Finding More in (just a little) sharing & inspiration.

Hello Bloggers!

This is a shot of a card I bought for a very significant loved one last week. I liked it so much I thought I would share with all of you..

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Want to know what I am inspired about today? Well let me tell you.

1. Guest Blog Posting!

A fellow blogger has featured me today on her blog – my first guest post is up over at Life More Lived – it’s an article I wrote a little while back, when I was first starting to admit I had to scale back my shopping obsession….for all of you who love to dress well and live well – you can find the article here. Life More Lived is Sara’s blog all about simple living – it’s not food based but looks at all aspects of a more minimal life – check her out – and have a read, maybe drop her a line even..I’d love to know what you think of the writing if you are so inclined!

2. Lingering Inspiration from Tofino

Here are a few shots of our recent trip to Tofino..where less meets more in a most surreal and powerful way. I am so happy to have these great shots!

Tofino is the kind of place that has it all.

It is raw, majestic, stark, and a pure, wild example of a ‘less’ landscape (water, trees, and endless beaches anyone?)..while providing a highly charged ‘more‘ atmosphere – more rain, more wind, more intensity, more calm, more reminders of the intense power present in us and in nature…

Here are a few of my favorite shots from our few days there recently – these were taken by a good friend Niko Pavlo who takes fabulous photos (obviously) over at Follow The Olive Rabbit – memories like this are worth slowing down and cherishing 🙂 Thanks Nik for the beautiful work!

I hope you all get a little hit of inspiration too…..thanks for stopping by…

What are you doing to make yourself proud today?

I’ll be posting about almonds and almond milk next, for all of you looking to make your own…stay tuned!

Yours in Less,

Finding more in (just a little) less on the plate.

A full plate seems like a dream come true. Indeed it is for many.

What does a full plate mean to you?

To many it’s the picture of a literal plate, a plate filled with food, and (hopefully) a plate to nourish and fuel us.

A full plate is a nice thing to have, and I like to imagine most of us are keenly aware that this is not a luxury all are lucky enough to enjoy.

Then there is the other full plate: the fuel of our lives, made up of to do lists, obligations, chores, passionate pursuits and promises made to ourselves and loved ones.

This plate is rarely empty for many of us, as we hustle through the day trying to keep up with all we commit to.

Our hungers for achievement and successes drive us with voracious appetites…we pile the plates so high until we actually can’t see it all clearly anymore.

When my plate gets too full I start to lose my appetite.

When I get a plate that’s too full for too long – I have to say I stop knowing real hunger anymore. Literally, figuratively, or otherwise.

When this happens to me I know something’s got to go.

So whether you are looking to lighten your load by streamlining what you eat….or dropping a few commitments you’ve made, feel strong in knowing your strength and your wisdom can only do you good.

When times get tough, I always try to lighten the load (just a little).

Step 1: Don’t be ashamed, no one can do it all! Admitting weakness is healing and empowering. Better to know now than further down the road.

Step 2: Look objectively at your life. What brings you joy? What isn’t working?

step 3. Take action! You aren’t going to change overnight, but you can start tomorrow. March forward fearlessly!

Begin to make changes in small doses. This will show real results and can be very motivating, it also won’t overwhelm you.

If you need to devote 10% less time for a friend you just aren’t getting anymore, or even spend 10% less time volunteering because you haven’t time for yourself, you are only going to gain somewhere else. The same goes for your diet. Try cutting meat one day a week, or dairy, or sugar. Give yourself a small boost and try again. Small victories add up.

Chances are, when you streamline, you’ll start to see clearly again. And you may just end up finding that sweet spot, the modern holy grail, that sweet blissful spot known as  ‘just right’.

When you cut out what's not working, you will start to see clearly....you can even add a little more variety. Less is more.

I’m working on it constantly, and it’s why I am here today.

Because many of us could all do to live with (just a little) less.

I am so glad to have found some friends along the way….stay tuned next week – I’ll introduce you to two of my friends who are doing just that! We’ll follow their journey as they both give something up for the good of others….I am so excited to share their story.

I love this response from the Dalai Lama when asked what surprises him most:

“Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”

• Is your plate too full?
• If you had to drop one thing from your life, what would it be?
• Could you live with (just a little) less?
• Are you already?

I’d love to know.

Stay tuned for a killer raw recipe tomorrow….a little something sweet!

Yours in Less,

Finding More in waking (just a little) early.

A lot of successful people I know wake early.

The benefits are widely known. Early risers get more done, and enjoy the peaceful early morning hours to work and collect themselves before anyone else in the house, or the world, awakes.

I am not a natural morning person, but trust me, I want to be!

So here I am up early on a Saturday enjoying a coffee and the glorious sunrise, getting a blog post done and planning for another busy Saturday.

If I could change one thing in my day, I would rise everyday at 6am to go for my run.

As a runner, I have always enjoyed evening runs, but it seems in recent years, it is becoming harder and harder to fit it in between all the other evening commitments – kids sports and family life is busier than ever. I’ll be working on waking earlier.

Not at 5 am like a lot of keeners I know (and admire), but by waking (just a little) earlier I know I can give myself the gift of time, space, and freedom that I need as I take more and more on (currently I still manage to get it in, but it’s a tough juggle).

So what’s stopping me? A lot of things. None of which are valid. Early rising is simply one discipline I have not conquered, and it’s time to change this.

Its time to stop finding reasons why not.

• Are you an early riser?
• What keeps you motivated to wake early?
• If you could add one thing to your day, what would it be?

I’ll keep you posted on my own progress. I might just have time for a run this beautiful morning.

Maybe I would meditate in the morning too.

Yours in Less,