Interesting week end...

 

This is a picture of me in Halifax this week end....  for my friend/readers outside of Canada, this is about 2h30 away from home... and 4 times as big as Moncton.  This was my second visit to Halifax...  my son and husband came along and we spent a few days there!  We had fun... and we walked a LOT!!!  My goal here is not to tell you all about my week end...  but to tell you what I finally came to realise...

When I tell people I am going to visit a new city they ask me "what" I am going to see or do...  and then I come up with answers as per suggested by others or touristic suggestions...  This week end, I had a few things on my list but what I really wanted to do is just be myself somewhere else...  We did visit a few historical site as this is a #1 interest for my son but I had a grand realisation about myself this week end:  I just like to go places, walk around and see what comes my way!  I do not like to plan in many details what I will be doing!  I like to know where I'll stay and have a few options to eat (as eating vegan is not always easy to find last minute) but besides that, walking around and doing what I feel like doing at the moment is VERY important to me.  I am not going places to "say" I went there and visited this and that... spent that much money... ate in that popular bar/restaurant...

 

I like to go places to experience new things, places, people...  I like to be able to walk around the city or village without having every other people say hi and ask me how I am doing... not that I don't like that!  I like it as it shows people care.... and I care too! But every now and then I need to escape that zone where I am known and walk around where no one knows me!

 

I also realise that what really matters to me is just to be outside... surrounded by trees and water...  and silence!!! I like to try new cafes... and find that one ethical/sustainable store that sells something that resonate with me... I like to find new thrift stores and get an exquisite find from there.... I like the outdoor market with local artisan and arts...  local food... and really, THIS is all I care for... I am no longer looking for things to do/buy/try...  I just want to  wander and see what comes my way... here in Moncton or elsewhere...  I have "changed" some more....  some would say I have "grown" but that sounds pretentious.... I like to say change... I have refine who I am and what I want...  I am much simpler and minimalist then I tough I was... I am much more of a wanderer then I ever realise... I feel like I do not belong anywhere but everywhere... as long as I have food and shelter I am good!  Having my husband is lovely...  and I do want to share all those things with him and he wants the same things so this is a blessing and I am grateful for that...  as long as my son will be willing to follow he is welcome to do so and this really is a plus but I know it won't last has he has his very own project which may lead him away from me much sooner then I would have loved to but really... can't blame anyone but me for having him wanting to be free! And our kids do not belong to us...  so they say!

 

All in all it was an interesting week end for me...  it help me realise what I knew but did not wanted to admit to anyone not even myself... I do not care for doing things and visiting what should be visited... All I care about is being and wandering... and this is what I will be doing full time once I retire and as often as I can in the mean time!!!

 

love&peace,
nath
xox
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oups... it's been a while...

Hey guys!!!!

I just realised that the last time I was here was on Aug 9th...  time flies!!!
I have no excuses really...  just been busy and concentrating on a few things...

My son came back from camp...  and therefore after spending 5 weeks in Montreal and 3 weeks at camp he's back for a while...  next long time-away-from-mom time is only schedule for Christmas!  Obviously with cadets and biathlon, there are a few week ends where he will be away!  But that's OK! He loves his life and cadets and biathlon are very important (and healthy) for him:  mentally, socially and physically!   He his fitter then ever...  he is focused... and learning to be responsible for his actions and decisions...  and I love it!

On a different note, I just realised that I am at a point in my life that I would not change a thing...for now.  I do have plans for the future which I will share shortly... and this will be huge and it will be another adventure I will embark on in a few years... 
However, living in the now, if I get back to here and now... I am really happy with people that I am sharing my life with.... my friends... most of them are new and that is OK - that is actually GREAT because hte love the new me! I am happy in my apartment...  it is lovely and convenient! I am OK with the money coming in and money coming out!  Money is one of the most stressing factor in a lifetime - thanks to minimalism, we found an equilibrium....  we may have made it easier on us have we done it another way but this is working just as well... 

I am still working on de-cluttering some more...  a few more things/stuff...  clothes... books... all this in-line with our next project...  it does take a great preparation and my husband and I absolutely have no clue what we signed up for but we are now in research mode...  and preparation mode...

