I attended a peaceful yoga/meditation class with Amanda Rush on Tuesday evening. The class was in celebration of the spring equinox. She mentioned something during the meditation that caught my attention. She referred to spring as the new year and spoke a lot about new beginnings and letting go of any garbage from the past year. At first, this was weird for me, as I had already attempted this in January! You know… “New Year, New Me!!!” Only to get knocked back down on my ass by the 9th day, leaving the rest of the month incredibly dense.
Amanda’s words sparked some curiosity in me, and I spent the next two days learning about the history of the calendar, astrological years, lunar years, etc.
Spring equinox is the beginning of a new astrological year, and up until the Julian calendar, March 25th was the original beginning of each new calendar year. This makes sense as spring and starts the beginning of everything in nature; however, a long ass time ago, a roman emperor who was superstitious about numbers, decided to add two more months to the calendar and screw up all of the days.
Honestly, I have read so much and I can’t find a legitimate reason for changing the calendar that makes sense to me. I did read that January was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings. Cool story bro… I don’t know about you, but I look around in January and see nothing new in nature beginning (at least in the US Midwest).
Could this be why most “new year resolutions” don’t work out? Or, possibly why the baggage from the previous year(s) tend to linger? Here we all are, in the dead of winter, some of us drowning in seasonal depression, setting intentions and goals to be healthier, more organized, and better versions of ourselves only to fall on our face! I don’t know about you, but usually by spring, I say screw it and hope for better things to come the next year.
Shortly after the meditation, where I had asked god to help me let all things go and look at this spring as a new beginning, I found myself crying on the bedroom floor. This was unlike any other time (women tend to cry often, but this was different). I literally felt all of the baggage leaving my body until a moment where there was nothing left.
It felt rough in the moment, but as soon as I came to a more stable place, I could feel as though the universe had finally given me a clean slate to work with. Was this rock-bottom or a bomb-ass cleanse? I don’t know, but although my throat hurts, my eyes are puffy, and my head is now killing me, I have never felt more clean and optimistic about the future.
I have been through some crap in my life, but at no point had I ever asked, in a meditative state, to be able to let it all go. I didn’t know how much I had carried until this moment.
I wonder what would happen if we all could align our goals, new intentions, and growth with the seasons of nature. What if we let spring wash away all of the shit from the year before, not just in weather, but in our mind, body, and spirit? What if we then ushered in all of the new, pleasant things, dreams, and goals into our lives along with the blooming of the flowers?
I think if you want to get more organized, eat cleaner, or exercise more, or ask to let go of the baggage you have been holding onto, forget January (did I mention that month sucks?) The TIME IS NOW.
Don’t be discouraged if your New Year’s goals didn’t work out. Everything in nature was going against you. Try again this spring, and see how it goes.
I’m leaving the previous notion that new beginnings are the first of the calendar year, and I’m celebrating with spring. I’m taking the goldfish too… Who’s coming with me?
That was referencing Jerry McGuire for those of you who didn’t get it 🙂
I did a similar Tik Tok series on this experience. Feel free to check it out.. and if you want to do a Nutritional Cleanse this spring… I just so happened to have created an entire program, and it’s available on Amazon! Keep scrolling…..
You don’t have to fight any fight alone, seek help whether you are asking god, or the universe, attending meditations, energy healing, or seeking professional help from a counselor or psychologist.
The information I have provided in this article is of my own personal experience and is not meant as medical or mental health advice. I am not a doctor and I am not making claims that this tool will heal you or even work for you. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis please visit your nearest hospital or call 911.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time, day or night, or chat online. Their Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
My Mediterranean tuna salad was a HUGE hit for my meal prep business! It’s unlike any tuna salad you have ever had, I promise! This dish is greek-inspired and packed with nutrients! Give this recipe a try. Furthermore, check out my post about the Mediterranean lifestyle and how healthy it can be to start eating like a European!
You can mix the ingredients quickly and serve it with crackers, on bread, or in a lettuce wrap. On the other hand, you can scarf it up with a spoon.
Here’s what you’re going to need to make the Mediterranean tuna salad:
4 cans albacore tuna drained
1 can quartered artichoke hearts drain and remove hard parts
½ red bell pepper chopped
3/4 cup greek olives halved
½ small red onion chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
1 Tbsp partially dried basil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
lemon juiced
1 tomato sliced
½ cup mayo
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
The 411 On Artichokes:
Did you know that artichokes are packed with nutrition? One artichoke contains approximately 7 grams of fiber. Additionally, artichokes contain vitamins such as C & K and minerals your body needs, like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron! Because of its array of health benefits, this plant has been used for thousands of years in the Mediterranean for its medicinal properties. There are scientific claims that artichokes can help support your heart, liver, and digestive health.
The directions are simple.
First, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. You can then serve right away if you like. You can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Still, I prefer to eat this Mediterranean Tuna Salad the next day after the flavors have had an opportunity to combine! It’s a treat my whole family enjoys!
1canquartered artichoke heartsdrain and remove hard parts
½red bell pepperchopped
3/4cupgreek oliveshalved
½small red onionchopped
¼cupfresh parsleychopped
1Tbsppartially dried basil
2clovesgarlicfinely chopped
1tspdried oregano
lemonjuiced
1tomatosliced
½cupmayo
¼teaspoonfine sea salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and gently fold together until well combined.
Serve on gluten-free pita cut in half (1/2 cup of tuna salad in each half) with a slice of tomato and 1/4 romaine lettuce leaf in each half. You can also serve it wrapped in lettuce instead of the pita.
