Oh this topic sings to my soul. I have just really just began learning and understanding what it means, for me, to live holistically and be sustainable, and what a journey it has been so far.
I grew up in a suburb and as the years went on it became more and more populated, turning into, what felt like, Queens, NY. I never had a vegetable garden growing up. I wasn't interested in learning how to cook. Breakfast? I would just go up the street to the bagel store and have someone else make me eggs. For years this was how I lived; spending a ton of money on coffee from Dunkin' or Starbucks meanwhile there was coffee at my house.
For most of my teen into early adult years I just "lived" or so I told myself that's what I was doing. When in reality I was doing more harm then good. I always had this empty void, a dark spot where no light could get through. I was always searching for the "next best thing" to fill it. It wasn't until I got the opportunity to pick up and move three hours away with my sister until my life really began.
I met my husband, had a baby, and moved up into the mountains all within three years; it was a quick one, but this time something was different, a push inside of me that I never experienced before.
My daughter and my husband help to fill that little void within me and I am forever thankful for them. But it still just was not enough. What I truly needed to do was love myself. I have spent a very good portion of my life searching for happiness in other people, jobs, and alcohol, when in reality I needed to find peace within myself. I needed to love me and stop yearning for it elsewhere.
Over these past few months I have been studying Mindfulness practices, how to incorporate meditations into every day activities, and how to come back to my breath. This is one of my biggest challenges because, for years, my mind has been my biggest enemy; once I started to "fail" I'd be so hard on myself and just give up. I would get frustrated and then quit instead of recognizing that it is all a part of life; the successes and the failures, because without both what would be worth doing? This was a big game changer for me and something I give myself a pat on the back for whenever I see myself pushing through the challenging days and not giving up.
"Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won't)"
-James Baraz
To me living holistically and finding sustainability go hand in hand. My studying of mindfulness practices along with growing herbs, raising chickens, using mother earth for healing, experimenting in the kitchen, and being able to raise our daughter up here in the mountains all go together. I am on the journey of learning to love myself, learning how to calm my mind, how to be more present, and to be able to handle some of life's challenges with less "woe is me" and more "okay, bring it on".
With this energy and mindset I find happiness in gardening. I cannot wait for my herb and veggie gardens this year. The simplicity of walking outside for some parsley or rosemary and down to the garden for some cucumbers and tomatoes for a salad is still very new to me, but I cannot see myself living any other way.
I have begun creating oils and tinctures using herbs. I have more patience into reading and studying them and I see the importance of this for myself and my family. A goal of mine is to have a medicine cabinet that's sustainable and holistic. Sustainable in that I harvested them from mother earth and holistic as I know exactly what is in each one of them.
We raise chickens and in turn get those incredible farm fresh eggs and of course use the chickens for meat when the time is right. We live in a small town and neighbors help neighbors. We get milk, honey, and maple syrup all from people in the town. We have a farm up the road that sells all farm fresh fruit and veggies when the weather gets warm which is a very exciting time in our household!
I am so grateful for this new journey and to expand on it with each passing year :)