Chaos and Calm Go Hand in Hand.

A death in the family. Crazy activity schedule for kids. Immediate and extended family demands that can't always be met. A new business to tend to... this, in a nutshell, is what's been happening in the last month.

Right now, everything is a blur.

Life just keeps happening no matter who you are. And yes, even being the yogi that I am, I still experience moments when I am reduced to a time-starved, high stressed, carb-eating human doing (not being). The truth is, this is the unsustainable part of the human experience in a privileged country.

Once in a while, things get super busy and chaotic. Depending on the nature of it all, it could last a few weeks, a month or a whole year, especially if there has been a major life crisis. The tough part is recognizing when the tornado of activity is over and it's time to readjust how we move through our day.  I see this quite often with people who are unable to lie still in relaxation at the end of a yoga class; they have the time and space to do nothing, but their bodies and minds just keep going.

Currently, slowing down isn't my struggle. Okay, I lie... it is. Only I have a strong desire to slow down, but the timing isn't quite right. I don't enjoy being this busy, but I do recognize this is the particular season of my life at the moment AND... it's a recently new season, so I have to allow myself time to adapt and adjust. Quite frequently throughout the day, I am checking in with my breathing, the amount of tension in my body and my state of mind.  I find minutes of refuge that feel like hours of recharge when I stop to take in a hug from one of my children, when I pause for a minute to sit silently in my backyard, when I sneak in a handstand before returning to my computer after a bathroom break, when my head hits my pillow at a decent bed time at night... No, these aren't prolonged moments of deep contemplation or silence. Nor are they long hikes in the forest or an evening out with girlfriends. These moments are fleeting, but as long as I can pause to appreciate them they still count and they still refuel my tank.  I know eventually they will grow in length and these hurried days will calm down... and then... start up again... and calm down again... This is life.

What I am struggling with is disappointing extended family members at my current lack of availability. There was a time when I was going to university full-time and working three jobs. There just wasn't enough time in the day to spend time with family. That time in my life is over, but this "season" is quite reminiscent of those old days. It's also reminiscent of a few years ago, when our daughters were 3- and 6-years-old and I returned to school full time to study corporate communications and public relations. It was extremely busy, but that time is over... And so too, this time will eventually come to an end. Chaos. Calm. Chaos. Calm.  Life is ever fluctuating and nothing stays the same. To my family... this won't last forever and I have to give myself permission to disappoint you. I know you still love me ;)

I thank the past version of my husband and myself for planning our annual back country canoe & camping trip to Algonquin Park back in May. I can't wait to embed and insulate myself with my family into the refuge of the wilderness. To wash off this last year of city dwelling and get back to being instead of doing– even if it's only for five days I will soak up every moment like it's a year long retreat. You can bet nobody will hear from me at all.

Reflection on Year One of Entrepreneurship (Part 2)

What was I talking about??? What was I about to do??? Where did I put my keys???

Yes... Part 2 of Year One of Entrepreneurship is about the side effects of becoming an entrepreneur.

Mommy Brain is Back.

For the women out there who have experienced "mommy brain",  you will have some experience with scatterbrainitis that entrepreneurs tend to suffer from. Not only does one have more to think about, but each item to think about carries a greater weight of responsibility, which creates internal pressure not to forget anything, which in fact, results in the exact opposite– you forget everything. No longer can I judge business people who appear to be disorganized. Rather, I now appreciate all of the details that need to be attended to and the inexhaustible to-do list floating around in their mental space. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. Enter my mantra: "It will all get done... It will all get done... It will all get done..." which means, some things may not be done in timely matter as it may have been done in the past (ex. responding to emails, blogging, tweeting, etc.) but it doesn't mean I don't care. There's just not enough of me to go around.

I've come to accept a level of disorganization as part of being a business owner, but I've also learned the art of delegation. I simply cannot do everything. Time to start outsourcing. Enter the housecleaning crew, a part-time assistant, more team members and a little more room to breathe.

Look at my little cutie patootie... Awww... do you want your baba?

