A Few Things: Moving Forward, Being Grateful, Letting Go

Ah guys, the last few days have been kind of crazy for me. It's that time of the month where my hormones go absolutely ballistic and it's been hectic to say the least. It's a blessing and a curse for sure. Even when I know it's coming, it somehow always takes me by surprise. It definitely happens for a reason though, not saying that I necessarily enjoy the process but when I'm uncontrollably emotional like that, I tend to blow things up, figuratively speaking. But in most cases it's for the best, usually it's issues that I have suppressed in some way or another that need to come out regardless. Does this ever happen to you? I try not to make it a negative thing, generally it all ends up ok... if you look at it the right way. I mean, the matter in which they happen is usually not the most ideal... But whatever, I've just learned to go with it. And also, to take some time away from people so I can focus on myself. Most often than not, it's an issue I have with myself so most of the time it's more worthwhile to (avoid going off on people) just stick to my thoughts and work it out from the inside.  source. 
Speaking of thoughts! 
I've been thinking a lot about how to move forward and how to deal with specific obstacles and their purpose in my life right now. And something occurred to me. My biggest set back over the last few months has been that I kind of forgot where I was going with all of this (my life I mean). I've been traveling down this road for a while, and it's been a really long, challenging journey. And I guess at some point I just got tired of trudging forward so I wondered off into the wilderness and got lost. I had gotten so used to the place I was in, that I forgot where I was going and where I had come from. And while I still have some bitter feelings about about some of the things that have happened (I'm working on it), I think having to defend myself, defend my way of living, and defend why I (purposefully and consciously) do everything I do, forcefully reminded me of where my passions lie. It kind of jolted me back onto this path that I'm supposed to be on and helped me find my fire again. Who woulda thought. But it really made me take a step back and appreciate all of the steps we've taken to get here. And it was kind of an "ah ha!" moment for me. I've been so accustomed to our way of life that I forget that we didn't always used to be like this. It took us a long time and a lot of effort and struggles to get to here. And I got a little reminiscent about things.
source.  Three years ago, we were living in an apartment that I filled with so. much. stuff. I mean I suppose it could have definitely been worse but it was still a lot of stuff that we didn't need. We were also not eating too great and not taking the best care of our bodies, our selves, and our lives. I'm not sure exactly how the change started or when it did but I think the main catalyst for the change was knowledge, learning. Be it from school or the internet, somehow it donned on us that there was a better way to live and we wanted it! So we started to minimize and got rid of things we didn't need, we also started eating cleaner/less processed food, and made efforts to get rid of the toxins in our homes. Basically, we just started questioning everything we did/used/consumed so that we could get the most out of life. And then one crazy year (2013 to be exact) we took a huge leap to reflect this change. I completely changed my business from fashion to healing body products, Brandon quit his job, and we had this crazy idea to build our own tiny home. It's so bizarre to think that we didn't always live this way or think this way but I think it's very important to remember, you know? I mean there was a time when my struggle was to find an all natural shampoo to clean my hair. Or when we were first learning how to recycle stuff or how we could incorporate essential oils into our lies. I have to remember that I've worked really hard to get here so that I can fully appreciate what an accomplishment it is. We've grown so much, expanded our consciousness and knowledge and overall well being. But I never allow myself the time or energy to take a moment to just be proud. Of myself, of Brandon, of Eliza, of all of us. I am so guilty of wanting to be better, wanting to do better that I forget to be proud of where I'm at. I guess that's the perfectionist in me. 
A quote I read the other day:  It’s about being spectacular by just being who you are. 
I guess I am just fully realizing my perfectionist tendencies and trying to learn to let things be beautiful as they are, without having to meticulously spot out every error or imperfection or how something could be better. It gets very overwhelming to be in that state of mind, but I'm working on it. And because there's always a reason to be grateful, I wanted to take a moment to be proud of our tiny home. I struggle a lot with being satisfied with the condition of this space. When people ask us if our house is "finished" I reply with a hesitant "Yes?" because in my mind there is still so much to be done. When I get overwhelmed, I tend to go into minimalist mode and just start getting rid of stuff. But somehow, we always find things to fill the once empty spaces. And somehow, no matter how much I clean, it always ends up messy again. So I want to take a moment to appreciate it despite the chaos that is our house. Because at least it's ours. 
Things I am grateful for:  - Messy dishes, because they are beautiful (even when they're messy) and I get to fill them with yummy, delicious food that nourishes our bodies - Hamper full of dirty laundry, because we have warm, fitting, good-looking clothes to wear every single day - My unmade bed because it's one of my favorite places to be  - My cluttered loft because it's full of wonderful books and movies and pictures and journals to keep us occupied  - My bath tub filled with our recycling because we have the opportunity to not waste these precious materials, even if it means I have to skip a bath - My unkempt "pantry" because it is full of delicious things to feed my family every night - My disordered living room because it is so versatile and useful. From yoga studio to office to game room to storage area, it's a million places all at once and you can definitely tell! - My always messy kitchen table because it is a place where we can come together as a family at night and eat our dinner - Eliza's room which is always in a constant state of disarray but it's a place that she can mess up and play and sleep and have all to her self  - Our moldy windows because they connect us with the outside and let the sun shine in, I'll keep working on that moisture problem - Random socks on the floor, because they keep our toesies warm  - Our dirty floor, because it's so easy to clean even if I have to do it every other day  - Those clean clothes that have been sitting in the laundry basket for days.... at least they're clean!  - The filled to the brim bag of trash that is waiting for me to dump, because it's so small and easy to take care of  - Our white but almost never visible carpet because it's exactly what I always wanted!  - My tiny home, it's not perfect and never will be but it's all mine... I mean ours. It's all ours (:  source.

