freedom – thepeacefulhappyvegan

Be happy now, enjoy your journey

January 21, 2017January 21, 2017 ThePeacefulHappyVeganLeave a comment

This post is intended to remind you about the importance of your journey

We are all on a different journey. You might have a career goal, or an educational goal like obtaining a specific degree. Maybe your goal is to have a family, to buy a house? Goals and planning are a necessity in life, we all need to think about our future from time to time, but I want to remind you that true happiness can only come from now, and should not be dependent on a goal. If you do not enjoy or find happiness in the steps you take on your journey to your goals, then you would have wasted much of your life being unhappy.

Exactly when will you be happy then? Will you only be happy once ______? Happiness comes from now, not from tomorrow. You can apply this to anything you are working toward currently. Take a moment to think about your goals. Do you feel you will be happier once you accomplish them?

What if you don’t? What if you never get that promotion? What if you are unable to finish school? What if you get sick? There are many what ifs in life, which is why it only makes sense to be happy now. Happiness should not be dependent on what you accomplish, life is always changing, and often times things don’t end up the way we have planned. It is easier, lighter, simpler to enjoy each breathe, each step, now. There will be times of frustration while you are up late writing a paper, or staying late at work, putting in extra time to get to your goals, but it’s important to always assess your life situation. Do you spend more time being happy or unhappy. If you had a few stressful days last month but overall you feel good, happy, that is fine. If you spent a quarter of your month miserable or unhappy try to see what you can do differently to improve your mood.

Perhaps you are working two jobs to pay your rent, or you could be a single mom or dad struggling to afford childcare. No matter what your circumstance, it is normal to feel stressed or worried. Life is challenging, and some of us are in situations out of our control. Not everyone is happy all the time, I understand this. There is a lot of suffering in this world, but those who suffer need people around them to lift them up. A smile, a hug, a conversation. Being grateful for what you do have, reflecting, and appreciating can help to create and instant feeling of joy.

If you know me, then you know that I am usually smiling or laughing. I’ve been this way since I was a child. I’ve found that being joyful is often contagious. If I can bring joy to a friend who is stressed, a family member who is sad, or a patient that is suffering, I have a great sense of inner joy and happiness.

I don’t expect you to go skipping through the streets everyday, I just want you to get the most out of life.

Someone once told me, “What do you have to be stressed about? You have a good job, money, you travel.” Little did that person know I was suffering from terrible anxiety at that point in my life. It was a burden which took nearly two years to overcome. I still occasionally have moments of anxiety, but I am in a much better place today. It is easy to judge someone on the outside. Keep in mind that some of us have internal struggles that are overbearing and just as difficult as financial hardships or other external struggles.

Make sure you spend your time doing what you love, with who you love.

My profession as a nurse has given me a deep understanding and appreciation for life. I often see people at the end of their lives. Let me tell you, no one cares what they look like, how thin or heavy they are, what brand of clothes they are wearing, or how many things they have. The only thing that matters to most of my patients is family. All of us will leave this world one day, and I already know when it’s my time, I will be at peace. This is because I live my life with intention; I try my best to make good choices, to be kind, and to do what I believe is right. This is one of the reasons I decided to go vegan as well. I am deeply saddened by the state of our environment and the continued abuse of animals. We need change now, not tomorrow. I wish more people felt the same, there would be a great deal of change if people chose to make changes today instead of tomorrow.

I hope I have given you something to think about today. I want all of you to find happiness. If your situation is difficult and stressful, try taking a few minutes of peace each day to sit with yourself, be grateful for the things you do have, redirect your negative thoughts to positive ones. Maybe you are grateful to be alive, to be walking, to be healthy. We all have something to be grateful for. This will create a good foundation for happiness and joy in your life.

