Nurturing Your Inner Child

As a perfectionist and a tough self-critic, the concept of an inner child has helped get me through many rough patches. I have spent a lot of times in my life struggling with emotional issues.  Self-hatred, depression, and anxiety were no strangers to me.  Then my mentor introduced me to the concept of the inner child.  She told us to put a picture of ourselves as children in our journal or by the mirror as a reminder to approach ourselves with love.  This had such a powerful effect on me.

Children embody innocence and purity, which is why it's so easy to love, support, and protect them.  We deserve that same level of love, support, and protection throughout our lives and it's our duty to show that to ourselves so that others can reflect it back to us.  We set the stage for how we're treated, so it's important to be a good example.

It's easy to go to bat for a child, to help them, and to nurture them.  This gets hard to do as we get older, but it shouldn't.  If we all viewed ourselves and others has the child they/we once were, we would act completely different toward ourselves and others.  There would be more love, patience, kindness, support, forgiveness, empathy, etc.

The concept of the inner child also helped me approach my struggles with objectivity.  Often times, we can easily dole out advice to anyone but ourselves.  Our self-criticism, judgement, fears, and doubts stop us from being objective.  We get lost in our own heads and a great tool for this is to imagine yourself as someone else or as a child coming to you with the same struggles.  Write down what you would say to them and then read it to yourself.

The beauty of using the image of a child is that it simplifies things.  Children need love, support, and attention.  As we grow older, we still need the same things, but we've adjusted to not receiving them as often.  Anytime I was struggling I imagined a child and instantly my thinking would shift to a more loving space.  The level of judgment, criticism, anger, and disappointment I felt toward myself wouldn't survive when met with a child.  Thinking of myself as a cute, innocent child helped me find a way to love myself, especially the parts I deemed unloveable.

I'm a huge advocate for journaling, especially for anyone having a hard time.  Writing to my inner child (i.e. "Dear Little Angie...") has been one of the most powerful tools I've used to heal and let go.  I used to have a lot of body image issues and was really hard on myself for the foods I ate and how much or little I worked out.  After learning about the inner child concept I wrote a letter imagining what I would say to a child struggling with the same negative thoughts.  Instantly my heart filled with so much love, empathy, and sadness for this pure, beautiful child who couldn't see the light and beauty in her own reflection.

I poured love onto multiple pages describing that beauty isn't measured by pounds, inches, or calorie intake but is a reflection of someone's confidence, self-love, and their pure essence.  I then read this letter back to myself and felt the truth in these words and, after many tears and some self-pity, I was changed forever.  I saw and treated myself differently and witnessed the world do the same.  It's amazing to watch how approaching life in a different way changes the way you are seen, received, and treated by others.

Go dig out some old pics, say hi to little you, and never forget that we were all once completely pure, innocent, beautiful children. It's a little silly, but give it a go.  Make peace with yourself, soak up some love, and experience some profound positive change.

The Best Frickin' Almond Milk

I had the privilege of working underneath the raw creative genius, Diane Combs, in a raw kitchen at a retreat center in Washington State.  The two of us clicked instantly, bonding over our passions for health, our quickness to giggle, and our love and support of one another.  In the few months I lived and worked with her she taught me so many things and there are many times I think of her when playing in my kitchen.  This is one of her recipes; I hope you cherish it as I do. Love you, Di! xo

Raw Almond Milk

By Diane Combs "The Raw Auzzie"

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight

4 cups water

1 tbsp coconut oil

A pinch of sea salt

3 pitted medjool dates

1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

 Drain and rinse your soaked almonds.  Add almonds, water, coconut oil, sea salt, dates, and vanilla to a blender.  Blend until almonds have sufficiently broken down.  Using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or a fine mesh strainer strain out the almond pulp saving the almond milk.  The almond pulp can be used in baking recipes such as cookies, breads, and granolas.  Get creative! Now you have the most delicious almond milk for drinking, cereal, cooking, etc.  Enjoy!

In the cold months I like to use this recipe to create vegan hot chocolate and chai.  Today I even tried this new recipe for Vegan Hot Pumpkin Milk... so good!

Dictate Your Own Path

Entering into the world of wellness can be very overwhelming.  It's something people are very passionate about, because often people have gone through a lot in order to share their stories and teach what they've learned.  Often the health gurus talk about real life or death situations that they've transformed out of.  It's no small thing.  So, how do we, in the face of absolutes, certainty, and fear of death and disease, can we find the flexibility we need to listen to our own bodies and dictate our own path? When I started this whole journey I was an easy convert.  I soaked up people's journeys and took their lessons to heart.  Gluten-free, good idea! Dairy-free, absolutely!  Raw food, sure! Veganism, definitely! Juicing fasting, sign me up!  Wheatgrass, yum! Cleanse, after cleanse, after cleanse, bring it on! Drinking your own urine, wait, what?! Back up a second here...

