The art of slowing the f*ck down and doing less (The Guide to a Happy Heart)

It's February - the midst of winter in Toronto. New Year's resolutions? How are they coming along?

Not so much, don't sweat it - most people falter and create unrealistic goals for themselves too. 

Reality check - maybe you were seeking change in January - maybe it was a change in healthy
lifestyle habits, maybe they were better exercise regimens, maybe it was a new job...

Perhaps we place too much on our plates all at once - how do we focus on simply one task at a time? So, it's a little difficult to sit here, be present, quiet the mind - simply take a meditative seat? Well, these artful practices can be incorporated into your daily life so you won't even have to buy more products, spend more energy, or become confused at never feeling good enough. 

The simple regimen, where less is more: 

Doing less

• taking on less stressful and time-sensitive deadlines 
• prioritizing what you can get done in a week 
• allowing yourself to focus on tasks at hand without being barred by social media, digital distractions
• taking rest days and mix up your exercise routine (i.e. HIIT, yoga, sports, walking, swimming)

Eating less

• less sodium
• less processed foods
• less caffeine
• less refined sugar 
• less fast food

Saying Less

• not having to prove your self-worth
• summarizing what it is that you stand for, every day
• journalling, writing important thoughts, tasks, and emotions down as opposed to wasting energy ramble

What can you do more of?

• drink more water
• take more naps
• write more letters of gratitude - either to yourself or to others that you regularly interact with
• eat more fresh veggies
• take more mindful walks 
• stretch (using therabands, mobility balls, foam rollers, tune up balls)
• spend more time doing charitable work and volunteering your time to support an organization

Which brings me now to a second important note:

Showing up to your mat 

(whether for a sweaty asana practice or for a few minutes of meditative mindfulness), is the bare minimum when we say less is more. When done regularly, this habitual practice creates effective persistence and duration, which can create a healthier mindset in the long-run that is easily translatable on and off the mat, in real life situations. 

So the first part of the practice is:

• scheduling your first class of the month
• just showing up
• being on time, if not allowing yourself a big buffer time to make it to your mat (so you don't feel flustered and can settle with ease onto your mat)

Secondly, the most marked lesson I can still lay my eyes on is the practice of *patience*

So much patience - everyday is a growing phenomenon in this world full of different conditions, situations, emotional turmoil. Basically if you cannot predict how the people around you are going to react, how on Earth will you be able to pre-conceive how your own body and mind will even feel the next day? Living presently allows you to assess all that is happening without having to overthink or press ideas or expectations of how your body should move. 
Basically, the goal is to.. Move it. Forget about the how, why, how much. Just a little bit of attention and effort is insinuated on the action: Movement is better than stagnancy.

Once, you've shown up and have committed to making that first step to being on time and being present on your mat, the next lesson is DURATION. 

Whether you have days where you lie completely on your back in savasana, or sit upright and meditate. Whether your practice is full of active asanas, and a sweaty flow, or perhaps a long-extended yin practice - no progress occurs overnight. There will be days when your attitude shows no differently that you don't want to put the effort in, where your physical energy is low, where your mind is completely emotionally flustered and unsettled. And your only option here to stay committed? Simply continue showing up. Whether it's 10 minutes or a conventional 60-75 minute practice. Making a habitual life-long commitment to the practice will allow you to reach new life lessons and "Aha!" moments when you least expect them over the longer course of time.
I've heard the frequent "I'll wait until my injuries heal, I'll wait until I become more flexible..." is setting yourself to avoid the act of showing up from the amateur but yet interested yogi.
I mean, all you have to do, is show up. In the end, it's not about the $60 workshop you pay for, the $100 yoga pants you stretch in, or the $10 green juices that you consume following class. 
It is the simple practice of mindfully giving back to yourself, and that little bit of effort of just showing up will increase twentyfold in the greatest journey of spiritual and physical maturity.

I'd love to hear how your practice in progress is going in the comments below!

