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What Happened When I Meditated for a Month

April 7, 2015 by Sarah

ANOTHER AWESOME CHALLENGE is complete! This month I did mediation, journaling and affirmations. I tried to meditate about 15 mins a day, journal as long as I wanted, and repeated affirmations I created at least a couple times a day.

Probably not a surprise that it was quite the refreshing month. These 30-Day Challenges are exactly what I wanted them to be: rewarding and eye-opening. It really allows me to experience the benefits of regularly committing to goals, practices and activities. This one is a little late in coming because I’m on a mini vacay in Minneapolis and have been away from my computer for awhile. 🙂

I wrote a re-cap on the last day that I will include in here, but I also would love to share some snippets from throughout the month from my journal entries. It was quite convenient that I coupled journaling with the meditation challenge. I think these entries make it very apparent how much these challenges, namely this meditation one, are impacting my life in positive ways.

What I had to say during the month:

March 1st: Today I simply focused on my breath and meditated for 15 mins. I absolutely loved it. I really struggled with clearing my mind of intruding thoughts but felt moments of peace that were phenomenal. I felt so relaxed and rejuvenated.

March 2nd: Really struggled with wandering thoughts still. It really takes practice and diligence to keep bringing your mind back, but when you do, it’s very rewarding! I was listening to music again and the song had a lot of nature sounds, and I pictured laying in some grass listening to the water running and the other mesmerizing sounds of nature. I can’t get over how much I love how peaceful it feels. Meditating just makes me feel that everything is going to be alright.

March 3rd: It was very difficult to stop thinking. I seem to always have so much on my mind.. that’s why I know I need this practice. Sometimes I feel like it helps me sort through my thoughts though and think about them in a different way.. like I gain a little more clarity when I’m in such a peaceful state of mind.

March 5th: I looooove when I can focus on my breath and block everything out, even if it’s for a mere 10 seconds. It’s like I feel high, but sooooo relaxed. I know I keep saying it’s so peaceful, but there’s not many ways to describe that awesome feeling. I just feel so calm. Many times in the middle of my meditation I get lost in thinking and forget to focus on my breath (or nothing really), but it’s almost like really pure, serene, balanced thinking. Like it flows together like a river! I just feel level-headed and guided in a way. Like my priorities and pressing feelings surface without distractions. Gets me juiced up (in a peaceful way) for the next day.

March 21st: I’ve been keeping up with my meditation and have started something new that I really really love. I say ‘om’ and hold it out for as long as I can (like a hum) and then wait a couple seconds before doing it again. In those couple seconds of silence, it’s INCREDIBLE. It’s like the feeling at the top of my breath when I take a deep breath, but different. I LOVE it. I have also been practicing more loving kindness towards myself when my mind wanders. Overall, I think it’s helped me become more calm, present and grounded.

March 26th: I realized that measuring or judging a meditation session by how many times your mind wanders and gets caught in a whirlwind of thoughts is counterproductive and reinforces a negative state of mind. Just like in life, if we are constantly focusing on the negatives or what’s going wrong, we diminish or maybe even miss the moments worth savoring the most. That’s going to be something I focus on when I meditate – simply relishing in the peaceful bliss and giving less attention to the mind chatter.

***As you could see in the posts in the beginning of the month, my focus was more ‘the struggle is real’, but by the end of the month, I came to a point where I was able to write that last entry. It was a great moment for reflecting not only on meditation, but on life in general.

My Final Thoughts on the Last Day:

Affirmations

These really helped lift my spirits and give me a little ‘umph’ when I needed it. As the month went on, not only did I have them memorized, but I said them with a little more enthusiasm and intensity. I strongly believe there is so much power in affirmations and speaking things out. I catered them to my present life and situation, which helped me feel more efficient and confident. I will continue to speak these and adapt new ones as my life changes. There is absolutely no harm in reinforcing a positive mindset, and affirmations are ridiculously easy and convenient to implement into your daily life.

Journaling

I’ve journaled on and off through the years ever since high school and was reminded of the power in reflection. Sometimes it’s a lot better to write things down then talk another person’s ear off about what’s going on in your life. Not to say that human connection and interaction isn’t beneficial, but there’s something different about reflection, both about life and the self, brought on by journaling. Taking time to really look at your present life helps you develop and gain new insights and perspectives. It can help provide balance and promote a healthy temperament by allowing you to sort through thoughts and feelings and by being an outlet for things you wouldn’t want to say to someone. I will continue to journal, especially on emotion- or thought-invoking days. What a great way to become more in tune with yourself, which brings me toooo…..

