PERFECT DAY TIP #5: SOAK YOUR NUTS!

Soaked nuts (left) vs. Not soaked (right)

Lately, I have been soaking my nuts.

And loving it.

Soaking your nuts in water, for around 8 hours before you eat them, is one of those tips you often read about in health books.  And as much as it sounds good in theory, I always felt it was a tad overkill.

There have been numerous times that I have thought to myself "yeah, I should really do that". Yet that thought never seemed to translate in to action. I always felt a bit "meh" about it, like, "do I really need to soak them..? Surely they are just as nutritious and delicious just as they are! Right?"

Think again.

Now that I have began soaking them there is no going back. Not only are they plumper, softer and easier to digest, but I am secretly enjoying my little nightly soaking ritual. You would be surprised at how damn easy it is!!


MY NUT SOAKING RITUAL

Before I go to bed at night, all I do is...

+ Throw a couple of handfuls of almonds (or whatever nut you desire) in to a strainer
+ Rinse them under water
+ Put them in a bowl
+ Cover them with water
+ Add a sprinkling of salt
+ Let them soak overnight

Then in the morning I...

+ Pour them back in to the strainer
+ Rinse them again
+ Put them in a container and store in the fridge

Simple. As. That.


HOW I USE MY SOAKED NUTS

+ Raw chocolate pudding: I have previously written about my raw chocolate pudding recipe, although that particular one did not include almonds. I am now making a sugar free version of my pudding which does include nuts. To make it blend together 1/4 of an avocado, a handful of soaked almonds, cinnamon, raw cacao powder and water. It is very rich, but also very delish!

+ Sprinkle them with (healthy) salt: Because the nuts are moist and soft, they soak up the salt and it creates a delicious flavour combination.

+ Home made almond milk: Hmm, to be honest, I am actually yet to do this, but I am going to. And when I do, there will definitely be a post about it! Stay tuned.

+ Toss them in salads: They add such an amazing texture and flavour to salads, plus they are a wonderful little protein booster.

+ Eat them, as is!


WHY YOU SHOULD SOAK YOUR NUTS

+ Nuts contain a substance called phytic acid which binds with certain nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc and inhibits their absorption. Over time this can lead to mineral deficiency. When you soak the nuts, you start to break down the phytic acid, which in turn reduces the chance that your precious minerals and vitamins will not be absorbed.

+ Nuts also contain enzyme inhibitors. These inhibitors interfere with our digestion because they effect the enzymes in our stomach that break down our food. So if you have ever found yourself with a tummy ache after eating a bag of nuts, you now know why! When you soak the nuts, you draw out these inhibitors in to the water. Adding the salt to the water really helps this process.

+ Soaked nuts are yummier! They develop a much richer and sweeter flavour and in fact makes them feel as though they are fresh and alive, rather than dry, hard and stale.


So, over to you...
+ Are you a nut-soaker?
+ Leave a comment and share your experiences, tips and recipes!

PERFECT DAY TIP #4: BE A SPIRIT JUNKIE

Today's Perfect Day Tip is about everyday spirituality. Spirituality for the modern world.

Gone are the days where being spiritual meant retreating in to a cave and meditating for hours on end. More and more people are waking up to the idea of everyday spirituality - bringing spiritual principles in to the moments of your day to day life in the aim of cultivating peace, flow and authenticity.

What feelings/thoughts/images does the word spirituality conjure up for you? What ever it is, let it go! We do not need to define spirituality or box it in to some stereotypical image. Spirituality does also not necessarily have to relate to anything religious either. It is an individual and personal practice that can be adapted and moulded by each individual to meet whatever it is they are needing. 

This is why I love the work of Gabrielle Bernstein. I have referred so many people on to the teachings of this phenomenal lady. She totally demystifies spirituality and breaks it down for the modern day woman (or man) in to manageable practices that can lead to transformational change. 

Integrating spiritual principles simply means shifting your perceptions and learning to see the world in new ways. It is not so much about what you are doing, but who you are being. Through a spiritual practice you can connect with yourself and others in a completely new way, and the way that you view the world shifts. As a result of these mental shifts, you will find that your physical, external world begins to reflect this change back to you and shifts start to occur. This practice is such a beautiful contrast to the standard action-focused way of living. 

