simplicity

simplicity
“Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury - to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best for both the body and the mind.”
Albert Einstein

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Meat free May

Did you know? That 14.5% of Greenhouse Gases emitted each year are caused from meat production and over fishing has also led to decrease in fish stocks. Experts estimate that many species are close to extinction as a result of the meat industry. Sustainability wise this is not a good thing. Much more needs to be done to ensure our future resources are sustainable. 

Population is also on the rise and it is predicted that by 2050 there will be 9 billion people on Earth. It doesn’t mean that we are doomed, if we start making a conscious effort to eat meat free or even less meat we can make a difference.

Now it’s one thing to eat meat free, but it’s another to actually look what is contained in the foods that you eat that are not plainly seen as meat. For example gelatine is an animal derived product.  Even some alcoholic products are not vego friendly. Did you know that most make up items contain animal products? Bit gross hey? Check and see what your products contain. Also see what vegan makeup I have been using – why my skin feels so awesome!

So this May I’m going Meat Free. It’s going to be hard as I do love a good Big Mac or chicken stir-fry but I think I can do it. There are tons of recipes out there these days and will post some good ones as the weeks pass. Planning my shopping list  each week is going to be important now and I will need to be more organised with my meals. I think leftovers will be my saviour too!

Benefits of being a vegetarian
  • You are reducing the amount of greenhouse gases, energy and pollution the meat industry creates.
  • You are saving the space, resources and man power it is taken to grow the food that is needed to feed the animals we eat.
  • Less water is being used to both water the crops and fill the animals we are eating.
  • You are culling less of the fish population.
  • You may experience less heath issues (heart disease) as a result of less meat consumption.
  • You know what is in the food you eat, after all you are what you eat. 
  • Finally, you are not killing little cows, lambs, pigs and fish who are not able to put up a fight for themselves.

Follow me on instagram and see how I go. I will update with any great meals I make (Maybe not with the ones that don’t go so well).

And remember to subscribe.

Stay Simple.

Tuesday 22 April 2014

How to take that first step to simplify your life.

Step 1 

Pick a room of the house, any room. Don't worry about which one because trust me you will want to get through them all soon enough. 

Get a box or basket, laundry baskets work perfectly. Open up the room one space at a time and look and see what you have in there. Open up those drawers and cupboards and dig deep into the depths of the unknown leaving no place un-touched. You might want to have various baskets. One for trash, one for charity, one for the "I'm not sure" pile and one "to do" pile.

Step 2

Pick up something. Ask yourself, Do I use this? Will I use it? Why am I keeping it? Can I give it away to charity? Can I sell it? Do I need to return it? Do I have duplicates of this? Does it fit? Is it broken? Can it be repaired? and am I wasting my space and time with it? 

Step 3

Dispose. Go on do it! I dare you! Try and be brutal, the more you are the easier it will get. If you are really unsure about what to do with an item put it in the "I'm not sure" pile and you can think about it for 3 months (at the most). Give anything that is staying a home and note it mentally, this will help you know what you have, where it belongs and will help you with your speed cleans.(blog coming soon).

Step 4

Finalise the room by actually throwing out the items you need to, actually put the items to be donated in your car and actually put the "I'm not sure items" somewhere you can't see or use them. Remember set yourself a reminder for 3 months and any items you have not touched or thought about are to be culled. If you have anything that need to be repaired or given back to a friend make an "to do" box and put it somewhere you will see everyday (close to the living area or front door works well) this will encourage you to actually deal with it, rather than it making its way back into the depths.

Step 5

Admire. Check out how much space you have, You will notice that you have less to clean and less to worry about. The feeling is addictive.

Now I'm not suggesting you go crazy here and burn yourself out but maybe do this to one room once every couple of weeks and work your way around the house. Pause for a few months or until a change of season and go again. Trust me you will love it.


Stay Simple

Sunday 13 April 2014

Happiness

"When we make a purchase and/or get what we want, we are temporarily happy and fulfilled. But the reason for happiness is not because we got what we wanted, but because for a brief period of time, we stopped wanting, and thus we experience peace and happiness"

    -Adyashanti

Why does making purchases make you happy or feel fulfilled?

Think about what else makes you happy, list 10 things and have a think about them.

Are they things that keep you healthy? Things that don't send you broke? Things that are not materialistic? Do you think you should be seeking happiness in other things?

I would love to know what makes you happy via my page.

My 10
Outdoors.cooking.friends.horrormovies.wine.chocolate.mypuppy.reading.love.music

Stay simple

Thursday 10 April 2014

Ethical Super

In aims to live a more ethical life I have made changes to my lifestyle and choices to ensure my time, energy and resources are sustainable and I'm trying to be as eco friendly as possible. Now I wouldn't devote my time to coal mining, companies that use palm oil or forest logging would I?

