Gluten Free Recipes and Blog
Take a virtual walk with me through an old growth forest. We'll learn from the wisdom that Mother Nature shares in the long lives of the evergreens and the short cycles of the seasons. Join us in the Facebook group for a new Facebook Live on Tuesday mornings! https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodlifewithedie
Well, here we are in 2021! FINALLY! I am grateful for all that this last year has taught me, and also looking forward to starting the New Year in a good way. As I mentioned in my last blog, rather than make “resolutions” I like to choose words or a theme for the New Year. This year I am focusing on Hope, Joy, and I AM. In order to make a shift from last year (because let’s be honest, so much is still the same!) I am going to focus on Hope and Joy as I make a few changes. I invite you to try these three new practices with me and see how they work for you.
I will also be sharing more insights and asking you to share yours during Facebook Live conversations, starting soon. Details on how to join and a link are located at the end of this article.
1. Jump on the meal-planning train
Hope and Joy meet when I start thinking about my favorite foods! In the past, it has been a scramble in my kitchen every night. Oh yes, I have started to make meal plans with the best of intentions, but when I got tired and worn down by all of the stress of 2020, I went back to my old “every night is an improvisation” ways. I have had ingredients to create “something” each time, but I am much happier when I set myself up for success with a meal plan. So instead of dissolving back into kitchen chaos, I recommit to meal planning. Won’t you join me?
I am reminding myself and offering the following suggestions to you:
Freezing leftovers properly will ensure that you preserve all of the flavor and good quality when you have the time to cook. Make sure to wrap them well and label them. I have a friend who recently told me he was having “dinner surprise” because he forgot to label his frozen meals.
My favorite part is when I’m just too tired to make dinner. I love finding a frozen gift from my past self in the freezer! Just heat and eat a healthy and delicious meal!
2. Make more time for sleep
I know sometimes we have regrets for the naps we refused to take as children. Now, as adults, we wish we had more time for rest. But in all honesty, we still have time. Planning more time snuggled in bed brings me Joy!
During this strange time of “lockdowns” and social distancing. Many of us have realized that a different schedule is possible. Even if you are working and/or juggling at-home schooling, you can set a firm bedtime for yourself or your family. You can select a bedtime alarm on your phone that will tell you when to stop working or bingeing Netflix and get ready for bed. Read a few pages of a good book and then pull up the covers. You’ll start feeling happier and less anxious when you take this time for yourself.
3. Take time to unplug from the digital world
So much of what we do involves being digitally-tethered. We’re always on our devices for work, and when we’re done for the day, we’re entranced with our smartphones and the endless barrage of social media platforms.
Remember the days when the internet was an escape from reality? Hope can get squashed by spending too much time in the “if it bleeds it leads” world of mainstream and social media. Now we need to make reality an escape from the online world. Unplug from your devices each day at a particular time and make time for those in the real world under your roof.
Make time for yourself, too. Try setting a timer for five minutes and sit in silence. If sitting is not your thing then take a walk. “Walking meditation” is one of my favorite ways to unplug and recharge. It also gives me the opportunity to listen to my own thoughts and my inner wisdom. Have you met your Intuition? Join the calls coming up on Facebook and we’ll talk about how to be in conversation with yourself and your inner wisdom.
These three healthy practices might seem small, but they can make a big difference in how you navigate the New Year. I am Joyful to be focusing on a good start for all of us in 2021. I have Hope that we all find these three practices useful and supportive. As we make space to take care of ourselves others will also benefit. Inner resilience and a positive attitude are a great way to go forward, at all times of the year.
Please join me for a series of Facebook Live conversations coming soon! I will be posting information in the group and following up with emails about dates and times.
If you haven’t already, join the Facebook Group now so you don’t miss out!
Click here to join Living the Good Life with Edie Hoppin
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Love and Blessings!
Edie
What are you leaving behind and what are you taking forward?
As we enter the last few days of the crazy year called 2020 I am focusing on gathering the gems and the lessons, and acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster that we've all been on this year. There have been so many ups and downs. The collective stress of navigating everything has been exhausting.
At the same time, I have been given the opportunity to take a deep look inward. I feel like a caterpillar who has been going through a metamorphosis. I’m still not sure exactly what color my wings are going to be, but I am looking forward to stretching them and taking a test flight.
Now, as I see the New Year just hours away, I am thinking about what I would like to leave behind in 2020. Clutter, doubt, and judgement are some that I have been working on. I am also thinking about what I would like to take forward into 2021. My new meditation practice and stepping into including my music in my business will be a part of this next year. Many years ago, I realized that New Year’s Resolutions don’t work for me. I choose a theme, or a few words that help me focus on the year ahead.
This year my words are Hope, Joy, and I AM.
I have yet to figure out exactly how those words will shape my year, and there may be more, but I know that I am committed to doing my best to infuse all of my projects, activities, business, and myself with as much of these as I can.
As the fog of 2020 clears, and a shiny new 2021 appears, I am excited to share some of the gems and learnings that have come from all the introspection over the last 364 days.
Creating a community for conversation and support is one of my top priorities for the new year. I am looking forward to having a place where we can gather (virtually) and share our collective wisdom and stories.
In the meantime I would love to hear from you.
What are you letting go of from 2020?
What are the gems and lessons from 2020 that you are taking forward?
Do you have words yet, for 2021?
Please leave a comment so we can all shed the old and celebrate the good things coming in 2021.
Love, blessings, and Happy New Year!
Edie
