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intentional living

13 tiny changes you can make to simplify your life

simplify-your-life

 

We all have those topics that get us all fired up. The ones that once we start talking about, we find it hard to stop. The ones that seem to ignite some sort of fire within us which spur us into action. 

 

Well, simple living is one of those topics for me. 

 

Hence the blog and the newsletter and the Instagram page. I’m an unstoppable force when it comes to inspiring others to look for the beauty in the small and ordinary things. 

 

I find myself constantly scouring the internet for whatever posts I can find on ways to simplify your life. I’m always buzzing to tell someone about a brilliant new product I have found which has made life just a little bit easier for me. 

 

I am passionate about finding ways to simplify your life because it often combines two of my other favourite things – saving money and looking after the planet. 

 

Earlier this year I shared 13 super easy ways to make life simpler and in this post I want to share a few more ideas I have discovered since then. 

 

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13 tiny changes you can make to simplify your life: 

 

Use a to-do list app 

 

I am a fan of both paper and digital planners. I know digital is the way of the future but paper planners are cuter (shoot me.)

 

That being said, to-do ist app is my best friend. It syncs your list between devices. You can plan days ahead but keep the tasks out of sight for simplicity sake. You can set the priority of tasks and reminders to get them done on time.

 

Plus you get the satisfaction of ticking tasks off and seeing them vanish from the list which is really the only reason anyone makes a to-do list in the first place.

 

 

Start creating a weekly meal plan 

 

If there is one thing I hate, it is not having the ingredients I need to make a meal. But I also equally hate trying to decide what to make for dinner when I am already hungry and cranky

 

Cue meal planning. 

 

You shop for exactly what you need. You save money by avoiding unnecessary purchases (and you can plan for budget friendly meals.) And you avoid wasting food that you buy but forget to cook with. 

 

You can take this one step further by prepping your meals beforehand, but planning is as far as I’ve got.

 

 

Try out period underwear

 

It is a well known fact that there is a huge amount of waste created with traditional feminine hygiene products. But besides that, they are also uncomfortable and can be pretty pricey. 

 

So when I first heard about period underwear I was really keen to make the switch. However, I had two main concerns a) the price (at the time the only brand available cost over $100 a pair) and b) how effective they would be. 

 

I finally found ModiBodi which were affordable and I was excited to discover, super effective as well. 

 

Seriously, these are game changers. Money saving, eco-friendly, comfortable and no more fear of leaking!

 

 

Wear colours that suit you

 

You are probably aware that there are certain colours that suit you best. You probably even naturally gravitate towards these colours.

 

One way to make your wardrobe a whole lot simpler is by buying clothes in these colours and finding accessories/other clothes that match.

 

For items you plan on wearing every day (eg. a winter coat) try to stick to a plain or neutral colour that will go with everything. It isn’t as cute as the red one I’m sure but at least it won’t clash with your pink dress!

 

 

Unsubscribe from mailing lists 

 

Usually bloggers try to get you to SIGN UP to their mailing lists (you can join mine if you like) but I’m a big fan of unsubscribing too.

 

For some reason, I never seem to learn and I always give out my email address to win competitions/make purchases/get freebies. So my inbox is a huge mess and it makes me stressed.

 

I know it seems easier just to delete their emails but I really do think it is better to unsubscribe altogether. Your inbox is an important space and only those who you truly want to hear from should be allowed to send stuff there. 

 

 

De-clutter for five minutes before bed 

 

This is one of Gretchen Rubin’s tips from her book ‘The Happiness Project‘ and it is so clever.

 

Just a few minutes each night can really help to tackle some of your chaos. A quick wipe over with a cloth, picking up your shoes off the floor, stacking the dishwasher, it isn’t much but it makes a big difference to how you feel in the morning. 

 

 

Learn to say ‘NO’

 

Learning how to set boundaries in your relationships is so freeing.

 

But you have to be okay with letting people down. You have to know that their disappointment won’t last. You have to remember that you can’t be everything for everybody. 

 

Life can be busy, hectic and exhausting at times. In this post I share 13 small changes you can make to simplify your life and make it less stressful. #simpleliving #minimalism

 

Put your clothes away at the end of the day 

 

I’m guilty of throwing whatever I was wearing onto the floor and hopping straight into bed. But that just means I end up having to spend half an hour folding all the clothes that pile up later on in the week. 

 

It only takes a couple of minutes to fold the clothes you were wearing and put them away. That is so much better than having piles of laundry on a chair in your room or littering the floor. 

 

 

Budget & track your spending

 

This is essential regardless of the state of your finances.

 

Keeping track of your spending can make you aware of some bad habits you may have that could be leaching money (for example, eating out all the time.) 

 

It also means less stress and worry as you can set aside the money you need to pay important bills before they are due. 

 

 

Write in a journal  

 

I tend to think that working through my problems can be done just by thinking about them. But that’s actually called over-thinking, not problem solving. All it does is make you more stressed. 

 

To work things out, you need to spill the problems out from your head. That may look like talking to someone or perhaps like me, writing it out in your journal. 

