Vivre sans voiture!

Hey!

(for my English readers, I had previously announced that Thursday's post would be in French....  but it is a translation of a previous post on going car less that you can find here if you wish to go back to it)

il s'agit de mon premier texte en français...  mes idées ne viennent pas aussi facilement pour écrire en français bien que je sois francophone...  étrange je sais... mais après quelques années dans une université anglophone et ensuite plusieurs années à travailler à Montréal, pour des américains en anglais c'est ce qui arrive...  par contre comme je veux bien accomoder les gens qui m'ont fait la demande, le texte du Jeudi sera toujours en français....  peut-être qu'un jour je pourrai me permettre de publier simultanément dans les 2 langues!  Le texte que j'ai choisi de traduire en est un qui a été très populaire lorsqu'il est sorti en anglais.

Je vis maintenant sans voiture depuis  6 mois (c'était 3 au moment d'écrire le texte original)...  Il y a eu quelques publications sur mon expérience mais celle-ci sera la dernière traitant uniquement de ce sujet car j'ai l'impression d'avoir fait le tour!

Voici ce qui s'est passé durant les 3 premiers mois ou nous n'avions pas de voiture.

Je dois avouer qu'au début, j'étais un peu perdue!  J'avais eu une voiture pour les 12 dernières années... et à un moment nous avions même 2 voitures!  Nous avons réussi à diminuer à une voiture il y a environ 5 ans et à ce moment nous avions prévu un jour se passer de voiture mais pas avant que mon fils ne finisse le secondaire (il ne fait que le commencer!) Cependant la vie en a choisi autrement...  comme c'est souvent le cas lorsque nous faisons de grands changements   Nous avons décidé de ne pas nous battre contre cette épreuve ... mais ça n'a pas été facile!   J'étais un peu perdu...  j'ai du m'adapter... mes week end étaient toujours planifiés selon des déplacement du point A au point B en voiture! Utiliser le transport en commun, mes jambes (ou mon vélo si la température le permet) n'est pas aussi rapide!   Evidemment il ne peut y avoir autant de A à B dans un week end! Je paniquais... comment vais-je pouvoir faire toute mes choses sans assez de temps? jusqu'à ce que je réalise que je n'étais pas obligée de faire toutes ces choses tout le temps!  et que je pouvais me faire un meilleur horaire... J'ai aussi changé certaines de mes habitudes!!!  

Donc lentement mais sûrement mon mari et moi en sommes venu à une différente routine de fin de semaine...

Les vendredis soirs sont plus souvent passés à la maison au lieu de flâner au centre d'achat sans rien acheter puisque nous sommes minimalistes.

Les samedis ont deux options...  si mon fils est avec nous, nous louons une voiture pour qu'il aille a son cours de judo (qui est trop loin de la maison pour aller autrement à cette heure là le samedi matin), et ensuite mon mari et mon fils vont jouer au paintball... ou encore nous allons à des endroit ou nous avons besoin d'une voiture (plutôt rare)!  si mon fils est chez son père, nous allons sur le plateau pour s'assoir au Starbucks et jaser...  nous continuons ensuite la journée en se promenant tranquilement... nous adorons nous promener sur le plateau!!! Nous retournons à la maison à temps pour se préparer un bon repas, boire de la kombucha et possiblement écouter un film.

Les dimanches nous nous levons tôt et allons faire l'épicerie... croyez moi, on achète pas mal moins de bouffe quand on la ramène à la maison à pied.... pas d'extra et pas de en cas!!!   Ceci veut forcément dire que je jette moins de nourriture à la poubelle car j'utilise vraiment ce que j'aie! Jetter de la nourriture c'est jeter de l'argent à la poubelle!!! J'évite ça!!!  Ensuite nous allons rencontrer notre meilleure amie au Starbucks pour quelques heures... Nous devons revenir à la maison pour que mon mari puisse se coucher entre 16h et 20h pour commencer sa semaine de travail à 22h30!  Pendant ce temps, je lis, écoute de la musique ou passe du temps de qualite avec mon fils!

alors voila à quoi ressemble nos week end maintenant... et la semaine nous allons au travail, faisons de bons repas, achetons quelques produits frais, faisons le lavage et ensuite passons du temps de qualité ensemble au lieu de courir d'un endroit à l'autre (c'est surprenant le nombre de chose inutiles que nous pouvons faire!)! J'apprends à apprécier être à la maison...  premièrement c'est beaucoup plus relaxant que d'être n'importe ou ailleurs... ça ne coute rien de plus (je dois payer le loyer de toute façon... que je sois là ou non!)....  je mange mieux...  et comme je n'ai pas de voiture, je passe plus de temps dehors à marcher et donc je dors beaucoup mieux!

J'ai aussi du trouver une nouvelle routine pour le lunch...

Pour moi, le temps de pause au lunch est du temps que je passe à l'exterieur!  Préférablement! J'en ai besoin!! J'avais l'habitude de prendre ma voiture et d'aller au centre d'achat ou au Chapters, me promener, prendre un chai que je sirote tranquilement durant l'après-midi. Il me prenait 5-10 min me rendre en voiture.... trop long à pied! Il y a cependant un Starbucks à 10-15 min de marche de mon travail.... alors je m'y rends à pied... m'assoie un peu et revient!   Peu importe la température!  Pas d'excuses!  Je m'habille en conséquences (maintenant que l'hiver est passé car nous sommes 6 mois plus tard, je suis fière de dire que je n'ai manqué aucun lunch!  - pluie. froid extrême et tempête!)Et je fais d'une pierre deux coup en prenant une marche et allant prendre mon chai!   Ceci fait en sorte que mon heure de lunch dure moins longtemps, je peux donc quitter le travail plus tôt et sauver le traffic du transport en commun (oui ça existe!).

