Five to Thrive
A Compilation of Ideas, Products and Services Supporting Wellness of People and Planet
#1 Life Balance
Every now and then - OK, more like on a fairly regular basis - I get a little panicky about the health of our planet. During one such time, I discovered a guy named Robin Greenfield. Robin is described as a “truth seeker, activist, social reformer, and server to our earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives.” His website, which is linked below, is full of ideas and resources including a list of “100 Changes to Live Happy, Healthy and Sustainably.” I was re-introduced to Robin this month when I listened to his interview with Rich Roll. In it, Robin discusses his most recent undertaking; living for three months owning nothing. Enjoy!
#2 Personal Growth
Recently, I found myself faced with two frustrating factors that were out of my control. I was sitting in an exam room and the doctor was running late. The music in said room was a particular style that drives me crazy! So there I was, my thoughts ping-ponging between “I wonder how much longer I am going to have to wait,” and “oh my gosh, I hate this song!” As the minutes passed, my feelings intensified, and I began to picture myself running from the office yelling “I can’t take this!”
Luckily, I have been listening to the book The Genius Zone by Gay Hendricks. I decided to try one of the exercises from the book designed to help with managing situations out of your control. In my left hand I held a ball representing my impatience. I squeezed it tight, turned my hand over, opened it and let it drop. Instantly I felt a sense of relief in my body. In my right hand, I held a ball of frustration. I squeezed that hand even tighter, turned it over, opened it and let that drop. Aaahhh! I took a deep breath. I repeated this process for about the next five minutes. Left hand, right hand. Letting go, letting go. By the time the doctor came in, I felt calm and open and quickly forgot all about those unpleasant feelings. I had a great appointment and left feeling positive and happy.
The next time you are frustrated by circumstances out of your control, give this exercise a try. Share your experience with me in the comments below!
#3 Daily Movement
I am a 5:30 a.m., at home with YouTube kind of exerciser. I have several channels I frequent but often like to try new ones. My newest discovery -GroupHiit. Now, I have tried other Hiit workouts and found them to be too hard, too fast and often too loud. (Did I mention its 5:30 in the morning?) GroupHiit is completely different. Before the workout starts, you are provided with a list of the exercises, each one is demonstrated, and besides a “beep” indicating when to start and stop, the entire routine is SILENT!
Check out the link below.
Sample a Level 1 class here...
#4 Nutrition
About a year ago, I bought a pigeon pea plant from a local native plant nursery and I could not believe how well it did in poor soil, full sun and with very little rain. I quickly ordered some seeds and planted a bunch more. Not only do they improve soil quality but they also provide some ground level shade, two things my garden needs desperately. Fast forward to this spring and I have an amazing crop of pigeon peas. Pigeon peas are about the size of lentils and according to Vegan Nutrition Tracker (linked below) they have very similar nutrient density to chick peas. There are lots of online recipes for pigeon peas including pigeon pea stew, Jamaican pigeon peas with rice, and a warm pigeon pea salad with butternut squash. If you are looking for something new to try you can find organic dry pigeon peas on Amazon.
I think I’ll try the warm pigeon pea salad with butternut squash. : )
#5 Stress Management
Every month I like to choose a new wallpaper for my phone. Lately, I have been choosing an image that supports a goal I have for that month. In February I knew it was time to get back to gardening, but it was still chilly and gray and I had no motivation. I chose an image of a beautiful wildflower garden and before I knew it, I was back at it.
This month, I chose an image that would help me to continue creating a more peaceful feeling in my home. What I didn’t expect was that each time I looked at my phone, I was gifted a moment of relief from the stress of my busy work day. I was truly surprised that a quick glance at my phone opened up the space for me to take a deep breath and reach for the feeling that this picture evokes.
If you are currently working on an area of your health and wellness, try choosing a wallpaper that reminds you of your goal. Watch as the power of suggestion takes hold and gently guides you closer to where you want to be!
Thanks for reading my Substack. I am a certified Wellness Coach who offers personal coaching sessions. If you would like some support on your wellness journey, contact me at kridge2014@gmail.com.