Meditation

Goodness me, another one of those things I would like to do in the morning but did before bed more often times then not. Either way, I know I gained so much from implementing meditation techniques into my daily routine. The most notable benefit from meditating was being able to bring myself back in check if I was having an ‘off’ day or my mind was racing or I was anxious or whatever other disharmony I had been experiencing. For me, meditating was a gateway to pure tranquility that I can affirm is something that would not take place EVER in my daily life without meditation. And I believe that can ring true for a majority of the population. Meditating has for SURE made me feel so much more present and grounded. As a tag along to things I learned from the book Mindsight during my reading challenge last month, I am now more able to look at emotions as passing feelings and not be swept away by them. I have a sense of peace that promotes mindfulness and amity in my life. What a difference that is from my life at this time last year. Holy cow. Seriously, do not stall in enjoying benefits like groundedness, quietude, harmony, placidity and stillness that may come from implementing a meditation practice into your own life.

Join the 2015 30-Day Challenge train if you haven’t already! It’s one sure way to continually grow and learn about yourself throughout the year, and I highly recommend it. Check out this video for more details.

Peace and BLESSINGS, y’all! 🙂

Cherry Chocolate Chia Pudding

November 19, 2014 by Sarah

Because cherries and chocolate just complement each other so nicely.

And because we all need a reason to entertain our palettes.

This chia pudding is just the perfect little treat for any hour of the day, but it’s not just a sweet tooth satisfier. Oh, no. It can also be a delicious pick-me-up.

Why?

Because chia seeds are what we call ‘nutrient dense’, meaning they contain many nutrients per calorie. In other words, they’re the total opposite of empty calories. Because chia seeds are loaded with healthy fats and protein that can provide you with energy along with many other benefits. They also contain Magnesium, which is a mineral many people may not receive enough of! I also recently learned that gelatinous foods, like chia, aloe and seaweed, promote cleansing. One more reason to love and eat those awesome little seeds on the regular! And all the fiber in them will also keep you regular too, if you know what I’m sayin’.

It’s nice to make a double portion of this recipe so you can keep some in the fridge or enjoy some with a friend! Or eat it all yourself in one sitting. No judgement what.so.ever.

If you let the pudding sit overnight, the dried cherries will soak up the liquid from the milk and become all plump and juicy. JUST HOW I LIKE ‘EM 😉

Get organic Chia Seeds here:

Cherry Chocolate Chia Pudding

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Sarah

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small bananas
¼ cup chia seeds
¾ cup coconut milk
small handful of dried cherries, cut in half
1 tsp. cherry concentrate (optional)
1 tbsp. raw cacao powder
small handful shredded coconut (optional-can be used in pudding and/or as garnish)

Instructions

Mash bananas in a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Leave in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight.
Mix again before eating and stir in more milk if too thick.

For more ways to get creative with your chia creations, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Chia Porridge!

Juicing: Dandelion Greens

October 11, 2014 by Sarah

Have you ever heard of dandelion greens?

Although they are one of the more bitter-tasting greens, they are also among some of the most nutrient-rich as well. They are high in vitamins A, C, E and K and contain a good amount of iron and calcium! They are known for aiding in detoxification by assisting functions of the liver. If you are looking for another type of greens to add to your diet.. this is it!

There are various ways to eat the greens, including sautéing or adding them to salads and pasta dishes, but another easy convenient way is to juice them. Just as I mentioned that they are commonly associated with detoxification, you will find these in various detox/cleanse juice recipes like the one below. This one that I made was very earthy tasting because I didn’t add any fruit. It was a little hard to drink, if I do say so myself, so if you have a difficult time with strong tastes like that, I would definitely add an apple or two (I just didn’t because I’m trying to decrease my overall sugar consumption).

Instead of providing a recipe with amounts, I’d just like to tell you what was in this one to give you ideas so you get a better understanding of how to juice dandelion greens. And to demonstrate that it’s a good idea to juice those foods in the fridge that you need to eat up or they will go bad (like the half of a tomato I added and some beet greens that aren’t pictured hence the purple color of the juice) 😉

The juice I made had a lemon, a couple stalks of celery, ginger root, turmeric root, a cucumber, a good handful of greens, cilantro, a half of a tomato, and beet greens. Like I said, I would probably add an apple to this if I made something similar again because it was quite bitter, to say the least.