Have a peaceful and happy day 🙂

Pack less stuff, have more fun

January 10, 2017January 10, 2017 ThePeacefulHappyVeganLeave a comment

I used to be the worst at packing light. Just for reference, I used to take a full-sized large luggage and a carry on with me….to Vegas ( I live in Los Angeles). Don’t laugh, even if you’ve never packed this way, you probably know someone who has. I was one of those people who just had to take everything. Full size shampoo bottles, 4-5 pairs of shoes, and an insane amount of outfit choices.

We decided to go to New Zealand and Hawaii in the spring of last year. My fiance said he was only going to bring a carry-on. “WHAT?!!!!” I said. He then suggested we both try to take a carry-on only. Mind you, this was a 12 day trip. I was very hesitant, as this left little room for option. Packing is usually a stressful time for me, I get so worried about what I might forget. This time around, it was different.

Instead of feeling stressed, I felt the opposite. When I really thought about it, I never did wear all the clothes I brought before. I was ready to take on the challenge. I ended up packing 2 pairs of jeans, a few pairs of leggings, about 5 tops, two sweaters, and a bathing suit. I have a small rain jacket which I packed into my carry-on, and I wore a heavier jacket on the plane, as well as my heavier pair of shoes. I took two pairs of pajamas, a small bag of toiletries and makeup, socks, and undergarments. (we purchased cheap beach towels and accessories in Hawaii)

Here are some tips I have for packing light and efficient

Roll your clothes! Don’t fold your jeans and leggings, roll them, it takes up less room.
Bring your own quick drying wash cloth. If you are traveling to another country realize that not every place supplies those small wash towels we are all familiar with. In Ireland, we found this to be the case sometimes. I also like to have my own small wash cloth, it feels cleaner. On amazon you can find a brand called Lunatec. They dry in 5-10 min! You can shower, pack your stuff and throw in the dry towel. Lunatec Travel Washcloths
Two pairs of shoes only, you can get away with three if the third is a pair of flats or sandals. This made my trip to New Zealand so easy. Boots and a pair of Nike’s is what I took. The boots matched with everything and looked nice for going out at night. Then on the days I wanted to explore, my Nike’s were super comfortable.
Buy a travel blow-dryer or straighter if you must have them. I have a small travel dryer by BabyLiss that I purchased on amazon. It works great, and when folded is smaller than the size of my hand. I usually bring this because we tend to say in rentals opposed to hotels. BaByliss Travel Hairdryer
Minimize makeup. Try finding a small makeup bag, and tell yourself you can only pack what fits inside. I use a travel makeup palette similar to the one shown here. Almost everything you need in one place.
Packable Jackets are life! I have a Cole Haan rain jacket that is perfect for day and night. It was pricey but I’ve used it so many times. Best part is that it folds down quite small.
Do laundry in another country or state. My fiance and I had a fun time finding a laundry spot in Paris. After we started our laundry, we sat outside and people watched while having some coffee and snacks. This will allow you to pack less clothes.
Space bags! If you are still unsure about packing light, or really want that extra sweater. Pick up some space bags by Ziplock. They are great, they provide a vacuum seal by rolling the air out by hand, and they are re-usable. Ziplock Travel Spacebag
Bring only one “night” outfit. You will kill yourself if you try to bring multiple outfits to wear at night. What I’ve learned is that if you throw on a jacket, scarf, and add a piece of jewelry it can dress up a day outfit quite nicely. If you have scheduled events, this is a different scenario, but for basic travel, just have one nice outfit, just in case.
Dryer sheets and a trash bag. I always bring dryer sheets. I put them in a small bag and poke a few holes into the bag. My clothes always smell fresh, and If I decide to do laundry, I can use the sheets. The trash bag, or other bag I use for dirty laundry.
Pack for the best case scenario! If your going to another state this is an easier concept to grasp, but it remains true for international travel as well. Remember these other countries will have everything you need if you forget something. You’ll even find familiar brands abroad, like Dove, Pantene, ect. (I’ll probably bring my own products on my next trip, as I am trying to transition to vegan products, but I’m sure other countries have these as well).

