Reading, Listening, & Learning: August 2017

A while ago, I talked about how I wanted to share more of what I'm reading, listening to, or watching, because it's such a big part of my life. I'm always either purposefully looking for answers to my struggles and questions, or simply stumbling across words that inspire me in a big way. I'm constantly coming across words that influence me positively, and ones that make me think and, in the process, change my perspective on my own issues and life in general.

Well, it's been over a year since I first shared a list like this, and that still remains the only one I've shared so far - the second one, that I started putting together shortly after, still sits in my drafts, unfinished. With my growing desire and determination to share more in this space, right now feels like a good time to pick this series back up again, especially since I've been doing a better job of keeping track of all these pieces of wisdom lately. Without further ado, this is what caught my attention last month:

Photos via Gal Meets Glam & Healthy Crush

The Excuses We Make by Jenny Sansouci - Some interesting thoughts on the excuses we use to not do the things we want to do, and the difference that commitment can make. The post starts off with the topic of excuses in relation to writing, which resonates with me so much, and includes an excerpt of an eye-opening perspective on writer's block from Seth Godin.

7 Types of Content That Do The Networking + Community-Building For You by Sarah Von Bargen - Networking, especially in the online world, is one of the main topics on my mind right now, as I'm working to grow my business, and this post is such a gem. I already knew about all these different types of content, but Sarah is so thorough in her explanation of how each of them works and how to use them successfully, that I know I'll keep coming back to this post over and over in the next few months.

Overcoming That Failing Feeling by Julia Engel - Starting and growing my own business has been such a steep learning curve for me that I've had a "failing feeling" for most of this journey so far. Reading Julia's post and identifying so much with her words was a great reminder that our fears and doubts can show up regardless of how much or how little success we're experiencing, and that it's up to us how much power we give them.

"I’d say almost everyday I experience this panic. A panic that I’m failing at life and failing with my business. [...] And even when I’m feeling happy in the present, I’m normally forecasting my failures through self doubt, thinking I’m not good enough to do something in the future."

Farmacy: Eating Your Way by Almila Kakinc-Dodd - This guide about eating our way and listening to our bodies is chock full of so many simple yet valuable bits of advice. Many of them are things I would recommend to my own clients but the timing of the post itself was great. I stumbled on it at a time when I was experiencing some short-lived but uncomfortable digestive issues too, and being on the receiving side of these recommendations helped me to refocus on taking care of myself, and to resolve my issues.

How I Overcame Shyness and Made My Own Success by Bianca Bass - As someone who is both shy and introverted but, at the same time, has to put herself out there in order to grow her business, I'm constantly told that I have to get out of my comfort zone and go against my nature in order to be successful. This post, written from the perspective of someone who is also introverted, at its core, offers the same advice: you have to put yourself out there. The main distinction that it makes however, is that, us introverts can become successful because of the way we're wired, and not despite it. In other words, being shy and introverted is a strength, not a weakness - and this thought makes such a difference for me.

I'd love to know, what have you been reading lately that you particularly enjoyed?

Kitchen Goodness

It's probably no surprise from a blogger, but one of the main ways I get inspiration for my meals is from....blogs! Of course, food blogs are great, but I also love looking through health and wellness blogs. One of my favourites from the latter category is JSHealth by Jessica Sepel. I've been following Jessica's work on and off for the last few years and during a recent weekend, after reading one of her new posts, I decided to click through the entire recipe section for some inspiration.

Right away, I found plenty of ideas that I liked, and started making a mental list of the ones I wanted to try out soon. Once I got to a 5- or 6-point mental list, I remembered that I rarely follow through on these things, so I figured I'd share my favourites here too, both to keep myself accountable and to perhaps help anyone else who might be in need of a bit of (healthy) cooking inspiration.