It's a strange phenomenon that happens to new parents... the tone of their voice changes and they begin speaking infantese. Ever met a business owner who only talks business?  I've caught myself several times. I think need to start reading tabloids.


Is their a multi-vitamin for time deficiency?

Just like having a new born, I am living for the survival and well-being of my neophyte business. When I'm not being a mother and wife, every available minute is unconditionally offered to my new business and just like when I brought my babies home, taking care of my own needs is hit and miss, but I know better than to let it go completely. I have maintained a sporadic 5:00am yoga practice. I take naps. I go to bed at before 11:00pm (most nights). I've been seeing my massage therapist... but I miss my play time.  I need some silliness and good belly laughs. I need to spend more time with friends and extended family. I need to be soaking up some fresh vitamin D and enjoying the outdoors– lately it's just been too cold for my tropically mixed blood. Hurry up warm weather!!!

It will all get done... It will all get done... It will all get done...

Sure it everything takes more effort, but what you end up with is a strong and healthy priority system because your time really is a precious and limited commodity. And just like parenting, being an entrepreneur is the most challenging and rewarding role one can have. I'm also setting out to defy the odds, to create a new model of healthy and well-thy entrepreneurship... please excuse me while I take a moment to "just breathe".

My Favourite Skin & Hair Products

I am having an Oprah moment. I love finding products that work exceptionally well and then passing those discoveries on to everyone I know. Over the last decade, I have been waking up from my passive consumer sleep and paying attention to the ingredients on labels. I soon realized that I was giving myself a daily chemical bath– EW!

My daily regiment looked something like this:

Wash hair with chemicals
Wash body with chemicals
Style hair with chemicals
Moisturize body with chemicals
Brush teeth with chemicals
Block odor and sweat with chemicals
Add colour to my eyes, cheeks and lips with chemicals
Spray wrist and neck with chemicals

And... at the end of the day I would use more chemicals to wash my make up off. Perhaps, ladies, you can relate.

The biggest question that entered my mind after I discovered my chemical bathing habit was "How do all of these chemicals interact with each other when they're on my body at the same time?" I still don't know the answer, but it doesn't take a MENSA credential to know that it can't be good.

Whatever we put in or on our bodies either protects and promotes our health or it doesn't. To me the answer seemed clear, so I began a search for natural skin and hair products that work well and smell good. I suffered through ridiculously itchy (and smelly) armpits, big, frizzy hair and skin that I could sketch a self-portrait on with my finger nail. However, my perseverance paid off and eventually I was led to a collection of excellent skin & hair brands and their products*.

Look,  I am a mother of two daughters and one of them is a tween. The last thing I want to do is watch my daughters slather themselves with nastiness. When the time comes and IF they feel compelled to use beauty products I will have no problem pointing them to these gem brands.

*Please note, I have not been asked or paid by any of these companies to promote their products. I'm sharing this information because I am really happy with what they have to offer and would like to help people avoid the hair and skin mishaps I've had to experience before finding these products.

I use quite a few products from JayDancin . All of them are 100% natural. Every product I've tried I have fallen in love with. Here's what I use on a regular basis:

"Head to Toes" cream - Goodbye very dry and very cracked heels. Thank goodness because no one wants to look at yoga teacher with lizard feet! As the name suggests, this product can be used from head to toe and even used as eye make up remover. It carries a light lavender scent and comes with a little spatula to scoop the cream out with to avoid contamination from your fingers.

Body Butter - This stuff is heaven in a jar! It comes in unscented, which is great if you have a favourite scent you'd prefer to spritz on or prefer no scent at all, but if you like scented I highly recommend Goddess and yes... Patchouli; I guess that's the hippie in me. If you have dry, ashy skin– a term I picked up while teaching in Detroit after one of my students commented on my "ashy legs"– then you will love this product. Your skin will stay soft and smooth all day. I see they also have a new mango butter, which I will to have to try.