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips. My trip to New Zealand was so much easier because I simplified my packing. I didn’t have multiple clothing options everyday, so I spent less time getting ready, and more time exploring. I now feel more organized with a minimal amount of things to pack.

My favorite travel sweater (Cruising through a rainforest in New Zealand)

Happy Travels

Have a peaceful and happy day.

Vegan for the animals

January 6, 2017July 29, 2019 ThePeacefulHappyVeganLeave a comment

The only difference is your attitude

As a society, we have been conditioned since birth to eat certain animals ( cows, pigs, fish) and love others (dogs, cats). This is likely the reason many of us have such a difficult time wrapping our heads around the idea of veganism. It’s as if animal consumption was never a choice really, just a part of life. I never remember giving much thought to eating animals growing up. As far as I’m concerned I’ve always loved animals, but then why did I eat them? Conditioning. Culture. Tradition. So many things tie us to animal consumption. Someone once told me “I can’t give up meat, my family would be so upset”. But what about them? what about the animals…

It’s easy to be served a burger in a restaurant and not associate a cow with it when you take a bite. We are so far removed from the process of how our food gets to us, that we just don’t think about it.

Cows, chickens and other animals have feelings. They get scared, they miss their moms when they get separated, and they feel pain.

If the only way you could get a burger was to kill the cow yourself, would you still want the burger? I assume a lot fewer people would be eating meat if this were the case. Every time we purchase dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, and fish we are in fact paying someone else to kill that being for us.

I am not trying to make you feel bad. If you do feel bad it’s probably because you’ve never thought of the foods you eat in this way, that’s ok, most people never think of this. My goal is simply to help you understand that you have a choice.

Why I’m vegan…

My journey to veganism started in February of 2016, I was watching a YouTube video about makeup, and the person was discussing cruelty-free animal products. In the middle of her video she inserted some disturbing images of what happens to animals when they are tested with the makeup and body products we use each day. I knew products were tested on animals but I never gave it much thought until I saw that video. I suddenly felt compelled to research day and night about animal cruelty. What I read and the images I saw were shocking. To this day I think “are we insane?” Is our society so blinded by its own desires for products, for things…. I know I was. I went vegetarian the day I saw that YouTube video, and 7 months later I went vegan. For those of you not familiar, this means I no longer eat animals. Veganism is more than just about the food you eat, it also means you don’t wear or use any products made with animal ingredients or tested on animals. I am still transitioning to vegan products, which I’m sure will take some time. I don’t believe in wasting the things I already have, that wouldn’t be practical. There are several other reasons I chose veganism, which I will discuss on my blog in the future.

Guilt

I still hold a lot of guilt inside about all the unnecessary suffering I contributed to for the last 30 years. Surprisingly, this has been the hardest part of going vegan for me. The emotional guilt. I also struggle with purchasing animal products for other people as well. How can you really tell a family member or friend while out to lunch, “Sorry I don’t want to pay for the burger you ordered”. Some might say, “Don’t worry about it, you are doing so much already.” I try to think about it in this way, but it’s very difficult for me. I’m happy I woke up though, that’s what it feels like. It’s odd, I think back to before, when I ate animals….it seems like forever ago, but it hasn’t even been a year.

Consider giving up just one animal product? For them?

I’ve always disliked the attitudes some vegans have towards people who consume animals. If you do eat animals, I am not here to judge you. I am here to share my feelings and knowledge. To help you see animal consumption differently. I don’t think you are a bad person if you eat meat. Perhaps you just haven’t received enough info on the topic.

If you are interested in stopping your contributions to animal suffering, try taking one animal product out of your diet. The way I see it, everything makes a difference. If you give up red meat then you are no longer paying someone to kill cows. You are also not contributing to the massive amount of water it takes to produce red meat either. Not to mention all the methane cows release which is contributing greatly to global warming.

Look for this bunny on the products you buy, it means the company doesn’t harm animals in any way

Still not convinced?

Try watching a few documentaries: Forks Over knives, Cowspiracy, Earthlings, and there is a new one up on Netflix called Food Choices. There are also many books, articles and me. If you have any questions feel free to comment below. I’m currently reading….