Tout ça pour dire qu'une fois habitué, après eviron un mois, l'expérience est devenue plus agréable... à un tel point que je n'achèterai plus de voiture (toujours vrais 6 mois plus tard)...  Alors voici les bons côtés de ma vie sans voiture présentement:

Plus de temps dehors (marcher au lieu de conduire, le plateau au lieu du centre d'achat)
Plus de marche (bon exercice- un minumim de 70 min par jour ou je reste maintenant! nous avons demenagés depuis))
Plus de temps pour relaxer (conduire est tellement stressant - il faut arrêter pour s'en rendre compte!)
Plus de lecture (3h de bus chaque jour - je dois me tenir occupée)
Plus de présence dans le moment présent (méditation, observation)
Plus de "cuisiné maison"! (meilleure nourriture dans nos assiettes)
Plus de temps de qualité avec mom mari et mon fils (à la maison ou dans le bus - plus besoin de surveiller la route!)
Faire d'avantage ce que j'aime (au lieu de faire des trucs pour me tenir occuppée)
Plus de poids perdu! (toute cette marche et cet air frais sont payant!)
Plus d'argent pour rembourser ma derniere petite dette (ca coûte cher une voiture - environ 7000$ par année sans les paiements de la voiture elle même!)

et même si j'essaie de trouver un côté négatif je n'en trouve pas!!!

Aors finalement c'est une expérience plutôt positive! Je suis content que nous nous sommes donné la chance de l'essayer avant de courir acheter une autre voiture! Ca peut paraître étrange de ne pas posséder de voiture pour certaines personnes mais avec le nombre de personne que je croise dans les transport en commun chaque jour, nous ne sommes sûrement pas les seuls!

Et vous, avez-vous déjà pensé ne plus avoir de voiture?
Ou peut-être n'en n'avez vous pas?
Qu'en pensez-vous? 

love and peace,
nath
xox
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What is minimalism?

Enjoying a walk outside late winter with son and husband is an affordable pleasure I treat myself too now

(Looks like there was a shorter post on that same subject not too long ago but it was very popular and  I was asked to go into more details... )

 I often get asked that question... what is minimalism really?  almost immediately followed by:  why do you do that?

To answer the first question...  What is minimalism?

When I ask what do they mean by that question, I often get to stuff like: but can you buy this? can you get that? can you go there? can you attend ____? can you do this? and obviously the answer to ALL those question is YES!!!!
Yes I can buy this! Yes I can get that! Yes I can go there! (or anywhere for that matter) Yes I can attend ______! and YES I can do this!!! NOthing is forbidding me to...

so people are even more confused...  the way I explain it is that minimalism is a CHOICE!  It doesn't have set rules...  it's an idea... a principle!  What is minimalist to me can be extreme to some....  and exaggeration to others!  Minimalism is not a competition and there are no winners and no losers.... it's a lifestyle!  And who says lifestyle mean an evolving process... that last for the course of your life or as long as you want to!

If people really want to obey rules, they can use the following guidelines to set up their own rules...  which may change in the process....  I have been a minimalist for about 5 years now...  and my "rules" change all the time...

The guidelines more likely have to do with the actual goal of being minimalist!  It has to do more with the goal then the way to get to it.... the way is your own!  Obviously the actual process is important and you need to walk it...  no one can come to your place clean out everything and then you can call yourself a minimalist after... 

Let me explain... as a minimalist, you try to have a simple life...  or actually a simpler life!  So you have to choose (and this is the key word) what is simple to you? What are your priorities?  What do you value more in your life?  This is the starting point... and try not to look at other minimalist that have been doing that for years for you may thing it is unattainable...  but it is not! And everybody have different priorities....  I know a guy that has a well paying job, and does nothing and spend no money or anything except for his small appartement and some food all year long because every year he takes a month or more to visit a new country... that is what he likes to do... so he saves all his money for THAT ONLY!!! it is a form of minimalism..  This is CHOICE... 

When I first started this process.... I wanted to live in a smaller place to spend less $ on my mortgage and less time on cleaning and more time with my husband and son...  quality time...

I soon realized that a smaller place with just as much stuff was just to cluttered and made cleaning even longer because I had to move everything around to clean... and I also started to choke as there was stuff everywhere... so I got rid of furniture we were not using so much.... and it all started there....  one thing followed by another...  of course at first I was holding on to stuff that I have now let go off 6 years later... of course it has bean a gradual process... and the funny thing is that it becomes kind of addictive!!!  As you get rid of stuff, you breather easier, you have a sense of calm and you look for it even more...  and at one point, you do not have to break your head over what to keep or what to toss... it's almost as if the "stuff" is telling you it's time to let go...
And of course at first you may feel an empty space and run to the store and fill it back..  that is normal!!!  Be forgiving to yourself!  Eventually this will go away too.... Trust me!!!  I am a recovering shopaholic....  and honestly when I have to spend $ on something now it's a big questioning before I do...

I can still buy stuff... and do activities... and go places... and attend event... and visit people...  but it has to be meaningful to ME!!!  So the key to becoming a minimalist is to identify your priorities what matters to you.. who matters to you...  and it's not always easy... and it can bring about painful realization... but it need to be done!!!  In due time...  start slow....  like I always say: SMALL STEPS!!!