Also working on simplifying the way I eat and cook...  trying to limit myself to a few recipes that can be modified "au-gout-du-jour" while have a simple base of 3-4 ingredients in my pantry - aside from fruits and veggies of course! I am doing research and try-outs for that to!  And yes, this is also in  line with my next project!  I really want to be ready when we get started!

I will also modify my work schedule after my vacation... this time last year I would work 3 days a week.... allowing me to have 2 extra days (when son is at school and husband at work) to do my own stuff:  yoga, reading, cooking, research, writing, knitting, etc...  then for helping out my boss I went to 5 days, not more hours, just spread out differently - this was temporary... and then I forgot... but realised a few weeks ago that it is catching up to me!  Working about 20-25 hours a week in 3 days or 5 makes a huge difference!  If I do that many hours in 5 days, it still feels like I am working full time and I can't afford time-wise to do the things I love and need to do by myself! Therefore, I will go back to 3 days a week...  it will be easier for me and it will allow me to regain my life and have time to what really matters! Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my job but I really can't work 5 days...  it is too stressful and I get tired!  Tired is NOT good for me!!! If I need to hang on to this job 5 more years, I need to get back to 3 days!     

So this is what's new with me...  and my life! And I now realise that minimalism is not a destination but a lifestyle... I mentioned it before but I am experiencing it still... every time I think I am set... that this is good... I come across another step I could take to make everything even simpler...  and I love it!  I am unsure as to where this will take me and where I will stop... but I know I won't stop as long as I find other options that makes me happy!

and what is new with you???  have you declutter anything?  changed jobs? pay off debts? working on a life changing project?  moving to a smaller home?

love&peace,
nath
xox
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Tricks to minimalism...

Well, well, well...  maybe it is time I repeat myself again about that subject!

I have had quite a few people recently talking to me about de-cluttering their homes... their lives...  and most of them had no clue where to start...  I had no clue either back then!  I only knew I could no longer breathe where I lived and decided to do something! Anything!  Therefore, you can go with your gut feeling as to what needs to go ASAP and move from there... like I did... or...

there are a few more organized ways to do it! But all that really matter is that you find room to breath and pbe at peace in your own home again...

1) Room per room

Using this method, you would pick one room, empty it completely...  of course this requires you have space to put all the stuff into...  and then, clean it all up and put back only what you really love, really use and what really goes into that room. You have to be really picky.... and not hesitate to move something to another room or simply sell/give it away if it doesn't fit anywhere.  Trick of the trade:  if you put everything back into the room, you were not very successful at the exercise... start over!!!  UNLESS, this room has already been minimalized!

2) Most clutter first

You can pick the most clutter area of your home.  Doesn't have to be a room... could be a closet, an armoire, bathroom medicine cabinet, a drawer, a bookshelf... you see what I mean! Something or a place in your home where you can never find anything.... of course it may take longer but you will see results faster!

3) Less clutter first

If you are press with time, I would start with the exact opposite...  something or a room that is almost perfect as per your minimalist standard. It will be quick and you'll be able to appreciate the results...  and you can check something off your "to-do" list! And it will give you inspiration to find the time to proceed to other areas as you will love and live better in that area of your home.

4) Open area first

A sure way to obtain visible result rapidly is to go with what ever is an open area... kitchen counter, top of furniture, open bookshelves... anything you can see and is bothering you.   You will still know the clutter is elsewhere but appreciating the space you created will make you want to move forward...

5) Easiest to most difficult

Some areas might be easier to clean up.... stuff you care less about... start there! Anything that has sentimental value, that you cherish a lot... anything that reminds you of something or someone will be harder to do...  keep those for last when you have hours of de-cluttering up your sleeves!!! I know I kept all these things for last.. along with my clothes!

6) Fire - Alone

Now, ultimately, one thing that works really well for me to this day... one thing I wish I would have come across earlier in my process is this one question:  Lets say your home burns down completely, nothing remains...  all turned into ashes... what would you go and buy over again? And obviously answer this question VERY honestly...
Alternatively, if catching fire scares you... let's pretend you are all alone...  no one knows you at all....  how would you create/design your home?  How would it reflect who you are on the inside rather then what it should be or what people expect it to be?  Once again, answer this VERY honestly or else there is no point....