MY CORE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES

As I mentioned, what being spiritual means to each of us is totally unique and different. But I would like to share some of the core principles that underlay my concept of spirituality. If some of these do not resonate with you, that is fine. This is about finding out what spirituality means to you.

HERE ARE MINE:

+ We have infinite potential. We can be, do or have anything we want. There are no limitations, except for the limitations that we impose upon ourselves.
+ At our core we are love. When we think from a place of fear, we are living in illusion and are not connected to our truth
+ Forgiveness heals all wounds
+ Everything is energy. We are made of energy. The energy that we give off will attract a similar energy. The energy of our thoughts and emotions alters the energy of our body and the outer world.
+ We are all spiritual beings on this planet having a human experience
+ There is a higher part of ourselves that we have access to. This is our inner guidance. It is our intuition. By tuning in and listening, we can receive guidance, messages and learning's

+ We cannot judge, blame or criticise others for things we do not like about them, as they are merely reflecting back at us the things we do not like about ourselves

+ What goes around, comes around. What you give out, you get back

+ Gratitude multiplies. Whatever you are grateful for will expand in your life
+ The world is our mirror. It reflects back to us what we put out. The outer world is a reflection of what is going on inside of us. All the people in our life are mirrors of the light and darkness that exists inside us
+ When live in flow, and we are willing to listen we will be guided to everything we need
+ We are all one. We all made of the same stuff. We are all equal. We are all connected.

+ Our purpose is to remember who we really are and to begin to create a new world around us that is filled with light, connection, love, consciousness, peace and joy
+ The universe is governed by universal laws, and by following these laws we can create a universe around us that is as exactly how we desire

When I live from this place, the world looks different. I experience more magic. Life seems to flow. Little things do not bother me. Peace comes easily. Happiness feels like my natural state.

EXPLORE WHAT SPIRITUALITY MEANS TO YOU

+ BE OPEN AND WILLING: Start by simply becoming curious. Are you holding on tightly to your set of current beliefs about the world, or are you willing to see things in a new way? Start to entertain the idea that perhaps some of the things you have come to know about the world, are not actually true. Start to explore some new concepts and try some new things on. Unless your mind is open, flexible and willing you will not be able to allow anything new in.

+ READ: Start reading new books. Simply walk in to a bookstore with the intention of gaining some new awareness of what spirituality could mean to you, and see what books you are lead too. Seriously, you will be lead. Gabrielle talks about how her first spiritual text, A Course In Miracles, literally fell or the shelf and dragged her to the counter.

+ CONNECT WITH NEW PEOPLE: Over the course of the past 10 years I have dabbled in and out of living and breathing my spiritual practice, but the times where it has been the strongest, is when I have had a community of like minded people around me. It can be intimidating at first to attempt to connect with new types of people and discuss unfamiliar topics. But if this is something you are seeking, it will help so much. Keep your eye out for local community events, meditation or yoga classes, free talks etc or simply connect with like minded peeps on the web!

+ MEDITATE: I have written about the benefits of meditation previously. But I am telling you now it is the number one way to begin to explore spirituality. Through meditation, you will find your self relax. Your mind will slow. You will be able to let go of some of your crazy, fearful thinking and reconnect with your truth. You may also begin to hear the whisper of your intuition which can begin to guide you and lead you. 

+ JOURNAL: The foundations of spirituality, lie in your relationship with yourself. A spiritual connection starts with a connection with yourself. Journalling is a great tool for this! Start by free writing about your thoughts and feelings. Tune your attention inwards and let what is inside you pour out. You may even write a question, and see what answer comes forth. By taking time to connect with yourself you will be able to develop a much greater awareness of the spiritual thread that flows through your life.

So, over to you. I would love for you to share your experiences...
+ What does spirituality mean to you?
+ What are your spiritual practices

PERFECT DAY TIP #3: EAT KALE (A NUTRITIOUS + DETOXIFYING SUPER VEG!)

Kale. It is a wonder vegetable. In fact, it changed my life. This puppy is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and since I began eating it my health has totally transformed. 