Compassion for all

The older we get, the more we reflect on life. I think a lot about what I want to be remembered for. Veganism is definitely one of them. I guess I feel like I found my purpose in a way. I want everyone to love more, to care. I hope someone who reads this makes a change, maybe that person will be you.

Have a peaceful and happy day

Beyond happiness and unhappiness there is peace

January 2, 2017January 3, 2017 ThePeacefulHappyVeganLeave a comment

The title of this post is also the name of a chapter in my favorite book, The Power of Now ( Eckhart Tolle). I have adapted some of his concepts in my post, and I’ve created hypothetical situations in order to better explain what peace is.

To have peace is to accept what is.

Unhappiness and Peace

Imagine you’re late for work one morning, you spill your coffee while driving. At the stop light you feel a sudden bump at the back of your car, yep… you’ve been rear ended. There’s no damage and you’re ok.

Think for a second the feelings you might experience. Unhappiness maybe? Most people would feel the same.

What happens next is completely up to you, yet we tend to let our egos take over.

The ego will always take the accident personally. The ego thinks that when the other driver woke up this morning, they had every intention on hitting the backside of your car…they wanted to in fact. This is obviously ridiculous, but its important to highlight how insane our egoistic minds can be. The person whose reaction is to yell, or get aggressive with the other driver has no control of his or her ego. They are simply unaware that they have the ability to control their thoughts and emotions, and that is fine.

“Fine?” yes it is fine because one day hopefully sooner than later they will wake up and realize the foolishness of their ways, and if they don’t, they will suffer a great deal in their life, which is of course very sad really.

…Perhaps this would never be you, maybe you have some control over your emotions.Yes! You’ve decided to take the high road. You smile slightly at the other driver, ask if they are ok, and exchange insurance information. But on the inside your ego isn’t quite ready to let it go. Thoughts and feelings of anger and frustration flood your mind after you continue down the road to work. Is this really a more peaceful place to be than the angry person we discussed previously? No, it is not.

Your ego can be your worst enemy on your quest to finding peace.Your ego will have “happy” moments (arrogance for example) and “unhappy”moments (jealousy). Neither of these will lead you to peace. Lets go back to the start. Peace is to accept what is. If on the outside you are angry and yelling, you are being verbal about not accepting the accident. If you appear calmer on the exterior but carry feelings of anger and frustration inside you are quietly not accepting the situation. Either way, you haven’t accepted what is, and you wont have peace until you do.

The person who calmly asks the other driver if they are ok, exchanges insurance info and then proceeds to work without any thoughts besides practical ones ( “I’ll need to call the insurance company after work” or “I’ll need to get a quote on repairs) is the person who has peace. They realize that the accident is just that, an ACCIDENT. They have accepted what is, and they move on. Beyond happiness and unhappiness there is peace.

Happiness and Peace

It is important to recognize that peace shouldn’t be dependent on your happiness.

Let’s say you’ve been wanting to go on a weekend getaway but couldn’t quite save up enough the past few months. While at work you receive word that your boss has decided to give you a bonus, suddenly you feel happy, and at peace. The check is to be issued in several days, and you feel a sense of calm and excitement all week, knowing you will soon be planning your trip.

A few days later you receive your check….but when you go home, you find that a pipe has burst and flooded your bathroom. Let me guess…no more peace?….well that was quick.

There are multiple ways someone might react, but you see where I am going with this.

In this situation, if you have peace, you have everything. You would be able to recognize and accept what has happened. The pipe burst, and you’ll have to fix it. You might even feel thankful that you now have your bonus check to take care of the repairs. You feel a sense of peace and gratitude.

There will always be ups and downs, happiness and unhappiness, life is always changing and we shouldn’t let our sense of peace and calm be determined by these events.

“Are we just supposed to accept everything that happens to us? That makes no sense.”

Practice your peace, but be practical.