Photos via JSHealth: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

Miso Eggplant 

Most times, I eat eggplants roasted and mixed into a dip/spread similar to baba ganoush, so I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my meals

Cauliflower Arancini Balls 

I'm thinking that these balls could easily be formed into patties instead and served as a great veggie burger option

Brussels Sprouts & Grain Bowl 

I only started cooking with brussels sprouts regularly this past fall and winter, and this bowl seems like a lighter, springier option for this otherwise hearty vegetable - I'd love to try it out with quinoa

Cumin, Cauliflower and Carrot Mash 

The colour of this mash is incredible, and I've been loving the flavour of cumin lately

Fig & Pistachio Chocolate Bark 

Most of my dessert cravings involve chocolate or cacao, and making a chocolate bark (and getting creative with the toppings!) has been on my list forever

Healthy Vegetable Bread 

I usually love a savoury breakfast and I'm partial to breads, so this one looks like a perfect fit for me

Of course, there weren't only 6 recipes that caught my eye, so here are a few "honourable mentions" that I'd love to try as soon as I've had a taste of the ones above:

Banana & Dark Chocolate Blender Muffins
Healthy French Toast
Coconut & Banana Quinoa Porridge
Carrot Cake Muffins
Baked Sweet Potato with Spinach, Chickpeas and Lemon Tahini Drizzle
Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea and Mint Tabouli
Tomato Onion Brussels
Creamy Thyme Mushrooms
Cauliflower Rice
Cumin Spiced Asparagus
Healthy Nutella Mousse
Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Sea Salt Teff Cookies

Please tell me, would you try any of these recipes out? Where else do you find cooking inspiration?

Fired Up

Late last month, I watched Leonardo DiCaprio's new documentary, Before the Flood, about climate change and what can - and needs! - to be done about it. The tone throughout the movie was quite pessimistic, but I think it came from a deep desire to make clear the urgency of the situation and the need to take action right away. By the end, it left a really strong impression on me. In some way, I think it came at the right time: for the last few months (actually years, if I'm being really honest), with trying to find my way in the adult, working world, I have been quite focused on myself and my day-to-day tasks and to-do lists; because of this, I've put a bit aside one of my biggest passions, the one that convinced me to start this blog in the first place, and that was at the core of most major decisions I've made in this time: a passion to contribute to better health and wellness for our planet and for all of us humans living on it.

Photo via Inhabitat

In this sense, seeing this documentary was a much needed and very welcome reminder to shift my focus again to include more than just my own little world in my big, lofty goals for the future, because the truth is that my world (and any of our worlds really) wouldn't exist or be possible if the world at large, our planet, is not well. I've been aware of most major issues talked about in the movie - the exploitation of the oil sands happening right here in our own country (Canada), the melting glaciers, the damage caused by palm oil production and cattle raising, the Paris Agreement that was signed last December - but to be able to learn more details and see the sobering images in a way reignited that urgency in my heart again to start doing something and truly contributing to the wellness of our planet - and of our own lives along with it.

I know that for many of us living in developed countries, it is hard to fully grasp the impact of climate change yet, seeing as there haven't been too many shifts severely affecting our quality of life, and the movie was a good reminder for me that the people who do the least harm to our planet, are the first and most deeply affected by these changes - and that, although we may not be able to see it in our day-to-day, it doesn't mean that the change isn't happening.

Watching the documentary really motivated me to start taking action. I'll start with the easier and more straight-forward changes I can make: being really mindful of all the products I buy to make sure that they don't contain any palm oil and further reducing our consumption of meat, especially beef (although that is already very minimal), but I plan to keep going much further. I really believe there is always room for improvement in everything we do, so I think that a good way to make progress in this case is to constantly ask myself, "Is there a better way - one with a smaller negative impact or, even better, with a positive impact, on our planet?" and use the answers to make changes in the things I use, buy, and create.

One of the main points that stuck out to me thanks to Leo's film is the need to speak up and work together towards better ways; to speak up and ask for better things that will benefit rather than harm our planet; to speak up and ask for better solutions, more mindfulness, and a heightened awareness - because, as with most anything, if we don't ask for it, it will more than likely not be given to us. While I've been passionate about this for a long time, I generally conduct my life by the idea "live and let live" which, coupled with my shyness and introverted nature, has meant that I haven't been very vocal about any of my passions so far, and have only shared with the few people I've come across who are just as interested as me in the same things. Over the last few months though, it's become clear to me that keeping things to myself isn't going to produce any changes, so it's time to start finding ways to be more outspoken in ways that respect my own personality. Not only that, but there's also a big need to work together to create change, because we won't go nearly as far as we could by doing things separately, each in our own little corners.

So, I'll end this post with the following thought: if you've seen Before the Flood and/or are just as passionate about creating positive change for our planet, reach out and let's talk about whether we can do something together to make it happen.

I'd love to know, have you seen the documentary? (If not, it's now streaming on Youtube.) What did you think about it?