I first came across kale through my dear friend Nicci from Miss Organic. She would deliver a massive bunch of this curly-leafed green to me each week. For a while there, I was not quite sure what to do with it. I thought it was pretty, and that it looked super healthy, but I had no idea how to prepare it or eat it. After getting a few tips, doing a lot of googling, and plenty of trial and error I was able to develop a repertoire of ways to prepare it, and I have since grown to love this little vegetable.

SO WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT KALE?

+ Kale is extremely high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin A

+ It is packed with fibre and antioxidants

+ It also contains calcium, iron and B1, B2 and B6

+ Due to the high vitamin K content it has a wonderful anti inflammatory effect on the body

+ The amazing phytonutrients in this pretty plant help to prevent cancer

+ It is full of nutritious minerals and creates has an alkalising effect on your body

HERE IS HOW I EAT KALE!


I JUICE IT...

This is my kale before I juiced it up! This combo has kale, cucumber, lemon and ginger. Just a word of warning with this one - the flavour of kale can be quite intense due to the high chlorophyll content. So, if you are a beginner in the world of juicing kale, I highly recommend you add in an apple or 2 until you get used to the flavour. It has taken me quite a long time of kale juice drinking to work up to having without fruit.

I SAUTE IT...

Rip the leaves off the stem and cut it in to bite size pieces. Saute in a little bit of coconut oil (or olive oil if you prefer) until it has wilted. Then whisk together a couple of eggs and pour over the top. Cook it all together until the eggs are done and then serve on some yummy gluten free bread. 

I CHOP IT...

Rip the leaves off the stem and then cut the leaves up in to bite size pieces. Mix it in with some other lettuce leaves or baby spinach and top with avocado! Then use it as a side accompaniment to any dish you want!

I STIR IT THROUGH...

Kale is delicious when it is mixed in with lots of other yummy + healthy superfoods as well. This dish blends together my 3 favourite things - kale, quinoa and avocado! I simply cooked up the quinoa and while it was still warm I stirred through through the kale and then topped it with avocado and a boiled egg. Delish!

I BLEND IT...

Add kale to a fruit smoothie (minus the milk) and blend it up! You do not have to make yours as green as this. It is fine to just add in a handful of kale leaves with a banana or mango. I also like to add in some superfoods like goji berries, chia seeds, maca powder or coconut!

WANT MORE KALE RECIPE IDEAS?

Here are some recipes from other kale lovers...

+ Over at My New Roots, check out these amazing looking Kale Chips

+ The oh so inspiring Linda Wagner shows you how to eat kale raw with her favourite salad

+ Sarah Wilson has a great range of kale recipes here including a kale and olive gluten free pasta!

+ Gina from Choosing Raw demonstrates how to make a yummy hummus and kale wrap

+ Tom and Ali from Nourishing Meals have an amazing looking harvest green smoothie

So, over to you...

+ Are you a kale lover?
+ What is your favourite way to eat it?

PERFECT DAY TIP #2 : EXERCISE AT SUNRISE

This is the second post in the Perfect Day Tip Series. If you missed the first post, you can read it here.

Up until 6 months ago I was not a morning exercise person. Not at all. In fact, I had a massive resistance to the idea of exercising in the mornings and I had a whole bag full of excuses about why I could not do it. 

Although I had a pretty consistent fitness routine in the afternoons, I found that when life got busy or I got tired, this was the first thing to get the chop. So, to overcome my "I'm too busy" sabotage strategy, I thought it would be a great idea to get up early and squeeze in my exercise before work. 

For months, I really wanted to start to exercise in the mornings. I would think about it, set goals around it, and try to force myself to wake up for it, but it never happened. I always had so many valid  reasons why I couldn't - too tired... not enough time... it's too hard... too cold... too hungry...blah blah....

(above: a pic from one of my morning runs)

SO WHAT CHANGED?

Fast forward to now, and I pretty much never exercise in the afternoons anymore. Why? Because I love doing it the mornings so much!

So, want to know how I did it? Want to know how I changed myself from a 'chronic morning exercise procrastinator' to someone who jumps out of bed at 5am ready to go?

Well, I'll tell you!

HERE ARE MY HOT TO TROT, MORNING EXERCISE TIPS...

