My Personal Renaissance – Leaving a Legacy

 

Back in college, I spent a summer in Rome (aka the most amazing city in the world) studying Roman Art and History. One of Rome’s most notable phases was its Renaissance. This period was responsible for producing famed artists such as Michelangelo, Bernini and Caravaggio, etc. Rome underwent rapid growth of its art and culture. Needless to say, it transformed Rome irreversibly. 

Lately, I’ve been going through my own Renaissance. I’m not exactly sure what is driving it or where it’s taking me, but I’m going through a rebirth. My eyes are opening up to the world around me and I’m seeing things as I’ve never seen them before. I am inspired, driven and have a thirst for truth. I’m questioning things I never gave much thought to before (such as do we really need to buy shampoo or are we subjected to marketing telling us we need it?). 

I’m baking bread, snubbing chemicals, minimalizing, making homemade lotion, and interested in sewing. But “why?” is the underlying question? Why go to the trouble to make homemade bread? Why minimize your furniture or your wardrobe? 

The short answer is because I want my life to matter. When I’m gone, I want to leave a legacy of a life well-lived. Life has gotten too complicated. We’re so overstimulated and overfed and over-scheduled that often we get too distracted to question why we’re really here. For me, the reason I’m here is to enjoy meaningful relationships with friends/family and to show God’s love, compassion and grace to other people. 

I want to sit and talk with my friends for hours over cheese and crackers; I want to take an afternoon nap on a lazy Saturday; I want to memorize the sound of my daughter’s giggles, because she is growing too fast. 

I want to show Punky that time with our family and friends is the most important thing in life. That by having less, you can have more time and money to spend on things that are most important. That by living simply, you’re able to help other people in this world that don’t have the basic necessities, whether it be through conservation of resources or via time spent helping out a fellow human in need. 

That life goes far beyond our immediate environments and that we can leave a lasting impression on those we least expect. That we are here to help and serve each other in this crazy world, because life isn’t always easy. That one day, God will make everything just and perfect, and we just need to have faith in Him thoughout it all. 

I’m far from perfect. I know that I’m going to stumble along the way and probably embarrass myself on multiple occasions. But hopefully those who know me can look past my imperfections and see a heart that thrives upon helping others and bringing joy and comfort to those around me. That is when I feel truly fulfilled. 

So I will continue to embrace this Renaissance. I seek to purge my life from meaningless “stuff,” fill my pantry with nourishing food, maximize time spent with loved ones, value quality over quantity and enjoy creating beautiful things. Like Rome, I am ready to be altered irreversibly. 

 

What legacy do you want to leave on this earth? How can you alter your life to make it more meaningful? 

To Poo or Not to Poo…

To Poo or not to poo…a little too personal of a question? 

Rest assured, I’m not referring to bathroom habits, but moreso to hair hygiene. 

I’ve been on a minimalization/chemical-free kick for a little bit. Both for health reasons and because it’s often more economical. And with little Punky about to walk soon (maybe!), I’m that much more vigilant about what’s in our home. 

Last week I tackled chemical-free lotions (coming soon, my whipped coconut body butter recipe), so now I’m moving on to other hygiene products. My friend Melissa must have been on the same page as me, because she emailed me the other day with something I’ve seen and been somewhat intrigued with…it’s a growing trend called “No Pooing.”

As the name might suggest, you stop shampooing your hair. Instead, you wash your hair with baking soda (massaging gently at the roots) and rinse the ends with apple cider vinegar while in the shower. The baking soda removes the oil and build up from products, while the apple cider vinegar leaves the hair shiny and healthy-looking. 

“Ew, wouldn’t your hair get greasy?” Well, our hair isn’t meant to be washed everyday. It’s overly drying and strips it of natural oils. Washing it daily actually makes our scalps produce more oil. Commercial shampoos/conditioners are chalked full of chemicals (what ARE all of those ingredients anyways?) and many are stripping of the natural oils that your hair is supposed to be coated with. So the No Pooing gentle regimen is, in theory, supposed to remove excess oil without stripping it.

“But who wants their hair to smell like vinegar?” Actually, I was most concerned about this. I love the smell my usual shampoo leaves on my hair. But after my first No Poo the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to find that by the time my hair was dry, there was no vinegar odor remaining,

So, Melissa and I are jumping on the No Poo bandwagon for the next month with our own No Poo Challenge. Here is my new beauty routine. I love how my bathroom is starting to look like a pantry. Anyone other takers? You have nothing to lose.

 

Coming soon…

Coming soon to the homemadeheart will be my endeavor at homemade whipped coconut body butter! Stay tuned!

