Last updated on August 19th, 2020 at 03:16 pm
In the surplus, overindulgence, and recent haze of all things Black-Friday, I invite you to slow down, narrow down, and rethink your personal priorities….
As we find ourselves in the stress and excess of the holiday season (combined with winter weather and cold/flu season!) I think all too often people tend to completely forget to decompress, rethink personal responsibilities, and to turn back the clock in terms of creating substantial living. I’d remind you, dear reader, to not buy into this fast-paced, cheap-and-easy, consumer-driven mentality.
You just might find that the patience of waiting for something, the commitment to turn to Mother Nature when it comes to our health + wellness rather than the local drug store, and the dedication to supporting ethical, time-tested products is what TRULY equates to the definition of Quality Of Life.
Like the slow trickle of syrup from a maple tree, there is a lesson in not getting everything and anything we want right away….
As a passionate stalwart when it comes to all things simple, authentic, and natural – I witness this oversight from others far more often than I’d like to admit! And yes, dearies, I even find myself a victim of this oversight from time to time!
And yet, it’s so incredibly easy to acquire this mindset as long as you commit to it! In our modern age, we’ve totally forgotten the historically simple ways to improving our wellness, to protect our environment, and to stretch the almighty dollar, too! Remember, you often get what you pay for, y’all! A massive and undeniably fulfilling way I have personally created more of a substantial life I can feel proud of is in doing these two things:
- Seeking all natural and beyond organic gifts from Mother Nature for all things in life versus anything else, and
- ONLY supporting brands/companies whose mission it is to improve and sustain our beautiful environment – NOT harm or hurt it
If you really zero-in-on these two factors in your life, I am confident you will find inner AND outer health, fulfillment, ease, and encouragement in the world around you. You will also probably find that doing the above two things allows you to see through the hype, fluff, and excess out there today; this narrowing down of your personal requirements + qualifications and slowing down to reflect on what’s truly important makes life simpler, and you can rest easy in the knowledge that you are individually supporting a more holistic self and a more sustainable environment.
For example, there’s SUCH simplicity in saying to oneself: “Okay, I’m ONLY going to get clothes from here or there, I’m ONLY going to get all my health and wellness products from a company like this that gives back and pays its workers a fair, living wage, I’m ONLY going to purchase groceries that are organic & sustainable & carbon neutral, and from a source whose mission is rooted in ethical brands and earth-friendly.”
Take it from me, when I personally started on this journey of a more substantial life, it was ALL about making things E.A.S.I.E.R. for myself!
[bctt tweet=”There isn’t happiness + contentment hiding somewhere amongst a pile of plastic toys, the heaps of toxin-laden beauty or food products you got half off, or the environment-crushing stack of clothes you’ll never end up wearing…. – A Substantial Life” via=”no”]
Narrowing down your options is my #1 piece of advice to you!
Without doing this narrowing down of options, you catch yourself in the web of too many choices, no loyalty to one ethical or change-making company, and stuck in the current standard of overindulgence and overabundance without any vision towards the future or health of our co-inhabitants or our environment.
These habits, admittedly, have not always come easily to me. I still find myself falling prey to something I don’t really need or want. Or, aligning with something or someone who doesn’t define anywhere close to my vision of what’s important in our world today.
But: there is sooo much power in the art of living with more intention, in choosing to only support companies or brands who are committed to improving our world, and in making the constant and conscious decision to move more slowly and deliberately, and to decide more willfully.
Then there’s syrup, friends: you must always, always remember that life can be an awful lot like the harvesting of maple syrup….
As long as you are committed and invested to your intrinsic beliefs, the bounty will come. Life fluctuates constantly; it ebbs and flows; some years are up while others are down. Some years are bountiful, others are earth-rattling, overwhelming, and deficient. The sweet syrup might not be tasted immediately and might take a lot longer than you had anticipated, but remain devoted to doing what is right and good and true to what is critically important to you – NOT what is immediate, easy, or misleading.
For instance, when I meditate & marinate on these things personally, I always go back to the same three things:
- Small home with land
- Cooking/harvesting from my land
- Raising animals on my land
Notice a theme, here? I currently live in a small city, right in the downtown core. So, although I do not currently have exactly what are the most important things to me (ahem, land….) – I also know that if I simply aim all of my attention, efforts, and energy towards gaining these all-important factors in order to create the life I truly want (and, make literally E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G else less of a priority) than I know I am doing everything in my power to manifest these substantial decisions of a slow life in the country…..with syrup, of course! 😉
Speaking of syrup, there’s more to this post than just a metaphor!