+ DECIDE

A lot of people like the idea of exercising in the mornings, but actually getting their butt out of bed and doing it is a whole other story. I clearly remember the evening I actually decided I was going to do this. I was totally committed. 

Before that it was just kind of a wishy washy desire. Once I decided it was going to happen, I became completely dedicated to doing whatever it took to make it happen. 

+ PLAN

Before I did anything, I started by planning everything that I would need to do to get it happening (trust me, you will be waaay too disorientated in the morning to try to plan any of it then!)

What to plan...

+ What time you will get up

+ What time you will get to the gym/park etc for your exercise

+ How long you will exercise for and what you will do

+ What time you will finish 

+ How long you will need to get ready for work 

+ PREPARE

Before exercising in the mornings, I would prepare everything I needed the night before. 

What to prepare...

+ Your clothes, shoes, and accessories (eg: ipod, hat)

+ Your gym bag 

+ Your food for the next day* 

*Now this is completely up to you. Personally, I was often in a bit of a rush to get ready for work, and I wanted to make sure I had healthy food after my workout. So I whipped my food up the night before.

+ CREATE A HABIT

I wanted to create this whole morning exercise thing, as a new habit for myself. I wanted it to become something I did easily. For me personally, I knew that if I only did this every now and then, I could easily fall back in to procrastinating on it and using the same old excuses. To succeed, I knew I had to make this part of my daily routine.

To create a rock solid habit..

+ Do it everyday (except Sunday mornings of course!)

+ Wake up at the same time everyday

+ Do it in a similar way everyday

STILL NOT CONVINCED? 

Well, maybe this will inspire you...

SOME OF THE (MANY) BENEFITS OF MORNING EXERCISE INCLUDE..

+ You get to revel in that amazing post-exercise-buzz all day long

+ It gives your metabolism an amazing kick-start

+ You can enjoy everything you eat even more because you know you have totally earned it

+ Your exercise is over and done with, so you do not need to think about it for the rest of the day

+ You will feel super proud of yourself

+ You will have a rockin' hot sexy body to show off as a result! What better reason is there than that?

So, over to you! Tell me...

+ What is your exercise routine?

+ Are you a morning exercise lover?

PERFECT DAY TIP #1: BUILD YOUR MEDITATION MUSCLE

I don't know about you, but I am totally and utterly psyched for 2012. I think this is going to be a rocking year and I can definitely feel an electric energy in the air already.

For me, this is a year of many new beginnings. It is the year that I will be following my heart, letting go of what is familiar and embracing a life full of daring moments. I am stepping up and playing full out and I am willing to do whatever it takes to make my dreams a reality.

So, what does this mean for a life of perfect days? Well, I also have a lot planned for this little blog of mine, so watch this space! Firstly, if you have not yet noticed, the blog has undergone a new year makeover. I hope you enjoy the brighter colours and new layout.

This year, I will be bringing you a new energy, a fresh approach and more content, more frequently. You will still get your usual dose of inspiration + wisdom + tips for a wonderful life. But it will now come to you in some different and exciting ways.

You will also be hearing from other people, rather than just me. I have lined up a handful of fantastic contributors who will be bringing you inspiring and thought provoking content to help you make 2012 your best year yet.

So, here is your first sneak peak. This is my new series of posts which will become a regular segment on the blog: PERFECT DAY TIPS.

Seeing this blog is all about living a life of perfect days, I thought why not create a series of posts full of tips to create your most beautiful and perfect day. I will be sharing photos, advice, recommendations as well as practices that I use in my own life to make each day, the best day possible.

Some of these tips may resonate with you, and some may not. But each of them are there to be tried, tested and explored. They are practices that I know work for me, and that I hope will work for you too.

So, without further adieu, here is the first tip for you...

PERFECT DAY TIP #1: BUILD YOUR MEDITATION MUSCLE

A lot of people encounter a bit of a block when it comes to meditation. Many people feel that they cannot possibly sit still for even a few minutes. Or even if they can sit, they find it impossible to quiet or slow their mind enough to actually meditate.

Here is the deal: meditation is not about being perfect. It is simply about creating some time and space for yourself.

People also often wonder if they are doing it right. Or they say "how will I know that I am actually meditating?" Again, the point of meditation is not to adhere to any particular method and there is not right or wrong way.