What I realized in that process is that I my husband and son are the people that matters the most to me!!!  and I really have only ONE best friend...  Those 3 people come first in my life... 
I also realized that I do not like to have lots of furniture...  or expensive one for that matter...  I'd rather be outside walking of biking than home sitting on my couch... so I invest in comfy shoes and boots and a bicycle! I like to eat home because I feel better when I do... I am very strict with my diet and eating out is not easy... so I invested in good pots, pans and utensils... not too many of each, only what I really need but high quality! I also spend lots of $ on quality food because I chose too...  I also realized that my home is my home... I am not one to have people over... it stresses me out!  So I was able to declutter my dining dishes and utensils... I only kept what is required for 3 people of each of my favorite sets...  If ever I have a urge to invite people over, I will ask them to bring with them the dinnerware! I also realized that for most of my books, I will never go back to them... so I brought them to a library... I only kept the really meaningful ones... maybe 15...  including cookbooks!  I also realized that once that I had put my music on my iPhone there was no need to keep the actual CDs... I no longer use them!   Same for DVDs... I rarely watch the same movie over and over again... so I kept a couple just in case...  Movies I really like or that my son like to watch over and over again! I also got rif off most of my "decoration" items... lying around collecting dust...  and I really do not miss any of them! I also did not like owning a car... it was expensive and driving in Montreal is really stressful... so we got rid of the car! And last but not least....  I certainly did not need 3 wardrobes and 2 sets of chest drawers full of clothes!!!!  So now I am left with using 3 drawers out of the 4 of my ONLY chest drawers and all my clothes (all season combined - including jacket) can fit in a kid's size wardrobe... and they can still breathe!!!!

one of the few Christmas decoration I kept

The only decoration in my office at work

It took me 6 years to get to a level that I think is acceptable...  and so do my husband and son...  It surely did not happen over night...  and I evolved during the process... a lot!!!  I am not the same person....  it has allowed me to find who I am... what is important to me... 

Walkink, bicycling...  stopping at a park or at Starbucks and talk with my son and husband... and my best friend... And I can afford it as often as I want... because I made time for it.... and I have the $ because I do not spend it on things that would be useless to me.  I alos like to read a book...  and write... write and write some more... with some cooking in between all that!!! And juicing!!!

And this is my life now... it may seem boring for some... but not to me!!!  It is simple.... my agenda is not packed...  I come home cook dinner and can spend an hour outside with my son on most nights... weather permitting...  or just chatting...  because we do not sit in front of the TV all night and clean the house!!!  I only have 800sq ft to clean (after a few move I am now down to that size of appartment and it is perfect for us) and perhaps 20 pieces of furniture including chairs (8 of them including the rocking chair below...  3 at the dining table, one in each bedroom, one at the desk, one in the office to meditate)... that roughly takes me 5 minutes maintenance day in day out... and another 30 min on Sundays to clean all over! 

My favorite area where I sit to chat with my son at night while enjoying tea or a smoothie

So I guess this is my answer to: why do you do that? To have time to do what matters to ME!

Minimalism is about you!  Only you!  It's your way... your rules... the goal is to be happy, stress free and at peace with yourself!!!

love and peace,
nath
xox
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This and that...

As I start writing this post, I have no particular idea or frame of mind....  I honestly do not know where this is gone lead me...

I had a wonderful week end....  It started by doing my income tax... yes, one of the first sign of spring here in Montreal, well before we get to see this nice image above, is income tax...  It has to be done!  So I like to get it over with ASAP and usually by this time they are already completed but I am having a busy year so I did not get to it until Friday!!!  But now that it was done, I was able to have a lovely week end with my husband....

I started cleaning out my wardrobe for spring... and ended up giving away 6 more pieces.. either stuff I no longer wear , no longer want, are not really me or do not fit my style anymore...

On Saturday we went to meet my best friend at Starbucks and got to meet her newly acquired chihuahua Rosie.  She is adorable... quiet and sooooooooooo tiny!!! On that picture she was really getting tired...

We then spent most of Saturday on the Plateau... like we've been doing a couple of times a month for almost a year now but now that winter is over and the weather is warming up it felt different.... people were different... they were not walking as fast...  they suddenly had necks...  their head was emerging from right atop their shoulder!  This is a time of year I really enjoy...it's like you're born again!  You get a chance to see trees budding, flower blooming, you can hear the water from the snow melting...  the smell of mud and melting snow is unique...  it comes right before the smell of flower blooming in a few weeks!  You can also hear more and more birds singing!  I even saw a flock of duck flying back!!!  I love spring!!!

My husband and I also had many discussion about "Life Happens".  As time goes by, I have more and more people reading it an giving me feedback...  And I really enjoy every feedback I get...  and I like to discuss it with my husband.  With this however comes decisions that need to be taken...  and since my husband is in this with me, we take decisions together...

There are many fantastic things happening with this book...and I can't tell you everything yet.. but...

 I do have a few well known people that accepted to read my book and give me their comments!  I was really touched by that.

I have people that are no longer in my life but were important to me for many years that actually bought and read the book and told me about it!  That to me is really precious!!!

I am sending out, this week, copies of my book to NYRB and BlueInk for their critics...  my first official critics!  Even thus what my reader think really is what matters to me most, the visibility that NYRB and BlueInk can give me is appreciated.

I was asked, and decided to do it, to have a bilingual Facebook page... so as of yesterday, all my new entries will be both in French and English.  I will also have a post on this blog every Thursday in French... 

All this is going really fast... And I am thrilled about it! I got into this without really thinking it thru!  I wanted to share my experience and be able to help others... looks like it is working out!  I am really really grateful for it!

After all this walking and discussing on Saturday we ended up at Aux Vivres my favorite vegan restaurant in Montreal.  I love that place!  Food is excellent!!!  And I do not have to worry about ingredients... My husband and I like to share... we get 2 different kinds of sandwiches and we split...  We also had some Rise kombucha!  Yummy!!!!

Sunday is groceries...  as we do not have a car and need to go to 2-3 different places it takes us almost the whole day every other Sundays... but that is OK... we enjoy it! I am so blessed to be able to feed my family delicious, healthy food I am not going to complain about the time it takes to gather it!  And in between every other Sundays I get fresh fruits and veggies at a small store at the corner of my street...  On Sundays, I also made some green juice... amazing the boost of energy it gives you!!!  I love green juice and I stopped making it for too long... I have to make a new habit out of it!!!

So this is it.. a piece of my life..  you got to share some of my week end...  a typical one!

What was your week end like?

love and peace,
nath
xox
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Why go Vegan

I am on day 22nd!!!! 

Much easier than last year I have to admit... 

Ever since I announced I am vegan I have been asked a few times WHY?

