Why do we put our happiness second? Why is it accepted in society that only after due suffering and hard work can we finally deserve joy? This misconception is completely untrue and unfair. Although life has its many struggles, joy should not be put on the bottom of your priority list. Many experts even claim that this misconception is a major reason why many people struggle to feel fulfilled in their lives. Because in the end, our life is so fleeting, your main goal really should be to live in a state of bliss. Being unhappy in your life or in your relationships tells you that there is something wrong. It’s easy to get lost in the negatives of everyday; the traffic, the messy house, the 9-5 job. This can cause chronic stress, and affect your long-term health in ways you may not realize. There are obviously a lot of things you can’t control in your life, like accidents and weather- but this way of life encourages you to see these inconveniences from a different perspective. If you don’t give them the power to bother you, they simply won’t; it’s really that easy. There are plenty of worse things happening in the world right now than your stubbed toe. But when you’re in the moment it can be hard to see that! When you’re writhing in pain from bonking your bed frame, it is not easy to switch your narrative. But with time and practice being more mindful, you will start to notice that the little things no longer bother you, as you don’t give them the power to. The end result should always be to find and spread joy. Nobody really talks about this. It seems to always be about how much money you make, your achievements or how many friends you have- when really, if these things don’t bring you joy they aren’t worthy of a place in your life. The best things in life are the things that bring you joy! So, find a job that makes you happy or go dancing on the weekend if that’s what brings you joy. It will look different in everyone’s life but it will always produce the same effect. If you can find joy in the little things, you’ve already won; a love for living is what will ultimately make you feel the most alive. Really, this is a pretty easy job. There are some aspects of life that aren’t ideal, but part of this means taking the good with the bad, and trying to find joy wherever you can. Appreciate the things you can’t change, and find ways to change the things you can- and with this, everything else will fall into place. The more fun something is, the more you’ll want to do it and this can produce a domino effect in your life. So have fun! There really isn’t any better advice I can give you!
Want to lose weight and help the planet in 2020? Scientists say going vegan might be the answer.
The vegan diet to many of us remains a bit of an enigma. Is it actually healthy or is it just a fad? It seems like every website has contradictory advice, and it is nearly impossible to differentiate the good from the bad. It’s especially difficult to know who to trust in the media, as most companies and organizations have their own agendas. Even though many websites suggest otherwise, the benefits to a vegan diet appear to be pretty much everything you could want: increased energy, weight loss, longevity, decreased risk of heart disease, and a worthy contribution to the planet. This makes sense when you really take a closer look at major companies. The organizations sponsored by meat companies will claim that meat is not a threat to your health, or that dairy should be a staple in your diet. But how do you know if any of this information is true if their funding is coming from companies that aren’t looking out for your health at all? Well, it doesn’t take much to see the state of the country we live in, as well as the rest of the world. With type 2 diabetes and heart disease skyrocketing, it’s obvious that what we are doing is not working. And while many say that this is due to the over consumption of sugar, many scientists beg to differ. They claim that the real threat is the meat and dairy that is in virtually everyone’s diet. Coincidentally, the only foods that contain cholesterol are animal products- and high cholesterol is precisely what clogs arteries and leads to heart disease. Harvard Health confirms this, stating that “a diet rich in saturated fats can drive up cholesterol… which prompts blockages to form in the heart and elsewhere in the body.” In this article you can also find their recommendation of limiting saturated fat to under 10% of your calories a day. This is crazy! This not only contradicts everything most of us have been told our entire lives, it also explains a lot of why we are seeing this global epidemic in the first place. The effects that the meat and dairy industry have on the planet is a whole different story. The Netflix documentary ‘Cowspiracy’ covers this global issue, stating that 91% of Amazon deforestation is due to animal agriculture, as well as 51% of all global gas emissions. This might make you want to take a closer look at your life, especially considering that what these statistics prove, among others, is that most of what is damaging our planet today comes from the desire to eat yummy food. Yet, animal products have proven to be the #1 contributor to heart disease that affects 1/3 people worldwide. I guess our taste buds are causing quite the stir! With all of this in mind, it can still be difficult to relate this to your own life. How will this drastic change affect your life and your wallet? This may come as a surprise, but eating vegan is pretty cheap! Beans, veggies, fruit, bread and tofu are a lot less than the price of organic, free range meat today. I know it’s hard to imagine the impacts these small choices have, and how going vegan could possibly make a difference in the grand scheme of things, but from what I’ve researched, it will. Supply and demand! Every tofu you eat in replacement of chicken is a chicken who gets to grow old and live a happy life. I mean, statistically speaking that might not be true, but I don’t think that any animal truly wants to die. And if it’s not necessary to kill them, why should we? So, hopefully with a little more pondering and research you might join the movement too, and choose life! Obviously, not everyone can switch to this lifestyle, but if you can, it might be what your body has needed all along. And I mean, Kim Kardashian is vegan!