I’m constantly working on maintaining peace in my everyday life. I’ve grown and feel much more in control now than ever before. Remember to start small. What is something that interrupted your peace today?

Was it the lawn mower that woke you up at 7 am? Perhaps you were very annoyed, angry even. Think of this situation a different way. You actually let the sound of a machine ruin your morning? really?

Now, if you can do something to change your bad situation, than you should. Maybe you ask your neighbor to mow the lawn after 9? why not? To have peace doesn’t mean you have to accept everything, it means you accept what you can’t control. If your neighbor respects your request, great, problem solved. If he doesn’t, then accept that it may happen again. Do your best to change unpleasant situations as they arise, and have peace with them if you can’t.

Peace comes from within

I remember when my practice started paying off. It was about a year ago, I was in the parking lot at work, and I dented/scratched my car while parking, it was witnessed by a friend of mine. For some reason I had no internal reaction of unhappiness, it was instant acceptance for me. My friend quickly got out of her car and said “oh my gosh, how are you ok with this?, I would freak out.” I don’t think she’s alone, I probably would have had the same reaction in the past. Instead I was full of peace, acceptance. I actually forgot it happened for a day or two afterwards. Similar experiences of peace have happened to me while in unpleasant situations since then. I try to bring peace into everything I do, it makes life lighter, easier, and more joyful.

So today, if you are faced with an unplesant situation, first see if you can do anything to change it, If not, try to accept it, try to have peace.

Happy New Year to you all

Care less about others opinions of you …

December 27, 2016December 31, 2016 ThePeacefulHappyVeganLeave a comment

I used to, like most people, worry about the opinions of others. In some ways many of us live our lives for others instead of ourselves. I am guilty of allowing this to happen to myself as well. However, my thinking has changed, I no longer give much thought to outside opinion. How we dress, how we look, how we portray ourselves on social media is often times only done for others. The selfies, the filters, all of it.

Now, when I say care less, I don’t mean going around doing or saying whatever the hell you want with disregard for others feelings. I mean that you shouldn’t allow the judgments of others to rule every thing you do. If, for example, you honestly like a particular pair of jeans, that’s fine. But if you purchase the jeans to impress someone, to make others like you more, well that’s your ego. Your ego always wants to be better, smarter, and richer than the next person. But you’re in luck. You are not your ego. Your ego has a mind of its own, your only job is to recognize when it’s there, and then tell it to stop.

Looking back, there was a time when I felt the majority of the things I did were for others. Working out to look a certain way, buying cool clothes, and posting about every little thing. It was quite exhausting. Of course working out is great for you, we should all exercise. But when it becomes obsessive to maintain a certain image, well that’s your ego, again. Our society has created this idea that health equals a perfect bikini body. Some people don’t even want to put on a swimsuit because they don’t look a certain way. Now, if they cared a little less about the opinions of others, they might be able to enjoy a perfect day at the beach. Imagine not thinking “I hope I look ok” once, that entire day. Freedom.

So how do I do it then? How did I let all of that go? Spirituality is key. It has helped me grow tremendously over the past several years. Spirituality after all, is simply the end of suffering. I realized that I actually have complete control of what I do with my thoughts. This doesn’t mean I never have insecure thoughts, it means that I disregard the thoughts, I let them pass, or tell them “no”. This has helped me buy less stuff too! I don’t feel an obligation to keep us as much. I still buy clothes, but I discovered I feel more comfortable and happy in casual attire now. I don’t mind repeating outfits frequently either. This of course can apply to more than just clothes. I’m just giving you an example of one of the ways in which I care less.

So today, try going for comfort when you pick an outfit, what makes you truly happy and cozy. Headed to the gym? How about putting less pressure on yourself and just enjoying your work out for what it is. Social media, we can’t avoid. Today, try not posting, not checking in, or if you want to post, then ask yourself, “Why am I posting this?”

I hope I made you think about something different today. I want you to be a happier you, let go of what others think, and live today for yourself.

Have a peaceful, happy day.