Brain dumping is a technique meant to take what is in your head and put it on paper, freeing up thought space.
The idea is that endless ideas and overwhelming mental to-do lists can harm productivity. Being a person with many ideas is a fabulous quality – if you are able to actually stay organized and implement them.
How To Do A Brain Dump
Start by getting your self a notebook paper or opening a blank document on your computer.
You are going to want to open your mind to the endless thoughts, tasks, ideas, to-dos that are taking place.
Start writing them down.
Don’t try to prioritize right now, or over-think each idea’s importance; just write.
Write until you can feel the pressure in your mind starts to ease.
Please don’t worry about holding on to your ideas. They will be on this paper and out of your mind.
Be specific. This can be household tasks, personal calls you need to make, conversations you need to have, work tasks, grocery items, it can be wanting to make time to spend with kids, it doesn’t matter. Whatever the thought is weighing on your mind, write it.
Now that the thoughts are out of your head and onto paper, you can simply stop here and use that paper as a checklist. Or, you can move on to my scheduling technique.
Here’s an example of my own brain dump (everything that came to my mind in 5 minutes):
Get caught up on laundry. Create spicy superfood chili recipe on blog. Carson golf clubs. Golf schedule. Dog hair. Floors. Book signing. Wrestling camp. Pedicure. Meal plan.
Schedule It All Out
I personally have to take the brain-dumping a step further. If I use notes, then looking at the “checklist” is almost as overwhelming as what was going on in my brain.
I start by breaking things down into smaller tasks that will need to occur and placing each task on my calendar. Once the task is scheduled, I mark it off the list. This tells my brain I no longer have to think about it or dwell on it. It’s on my calendar, so it’s part of the plan. This works for me because if I put something on my calendar, I stick to it as with any other appointment. I then get to throw the paper away and feel a million times better. Here’s a look at how my brain dump looks on my weekly calendar. ***keep in mind this is not what a day in my life actually looks like, and this is not the accurate amount of time it would take for each task.
This technique works wonders with some of my clients that come to me and say, “I really want to do XYZ, but I don’t have the time” I simply tell them, SCHEDULE IT! Then I ask, “if you had a doctor’s appointment on your calendar, would you say “no, I don’t feel like doing that today?” No, you would go because you have made a commitment. The same needs to apply to your thoughts, ideas, and tasks.
What happens if I write it down and realize it isn’t a good idea or it’s someone else’s job?
If you brain dump something that needs to be done by someone else, or a task that you should be delegating, all you need to do is schedule the correspondence. If the garbage was full and on my mind, I could put on my calendar, “remind Carson to take out the trash” If I simply decide that my thought was a bad idea, I can mark it off the paper, not put it on my schedule, and the bad idea ends up in the trash – not my brain.
Have you ever heard someone say that they moved to Italy or visited Greece for a prolonged period of time and their intolerances for certain foods simply vanished? They were all of a sudden able to enjoy bread and pasta? There are countless stories of people leaving America and also leaving behind food intolerance and all of the sketchy symptoms that come along with it like …. ADHD.
What is this phenomenon?
Well, it’s no phenomenon or strange occurrence at all.
It has to do with the fact that Europe and other Mediterranean countries have much stricter regulations on chemicals that go into the food, and their processes are different. They are using fewer pesticides, GMOs, and even different processing techniques. In the USA, many chemicals, such as sulfites that are used in bleaching processed grains, aren’t even listed on the ingredients because it’s considered part of “processing.”
Here are 5 American “Food” ingredients that the USA claims are “safe” but are banned in other countries:
But don’t get discouraged, you can still live a healthy Mediterranean lifestyle, right here in the US. Here’s how:
Focus your attention on eating REAL food. There’s a saying that goes: “If it doesn’t have a mother, or grow naturally on the earth, then you shouldn’t eat it”
When eating animal products, be mindful of how they are fed and raised.
If you must eat processed foods, use the 5 ingredients or less rule.
If you cannot pronounce an ingredient, don’t eat it.
Watch out for “Natural Flavors or Natural Ingredients” on a label. Many lab-created chemicals derived from a small amount of “natural” products can be disguised on food labels.
Avoid dangerous trans fats and incorporate as many healthy fats into your diet as possible. Mediterranean cuisine focuses more on healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, and nuts rather than trans fats that occur in highly processed foods.
I was never a huge fan of sweet potatoes until I learned that a bit of cayenne, salt, and pepper could make those bad boys delicious! I always thought of sweet potatoes as the gross candied side dish at every thanksgiving covered in processed marshmallows and brown sugar. Yuck! Seemed to be more of a dessert to me than a vegetable.. but.. to each their own. We can still be friends if we disagree on the thanksgiving side dish, but you have got to give spicy sweet potatoes a go at least this one time.
This chili isn’t much like chili at all.. but it’s a spicy soup jam-packed with superfoods, but it combines tomatoes and chili powder, so we’re calling it chili. It includes some of my favorites like tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion!
Here’s what you’re going to need to make this:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 Large Tomato diced
1 bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder
0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
0.5 tsp ancient fine sea salt
0.25 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into 1″ pieces
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp Parsley Freshly Chopped
1 lb. Italian sausage cooked
Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil.
Add onion and bell pepper and cook until soft.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomato paste and stir until well-coated.
Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. (or add in already cooked sausage)
Add chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper
Add sweet potatoes, broth, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer, covered until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Garnish with parsley before serving.
Spicy Superfood Chili
Here's a delicious recipe that is amazing right off the stove, and just as amazing as left-overs!
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