 

 

Create a seasonal wardrobe  

 

All those winter coats and scarves you aren’t wearing take up space and clutter your wardrobe making the decision of what to wear each day even more difficult. 

 

Put your out-of-season clothes away in a box in your garage. Keep the things you really need in your wardrobe. 

 

 

Let go of worn-out relationships

 

Forget about having tonnes of friends. Forget about having a best friend that you call up every single day.  Forget about having a huge group of friends that always hangs out together. 

 

You don’t have to feel bad for letting old, worn-out friendships fizzle out. You also don’t have to feel bad for being a twenty-something who only has a couple of friends (one of which is your mum.)

 

It is about quality over quantity.


 

What small changes have you made to simplify your life? 

Minimalism: how to be content with what you already have

content-with-what-you-have

 

Most days, scrolling through my Facebook feed feels like stumbling through an inferiority minefield. I have to work really hard at being a good person and being happy for my friends that they have such wonderful lives. 

 

The other day, one of my friends shared a picture of himself at the airport, backpack on, passport in hand, a big smile on his face as he was about to board his plane to Greece.

 

I kept scrolling and saw another friend sharing a #bumpdate, she’s twenty weeks pregnant and the bump is really starting to show now.

 

As I scrolled down further, I saw another friend’s cute little coffee date from her weekend away down south. 

 

I breathed out a deep sigh as I gazed down at my sweatpants, the slippers on my feet and the cat on my lap. It is in these moments that my life feels too small and simple. So small it is claustrophobic. 

 

Green is one of my colours, but envy still doesn’t look pretty on me. 


 

As a society, we tend to focus on what we lack. We are constantly receiving these messages that we need MORE to be happy. That what have can’t possibly be enough for us. Marketers play at our weakness, they know how much we love the new and novel

 

They tell us that if we truly want to be happy, what we need is another sweater, a bigger TV, and a week-long holiday somewhere exotic.

 

They are in the business of selling, so they sell us a fairy-tale that MORE STUFF will make our lives better.

 

However, I’m beginning to realise that if I don’t make a change in my attitude, if I can’t learn how to be happier with a life that is small and simple, I will spend my entire life discontent. 

 

I’ll always be chasing after these things that are supposed to make me happy, only to find out I’m not satisfied once I have them.

 

The new and the novel don’t satisfy us for very long. Pretty soon the excitement wears off and once again we are left aching for more. 

 

minimalism, how to be content with what you have, decluttering, finding contentment, buy less stuff, own less, keep what sparks joy

 

Last week I went on a lovely day trip. We went shopping and walking and soaked in the hot pools. It was a full, busy, wonderful day. I came home feeling tired and content

 

And yet, a week later I feel the same itchy, desperate desire to get out and do something interesting. Our outing last week didn’t cure me of my need for adventure and excitement. 

 

Because the truth is, no matter how many countries we travel to, there will always be another we are dying to see. No matter how many books we read, there will always be a new one we just have to read. No matter how many pairs of shoes we own, there will always be THE pair that we believe will finally complete our wardrobe. 


 

There are times when contentment is a necessity and for me, this is one of those times. 

 

Right now I am studying and we are living off one income so we can’t afford much new. No new shoes, no new books, no trips to exotic destinations or flashy electronics. 

 

What I have has to be enough. 

 

being-content-with-what-you-have

 

But instead of feeling sorry for myself, I am taking this as an opportunity to be content with what I HAVE instead of giving into that endless craving for MORE

 

We have a roof over our heads. We have groceries in the fridge and pantry. I have an entire wardrobe stuffed full of clothes and shoes for every imaginable occasion. And I live close to a library with hundreds of books that I am still yet to read. 

 

I have enough. I have plenty. I do not need more. 

 

This is the mantra I am repeating to myself as I avert my eyes walking past sales racks and unsubscribe from shop mailing lists. And when I start to feel that claustrophobic fear that my life is too small, I am reminding myself that I have enough time as well.

 

There are plenty of years ahead for me to get to live out my dreams. I don’t need to pressure myself to cram it all into this year. I don’t need to accomplish all of my goals right now. There is enough time. 

 

Maybe this won’t be the year that I travel around Europe, but perhaps I’ll get to explore my hometown and finally conquer some of those more advanced mountain biking trails. 

 

Maybe this won’t be the year… I live in my dream home, but perhaps I’ll get to live in my very own flat for the first time. 

 

Maybe this won’t be the year… I make an 80k salary, but perhaps I’ll finally get to do a job I really enjoy. 

 


 

Minimalism is teaching me that what I have is enough.

 

I don’t need more space, I need less stuff.

 

Less stuff that I picked up at an op shop because it was super cheap and kinda cute. Less stuff that I was given and feel too guilty to give away. Less stuff that I bought trying to be someone that I’m not. 

 

Less stuff distracting me from the beauty and joy that is hidden in the ordinary, dull, normal moments of every day.

 

I’ll leave you with this quote I found which sums up why I am a fan of the minimalist lifestyle. A simple and small life is enough if it contains more of the things we love and less of the things we don’t.