I guess in the midst of all of this, I have to remember why I am here, how I got here, and where I was before. Even though it's good to look towards the future, it is also important to remember your past. I built this tiny home because I wanted a place of my own. I designed it to splendidly accommodate our little family of three. I love it because it is not infested with roaches. But it's not perfect, I still have a 5 year old that destroys everything and a man child that casually throws his things everywhere. I guess I just have to learn to be ok with the clutter. And as much as I hate to admit it, it's probably more of a metaphor for other areas of my life as well. 
I've been learning a lot about patience lately, a lot about letting go of the control freak in me, and trying to accept things the way they are even if I am working towards a better future. I guess it's just the balance I need to find, it's a struggle though. I guess that's where the appreciation and gratefulness comes in though. When you have ability to be grateful for something despite it's imperfections, maybe only then can it truly become what you always wanted. 

Sam Wish // Valentine's Day Gift Sets

Valentine's day is coming up ya'll and I'm so happy to have actually put together a few special gift sets just for this special occasion! Every year when Valentine's Day comes around, I always have ideas and plans for Sam Wish to do something like this but always end up too busy to make it happen. But this year, I just went for it and am so happy with how cute they all came out! So if you're looking for a gift for someone special or know anyone that is, please check out these wonderful (and affordable!) gift sets that I created!  Valentine's Day Spa Gift Set // Small // $10 Valentine's Day Spa Gift Set // Medium // $20  Complete Spa Gift Set // Large // $36 Valentine's Day Spa Gift Set // XSmall // $6 Valentine's Day Gift Set // Face Serum & Perfume Sample Pack // $20 Lip Balm Gift Set // Choose 3! // $10

Vegan Sloppy Joes

A while back I bought a bat of tvp to attempt to make some fake wings. It didn't work out and I realized that I'm not a huge tvp fan. BUT I still had a bit left and sloppy joes seemed like the best way to use it up. So I whipped together this simple recipe and it was surprisingly delicious. I ate entirely too many sloppy joes. After I lazily dumped our dishes in the sink, climbed up to the loft with my food baby and collapsed on my bed. It was a good night. 

Ingredients:  1 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 3-4 garlic, diced 1 1/4 cup dry tvp  1 can whole roasted tomatoes, briefly pulsed in blender  1 1/2 cup water (I just filled the can above halfway with water)

3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, next time I'll try just 2

(or try 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mustard,1 tablespoon sugar)

1 tablespoon chili powder 

2 teaspoons oregano 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup sugar
(because I have a ton that I want to get rid of but you can also use agave or just use less)

freshly ground black pepper 

sea salt

Directions: 

1. Saute onion and bell pepper in a bit of water (about 1/4 cup). 

2. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Serve on bun and done!