Lucky Girl

Last week, I watched the first episode of Red Band Society, one of the new fall shows. Though it's not the type of show that this borderline hypochondriac generally watches, I thought it was an interesting beginning. Beyond the storyline and the characters, there was one thing, one line, that really stuck with me. Even now, more than a week later, it still pops in my mind on multiple occasions every day, and it seems to gain more meaning each time I give it more thought.

It's easy to become aware of our luck when something good happens, but so often, it's much more important to realize that we're lucky during the tougher times. Every bad day that we leave behind, every challenge and every struggle - however big or small - that we're faced with and overcome, they're all examples of the luck we're blessed to have. It's in these moments that we forget to remember how lucky we are, but it's in these moments that we need to the most. I know because that's what I've been doing for the past couple of years.

To say that this period, this transition into adulthood and everything that came with it, has been a struggle and a challenge at times would be a big understatement. And so often, I've been guilty of forgetting, or at the very least overlooking, just how lucky I actually am and how good life actually is. Having this quote on repeat in my mind (and my notebook!) is a great reminder.

Spelling Lessons

One evening last week, my mom and I were in the living room each doing something, and from time to time peeking at the TV, which was on HGTV. At some point, an episode of 'Beyond Spelling Manor' - Candy Spelling's three-part show about the apartment she's renovating for herself - came on. Of course, it was interesting to witness the luxury she's indulging in - an indoor rose garden! - but something else caught our attention even more.

By the end, my mom pointed out to me how Candy always considers everything and anything before accepting or refusing it, and she never says "no" right away. I think that's such a rare find in any person these days, to be so open minded and accepting, that it took me by surprise.

 • The apartment building / Image via Hooked on Houses •

Even more, during the episode in which she looks at New York City apartments, she constantly 'oohs and 'aahs' over things like a soaking tub or what she says is the biggest room - or even drawer! - that she's ever seen. To be honest, I don't know much about Candy Spelling - other than being Tori's mom and having lived in the iconic Spelling Manor - but, from watching the show, I've learned that she was very involved in the entire design and building process of her former home. Considering that, and the fact that she's lived quite a privileged life, I'm convinced that she has, in fact, seen a lot in her life, big rooms and drawers included. To have seen and done so much, and still genuinely delight in the little things, I thought it was something really special and truly admirable - the signs of a curious spirit, and without a doubt the right attitude to have in life.

• Candy's new library / Image via The Hollywood Reporter •

So I want to remember and learn from all this that, no matter where life takes me, I will never have 'seen it all' or 'done it all'. This life and this world will always have so much more to show me and to teach me, as long as I keep my spirit open and curious.

Garden Talk

Now that winter is on its last legs, I'm thrilled to start thinking about our garden - and gardening, in general - once again. Although we'll be using the raised beds we built last year to grow our veggies, over the last few months I've come across a few inspiring TED Talks that show interesting, innovative and truly admirable ways that people have found to add a little green to their lives regardless of the space they have or their situation; not only that, but they've created thriving communities around their ideas.

These are the kinds of stories that truly fill my heart with joy and pride to be contributing - even in my own small way - to such a worthy cause: the health of our world and of ourselves. I hope that, if you take a few minutes to watch each of these videos, you'll enjoy and get inspired by them just as much as I did.

Britta Riley: A garden in my apartment // This video is all about hydroponics - a dirt-free, small-space-friendly way to grow some veggies - and the idea of empowering ourselves to find solutions to our problems (instead of waiting for the experts to present them to us!) through collaboration.

Stephen Ritz: A teacher growing green in the South Bronx // This is probably the most entertaining and fast-paced talk I've ever watched, but the work that this speaker (and teacher!) is doing with kids contributes to a brighter future both for them and for our planet and is so inspiring that it makes me want to get off my chair immediately and just plant something.

Pam Warhurst: How we can eat our landscapes // In this talk, there are such beautiful examples of people turning unused land all around their cities into vegetable gardens that benefit the entire local communities; it's incredible to me how quickly an idea like this can turn into a movement in our time, and it's so awe-inspiring when that idea is such a positive and rewarding one.

Weekend Wisdom

Last weekend, my family and I watched The Lorax together, and I have to say that I absolutely loved it. Sure, it's not hard to love one of Dr. Seuss' stories, but every time I come across a new (to me) one, it strikes me just how imaginative it is and how beautifully an otherwise serious issue is illustrated, so that little kids - and everyone else for that matter - can understand it. I haven't read much about the author himself, but it always seems to me that his teachings come from such a kind place, free from any criticisms, that it's no surprise why they've had such an impact on so many of us.