 

“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things that we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” – Joshua Becker

Mindful eating: 5 simple ways to be present while you eat

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Food plays such an important role in our lives. It is our source of life. It is what sustains us, helps to heal us and is the very building blocks our cells are made of. 

 

Food is what we plan and divide our days by. Food is a place of connection for us, a link to the past and a way of breaking down the barriers that languages and social conventions create.

 

As a nutritionist, I see food as a fuel source but as a poet, I see it as a thread that runs throughout our lives, rippling and twisting as it enriches and nourishes us.

 

 

Food is so intertwined with our everyday lives that over time we can forget its significance and true joy. Eating is something we do at least three times a day and yet, a lot of us seem to struggle with it.

 

Most of us are very good at eating, but what we aren’t so good at is mindful eating.  

 

We eat meals on the go. We shovel our food down to get the next thing done. We eat in front of the TV, at the kitchen bench as we scroll through our phone, and at our desks while we continue to do our work.  
 
 
It’s no surprise then that we feel hungry often, terribly sluggish and crave unhealthy foods to satisfy our appetites.

 

Most of us have forgotten the way our ancestors lived.

 

The way they spent their days scouring the land looking for their next meal. The way they gathered together and pooled their resources. The way they cooked over an open fire and ate in the flickering glow of its warmth.

How they sang songs and told stories and stayed beside that fire long after their meal was finished. 

 

Nowadays, we are always in a hurry, our lives leave no room for such frivolity.



I think we need to make mealtimes an event again.  

 

We need to return to that place of respect and appreciation for our food. We need to just slow down and enjoy life instead of always rushing on to the next thing. We need to make eating about more than just getting fuel.  


 

Mindful eating is a celebration of food. An act of  gratitude, an attempt at forging a connection and a search for deeper satisfaction.

 

It’s about being present while we eat for the sake of our health, our relationships and our general well-being.

 

mindful eating, how to eat mindfully, how to practice mindful eating, intentional eating, intuitive eating, being present, living intentionally, mindfulness, practicing mindfulness, simple living, minimalism

  

5 simple ways to practice mindful eating

 

Eat with others

 

When we have meals with other people we are more likely to make a bigger effort with our food and not just butter some toast and call it dinner. 

 

We tend to take time to prepare something special or at least something that resembles a full meal when we have company.

 

And we also tend to take our time eating the meal. Conversations meander, glasses are clinked together, stories are shared and laughter flows.

This coming together over a meal leaves us feeling not only satisfied with the food on our plates but also with the wonderful relationships we have in our lives.
 

 

Eat slowly

 

Take the time to appreciate what you are eating. Put down your fork between mouthfuls and chew your food more. 

 

When we eat slowly, we will often feel fuller sooner and therefore, consume less overall. Something I’ve learnt is that I am generally full long before I stop eating. If you were raised to finish whatever is on your plate then you might keep eating even past the point of feeling full. 

 

Eating slowly and chewing your food properly allows your body to digest the food easier and helps you to finish eating when you have had enough.

 

Eat without distractions.

 

Put your phone away. Turn the TV off. Stop reading the newspaper. 

 

Instead, try lighting a candle, turning on some soft music and focusing on just enjoying your meal. One of the best ways to be present while eating is to actually BE present rather than distracted by social media or the daily news.

 

An upside to this is that you’ll probably find your food more appealing and more satisfying if you’ve actually been present while eating it. 

 

Eat good food

 

Try to eat more fruit and vegetables. Try to eat more food that is fresh, whole and as unprocessed as possible. 

 

Make an effort with the meals you prepare. Mix it up and try new recipes, cook every recipe in single cookbook, try a cooking challenge. Make your mealtimes more exciting and pleasurable by widening your cooking horizons.

 

Buy good quality food if you can afford it. Shop at local farmer’s markets and make friends with the people who actually care about the produce they are selling. 

 

Say grace before meals

 

My dad has a grace he learnt at boarding school and he recited it every single dinnertime growing up. I know it word for word and although at the time it felt like an annoying impediment between me and the food before me, now I can appreciate its value. 

 

Even if you aren’t religious saying grace is a lovely practice. It’s as simple as taking a moment to appreciate everyone who took part in producing the food on your plate. Expressing gratitude for their hard work, the precious resources that went into making your meal and the blessing it is that we have food to eat.

 

 

The truth is, with our modern lifestyles we can be a bit hopeless when it comes to mindful eating. 

 

We need to get better at slowing down and making our mealtimes special again. Whether that be trying a new recipe, lighting a candle or inviting friends over to join us. 

 

Food is about more than just fuel. It’s a celebration of friendship, culture and satisfaction.


 

If you are looking for more ways to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life, then check out my 7 days of mindful living challenge.

If you want to add more rest, contentment and satisfaction into your life then this is where you should start. In just a week you’ll learn 7 different areas where mindfulness and intentional living can change your life. 

 

Mindful eating is just the beginning!

Do you struggle with mindful eating?