Also, you see that bun right there? I made it, from scratch!! I was pretty proud of myself. Recipe for that, coming later. 
Here were the few places I gathered my recipe inspiration from: 1, 2, 3 This recipe is very similar to my Hatch Chile Sloppy Joes, minus the heat and beans, plus the tvp. Next time, I'll make one more similar to that. I don't know what it is about tvp that makes me feel all squeamish. It's like throw up chunks in my mouth? I guess I prefer less processed ingredients in my food. You know, like when you can tell what it actually is? Next time, I'll definitely be sticking with beans as my meat substitute. 

A Few Things: Having Less and Becoming Happier

*WARNING: ranting involved* 

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Having less and becoming happier is something I'm very extremely passionate about. If you didn't know that about me already. But it's something a lot of folks don't understand. Most of them have good intentions, they approach me with a concern about making a "good" life for myself or whatever that means and so they try to make suggestions that they think will enhance my way of living. But they don't see the harm they are causing in doing so. Because usually, what they suggest is completely the opposite of what I am trying to accomplish. No, I don't want a "real" house. Is that not obvious? No, I don't want a "real" job. Come on, do you know me at all? And no, I don't want to "grow up". Because at that point, I will have turned out just like you. "Successful", maybe. But miserable and taking out my problems on innocent by-standards that have nothing to do with my lonely unhappiness. So at some point, their "harmless" recommendations become flat out criticisms, threatening every. sing. thing I live for. It's just insulting. And degrading. 

I often wonder what makes a person like this. What kind of teaching or thinking lead them to where they are now. And what makes them remain in that kind of state. But honestly, I can't even go there anymore because oftentimes it is just way too painful. All I can do is keep doing what I'm doing and hope that I can be an example. Hope that my happiness will rub off on them and they can realize that maybe, possibly, there is another way of living that doesn't involve sacrificing your happiness, your entire well-being. If there's anything in life I want to accomplish most, it would be that. I just want to be happy and help others along the way. 

So anyways, I've had these links saved up for a while now, just waiting for the perfect time to pull them back out again. And as it has been a hot topic in this wild mind of mine, I thought it was only appropriate. I have a lot of things I need to get out, apparently. And don't get me wrong, most of this information, advice, and encouragement is for myself but if I'm thinking it, someone else must be too, right? 

"Become your actions and your principles. Stop trying to create a façade of who you are through buying things. Buying things is easy, and everyone knows it. It can garner wonder or excitement, but never respect." - Tynan, Life Nomadic

^^This speaks to me a lot, especially when it comes to things that I opt to make instead of just buy. For example, my house. You can buy a house. Easy peasy. But to make one, that is a whole other feat. I mean how many people can say that they've actually built their own house? How many people can say that they've put their hands and their hearts to work to create a particular object rather than just buying something that someone else made? Which is great if you know the person that made it and it is special to you. But most things aren't. This is a huge thing for me. I try to emphasize this a lot in my life, taking the time to evaluate where our "things" come from and how/by whom they were made. 

A while back, I came across an article about this girl that wore the same outfit, everyday for a year! I think it's such an interesting idea and love hearing her thoughts and what she got out of it.

"Nobody gives a shit what you wear.

You may feel anxious wearing the same shirt you wore last week, but most people A) won’t notice, or B) won’t care. I wore the same damn outfit every day, and in the span of a year, only one person ever brought it up to me of his own accord.

Sure, you lose your status as a fashion symbol (except, perhaps, among the most avant-garde circles). Whatever. I realized that when I cared less about what I (and others) wore, I cared more about what I (and others) said and did.

The way I interacted with others changed. I felt less on display when I walked around outside. I knew I didn’t have as much to “hook” people in with, so I had to be twice as interesting to convey my value. I cared a lot less not just about impressing people with my clothes, but about impressing people in general. I felt more comfortable in my own skin."

source: Why I Wore The Same Outfit Everyday For A Year

Even an Australian news anchor experimented with this and wore the same suit everyday for a year, you can read more about it here. 

There are certain people that like to cast off my ideas of sustainable living as just being a "hippy". Which annoys me to no end. But let's get real, this is economics, this is science, these are not just some happy go lucky, treehugger ideals here, these are real problems that we're trying to solve with real, game changing, transformational solutions. So be a solutionary! Happiness doesn't come from buying more stuff, it comes from our communities, our health, our sense of purpose. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. Just someone that's willing to give up these false ideals we were made to believe, that are supposed to make us happy. It takes someone with courage, to step outside of the box, be an individual, and dare to live a life different than the "average american". It takes someone that is bold enough to follow their passions instead of landing a life-sucking, but successful job that will never fulfill them. 