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Hearty Salmon & Kale Salad

Back from the holidays but already feeling the mid-winter slump? Consumed too many gluttonous calories and are hoping to get back into a healthy bod, while surviving these cold chills? 

Typically, during the dry colder days, I'm not really a meat & potatoes type of person (I dated a Brit who was huge on bangers & mash and that caused a roll in my tummy). However, admittedly, I can be a huge refined-carb consumer (holla croissants and cookies!) but knowing that these won't keep me lasting much for a couple hours, I've compiled this recipe of my fave hearty lunch/dinner meal, perfect for days where the temperatures surface below -10 degrees Celsius.

Hearty Salmon & Kale Salad

I love visiting the St. Lawrence Market for their fresh and organic supply of seasonal produce, berries, cheeses & selection of hor d'oeuvres, not to mention fresh dips like hummus, taramosalata, and pestos. I also love browsing the fish mongerers for any discounts - and low and behold for boxing week, these fresh and wild Pacific salmon tails were on sale for $12.99 a pound. (Typically, you'd find 2 frozen farm-raised salmon fillets weighing under a lb. for about $8.99 at most discount grocery supermarkets) so this was a great find.
I also picked up some green dinosaur kale (super crunchy and full of much more nutrients then the curly kale variant), fresh cremini mushrooms (also super meaty in texture), and some mixed rice from the bulk foods store nearby. 

Wild Pacific Salmon tails - keep the skin on to retain the benefits of the Omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon is high in healthy fats - Omega-3's that are stored mainly in the fat and skin so keep the SKIN ON, and contains Vitamins B and D, and minerals, niacin and phosphorus. 

Dinosaur Kale - a dark green variant with crispy texture that holds while under high heat.

Dinosaur Kale has great fibre content, along with providing Vitamins K, A, and C, along with many other minerals such as copper and maganese. Massage the kale leafs at the stem after rinsing to reduce the bitterness in the leaves.

Mixed Aztec rice blend found at local bulk food store.

This mixed rice blend contains both yellow and green split peas, amaranth, long grain rice, and brown rice which is also high in fibre, tastes nutty in texture, and keeps your fuller for longer. 

The combination of these foods high in protein, fibre, and Vitamins C and B12 help support our immune system in the cold, and prevent inflammation in our joints, and keep us full of sustainable energy, as they won't spike our blood sugar levels quickly. 

Here's the recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

1 salmon tail  (typically half a pound)
3 leaves of green monster kale, roughly chopped
3-4 cremini mushrooms (washed and thinly sliced)
1/2 tomato

2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 onion
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of mixed rice
1/4 cup edamame (optional)

1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. of grainy dijon mustard
t tbsp. of miso paste
1/2 of an orange
2 tbsp. of olive oil or coconut oil 

1. Boil down 1/2 cup of rice with double the volume of water (1 cup). Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Add edamame when 3/4 of the liquid is all absorbed. 

2. Baste salmon, skin side down with 1 tbsp. of oil (either olive or coconut), spread 1 tbsp. of miso paste evenly on the fleshy side, sprinkle 1 tsp. of ginger and 1 tsp.
of cumin evenly ontop. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

3. Prepare the veggies - 1 tbsp. of oil goes in a frying pan at medium heat, soften onions with garlic for a few minutes, then add in mushroom slices and cook down until brown (3-5 minutes). Add Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan. Turn heat off and stir in kale in hot pan to soften for a few minutes. Squeeze orange juice onto the kale and mushrooms and continue to stir to prevent sticking in the pan. 

Once the the salmon is ready, plate with side of rice, assemble diced tomatoes, and kale and mushroom stirfry. 

Like this combo? You can always substitute salmon for rainbow trout - always seeking wild over farm-raised options. Mix up your favourite leafy variants such as collard greens, red cabbage, swiss chard or spinach. You can also sub out mixed quinoa for your choice of grains for additional protein and carbohydrate intake!

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