What I learned, in this world of infinite healing possibilities, is that there comes a time when you have to listen to yourself and not other people.  For those of you who are stepping into the wellness world and feel a little lost or overwhelmed, here is some sage advise from someone who has been experimenting and playing around in this world for a long time:

Stay open.

There's a lot of fun stuff out there, but make sure you don't get stuck in a box so that you have the freedom to continue to listen to your body.  I don't like to label myself as anything (Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw Foodist, etc.) because the second you embrace an identity you've created limitations for yourself.

Don't adopt someone else's philosophy before you've had a chance to discover if it's a fit for you.

There are a lot of AMAZING and INSPIRING people in the wellness community and it's easy to want to adopt the path they're on.  You need to remember that your journey is not their journey, so, no matter what, your path will have to be unique to you.  Yes, you can learn so much from other people, but you are the only person who can decide what works for you.

Don't judge. Don't judge others and especially don't judge yourself.

If there was one thing I could change about the wellness community, it would be to lessen the pressure people feel when embracing a lifestyle change.  Whether it's induced by society, the people around you, or yourself, it is way too common to be hard on ourselves through this process. Motivation and inspiration are great, but try to avoid guilt, shame, disappointment, and fear.  You will be happier and healthier if your positive lifestyle change is founded in self-love, acceptance, enjoyment, and inspiration.

Love is the answer.

The way we treat ourselves communicates a lot about how we feel about or see ourselves. Lots of times we get caught in negative patterns that fulfill some kind of insecurity or pain.  The answer to breaking that cycle is simple, not easy.  Love, love is the answer.  The more we tell ourselves that we love ourselves, through the words we use, the thoughts we think, and the actions we take, the more these insecurities that drive our negative habits will fade away.  It's harder than we think to let go of pain, especially when we aren't aware of the seed that planted it, but choosing self-love will shed light on these things and help you let them go.

Create a positive support group.

The best way to make healthy lifestyle shift is to have people that support you.  People you can share your journey with, that you can lean on when you hit a bump in the road, people who make it fun.  I wouldn't have made it this far without the support of my family and friends, a group of friends going through the same sh*t, and my mentors' constant guidance.  Set yourself up to succeed.

Always make the next right decision.

Don't get bogged down by the things you've struggled with or temptations you've succumbed to.  If you just focus on always doing the next best thing then, no matter what, you will always move forward. It is that simple; don't get discouraged and don't give up.  There is always something positive you can do for yourself to get yourself out of a rut.

Be your own experiment. 

This is the fun part.  There are so many healing modalities, tricks, and tips to experiment with.  Try them out and see how you feel.  Be in charge of your body and listen to how it feels to see if something works or doesn't.  My path has led me to favor acupuncture, eastern herbs, yoga and meditation, intense emotional exploration and healing, a special Angie-tailored diet, spiritual expression and connection, massage, etc.  These are the things I've tried that have worked, some might work for you and some might not.  You're the master of your own universe, so play around, have fun, and be open.

Stay positive.

Oh boy is it easy to let fear, judgment, and insecurities seep into our positive transformation.  Realistically, it's going to happen.  You will have moments when you aren't driven by joy, but by fear. Moments when someone else's lifestyle threatens your fragile, new way of being and so the only way you know how to hold on tight is to meet them with judgment. Be aware of these moments, so that you don't get lost in them.  Constantly make the choice to generate positivity.  In times when this is hard, be open about your struggles, be vulnerable, so that you can get help and support.  Acknowledge the tough times and they will pass quicker.  Gratitude is one of the best ways to turn a negative into a positive.  Find a way to be grateful for every hardship, roadblock, and challenge that comes your way, as these are the contrast that allows you to celebrate joy and happiness. These are the exercises that build up our metaphorical muscles that keep us strong.

The important thing is to continue to work towards better, happier, and healthier. Do what you can to free yourself from limitations and improve your quality of life. Remember to trust and love yourself! Good luck, lots of love to you, and have a blast! :)

Smoky Shiitake "Bacon"

This crispy, smoky, yummy treat is an awesome addition to salads, soups, and can even be used to make a veggie "BLT." Smoky Shiitake "Bacon"

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)

1 tsp smoked paprika

4 ounces (4-5 large) shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced thin

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk together the melted coconut oil, tamari, and smoked paprika. Lightly and evenly coat the shiitake mushrooms.  The more coated they are the longer it'll take them to cook.  Roast them in the oven anywhere from 10-15 minutes, checking often.  They will quickly go from crispy to extra crispy, so keep an eye on them.  Toss them occasionally to make sure they cook evenly.

You can also pan fry them and they still taste delicious.  Once you have your crispy, smoky shiitakes use them to add flavor to your favorite dishes.  Tonight I threw them in with my Asian Slaw and it turned out great.  Have fun and enjoy!

The shiitake marinade can also be used with tempeh.  When I make tempeh "bacon" I marinade tempeh cut into thin strips and then pan fry them until browned. It's a great bacon substitute for vegetarians or people wanting to make healthier choices.