Why go vegan?  you're already vegetarian, isn't that good enough? Do you still have health problems?

Seem to be the most popular "questions"...

Let me answer the last question first...  No I do not have more health problems....  I am fine.  MS is not acting up again.  With the dispositions put in place in Life Happens I am fine...  more than fine actually, I am GREAT!

And is it not a question of enough or not enough... not one is better than the other!  It is not a competition!!!

I am going vegan because when I first became vegetarian is was for health reasons.  I had investigated ways to overcome a slight cholesterol (and I am not overweight) and deal with MS.   I read many books on the subject and many scientific studies... I am not one to take such a decision ever so lightly!

To name a few, here are the books I have looked into... they are all supported by multiple scientific studies that you can find also:

The Food Revolution by John Robbins
Skinny bitch by Kim Barnouin and Rorry Freedman
The China Study by Dr T.Collin Campbell
the get healthy go vegan cookbook by Dr Neal Barnard
Veganist by Kathy Freston

there were also some yoga books that recommended a vegetarian diet...

I also discussed it with my doctor and he supported me.

In those books, I came across some information on how meat can be really unhealthy for us humans.
(I will spare you details, you can look for yourself - if not this post will never end!!!) In general, in can be "responsible" for hearth diseases, diabetes, some cancers and some neurological and autoimmune diseases - suffice to say!

In those very same books, they also talk about dairy and eggs... how in the end they are not much better.... and also related to the above mentioned diseases  (once again spare you the details)

But at that point, I was not ready for that... I was not ready to give up cheese... ice cream... eggs... it was convenient for me to cut meat which I never really liked anyway but not cheese, sour cream, ice cream and eggs...  and you know what that's OK!!!  But now I am ready to make the switch and change my diet further more.  I know that MS can also be affected by dairy and eggs.... why take the chance???

And there is more to it....   eating meat implied killing an animal... and I did not like that idea!!!  It was helping me not eating it....  Also as I became vegetarian, I stopped wearing leather, wool, feather and silk... I never wore fur!!! 

I also realized that using dairy or eggs means mistreating some animals...  they are not killed but they are not well treated either.... so as a yogi I cannot admit participating to such suffering... it doesn't make sense to me!

Then when you look further into it, there are some environmental issues...  (here again I could list many reasons...)

So basically, I am vegan for 5 reasons:

1) Health
2) Suffering
3) Environment
4) End world hunger
5) Cooking and eating is much simpler

and they are all valid reasons... they are mine but valid!

Now...

Do I wish everyone would turn vegan overnight?  Of course!!!

Do I think it is possible?  Of course NOT!!! I am not that naive!

Do I judge people who are not vegan?  No!!! It's their own choice...  I respect that!!!  But I also expect that they respect me back!

Do I understand people that switch slowly?  Of course.... I admire it....  you better change your habits slowly one at a time and succeed than try and switch everything and fail because it is too difficult!!!  Baby steps are the key!  Most vegan were first vegetarian for years...  and most vegetarians cut our red meat long before anything else...

Do I think this is the right thing to do?  Of course...  if not, why would I do it?  It doesn't make sense to do something you're not convince is the right thing!  You should always do what's right for you! I also understand that the right thing to do might change over the course of a lifetime...  we need to be ready for it...  I was not ready to give up dairy and eggs even thus I knew they were not good for me... it took me 6 years to be ready to assume it!

And honestly I can help others deal with their food issues....  I love to answer questions with facts and figures.... no preaching... I can talk about food forever!!! 

So if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask me... here or on my facebook or twitter account... the link are below....  I invite you to connect with me...

love and peace,
nath
xox
www.thissavvylife.blogspot.com
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A sad Anniversary

A year ago today, my aunt Carol passed away...  unexpectedly!  She was 70 years old and looked fabulous!!!  If I make it to that age, I wish I will be as happy, lovely and good looking!!!

I am writing this post more for me....  most of my readers do not know my aunt... 

I need to come to an end on how angry I was about myself at that time... time to move on!!!  I know she would have forgiven me so why not forgive myself!!!

She passed away while she was in Florida for the winter with my uncle Guy.  They had been going there from right after New Year to somewhere late April or beginning of May for as long as I can remember!!!!  They had been married for ever...  They were the loveliest and happiest couple that had been THAT long together that I knew (52 years if I remember correctly).  Al thus I did not see them often, I really appreciated them a lot.

I had told my aunt Carol somewhere between Christmas and New Year, on one of our unplanned meet at the mall, that I would try and go see her before she left for Florida...  unfortunately I did not try hard enough....  now after she left, I realized it was too late and thought I could always go when they come back early spring...  but that did not happen! She never made it back.

I was really angry at myself for not having made time to go...  we are all so busy that sometimes we forget what really matters!  We forget that there might not always be a tomorrow or a next spring!  We assume that we are all immortal and that nothing will change!!!

So here it is Carol, for all it is worth now that you are no longer with us:  I am sorry not to have made time to go. I really wish you would have got to see my book. - pretty sure you would have loved it!  You were one of the 3 reasons why I wrote it in English.  I loved you. I miss you.

love and peace,
nath
xox
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What minimalism really is all about!

What is minimalism really about???

I have joined the movement, a few years ago, because, at first, I thought it would be cool to have less stuff...  to be different... to take less time cleaning... and quite frankly because the anti capitalist in me really liked the idea of not making rich people even richer!!!  And the environmentalist in me saw an opportunity to decrease her carbon foot print!!!

Now did it do all that for me?

YES!!!!!!

It is cool to be different!
It is cool to have less stuff!!!
Cleaning takes a much LESS time every week...
I have decreased my footprint as I almost do not buy anything anymore...
The anti capitalist in me really is happy too!!!  It is my own little revolution against the "rich" guys!

Now, did it do more than that???

Hell yeah!!!  A lot more!!!!

I did not realize that cleaning less meant having more time to do other stuff!!!  Stuff I actually enjoy like spending time with my husband and son, reading, doing yoga, cooking, writing...