Here is a great article that I pulled quotes from that says this exactly: 

Long story short, science has shown that oftentimes more “things” do not make us happier. But is this really news?

Unfortunately, our economy is predicated on us consuming more, buying more, buying bigger, or buying the newest thing; thus we’re taught we need those things in order to be happy (which is a lie).

To borrow a quote from the late Senator Paul Tsongas (who quit politics when he found out he had terminal cancer), “ I never met a man on his deathbed who said he wished he had spent more time at work.”

“Well, what do I do then, Steve? Just quit my job and sell all of my stuff? I have a wife/kids/mortgage/etc. Be real.”

The answer?

The Progress Principle. 

It turns out, we LOVE making progress.

We love making progress so much that we actually enjoy it more than getting the thing we wanted in the first place!

These short term wins release dopamine, and we want more.

Find ways to improve, and find ways to reward yourself with things that reward you back.

As Jonathan Haidt describes in his book, the Happiness Hypothesis, us mammals have a basic need to “make things happen”:

When we are productive and happy, Haidt defines this as “flow,” or in “the zone”: a state where you are incredibly immersed in the task at hand while incredibly productive and happy.

So, find what you like to do and be great at it.

To quote the late, great Steve Jobs:  

“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

So, other than exercising more, finding more things you love and spending less time on things you don’t, what else affects our happiness?

For starters: spend more time surrounded by the people you love, and less time surrounded by people who drag you down.

Or, as Stanford researchers discovered:

“We know that people with meaningful social connections are happier than those without them.  The more time that individuals spend with their partners, best friends, and close friends, the happier they are. When they spend time with people who they dislike or when they spend time alone, their happiness levels drop. Loneliness is a relatively good predictor of unhappiness.”

There’s also plenty of research that one of the best ways you can stay healthy and live longer is to increase your social connections and spend more time with friends.

How many times recently have you put off spending extra time with your friends, family, or saying yes to an adventure because “I have work to do”?

There will always be work to do.

But we have a limited amount of time to spend time with friends, loved ones, or family.

Source: A Gamer's Guide To Happiness

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Everything I do in my life is connected to a greater purpose. To a search for happiness. Some people call it childish or immature but is it wrong to want to be happy? I don't believe I need to sacrifice my happiness to be "successful". I don't know where that idea ever corrupted our way of living. If you're not happy, if you don't do everything in your life to be happy than why are you even living? Seriously, why? 

Things I've learned about downsizing and having less: 
-Well the most obvious, you care less about stuff
-You learn about being grateful. You learn to find joy in the simplest of things. You learn to be happy.
-You care more about the people around you, the interactions and experiences you participate in.
-The obsessive and addictive need for stuff to make you happy becomes obsolete, instead you crave a more tangible fulfillment. You crave adventure, excitement, the joy of just living, connection with people, peace with yourself.
-You are able to discover and treasure the more important things in life (not the stuff), much like I said above.
-You are able to connect more, not only with others but with yourself. When you're not worried about "stuff", you can focus on these more gratifying subjects
-You become more confident and self loving. You are able to form a deeper self love, one that goes beyond just the surface.
-You pay more attention to quality in what you do have and where your things came from, was it made with care for the earth and the people that help create it? Were people dying to get you that t-shirt? Was an animal's life sacrificed for the food you are eating or the leather jacket you are wearing?
-But ultimately, you learn what you TRULY need to live a happy life. Is that impulse buy really going to better your life and make you happy? Is your job going to truly fulfill you and satisfy you every single day? Are your clothes really going to effect your relationships and who you are on the inside?

All I want in life is to be happy. And I've learned to brush off those people that criticize me. Because they must be just as unhappy and miserable as they want me to be. I send them my love and hope that one day, they see the truth and are able to find the kind of happiness I have. Because it's so good. And I would never trade it for stuff. 

