use vegetable inks, make their paper from the waste of bananas, coffee, mangoes, hemp, etc., and even… manure.. Because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like animal poop.

Succulents

One can never have too many plants. Well, maybe. But, treating your guests and loved ones to these beautiful little succulents are a great gift idea because:

A. They don’t die easily since they don’t need to be watered as often as regular plants

B. They are a simple and effective way to add to a minimalist decor (it’s nice to surround your home with living things that also won’t sit on your desk and build up dust)

C. Having plants in your rooms can purify the air, release oxygen all throughout the night to help you breathe better, and helps you focus!

D. The idea of giving your guests something that they can nurture and grow (no matter how small) can be slightly empowering

E. Plants are just great

Photo by Ashley Van Dyke on Unsplash

Whether you’re looking for gifts for your guests, family, friends, clients, strangers, anyone under the sun basically… There is a perfect gift for everyone. As we continue through this holiday season, I will continue to add on to this list of gifts, which don’t require us to sacrifice any ethics, in order to purchase. If you have any gift ideas for the average minimalist, environmentalist, vegan, make sure you leave me a comment down below, as I’m always looking for new ideas to share and explore!

For more ideas, check out my YouTube Video, Holiday Gifts for Vegans, Environmentalists and Minimalists!