The Lorax, which deals with environmental issues among others, now clearly has a special place in my heart. And I think that these words, spoken by The Once-ler, perfectly illustrate how even a small gesture of kindness and loving care towards our planet counts a whole awful lot.

Chocolate Craving

These days it seems like everywhere I turn in the online world I fall upon yet another yummy-looking recipe that revolves around chocolate. It's no wonder then that I've been craving chocolate constantly and I can promise that all of these will make their way into my kitchen - and my belly! - sooner rather than later. Even more good news is that whichever of them I go for, I don't have to choose between a healthy treat and an indulgent one. That's definitely a great deal - an irresistible one, in fact - in my book.

• Images via (clockwise from top left) Renée Naturally, The Wellness Warrior, Organic Authority, Health Junction •

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread - to be honest, Nutella is one of my guilty pleasures but luckily since I've finished my last jar of it a few weeks ago, I've managed to resist buying a new one. Now, I'm far more excited at the prospect of making my own with wholesome ingredients that will not make me feel guilty every time I want to indulge in it.
Raw Chocolate - it probably goes without saying by now that chocolate is one of my favourite sweets, and I'm not going to say no to a version of it that is actually good for me. So next time I get my hands on some hazelnuts from the health food store, this will be the first thing to make on my list.
Beet Brownie Cake - This is such a novel combination to me, I didn't even know it was possible before reading about it. I'm really curious about the texture of the cake, but considering that I really like beets as well, I don't think I'll have any problems enjoying this sweet treat.
Raw Chocolate Cake - I wanted to make myself a raw cake for my birthday this year, but since I didn't have any recipe ideas at the time, I went with a traditional one instead. Also, since my birthday is in the summer I usually have a strawberry cake, but I think that this cake could potentially make me reconsider that tradition.

Summer Locks

With the hot summer weather comes humidity, and the reminder that long hair can be a little difficult to deal with during this time. But I love my long hair - and hot weather, for that matter - and I am not about to give it up just so I can keep a little cooler in the summer. Instead, I've been researching different hairstyles that I'll be sure to try in the next few months to keep my hair looking its best. The ones that I'm going for are simple, heat- and product-free, and look polished without requiring a lot of work or skill; though this sounds like a long list, I actually didn't have a problem finding quite a few of these styles already. Between them and these makeup looks, this is bound to be a summer filled with natural beauty - in my book, the best kind there is.

Ponytail secured with a bow* via Young Sophisticates.
Twisted ponytail via Everything Fab

Pinned back bangs* via A Beautiful Mess
Twisted tendrils via Everything Fab

Messy French bun via A Cup Of Jo
Bow bun via Running on Happiness

*These looks involve using a curling iron, but I would skip this step to keep it natural and heat-free.

Instant Life

• Piling on the brights on a dark day • Daffodils in our frontyard • A little evening sun coming in through my bedroom window • Fresh homemade coconut milk •

These days, many people are singing the praises of Pinterest as their go-to photo resource, and though I can definitely see the appeal, at this point I don't think I could handle another account in addition to all the ones that I already have: the blogs, an Etsy shop, a Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram. Besides, the iffy terms of service have given me a great excuse to stay away so far. That's not to say that I'm short on image inspiration though - in fact, one of my favourite sources of inspiration lately has been Instagram. I signed up for an account the day that it became available on Android, and I've been having so much fun with it. I read somewhere the other day that the appeal of Instagram has to do with the fact that it's not about carefully set up photoshoots but rather about capturing those little moments that make every day special. To me, it's a good reminder to take the time to notice the little things and enjoy them, rather than rushing through the day - something that's been on my mind a lot recently. Apart from uploading my own pictures through the app, I've also discovered quite a few other people on there that consistently post such beautiful images that I had to share a few of them.

Row 1: • @keikolynn • @vmacandcheese • @cocoandvera •

Row 2: • @denisebovee • @_ifb • @apartment_34 •

Row 3: • @herwaisechoice • @ohjoystudio • @strawberrykoi •

Natural Glow

I mentioned before how I'm practically clueless when it comes to makeup. Because of this, I very rarely wear it, and even then it's limited to a little bit of blush, maybe some eyeliner, and more often lipgloss. However, these days, I have a strong desire to get better at applying it - I must be growing up, because I also want to wear more dresses, and generally put more thought and effort into my looks. In the last week, I have come across two makeup looks that really stand out to me: I find them to be quite natural, and I think that they enhance the girls' natural beauty, rather than cover it up - a big fear of mine when it comes to makeup - so I'll work on emulating them all spring and summer long.