So why would I would I invest my money in companies that support this activity?

I never really thought about my super fund, let alone what that money was being invested to. On closer inspection the investment option that I held was not in line with any of my ethics or beliefs.

Enter stage left.....Ethical Investment Options! These investments are made in companies that support the environment and climate change. They are also working to hold companies accountable for their actions and promote ethical behaviour.

About 10 years ago ethical investment options came about, at first they where not very popular as people didn't know much about how they worked. Now with the way that the world is going we have more awareness of sustainable living, natural power and climate change. The companies that support these areas will be more sought after and I think ethical investments will grow and be more lucrative.

Now how do you know what investments are ethical? Check out http://www.responsibleinvestment.org -The Responsible Investment Association Australia (RIAA). They offer a seal of approval  for investment options including superannuation. They also outline which funds are on board.

The fund that I am currently with was not on their list which was disappointing. However, I am in the process of making inquiries about what investment options my fund does have, and if they are in line with my morals. If not I will be moving over to a more ethical option.

I do suggest you compare the funds, some are more risky and some have better returns than your standard industry fund. Combination investing is also available to divide up your super into percentages and invest it how you like. For example you can invest a percentage to Australian small companies, a percentage in overseas companies, a percentage in property or a percentage in shares. All ethically.

There is quite a bit of research ahead of me but it's worth it. It might be something you never thought about. Check it out and compare your fund!


Stay simple.

Sunday 6 April 2014

How could you cull the crap?

Minimalism is the art of living with less.

Less Worry
Less Drama
Less Clutter
Less Boundaries
Less Spending
Less Waste
Less Materialism 
Less Stuff
Less Crap

It enables you to have: 

More Fun
More Stability
More Space
More Growth
More Knowledge
More Relationships
More Passion
More Time
More Freedom

Since becoming a minimalist I have noticed so many changes in my life, they vary from being more eco- friendly by culling my waste band my carbon footprint to having more time and space in my life for what actually matters.

For me minimalism isn't some new fad or hobby its the way I want to live my life. Everybody has a different outlook on life and no matter who you are I really think that you would have someway you would need to cull the crap.

For a moment consider it. Go on I dare you. There would be some way you could live a more simple and minialisitic life. It just starts with realizing it then taking the first step.

I would love to hear your feedback, how could you cull the crap? let me know by emailing me from my page.

Remember subscribe and follow me on instagram.


Stay Simple


Thursday 3 April 2014

Notice the Distractions

As I write this blog I have literally a handful of things going on. I am looking up how I can volunteer for my local council, I'm reading a magazine, texting a friend, listening to music, checking instagram while adding things to my shopping list. I actually haven't finished one thing I was meant to do tonight up until this point of realization as I write this blog.

How distracted do you get? I get distracted heaps! "Holly is a great student but is distracted easily" was on majority of my report cards at school. 

Social media is a massive distraction, especially for the younger generation. At work if I am waiting for something to load or print I opt to check my instagram. What am I even looking for? nothing really but I still do it. So this week I have been trying to notice when I am distracted, what is actually distracting me and why in order to try and curb that distraction for the better.

Answer me this... How many times a day do you get distracted from the task at hand? Once? twice? five times? sixty times a day? add all of those wasted minutes up how long would you have? A fair while for some. Yesterday I took a tally of how many times I looked at social media, junk emails, texts and googled random things. My tally came to 25 times I was distracted and I'm just making a rough guess here but it would be about an hour worth of wasted time! That could of been a work out or a cup of coffee with a friend.

Some reasons why we get distracted:-

Ignoring the task at hand
Escaping for a short moment
We have a constant need to be achieving something or multitasking
We have an addiction to online activities (shopping, gaming, Facebook)
We like to know what other people are doing or
We may want flood our minds with information

The more I notice that I am distracted and the more I am mindful of it the more I realize how its affecting me. I feel that its harder to get back to the task at hand, my brain is fuller, my list of things to do is bigger, I'm more stressed and then down the track these feelings often result in being distracted once again and finding a way to escape.

Ways to get past distractions:-

Enjoy each and every task you do, once completed give yourself a self five (a high five but only you are involved)
Take each task on completely and ignore all distractions no matter how awesome they are
Make sure you take breaks to eat or recharge (this can include catching up on emails and social networks)
Turn devices off if you can or
Deactivate email alerts or messages notifications

I have started to notice that my days go quicker, I'm less stressed, I leave work on time each day and I enjoy whatever I'm doing much more.

Remember that if you do turn any phones or email notifications off you can always let your family members of work colleagues what is the best way to contact you if it is urgent.

I would love to know of any other ideas you may have to curb distraction and if you like do a tally of how many times you are distracted. I would like to know your feedback via by page.



Stay Simple.