Cilantro and lemon juice are also good for detoxification and cleansing so they are good additions to any dandelion green juice.

Happy juicing!!

Seven Things you Can Add to your Water that Aid in Digestion and Promote Cleansing

October 4, 2014 by Sarah

Because water is so essential to the body and its processes, the benefits of drinking clean and sufficient water regularly are unbounded. In order to ensure that you are getting enough water, it is a good idea to carry a water bottle with you when you are on-the-go. Not only will this remind you to drink more water, but it will also give you an opportunity to have clean, filtered water at your fingertips no matter where you are.

I prefer to drink from a glass water bottle so that no chemicals from plastic water bottles leech into my water (namely Dioxin and BPA). Plastic water bottles are especially not good when left in a hot car/atmosphere. I know there are many different kinds of plastic, but I just decide to go glass to avoid any chemicals in plastic altogether. This Lifefactory water bottle is my favorite because it has the silicone sleeve and is easy to carry around.

I’d also like to note that I do not put all seven things from the list below in my water at one time. I guess you could, but it might taste a little funky. I usually just do 1-3 things depending on what I have or what I think would go good together. I like putting lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (sometimes with ginger too), cloves and mint leaves, lime juice and cucumber, or lemon juice and cinnamon together.

1. Freshly-Squeezed Lemon or Lime Juice

Lemons and limes are a good source of Vitamin C, which is a very important antioxidant because it helps neutralize free radicals in the body. Lemons and limes are also good for alkalizing and cleansing the body as well as aiding in digestion because their make up is very similar to our own digestive enzymes. I like to squeeze about a half of a lemon or lime in my water bottle.

2. Fresh Mint Leaves

I have a spearmint plant out in the backyard that is growing like crazy so I started adding them to my water bottle. Mint leaves can also be grown inside as well in a pot by the windowsill. Mint improves the flow of bile and can help with activating salivary glands and digestive enzymes that help absorb the nutrients from your food. It is also a calming and soothing herb that can be used to settle an upset stomach.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Over the summer, I was living on Mackinac Island and got a cold. I didn’t have any natural remedies with me so I looked for some natural foods to help me feel better. I headed to the tiny market and found some Bragg’s ACV. I’ve read about many health benefits of consuming ACV and started adding a couple tablespoons to my water. I liked it so much that I started adding it to the water bottle that I took to work almost everyday! Even though it is normally bitter, it started tasting almost sweet in time, and I even craved it periodically as I kept drinking it.

I still love regularly adding it to my water because it is said to help with eliminating toxins and killing bacteria, maintaining a healthy weight, and improving digestion overall. And just like lemons and limes, ACV can also help balance the PH in your body. I like to get the unfiltered, organic ACV with the ‘mother’; a great one is made by Bragg’s.

4. Cloves

In addition to stimulating digestion, cloves can also be used for ailments of the digestive system and are thought to have anti-parasitic properties. I place about 3-5 whole cloves in my water and let them sit in there to flavor the water. When I’m finished with the water, I just eat the cloves because they have many healing properties (beware, they’re pretty hot!).

5. Ginger Root

Another one for stimulating the flow of digestive juices! Ginger is also another wonderful remedy for indigestion, cramps, nausea and gas that has been used traditionally as a medicine for thousands of years. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral root that boosts circulation. I dice up about a thumb-sized amount of ginger and add it to my water. Like the cloves, I eat it at the end, but it is also very hot!

6. Cucumber Slices

Cucumbers add a nice fresh taste to your water, and can be eaten while drinking the water (because they float!) to help eliminate toxins from the digestive system and continue to hydrate the body. They not only contain antioxidants and fiber, but they may also help with the production of insulin in the pancreas. I like to cut the slices into quarters so I can eat them easily as I am drinking my water.

7. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another traditional herb that also anti-fungal and anti-viral and is used to relieve indigestion. It may also help with circulation, metabolizing fats during digestion, and regulating blood-glucose levels by slowing the time it takes for food to go from the stomach to the small intestine. Place a small amount of a cinnamon stick in your water and let it flavor the water just like you would with the cloves.

And there you have it! Have I missed anything that you love to add to your water? Use the form to leave a comment below!

*This information is meant for basic informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice, substitute for a doctor’s appointment or to be used for diagnosing or treating a disease. Users of this website are advised to consult with their healthcare provider before making any decisions concerning their health.

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