It changed the way I see life... my priorities are no longer on "stuff" but rather on people...  I have more time to spend with them... write for them...

I am able to choose the work I want to do and love to do because I no longer need that much money to afford a car, a house, trips, all those clothes, new expensive appliances, new furniture,  all those Cd's and DVD's... I can choose a few selected items and they make me really happy and actually represent who I am... not who society wants me to be!

It changed the way I eat...  I simplified that too....  I now love cooking... but cooking 4 hours a day does not work for me!  I have to come up with nutritious and quick recipes...  I am now vegan!!!  So much simpler than you might think!!!

I have more free time...  minimalism even affected my social life...  I selected who I kept in my life or not...  Even people need to be let go of sometimes.... we can't hang on to every one we knew at one point in our life.. it's great to keep in touch but you can't have close relationship with everyone...  it is just not possible at the expense of nothing else!

I am more creative...  my writing, my decorating, my style (clothes) and my art come more easily...  it is easier to be creative when your mind is not occupied with a so busy calendar and tasks and people... 

It created space in my home... my heart and my mind... space is good... it allows NEW things to happen!!!

It made me meet a lot of amazing people!!!  People that I can relate too...

It allowed me to write "Life Happens"

It created space to:

breathe
find who I am
figure out what I truly want
be free
be happy
be peaceful

Minimalism if something I am really grateful for!!!

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Minimalism dressing

I love jeans!!!  and casual dressing....  I need to be comfortable to some extent... and I am not talking about wearing pyjamas or yoga pants comfortable but rather about feeling like me comfortable!! 
I do not like to dress for what people expect me to look like... or to follow a dress code!!!

I have nice, clean clothes that fit me well and make me feel good about myself and that do not feel like I am playing a role!!! They can be dressed up or down depending on the situation.... but having a "work" wardrobe does not work for me!!!  Some people say I should because of the position I have  but I just can't do it!!!  I tried.... but it does not work out!!!

On several occasion I tried dressing up a little more to be more like my age or like my job but I feel awkward and I am not taken seriously... I guess people feel, whether they realize it or not, the "fake" me when I dress up...

Last august, I spent $$$ on getting a new wardrobe for a new job.. and then I entered project 333 !
This, to me, who use to be a shopaholic and a very trendy woman was really hard!!!!  But I managed to cut down my number of clothes to 33 by the beginning on November which is when I officially joined the project and blogged about it here. I twisted the rules a little but I still made a lot of progress... and on the course of my project 333 from November 2012 to now, I realize that most of the clothes that were bought for this new job are now no longer there... it was a painful experience in a way.. to see all those $ thrown out the window... but it made me realize how I like to dress.. what my style truly is...  when you have to decrease you number of items to 33, you really need to keep the ones that suit you the best - both physically and mentally!  And they have to reflect you lifestyle or else you end up having nothing to wear!

So over the course of those almost 5 months now, I amended my list... keeping you guys posted on my progress...  and the last list I submitted to you still need to be amended...  I am not sure I still have 33 items or less.. but once I get down to that list we'll find out!!!  So this is me being REALLY honest!!!

In my wardrobe for the little time of winter we have left, I have:

2 black pants - one straight, one flare
1 red Cotton skinny pants
1 navy spotted skinny pants
3 jeans - one skinny, one torn straight leg and one flare
1 velvet burgundy skirt
1 black dress with mustard flowy sleeves - not sure this is staying - I love it but I never wear it!!!  so technically I should not keep it right?
1 LBD
1 purple dress (with fuchsia and grey imprints)
1 sleeveless top grey
4 fancy t-shirts (beige, red, grey/navy/mustard, old pink)
1 electric blue short sleeve blouse
5 long sleeve t-shirt (2 beige, 1 black, 1 gray, 1 electric blue)
1 green long sleeve fancy top
1 pink and purple blouse
1 jean blouse
1 striped white and blue blouse
2 jackets (corduroy- beige, brown)
2 cardigans (grey, mustard)

so here we go....if I do the math it all adds up to: 30 items!!  so I am still OK!!!

however, the point I want to make here is that I am not sure I will still count the items per say....  All I know is that from now on, the rule pretty much is one in one out!  SO if I buy something new, something else gotta give!!!  This will ensure my wardrobe will never be cluttered again! 

I do realise that spring, here in Montreal is a weird season, so for a little while starting around April, I may have 2 wardrobe combined...  for 2 different seasons... slowly retiring some item as the temperature rises and and adding some for warmer climate!!

What I get out of project 333 is this:

1) You do not need that many pieces of clothes to look good!!! How many pieces of clothing can you wear on one single day anyway?  And if you have to much, some stuff does not get to be wear and therefore is not moving and actually becomes stagnant... who wants that???
2) Quality and good fit makes you feel good!!!!
3) Your clothes should reflect who you are - not what you do or what people want you to be!
4) You should have clothes you LOVE only!!  therefore it's always pleasant to dress in the morning
5) Having black pants and jeans works for me because all my tops can work out with those so I have lots of flexibility!
6) I am not a dress or skirt person in the winter - summer is different

so there you go...  my minimalist wardrobe is a charm!!!  I never thought I would say that!!! 

But people change actually evolve... I still like to look and feel good... I just do it more reasonably, without harming the planet as much and without holding on to that no longer suits me!!!  I share!

what do you think?  Are you a shopaholic?  A minimalist dresser? Do you have piece of clothing you haven't worn in a few weeks? months? or year?  why do you hold on to them?  what do you hold on to I should say...

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Vegan day 12 and cookie recipe

                                              peanut butter and oatmeal vegan cookies

As you probably know by now, I have gone vegan 12 days ago... 
For an update on how it is going, click on the following link where I am a guest blogger every Tuesday...
You can know everything from my first 12 days of vegan life.....
AND, you'll get a FREE amazing cookie recipe!!!  (used to handle my cookie craving from last week!)