Organic Facial Wash & Toner - Remember those jujube candies we used to eat as kids that were shaped like a spearmint leaf sprinkled with sugar and tasted sweet and minty? That's what the scent of this facial wash will remind you of. It smells delicious and leaves your face feeling squeaky clean without drying out your skin. It's good for all skin types.

Mascara - Made from a beeswax base, it has great coverage and it washes off easily, so don't cry. 

Natural Mineral Foundation - First of all, do you know how happy I am find a powder that is the correct brown shugga tone?  If that is not an issue, I'm pretty sure you won't have a problem finding the right shade for you. This is a powder based product and it takes a little more thought to apply, but it's well worth it. It's best to sprinkle a little powder on a facial tissue and then lightly dust your face. You will have to be careful not to put too much on your brush or it will come out blotchy. If you visit the Vickie and her staff at the JayDancin store in Lambeth, they will be more than happy to give you a quick tutorial on how to apply it.

 Lip Gloss - It moisturizes well and I'm not grossed out when I lick my lips. JayDancin doesn't have a huge selection of colours, like you would find at a regular make up counter, however there's enough variety to find something that's right for you.

I haven't tried a lot of Rocky Mountain Soap Company products yet, but the one thing I will swear by is their deodorant. It's only available in roll-on, so it goes on wet and has to dry, but it actually works. You will still sweat because it is not an antiperspirant, however, if your body is trying to release perspiration from your body isn't it counter-intuitive to try to stop that process? Hmmm... something to think about. I do have to reapply it later in the day if I'm going for a run or to teach a yoga class, but it's not a big deal. I like the geranium scent, my husband alternates between Cypress and Men's Stuff scents.

I also use their Pomegranate Day Cream as my facial moisturizer. It's apparently for all skin types. I tend to have oily skin and I don't find it greasy at all.

I have to admit, as much as I love natural products I wish for a better selection when it comes to scents. Pacifica has answered my call. They have a very large selection of great smelling solid, roll on and spray perfume. They also carry body butter and body wash in matching scents. I've tried both and I'm very pleased. The body butter is more like a lotion and is not as oily as the JayDancin brand, which may be more suitable for skin that is less dry, but if you have dry skin like mine, you'll have to put a generous amount on to last throughout the day. I've only tried the Indian Coconut Nectar so far, which is a delicious scent for the summer, but I intend to have fun exploring other scents, as well as the other products they carry.

I use Sea Kelp shampoo and conditioner  by Jason which works great on curly hair like mine. I also use it on my girls' hair. The conditioner is super thick, which means we have to rinse it out really well, but our hair is soft, shiny and the frizz is under control. They also carry other formulas for different hair types.

(A close second for shampoo and conditioner is Nature Clean Pure Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner, their price point is a little higher compared to Jason and as they claim, their product is 98% natural, but when I need to switch things up this is my "go to" brand)

A friend of mine gave me some Gel-les'c hair gel by Curls to try and I fell in love right away. Finding good products that can tame the chia pet on my head (add water and watch it grow) is not an easy task. Like Nature Clean, their product has a much higher price point and is not 100% natural, but it's close enough to make me feel good about using it. It also has a great fruity smell that makes you want to eat it.


Hopefully you find this list helpful as you de-chemicalize your hair and skin routine. And if you find any other products that have not been mentioned here, but you absolutely love, let me know. Lastly, if you're not sure about what chemicals to avoid, check out lovethelabel.ca

Be good to yourself :)

Have You Been Winterized?

Photo: Colin Owens

What a beautiful fall season it has been this year. The warm temperatures and sunny days have made it an easier than usual transition into the winter months that lie ahead, but the trees are now bare; exposing their structural beauty and reminding us of the strength and endurance the allows them to flourish in the harshest cycle of the four seasons.

Winters can be challenging. The bitter, cold, gray days can take a toll on one's mind and body. Some people embrace the the season of snow and ice by taking up activities like skiing or snowboarding.

When I first became a parent, I envisioned myself being outside all winter building snowmen and tobogganing down steep hills with my children. Not so much. I'll get the urge to play outside as many times as there are fingers on my hand– other than that, I am watching the kids from inside the house, happily making hot chocolate for when they come in. I'm the type of person who cannot stand being cold. Once I get a chill, I can't get rid of it and then I'm uncomfortable for the rest of the day.