THE PURPOSE OF MEDITATION IS TO:
+ Slow your mind
+ Reconnect with your body
+ Become aware of your breathing
+ Create quietness
+ Embrace stillness
+ Detach from your thoughts

HOW TO BUILD YOUR MEDITATION MUSCLE:
+ Practice: Simply start by making time to sit in quietness for 5 minutes each day. Some good times to do it are in the morning after you wake up or before bed. Do not worry if your mind is whirling at a thousand miles an hour. Just start by building the habit of sitting in stillness each day.
+ Use guided meditations: I love to use guided meditations with music and some audio as I find it easiest to slow my mind when I have something to focus on. I use Gabrielle Bernstein's meditations (see pic above) which you can download them here.
+ Focus on your breath: As you are meditating you will likely catch yourself getting caught up in your thoughts. If this happens just gently bring your attention back to your breathing. Put your attention on the sensation of air coming in and out of your nose, or of your belly moving in and out.
+ Gradually increase your time: Once you feel comfortable sitting for 5 minutes, try sitting for 10. Then once you a comfortable with 10, sit for 15. Like any new habit, it takes practice. But if you can persevere you will find that over time it will become much easier.

So, let me know how you go! I would love to hear your experiences. 

+ Do you have a regular meditation practice?
+ What methods/techniques do you use to help you?

LIVING A LIFE OF PERFECT DAYS

My absence from this site, and my lack of inspiration to write has forced me to start to reflect a little on this blog and why I initially started it. I think that whenever your motivation is faltering in a certain area, it can be beneficial to reconnect with your intention and think about the why behind what you are doing.

This blog was born out of my desire to live life one day at a time. I was at a pointwhere I had been spending a lot of time thinking about what I really desired, and for the first time I was beginning to feel like all the things I had ever wanted were actually possible. I remember feeling extremely overwhelmed by the enormity of what I felt I had to achieve to manifest my vision. I had no idea how it would ever happen and I felt unbelievably daunted by the prospect of making it happen.

I realised that the reason I was feeling this way was because of my focus. I was focusing in how big I thought my dream was, how impossible it felt, and on all the things that I would have to do to get there. Feelings of fear, dread, doubt and anxiety arose as I pondered the future and the huge task that lay before me. It was at this point that I decided I needed to shift the way I was thinking about it all. I decided then and there to start living my life one day at a time.

Ask, what can I do today?
I decided to simply focus on what I could do today to take me toward my dreams, rather than all the things that would need to be done in the future. I realised that if each day, I took some step, some action, or did one thing that was a step in the right direction, and if I did this every day, I would eventually be lead to the achievement of my dreams. I reminded myself that my point of power is only in the now. I could not predict what would happen tomorrow, a week from now or a year from now, and I could definitely not control it. So I brought my self back to the one thing I could control - now. How could I create the best now? Who could I be in this now and what things could I do, that would ensure I was creating the future I wanted

I decided to think about what the perfect day would look like to me. Who would I be being, what actions would I be taking, what baby steps could I commit to which were in line with where I wanted to be. I realised that if I lived each day as the perfect day, then my life would then become a culmination of perfect days.... and so a life of perfect days was born.

A life of perfect days is not so much about creating a day where everything around you is absolutely perfect or where the world is looking exactly as you want it too. It is more about how you feel, who you are being and how you are acting. For me, it was about finding my own inner power and reclaiming my ability to live as a creator in my life. I wanted to have the ability to create my day as I wanted it to be. In order to do this I had to get present, forget about the future and just live my life moment by moment with mindfulness.

Create the perfect day
In order to create my perfect day, I committed to some practices that would either be completed daily or several times a week. I initially got clear on what my larger long term vision was, and then I broke it down in to daily practices that I believed would take me there. These practices helped reconnect me with the person I wanted to be and were baby steps that would culminate to assist the manifestation of my dreams.

Since starting this blog, I have been committed to these practices, and by integrating them in to my life on a daily basis I have created some tremendous results as well as some amazing personal transformations. This is my big list of things that create my perfect day. I do not do all of them every day, yet I know that if I am ever feeling off, I only need to do one of these things and I will start to feel better....