So check out the blog post and let me know what you think of it!!!

http://veganrestaurantfinder.com/vegan-day-12-and-cookies/


love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Stress management post #2

Welcome to the second part of the stress management series....

I am sorry that I missed Friday's post... I had to manage stress and cut some stuff off of my too busy schedule!

On the first post, I talked about how to live a stress free life...  In order for you body to be able to deal with stress more easily, it needs to be top shape!!!  Kind of like if you want to run your car at 140 km/h (not that I would suggest you do that but....) it needs to be well tuned up!!!  Well same goes for you body and mind!  If you want to take up more than you should (or more than you can), you need to be well tuned up too!!!

That means, taking care of the food you put into your body (preferably plant based and organic), you need to exercise (in moderation) and sleep well!!!

Now that you've had the time to adapt those 3 elements of your life, you're ready for the next part...

Music, laughing and finding your personal space

Music

Music is a well know technique to deal with stress. It has been used for the longest time all around the world!  Of course the obvious is to go with relaxing music...  Soft music with instruments...  nature sounds like waves, wind, rain, bird singing... the sound of bells... but basically any music CAN be relaxing if it works for YOU!!!  I like those types of music... or yoga music or meditation music but not everyone does... so it can actually get on the nerve of someone who does not like them!    The key if to find the music that relaxes you...  be it jazz, pop. rock, classic or whatever music there is out there!  It has to speak to you!  and bring you to a state where you "forget" what stresses you out! Of course, this doesn't SOLVE anything...  it's like a band aid but we all need a band aid sometimes! (for resolving your stress, go to the root of it, we'll address that later on)

Another option is to sing!!! Sing while you;re stuck in traffic!  Sing in the shower!!!  It is said that people who sing in the shower are actually much less stress than people who don't!

You can also play an instrument....  you do not have to be good at it!!!  Just ENJOY it!!!

Laughing

Why do you think there are so many "funny" shows out there?  so many comedians?  so many comedies at the movie theater???  How many times in a week can you find "America's funniest home video" or something similar schedule on TV?People need to laugh!  Laughing releases endorphins which are our natural opiates and have the ability to produce analgesia and a sentiment of well being.
People are naturally looking for something funny when they are stressed... you body knows that laughing is good for you in moment of crisis!  Our society is more stressed than ever before in the story of humanity (obviously, I am not talking here of time of wars).  We need to be able to relax and laughing does a great job!  Plus laughing with people multiply the effects of a good laugh! And brings us closer to those people we are laughing with!

Your personal space 

Now is there a place that you can go to and feel relaxed almost instantly?  It can be anywhere...  On our boat, in the woods, on the top of a mountain, by the ocean, in your bedroom, taking a bath, at the spa, cooking,  in your garage...  anywhere will work! 
Now you need to think of that space and figure out what feels so good about it!  Think of your 5 senses and see what happens!  What do you see in that place?  What do you hear? What does it smell like? Is there a taste to it (if applicable)? What is the feeling on the skin (for ex sun rays, sand or warm blanket)? Now you need to practice having those feelings without going to that place physically...  you need to go there mentally... 
Obviously, you can't run to Dominican Republic or to you fishing boat every time something happens... but you can go there mentally and it will help you relax!!! 
Once you master the art of going to that special place only mentally, this place is with you at all time!!  Accessible!!! No one can prevent you from going there!
It does take practice.. but it is worthwhile! 
Once you master it, when a stressful event happens, you can take a few seconds, close your eyes, breathe and visit your space!  You will immediately feel better!!!

Those 3 tools are not that difficult to integrate to your life...
You can laugh anywhere....  you can listen to music anywhere - it is all so handy now with smart phones and computer that we all have access to so easily!  Just go out for a walk and there is music...  the wind, the birds, the kids playing...
But if all else fails, you do not have an iPhone or a computer with you...  the "music" outside is more likely to be a train going by and cars...  you can always go to your special place!! That is yours...  at all time.. and FREE!!!

What about you?  What do you do in times of stress?

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Why do we do what we do day after day???

I came across  the organic sister a few days ago...  and she got me thinking... even more....

She seems like an amazing women and I highly encourage you to go visit her website here.

She's this young woman who already realize most of the stuff I just figured out!!!  She's lucky...

I am following her free ecourse that you can subscribe too.... I am only at part 1 and I have this document to read.... only a few pages down and my hamsters is running.... 

She got me thinking about flight or fight response...  and one of my yoga teacher had already discussed that with us but a reminder is always nice...

Flight or fight response is a biological response your body go into in case of stress...  normally life threatening stress...  type of like a tiger is running after me.... or I am about to jump off a cliff...  unfortunately, our bodies do not make a difference between a tiger running after you and rush hour...  or work related deadline!  Therefore, our bodies are constantly in flight or fight response...  unless you learn to manage stress and put things in perspective!!!  The worst part of flight or fight response it that is shuts down your digestion process and sleep...  this is why highly stressed people have digestion and sleep problems...  which in the long run can lead to obesity, depression, diabetes, aggressivity, heart diseases and so on...

Don't you see it????  Where I am going with this????

Our society has more people suffering from obesity, diabetes, depression (1 out of 3) and heart diseases than ever before!!!  Don't you realize that many of us are more aggressive?  and not always for obvious reasons!!!

Isn't it time that we start asking ourselves the right questions...

WHY???
why do we do what we do day after day???

why do I keep doing a job I am not happy with?
why do I want this big house?
why the luxury car?
why expensive jewelry?
why eating out 50% of the time? (yes this is a trusestatistic in America)
why having a walk in closet when I can really wear so many clothes at a time?
why do I NEED  this vacation so badly?
why do I keep "this" person in my life?
why.....? (you complete the sentence that fits your life)

WHAT???

what am I running from?
what am I running for?
what do I get from all of this? (aside from heart burns, sleep deprivation and a bunch of stuff)
what's in it for me?
what could I do differently to be happier?
what do I really want to do with my life?
what if...?

and then, when you start asking the real questions... the real answers will eventually come!

and by real answers, I do not mean the first thing that comes to your mind (for eg, I want this big house because it will show people I am successful) but the REAL answer...  buried deep deep down below layers of family and society's expectations!