Vegan Potato Salad

So here's the thing. My mother-in-law makes the MOST DELICIOUS potato salad ever. The kind that once you've had a bite, you can't stop eating it. And then before you know it, you've eaten the whole bowl and feel like a total sack of potatoes (but it was still totally worth it). And let me mention, I'm not usually a potato salad kinda person. Never have been. That is until I tasted hers. 
However, I try to be a good vegan and am forced to kindly (and regrettably) turn down any offer for this heavenly food. Because it is so not vegan. BUT thanks to ingenious folks out there that make vegan substitutes for staple condiments like mayonnaise, we were able to create a vegan version of her potato salad that is JUST as satisfying as the real deal. And partially guilt free! It still contains quite a bit of fat but.... you sacrifice sometimes. This stuff is so good, that I just had to share for any fellow vegan/potato salad lover out there! So here it is: 
Ingredients:  6 russet potatoes, whole 1-2 whole pickles (I like to add a little extra because I love pickles) 1/4-1/2 onion, finely diced 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced (you can also use garlic powder) 1/4 tbsp salt and pepper  1/2 cup Vegenaise (to start out)  1-3 tbsp of mustard (the condiment, not the spice)


The recipe is pretty flexible, you just kind of keep adding until it reaches the taste you prefer. But it's super easy and did I mention delicious? 
Directions: 
1. Place your whole potatoes (skin and all) in large pot and cover with water. Bring potatoes to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until soft (usually takes about 20 minutes-hour). You can tell they are ready when you can easily stick them with a fork.    2. Drain, rinse, and let cool until you are able to handle them. About 20 minutes. 
3. Peel skin off potatoes, either with a peeler or your hands, whichever is easier. Chop into 3/4" cubes. 
4. In large bowl, mix potatoes, pickles, onion, garlic, and salt/pepper together. 
5. Start off with 1/2 cup mayo, stirring until well mixed. You can add more until it reaches desired consistency but sometimes this is enough.    6. And last, add the mustard to your preference. I just started with a squirt, mixed, tested, and would add more depending on what I thought. 
7. You can definitely eat it warm but it's best chilled overnight to let the flavors kind of sink in a bit more. And then enjoy! 
This is a special occasion food for us. Because once we make it, it usually doesn't last more than 1 sitting. I seriously can't stress enough about how absolutely tasty this potato salad is. Alright, alright! Happy Hump Day, ya'll! 

Rope Basket

When finishing up our loft, I knew I was going to need some kind of container to round up all the little things we keep laying around. I try to keep it as clean and clutter free as possible so this was muy importante! I didn't want to buy anything so I opted for making instead. After a lot of research, I decided to make some simple rope baskets. 
The process of making them is pretty easy. I searched online for a tutorial and found these three that helped: 1, 2, 3. Basically what you do is start coiling some rope, I used a needle and thread to secure it. But as you see in the picture above, you start coiling and every few inches you secure the new length of coiled rope by binding it to the one before it. And once you have a wide enough base, you start stacking the coils to create the bowl part. Also, I should note that because I used such a thin piece of string (thread) I wrapped it several times to add strength. I tried not to buy a lot of material for this project so I just used what I had, which is the beauty of this particular project.
And voila! You have a rope basket! I also created a larger one to hold our extra bedding and it works fabulously. These baskets where a little time consuming to make (I blame part of this on the thread and having to wrap it a lot) but it's a great craft to do while watching a movie or tv show. I highly suggest it!  

Vegan Noodle bowl

Like ramen but healthy and with a lot more veggies! Yum! 
Ingredients:  1 onion, diced 1 tomato, diced 5 cloves garlic, finely diced  3 bok choy, loosely chopped a few cups of shiitake mushrooms, chopped 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely diced 1 pint vegetable broth 2 cups water 4 tbsp tamari  1 tsp rice vinegar  2-4 tbs agave 2-3 scallions  a few tsp sesame seeds red pepper flakes (optional) sriracha (optional) ramen noodles, cooked briefly (they only take a few minutes)
Directions:  1. Saute onions with tomato until soft. Add garlic, tamari, vinegar, bok choy, ginger, and mushrooms, cook for 10 minutes.  2. Add broth, tamari, rice vinegar, agave, and water, simmer for 10 minutes.  3. Add noodles, let simmer for a few minute and serve, garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and sriracha (optional) on top!
A great meal for the whole family! 
Here are a few recipes I was inspired by:  http://bakerbynature.com/20-minute-spicy-sriracha-ramen-noodle-soup/ http://ahouseinthehills.com/2014/1/20/shiitake-bok-choy-soba-noodle-bowl/