• Daily gratitude: Sometimes I take time to write this down, other times I just sit and reflect in my mind, or I go through a list of things before I go to sleep. This practice reminds me of all the beautiful things I have in my life and brings me back in to the present moment. It also makes me a more loving, grounded and appreciative person
• Healthy eating: I started taking a food journal as I wanted to be consciously aware of what I was putting in my mouth. I have realised that I feel my best when I eat a diet that is primarily organic and alkalising and is filled with fresh, live, unprocessed foods.
• Being positive: This is about taking the time to find the good in every thing, every one and every experience. When bad things happen I can be quick to jump in to a negative reaction which triggers emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, hatred or criticism. Living positively, is about being optimistic about life, seeing the glass as half full and taking time to find the gifts and blessings that often arise out of challenges or experiences
• Self love: When I am being self critical, judgemental or focusing on why I am not good enough I feel crap and I tend to have a pretty crap day. Whenever I catch myself doing this now, I stop myself, and remind myself that I am doing the best I can. I am learning to be kinder to me and more gentle on myself and learning to praise and reward myself for things I do well.
• Having compassion: Rather than judging other people, making them wrong, blaming them, criticising them or saying or doing mean things, I try to stop for a second and take a breath. I remind myself that they are just a human like me, doing the best that they can with what they know. When I have compassion for someone else and allow them to be who they are without judgement it actually makes me feel better and my mind is freed up from negativity.
• Meditation: I take time daily to sit in meditation. Sometimes it may be only for 5 minutes, other times I can be in the zone for what feels like hours. There is something very powerful about taking time to sit, get quiet and reconnect with yourself. It is extremely calming, grounding and helps me find my centre when chaos surrounds me. Even taking a moment to reconnect with your breath when driving in the car or sitting on the bus can be of benefit.
• Reading: I have a huge collection of books that cover areas such as health, spirituality, NLP, happiness and healing. I like to read something from one of these books each day to ensure I am continually learning, growing and evolving.
• Blogging: For a while there, this blog became my life line. It allowed me to express myself, explore what I was experiencing and help others in the process. It also reconnected me with my great love of writing which for a while there was completely lost.
• Yoga: Yoga forces me to slow down, to breathe, to reconnect, to loosen up, to let go, to get out of my head and into my body, to relax and to come back in to the present moment
• Connecting with like minded people: I have met some amazing people over the past year or so who inspire me and help me reconnect with my truth. I love nothing more than having heart to heart conversations and exploring the magic of life with like minded souls. These types of relationships fill me up and make me feel whole.
• Exercise: I think we can all relate to how amazing you feel after a good workout. I love running outdoors and also going to the gym and working up a good sweat. Other times there is nothing better than going for a long walk. My day is definitely always better when I exercise.
• Being in the flow: Often when I am trying to make something happen in my life I become stressed, controlling and obsessive. I try to force things to happen and I make myself take excessive action. Instead I am now learning how to live in the flow. It is requiring me to start to let go and allow things to work out in due time. I am learning to only take action when I feel inspired and positive about it, and to ask for guidance when I am trying to solve a problem or create a solution. It is amazing how much more relaxing this way of living is. Doors open, people are more helpful, magic happens and results come more effortlessly.
• Being creative: When my soul is feeling a little empty it often means that a creative outlet is lacking in my life. I love to sew and make clothes, paint, draw, make things or even read creative blogs to re-inspire me and make my day a little more fun.
  
• Journalling: This has been a huge tool for me. I not only write a daily journal to help me keep track of the happenings in my life, but I also use it as a tool to reflect on and heal challenges. When something is going on in life, it can be really helpful to just write it all down. I find that getting it out of my head and on to paper really helps.
  
• Doing what I love: It is really important for me to allocate time each day to doing something that I love. Very often this will involve one of the above mentioned things. Other times it may just be as simple as taking a hot bath or dancing around the house to my favourite music. Filling my days with things I love is my number one way to create a perfect day!

Now over to you...
Take some time to think about;

• What would be on your list?
• What are those things that make you feel really good when you do them?
• What things can you do each day that help create a perfect day for you?
• Think about what your perfect day might look like. How do you feel? Who are you being? What do you see around you?What actions are you taking?
• What things can you commit to doing each day to create a life filled with perfect days?