Images via: From Me To You & Lauren Conrad (to see more of what inspires me these days, take a look at my Tumblr)

With this inspiration in mind, I have searched the web and put together a list of some basic green, natural cosmetics that I think will help me achieve these looks:

1. Living Nature Tinted Moisturizer, CAD$40.70 (longtime want - I mentioned it here too)
2. 100% Pure Black Tea Pigmented Gel Eyeliner, CAD$23 
3. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara, CAD$23
4. Everyday Minerals Everyday Bronzer, $9.99
5. 100% Pure Perfect Naked Pink Creamstick, CAD$20
6. Ilia Beauty Wild Child Lipstick, $24
7. Ilia Beauty Neon Angel Lipstick, $24

For rosy cheeks, I really want to try Victoria's tip about using beets. I was so impressed with the idea when I read about it on her blog that I will definitely give it a try this summer.

Do you have any other recommendations of eco-friendly cosmetics that I could use for a similar look? I'd love to know!

A Beautiful Planet

I have been so busy keeping up with school, blogging and life in general, that I didn't even realize that today is Earth Day until just a few days ago. I honestly think our planet should be celebrated every day, but I know very well that our always-on-the-go lifestyles don't necessarily allow for that, and that is why I think today is such a special occassion: a day when everyone turns their attention towards our precious planet, and (hopefully) becomes more mindful of it, even if just for a little while. My hope is that this blog plays a role - albeit a small one - in keeping the celebration going all year round. I've thought of writing a post today with advice and tips about going green, but I'm sure they're being dished out from all directions; so instead, I thought I'd draw attention to a reason why we should do it, and that's the remarkable beauty of our world. So, if nothing else, today I urge you to go out and take a minute to admire this beautiful world we live in, and get inspired to do your best to protect it.

Now that the flowers in our front yard have started blooming, I'm reminded of this beauty everyday. I'm so excited for a summer filled with colourful blooms all around our house!



Finally, while looking through my Twitter feed on Friday, I found a link to this incredible documentary, Home. The stunning views in the first part of the trailer took my breath away - I thought that they show exactly the beauty that I've been talking about in this post, and I can't wait to watch the entire movie.

Happy Earth Day!

Cover Girl

Last week was filled with inspiration. On the same day that I watched the Charlie Chaplin video, I found a great article in Coco Eco Magazine: an interview with Shailene Woodley.

I discovered the magazine a few months ago and quickly added it to my "green" bookmark list, only to forget about it soon after as the list grew to never-ending lengths. As for Shailene Woodley, I didn't know much about her, besides the fact that she is praised for her performance in "The Descendants", for which she is making the awards show rounds in stylish outfits, and collecting numerous nominations and awards.

Luckily I got a glimpse of the article on one of my usual online jaunts and then quickly headed over to the magazine's website - which is now a regular online destination for me - to read the article in its entirety. Very rarely do I identify with a person as much as I did with Shailene. Her answers in the interview coincide so much with my own opinions about living green. Though she is a little younger than me, I am now incredibly inspired by her determination and will most definitely follow her progress closely, because if this is any indication, she's bound to do great things, both in the acting scene and in making the world a little greener and healthier.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes from the actress in the interview (mostly because they reflect the way that I feel about these issues as well):

"...when I was about fifteen and in high school, I was watching the trees and the leaves blowing in the wind. The juxtaposition of the wind blowing, and the leaves and the trash from the school lunch in the air made me so mad."

"It's about treating everything with compassion and love, including humanity."

"It inspires me to see the baby steps people take, but the lack of information is really frightening, and something needs to be done about it. Quickly."

You can read the entire article here.

• All images and quotes via Coco Eco Magazine •

Powerful Words

This week, on a break between classes, my brother told me to search and watch a certain video on Youtube. The video shows the speech that Charlie Chaplin gave in his film "The Great Dictator". It is incredible to me how relevant its meaning still is today. Watching this extract from the movie made me pause and think on a day that was going at full speed ahead. I have watched it a few other times since and every time, I'm struck by the powerful message that it carries.



More than ever, I am now inspired to think less and feel more, make this life a wonderful adventure, and live it with kindness and humanity, the way that the actor suggests.