In order to do that, I usually suggest my student to use "why" repeatedly to each answer they get until they get to the root of the problem...basically like a 3 years old does.... to every answer you give them they ask WHY?  you do that... being honest with yourself... and you'll see where it leads you!

but don't be fool... this is not something that you can do over breakfast.... or a TV show... it needs reflexion...  calm, silent reflexion... with and by yourself only! It may take time...  and I am not talking hours...  it may take days, weeks or even months depending on the energy you put into it!  But that OK!  You have all your life to figure it out!!!  The sooner the better off you'll be but all comes to those who wait (actively of course)

Once you get to they real answers, you get to know yourself... and from there you can figure the rest out!

Once you know why you do what you do day after day, you can actually decide if it is convenient for you or not...  if it is good... then you should not be stress and not be handling flight or fight response constantly...

However, if it isn't (convenient), you may have to make changes... and THAT is not easy...  changes are not easy to deal with.... but when you plan for them and take them one small step at a time, it gets easier!

But do you really want to stay in flight or fight response all your life???

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Life Happens - what I did not realize!

my book came out January 24th.... as you probably know.... it can be found on Amazon , Barnes & Nobles or Chapters Indigo ... and people are buying it...   
and reading it....
more and more....
and it can be a little freaky!!!  Good freaky... but still....

maybe a little overwhelming too...

let me explain why...

When I wrote this book, I had one clear intention in mind:  Help people going thru a though time...  save time for them by giving them hint as to where to look for possible solutions... be the person I wish I had around when I went thru all those obstacles!!!  I have had many hardship in my life...  and I overcame all of them (and I am sure there are more to come - after all this is life!) and today at 40 years old, I am truly happy.... healthy... and looking forward to what life has to bring me next...

Now, there was also an underlying intention... that I only realized after I had submitted it to my publishers... I needed to close the loop on one chapter of my life...  I needed to come to peace and acknowledge all that I went thru!  I needed to do it for myself first, as it has shown to be very therapeutic and healing, but I also needed to do it to be able to help other people like I wanted to!

And then there was all the publishing process....  the cover page, the design, the editing, the webpage, facebook page, the press release and all that.... a few critics on Amazon...  and there is more to come...  I did not think of all of that when I started writing the book a little over a year ago! But is has been an amazing experience... and I am learning a lot!!  About the publishing process and marketing of a book...

but also and more importantly, still learning a lot about myself!  All that I applied in "Life Happens" in order to deal with MS and that became part of my life is now who I am.... and how people know me from now on!  And THIS is the amazing part!  To know that my very first goal to help others out is actually possible... To realize that people are actually interested in improving their diet, learning about yoga and mediation...and simplifying their life! 

I also have come across and got to know really amazing people and developed new friendship.... and I can't wait to get to know even more people.... and make even more new friends!!!

Now the part I did not realize is that people I know (family and friends) as well as people I see everyday at work may be interested in reading the book..   I honestly sincerely never thought of THAT!!  This is weird....  not because of what they may think of the book itself (some will like it other's not.. but that is OK - everyone is entitled to their opinion!)... but because it might change they way they see me... or interact with me! 

In the book I talk about the fact that I had to let go of many people that were in my life prior to my "transformation" because we had part ways during my process... now the one that stayed were understanding of what I was going thru and decided to support me but none of them (aside from my lovely husband) got the complete picture... but now they will... 

As for people at work, they know me as the "weird" training specialist that teaches soft skills, do not own a car, takes a walk at every lunch break by herself...  is vegetarian (and now vegan)... does yoga... and has really really short hair for a girl!  Now they will know WHY I am that person... and then again it may (in fact I know it will) change they way they see me and interact with me... at least some of them!

And the weirdest part is not knowing HOW it will change my interaction with those people (family, friends, coworker)... I will be the same...  integrity and authenticity are VERY important to me....  but some people may be uncomfortable...  I guess it will have to be my job to remain my own true self and aid in the discomfort...  I do not know...  I just did not think that far in my process...

I will find out eventually....

this will be another one of life's surprise!!!

Life is short
Life is a roller coaster
Life is everything but boring if you open yourself to all it has to offer you!!!
Life is worth living!!!! 

p.s. do not forget to check and "Like" my Facebook page...  link is below... you can also follow me on twitter!

p.s.2. if you wish, you can enter your email and get those post directly in your email when they come out!!!  and no one will actually see your email address!!!  No worries!


love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Sunday's savvy project

I moved a little over a month ago.... it was the 7th time since I was 23 and moved out of my parents house...  I move for many reasons in my life...  and most times, except for last June and this one, it meant spending tons of $$$  on painting, new furniture, new curtains and the like... Now since I simplified my life and I am working to resolving this last small debt, spending money where I can save some is not an option!!!

Therefore, this was my least expensive move ever.... as I downsized, I did not need to buy anything new...  except for appliances - but I got the really basic ones and I kept an older fridge that was still in working condition. I got the curtains fixed to fit my actual windows...  I only need to get something for the living room eventually.... nothing I had could work out!

As for coffee tables, in my new living room I wanted to have one on each side of the couch...  and I only had one... as I REALLY did not wanted to buy anything - I am short on cash lately - I took an old one from my parents house they no longer needed...  which works out just fine.  We now have to coffee table one hand made from my husband family and one handmade from my family...  this is cool!!

Obviously, they did not match in color or model.... here's what they looked like:

and they were adding even more wood tones to my place..  I already have a great piece of furniture, a wedding gift, made of wood (you can see some of it in the back of the above picture) and the floor are hard wood in yet not the exact same color....  so there was like for different types of woods....  2 is enough usually... as most designer say. 