But, in the end, no matter what "technique" you use or not, what matters most is that your home ends up reflecting who you are on the inside...  you end up with stuff you use/love ONLY...  no room for useless items...  unworn clothes....  misloved sports equipment....  maybe-I'll-read-it-one-day books... gifts that you no longer love... something you keep in case someone ask you what you did with it...

Your home should not be a magazine picture...  your home should reflect your life, your passion, your interests... and there is no way that could be exactly as picture in a magazine as those are made to please everyone....  and you are not everyone! Remember that it is your home, you get to live in it... not those people who visit you now and then... not your distant family... or close friends...  It must be your refuge... the place you feel the best in!!! 

And remember, someones "garbage" will be someones "treasure"... do not hesitate to give...  you will never get back the monetary/snetimental value of anything...  but just knowing someones happy to have it can make a big difference!  If you are patient and have time to spare, you can try selling some stuff...  you'll get some money back that you can use towards something else like paying off debt, a trip, a week-end getaway...  but I have found over the years of doing this that selling the stuff I use to love, and think was worth so much, made me more sad then anything...  because it is never really worth that much! Therefore I started not wanting to get rid of stuff... I wanted to keep it until I got enough moeny for it...and it doesn't make sense.  De-cluttering is not about making mooney but about breathing better!  Living simpler!  When I give it, gratification is immediate.

love&peace,
nath
xox
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Because no one will "shut me up"

Hello lovely readers...  this is a post for you who appreciate my writing... but mostly for you who do not!
I know this may sound strange... let me explain.

A while ago, I got a few nasty comments from a few people who read my blog... they did not agree with my approach on health and on minimalism... or my yoga practice.... I got called "names" that I wish I could forget...  damn good memory!

And it hurt me...  and, as a result, I stop writing and took my blog off-line... to stop getting negative comments.  I felt it was the right thing to do.

Some of you were really sad about this.... my supporters.

And I felt like I've let you down... and didn't like that but did not know what else to do.

To the name calling people who read me, I have one thing to say:  "why read me if you do not agree? don't you have anything else to do then read stuff you disapprove off?" "do you feel so threaten in your life by my blog that you feel the need to defend yourself and accuse me of various  really not nice stuff?"

I have always been clear on this... I do not expect everyone here to be vegan... or minimalist... or do yoga...  I write about what changed my life and why.... I write about what I am passionate about and wish to share because I know it would change YOUR life as well!  And for the better...
I think life, by throwing curve balls at me, forced me to dig in deep... and search.. and think outside the box... and I did... and what I found was amazing and I feel the obligation to share!!! 
What I found is not mainstream.... of course!  If not I'd have nothing to write about... everything would already have been said!

What I found goes against most of what you've heard all your life (and against all I've heard all my life)....  you need meat for protein, you need milk for calcium, you need this iPhone 25s...  250 CDs, 500DVDs, 2000 books... you need a fancy house and a spouse and 2 kids to be happy... a cat, a dog and a fish would help! you need a vacation down south per year... you need to earn a degree and work in that field to raise your income all your life... 

I am vegan...  eat almost non oil... lots of starch... very little protein... many fruits and veggies... I believe this is the BEST way to eat to be healthy... I know it is quite difficult!
I am a minimalist with 95% of my furniture being "second hand" and all of it being used...  I have nothing I do not use on a regular basis... I do not believe in stuff making you happy... I do not believe in income/career defining who you are...  I do not think success is measured by the size of your home or the make of your car...
I have no religion...  I practice yoga and meditation...  I do not believe in God but I believe in each and everyone I meet unless they prove to me I shouldn't...  I believe all you need is already inside you...

This is who I am and this is what I write about... and to my "haters" I say, stop reading if you do not like...  stop wasting your time if you think I am so out of the track... and I am also saying that,  from now on, your insults, name calling and accusations will not get to me because I won't let them.

And to my ever growing number of supporters, I say thank you.. and "I'm back baby"!!!
After all, if I am upsetting some people so much, I must be on to something...  and since I can inspire some of you, this is all I really want!

love&peace,
nath
xox
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