I found this in my drafts, unfinished. I remember reading back through it and hating how 'about me' it was, and that I felt selfish for writing it so I put it away. But now I think that its a really good indication of how I was living at that time and that I deserved that me time! And now it's helping me to get back on that level of looking after myself... as since I went to Japan as mentioned, I seem to have lost the art in the business of life...
'So I've been having really good thoughts lately.
I know this because they are about cool things and I've actually decided to take action instead of just thinking about them like I normally would. This is partly due to that fact that I've been doing very well for myself at work lately (which is no coincidence - it's an every day choice), which means that I now have a little bit more money to play with. In turn, this has also prompted me to be a lot more wise about the money I was already earning as well, in order to start rewarding myself when I do a good job. I've come to believe that this is more important than I realised.
I have been looking after my body on new levels. My cousin and I have been 'consciously food combining' - ensuring that we are only eating foods that agree with each other at any given time. For example, proteins should never be eaten with any kind of starchy foods, and starchies not with proteins - though eggs and dairy are more acceptable than flesh proteins. Fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach, on its own, and not less than 20 minutes before eating anything else. Sugar is kept to a minimum (although we never say no - if we have a craving we will eat little treats like 70% organic dark chocolate, or mum's smoked almonds, which are both perfectly fine, and even good for you), and dairy also. I look at the label of every single thing I put in my shopping basket now - to find out exactly what is in it and where it's from. I'm happy because I discovered that I've always bought quite good products anyway, but it wasn't until I read 'Make Peace with Your Plate' by Jess Ainscough that I learnt the extended benefits of organic, clean eating, and I feel like I've been given a gift that will last a lifetime. My main vice is portion sizing - I blame it on reading too many British children's classics when I was little - the kind where the children tumble in from a full day on the Moore to a generous mumma who piles their plate high with jolly, good food like buttery mashed potato and pork with apple sauce and three serves of pudding. But I've cut down, almost by half, and you know what - it is still enough! I'm getting to a point now where I dislike feeling full, and am learning to eat slowly so that I can stop in time.
This has gone on for two weeks now, and I'm feeling really good, much less bloated and visibly slimmer, which I'm happy with considering I now find it so easy to eat like this. I love the saying that goes, 'Most people on this planet have no idea just how good their body was designed to feel.'
We attended our first yoga class yesterday, which was very nice. I have wanted this for so, so long. We finally found out that a lovely gallery around the corner from our house has bi-weekly classes in a spacious, light-filled second-story room, and though I wouldn't be able to make it home from Collingwood in time for the Wednesday evening session, I can go every Sunday at 4:30 in the afternoon, which is quite a nice time to do yoga, I think.
Morning and/or afternoon walks with my cousin or Trusha-from-next-door respectively, running to be picked up from the corner of Chapel St for work, and Bronni times at the St Kilda Sea Baths (half an hour of assorted laps, ten minutes in the hot tub and five minutes in the steam room) round out my exercise for the week. And the odd BMX ride around the neighbourhood. Oh and Yann's said I can go sailing with him and his friends some weeknights at six. We were supposed to go tonight, but he had to work late.
But my rewards!
In two weeks I depart for my first proper overseas trip in around two years. I am a travel agent. A stupid one! To Japan I am steered, with two of my best friends from my company - Ketts and Laus. Five nights in Tokyo, then up we go to Hakuba in the mountains (about four hours from the city by transfer), for a week of that infamous Japanese pow which, at the mere mention, has everyone in the ski industry sighing and going glassy-eyed.'
Unfortunately this is when my article stopped, so I really can't remember what my other rewards were, but I'm quite sure they were along the lines of purchasing my very own set of skis, boots and everything - I finally have all my own ski gear! It has been a goal of mine for about 4 years now.
I'd say this was written around the 20th of Feb '14