Here are some benefits to ingesting PURE organic maple syrup, friends!
- There are antioxidant properties in organic, pure maple syrup that can boost your immune system and protect your from free radicals. Also, it can can assist in maintaining a healthy heart. Although honey also has incredible health benefits, totally pure and organic maple syrup has a lower calorie count – considered a benefit by some.
- It’s ENTIRELY plant-based! Fabulous for my Vegan and Vegetarian husband and son, respectively. This brand is also completely gluten-free, USDA Certified Organic, Kosher, Allergen Free, Sustainable + Carbon Neutral, and (super) importantly is Farmer, Employee, & CUSTOMER OWNED. How many companies can you say THAT about???
- According to the USDA, organic and totally pure maple syrup contains the following nutrients: energy, water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, and sugars. As far as minerals, organic and totally pure maple syrup contains: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. Vitamins include: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and B6!
- Pure and organic maple syrup can improve male reproductive health, Yo! Tell THAT ONE to your hubby! You see, zinc has MAAANNYYYY health benefits, including that of the prostate gland. It’s super important that men get the right amount of these nutrients through their food – maple syrup that is totally organic and pure is just such a source!
- Syrup that is totally natural, pure, and straight from the tree is loaded with zinc and manganese – which a LACK of these minerals could easily lead to a reduction in white blood cells in the human body! This can then lead to a response via the immune system, making up for what it feels is unbalanced. Maple Valley Co-Op’s totally pure syrup is a wonderful and enjoyable source of both zinc and manganese – and can help restore the immune system response.
I bet you didn’t realize all these health benefits were in that lil’ bottle of syrup, did ya?
Now that we’ve zeroed in on slower living, more substantial big-life decisions, and how life is like……a box of FREE one-ounce bottles of syrup……(see what I did there?) #giveaway
Well, readers – my hope is now that we’ve covered this ground, you will all get some serious take-away from this post! Not only will you receive a FREE 1 ounce bottle of this delicious, rich, pure, amber tree-magic if you subscribe to my blog* – but you have also hopefully gained an entirely new and enlightened perspective on how to simplify, prioritize, and proceed forward with a life brimming with gooey syrup goodness AND fulfillment, inner peace, and a crystal clear idea of how to achieve this (hint: the answer lies in #1 and #2 above + YOUR 2-4 most important factors in life = BLISS)….
So, decide what those 2-4 things are in life that are SUPER IMPORTANT to you, follow my advice in steps #1 and #2, and ONLY put forth all your attention and efforts on those things! Include slow living, extremely discriminating + substantial decision-making (cut out the chaos, junk that lacks high quality, and too many choices!!!), and whatever you do — DO NOT FORGET TO INDULGE IN SOME SYRUP.Â
Creating a more intentional, meaningful, and deliberate existence really isn’t that difficult at all, actually! We humans tend to get caught up in that inevitable web of excess stuff, what others are doing and not what WE should be doing, modern day fast paces and fast food, shopping for things we don’t need or items that are cheap and manufactured irresponsibly, and piling all our surplus in storage containers or cupboards where they collect dust, remaining unappreciated and useless.
As my own family embarks on a big move in the future in order to attain that aforementioned land I’ve longed for since I was a little girl, I will personally be committed to donating things that aren’t critically adored, recycling responsibly for others who need it more than myself, focusing all my time on the endeavors that sincerely bring joy and fulfillment to my heart, taking the time to snuggle with my family and read all the gardening books I can get my hands on, and luxuriating in quiet, a roaring fire, candlelight and a good book, and those close to me I cherish the most….
I’d love to hear from you, dear readers! What would you aspire to? What would you cut out? How would you streamline your everyday items or processes, and how could you give back to the land and Mother Earth?
I hope this post has stopped you in your tracks and made you question where you are currently at in your life; more than anything, I hope you are doing whatever you can do to create a more substantial life….
Always Here,
*REMEMBER TO USE CODE: TaraHoward1 when ordering through Azure Standard!
*A total of 12 bottles will be offered for the first 12 subscribers to my website!
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