Over the last several years through yoga and my my naturopathic doctor friend, Pankaj Seth , I have been introduced to Ayurveda– the science of life. This system of self care has made winters much more bearable. Basically, it is a personalized method to keep yourself well balanced and healthy. A lot of it seems to be common sense, as it is about consciously changing your habits to adapt to your environment (and vice versa) and/or circumstances to maintain balance. Any time the body is not balanced means it has to work harder; the longer it takes to restore balance means vulnerability to illness and disease increases because the immune system is more and more compromised. This approach to well being has demanded I take more responsibility for my own health and well being.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, my dosha is predominantly vatta-pitta. Winter is "vatta"(wind) in principle, and since like increases like, I am more vulnerable to imbalances during this season: super dry skin, physically chilled, susceptible to colds and flu (I used to be one of those people who would catch cold after cold and have one major bout with flu every winter).

Using the principles of Ayurveda I basically eliminate all things cold and reduce the number and change the type of activities I do. I try to incorporate as much kapha (water & earth) or pitta (fire) principles into my daily living as possible. It's kind of fun adjusting this and that to see what works and what doesn't. Here's what has worked for me:

1. Drinks: Lots of fluids, no caffeine and hold the ice!
-hot liquids. (I love my Tazo and Yogi  teas!) Even plain ol' water is hot. When I go out to a restaurant,
 I'll request hot water with lemon, which gives me an extra boost of vitamin C; at home, I'll make tea
 out of a heaping teaspoon of Chyawanprash
-red wine


2. Food: Goodbye salads, hello soup...
-hot cereal or granola with hot soy milk for breakfast.
-increase my intake of spicy food, heavy comfort foods and meat- yes, I said meat! (preferably organic)
-raw foods I pretty much limit to fruit that can be stored at room temperature
-increase use of olive oil in cooking


3. Environment: Warm and cozy please.
-aromatherapy with earthy or spicy scents
-burn candles throughout the house and of course, spend lots of time in front of the fireplace
-sit in the steam room at the gym
 


4. Activities: Less doing, more being.
-cooking (I love being in a warm kitchen in the middle of winter!)
-running indoors
-yoga
-reading
-anything creative: writing, painting, sketching


4. Personal Care: Stay warm and grounded.
-sesame oil, almond oil or mango body butter for my skin- if it feels warm the minute it touches my
 skin, it's perfect
-increase massage therapy treatments
-much more conscientious of my body temperature; the minute I begin to feel cold, I add another layer
-if I feel the early signs of a cold, I make a fresh basil and ginger tea and that knocks it out of me.
-hot baths at night
-music: less bounce, more chill; jazz, ambient, R&B, reggae, etc.
-meditation
-introspection/reflection
-vitamin D supplement 

Most important of all is guarding the mind so as to have a good night's rest and being mindful of thought patterns that can be toxic, whether it's constantly thinking about too many things at one time or negative inner dialogue– the mind is a powerful influencer on health and well being.

Winter is quickly sneaking up on us. Why not try something different this year? For instance, if you tend to lose motivation and become moody during the winter, that would be considered a kapha (water & earth) imbalance. What you need would be some pitta (ex. spicy food) and vatta (ex. invigorating physical activity) influences.
Ayurveda has been one of those things I have gratefully added to my "Toolbox for Life".  It provides yet another perspective about health and well being that seems to be missing in western medicine, although Dr. Oz and Deepak Chopra have been doing a good job of introducing it to the masses– even though it's a bit on the commercialized side. (sigh) However, if you're into your health (because what good is life without it?) Ayurveda is something worth checking out.


Resources on Ayurveda:

Movie: The Art of Being

More about Dr. Pankaj Seth, ND:
http://www.doctorseth.ca
www.bodhinewmedia.ca/


The mind has great influence over the body, and maladies often have their origin there.  ~Moliere