I ended up painting the 2 tables in a color that matched other stuff in my living room and my couch wonderfully!
I had to sand, clean, allow to dry and put 2 layer of paint on those 2 tables....  all in all, without the waiting drying time, it took me roughly 2.5h.... and cost me 15$ of painting - already had the sanding paper and the brush to paint!

So for 15$ I got 2 "new" coffee tables that match each other in color, take out some of the "wood" in my living room and are a lovely addition to my living room... 

Look at the final result (they are still on newspaper as they are not quite dry yet!):

This was easy to make...  you could put any color....  add tapestry... make a design...depending on your budget, your living area and your imagination!!!

It goes to show than on TV you can get amazing ideas...  and there are ways to give a second life to older furniture that do not match!!!  Of course the shape still do not match... but the fact that they are at opposite side of the couch and of the same color evens out the look just enough!!!

I get inspiration lately from a TV show I watch in French called:  Sauvez les meubles. Vanessa, likes to take existing furniture, modify it and give a new life to it!!!  I was always the type to do this...  but she's given me even more ideas...    I have another project I am working on to complement my kitchen...  once it is done, I will let you know about it!!!

have you ever reworked furniture to give it  a new life?  would you like to send me "before" and "after" pictures (along with cost and time details) so that I can include them in a post?

love and peace,
nathalie
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Today's the day!!!

(today's post is a revamp of my post on Vegan restaurant finder on Tuesday)

Today's the day...  that starts a new chapter of my life... for at least 3 months!!!
We'll see after that...
I'll take it one day at a time....  like I did when I decided to become vegetarian almost 6 years ago!!!

Small steps sometimes take you a long way!!!

As you go vegan, you may wonder what to stock your pantry with... I know this was an issue for me... kind of like I no longer knew how to grocery shop!!! The other thing was that once I started changing my diet, I was looking to a tons of recipes... they all seemed VERY good!!! And I wanted to try them all... and I ended up buying many ingredients for one recipe and never use them again for another one as I did not like the specific ingredient... Doing that can be quite expensive and creates lots of clutter in you food cabinet! Being savvy and clutter free... and hating to waste food... and hating even more to spend hours cooking something complicated, I had to adjust! I had a few years to do that now... and therefore I now know very well what I like or not... I do not cook anything too fancy or complicated but rather food my family loves and enjoy!

I have listed my main ingredients.... the ones that I always have with me. 
This list is essentially the same as yesterday... when I was vegetarian...  the only thing that REALLY changes for me is that I will no longer have eggs or cheese... 

White basmati rice
Brown basmati rice
Barley
Quinoa (keep in a glass jar in the fridge for longer shelf life)
Brown lentils
White navy beans
Black beans
Red beans
Chick peas
13 bean mix for soup - that is a splurge I allow myself once in a while
Pasta (mostly short ones - to mic with vegetables and tofu in sautes)
Rice sheet
Nori sheet
Pita bread
Sliced bread - multi grains
Tofu (keep frozen to add shelf life)
Spices: Garam masala, curry, paprika, cumin, sea salt, black pepper
Olive oil, canola oil and vegan butter
Bragg's sauce, soy sauce
Nutritional yeast
Maple syrup
Brown rice syrup
Peanut sauce
Salsa (preferably homemade but I always keep an emergency jar )
Can of diced tomatoes and tomatoes paste
Grounded chia
Sesame seeds (keep in freezer)
Raw almond (keep in freezer)
Pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Dried raisins and cranberries
Almond milk and Hemp milk
Tons of fresh fruits and vegetables
Frozen fruits and vegetables for when my fresh stock is running low

Now in order to save $$$....

1) I try and buy most of those items in bulk... much cheaper as the price does not include extra packaging that also damages the environment!!!
2) I buy and stock whenever an item is on sale and I am running low...
3) I stock everything in glass container to retain freshness and add shelf life - no humidity goes in!
4) If I have left over rice, beans, barley, chickpeas... I mix them up and make a soup!!! You just need to add in water, vegetables and spices

In order to save time...

1) I do what they call "batch " cooking - we're a family of 3, so basically I cook for six to eight and freeze the left over
2) I always have cooked rice, cooked beans and cooked barley in my freezer in different containers - allow to prep a meal quickly if my "mens" are starving!!! (you start a rotation cooking those and before you know you don't even realize you doing it!
3) I plan my meal ahead of time - this does save lots of time figuring out WHAT to make... with planning and organization cooking vegans really is THAT simple!

Now I try and get most of my food organic... it is better... all thus not essential as it may be more expensive! Better to eat not organic fruits and vegetables and wash them than not eat them at all!!!!
I also try and stay as local as possible... except for fruits and vegetables in winter... sometimes I have to buy from further away living in a north country!

I stocked my pantry last week with many ingredients from that list that were missing as I had not restocked since I moved February 1st.  For about 60$ of bulk items, I will be able to cook legumes, rices, barley for just about 6 months....  that comes up to 10$ per month of organic rice, legumes and barley....  but 10$ of that amount that was raw organic almonds... that may last me for 3 months in the freezer.

What will be left for me to buy weekly are fruits and vegetables, bread, tofu and almond milk...  for all 3 of us, this usually comes up to about 60$ per week...  as we do eat LOTS of fruits and veggies and they are quite expensive in winter... 
My son and husband eating cheese and eggs still, maybe 15$ per week will go on that..

So if you do a quick calculation:  60$ x 4 weeks = 240$ plus 10$ of "fry" product... and 60$ per month of eggs and cheese... maximum...
Now doesn't that show that being vegan is not THAT expensive? 310$ per month for a family of 3...  plus extras every now and then... I will keep an eye on my food budget as the months go buy...  however, my son and husband are not vegan.... they still eat cheese and eggs... so I have to budget for eggs every now and then and some cheese occasionally!

I can wait to tell you more about that adventure!!!

what would you like to know about being vegan or vegetarian?

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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