Ooh la la! I’ve found my Inner French Girl

Here in America, we live in a diet-obsessed culture. Ironically, we also are plagued by the highest obesity rate of any industrialized nation. 30% of American adults are overweight. So how is it that with the abundance of “diet” products, that this problem is so prevalent? 

I myself have been guilty of buying sugar-free, reduced fat, etc. products thinking I’m saving myself a few calories and making the “healthy” choice. 

 

I’ve been obsessed with French culture for awhile, and a couple of months ago I read “The French Don’t Diet Plan” by William Clower. This book has changed the way I eat and the way I look at food. Basically, as we mostly know by now, the French enjoy bread, wine, cheese, butter and chocolate guilt-free, while their obesity rates remain very low. This is all without eating any “fat free” yogurt or drinking diet sodas. 

 

So I began following the principles outlined in this book. 

1) I don’t buy “diet” foods. I buy whole milk, whole milk yogurt, half and half for my coffee (no more chemical laden flavored creamers), whole cheese, etc. I buy plain yogurt and either eat it as is or sweeten it with honey or dates. Organic whenever possible. 

 

2) I’ve stopped snacking. I used to be the biggest snacker. I would eat low-calorie meals but then I would be hungry a couple of hours later. Since I started eating full fat versions of things, I make it from one meal to the next without needing a snack. Furthermore, I can tell my blood sugar is more stable because my sweet-tooth is in check. 

 

3) I’ve stopped eating inventions and preservatives. This one was hard for me, as eating on the go is so convenient. But I’ve given up protein bars, granola bars (unless homemade), sodas and other packaged foods. They’re full of preservatives and chemicals you can’t pronounce. Have you ever read the ingredients on a package of bread? Why are there so many chemicals in it? Shouldn’t bread just be flour, butter, sugar, salt, milk and yeast? 

4) I savor every meal: Again, this isn’t always easy (especially with a baby!), but I only eat sitting down and try to savor every bite. I eat off of real plates most of the time (even when it’s pizza), and will often put on music and lights some candles at dinnertime. 

 

The thing I love most about this book, is it puts the fun back in eating. It isn’t about “being good” or “being bad.” If you want a piece of cake at a party, eat it and enjoy it. Don’t feel guilty about it. Just eat a few more veggies at the next meal. Don’t count calories or get fixated on eating “healthy.” As long as you’re eating whole foods, as close to nature as possible, it will be nutrient rich. Food is meant to be ENJOYED!

 

I’ve been enjoying food so much more since reading this book because I’m not watching my carbs, fats, etc. I’m making delicious homemade bread (savoring it with a generous pat of organic grass-fed butter), eating dark chocolate, Fontina and Brie. As a happy side effect, those last couple pounds are gone. 

 

I still have days where I go a little crazy and eat a little more than I should (especially when I bake chocolate chip cookies). I’m never going to be perfect and that’s okay. In a quick-fix world, sometimes we forget to just use common sense and eat a balanced diet of fresh, whole foods and take a walk every now and then. 

 

Life is too short to obsess over calories. I will enjoy food without deprivation, tapping into my inner French girl, experiencing everything guilt-free and in moderation. 

 

What are your thoughts about food in our culture? Do you think Americans will ever have a healthy relationship with food? What do you think the biggest dietary threats to our health are? 

A picture is worth 1000 words

This is me at 22 weeks pregnant. Still in that awkward, “Is she pregnant or just really enjoy beer?” phase, but, as you can see in the picture, very proud of my tiny bump. Fast forward one year and I’m mom to a beautiful, 10 month old baby girl, we’ll call Punky.

The past year has brought incredible change to my life. I’ve been to places I never imagined in good ways and bad, and have felt very inspired lately both philosophically and artistically. Which is what brings me here, to your computer screen.

One thing I love and hate about life is its unpredictability. As a person, I’m constantly evolving. I never want to reach a point where I’m satisfied with who I am and have learned everything I want to. Maybe I’ll be like Madonna (minus the young boyfriends and leotards at 50), who has gone through her Cowgirl phase, her goth phase, etc. and will surely have a new phase coming shortly.

There are certain things that will always be constants in my life: wellness, helping babies at work, my hubby, and Punky, of course. But my wanderlust nature will surely draw me to new areas from time to time.

As of lately, I’ve been gravitating to homemade creations, such as bread and (very recently) a tiny bit of sewing/crafting. I am excited to dabble in these and other domestic hobbies and invite you to join me on this journey. I would love your input and any tips you might have!