17 Jan 2025
Empowerment, Holistic Health, Vegan Lifestyle
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The Highs, the Lows, and Finding Peace in the Pause

It’s been 6 months since my ACL reconstruction surgery, and let me tell you, healing is no straight line—it’s a messy, winding road full of detours (and the occasional tumble).

A few weeks ago, I got a little too ambitious. 

Picture me, deciding it would be a great idea to practice pushing into a handstand from a headstand. Spoiler: it wasn’t. I fell (hard), and let’s just say my knee was not amused. It set me back a couple of weeks.

Fast forward to this week, and I’m thrilled to report that for the first time in 7 months, I hit pads with my boxing coach and even did some light sparring—punches only, no kicks, and a knee brace firmly in place. 

And WOW… the high I got from that session? Better than any street drug. 

The Highs, the Lows, and Everything in Between

But here’s the catch: chasing that high, whether it’s from boxing, running, or hitting a big life goal, is like trying to hold onto water—it slips through your fingers. 

Ram Dass (one of my all time favorite spiritual leaders) spoke to how, whether it’s psychedelics, exercise, food, or achievements, the constant chase of the high keeps us stuck in cycles of craving, creating suffering.

“This too shall,” pass applies to the highs as well as the lows.

Softening Into the Hard Stuff

Many years ago, I found peace around food cravings and emotional eating—a journey that’s now the foundation of the Cravings Cure Challenge (if you haven’t signed up yet, I invite you to join me for free here).

So my main work the last few years has been around connecting with peace in times of stillness.

My word of the year is soften, and trust me, it’s not about going easy on myself. 

It’s about finding peace in stillness, and embracing movement that doesn’t necessarily provide that “high” I get from intense training sessions.

And that is hard for me! 

I share this because maybe you’ve felt it too—the urge to push, to chase, to do more, even when your body or mind is crying out for rest. 

So, here’s my invitation: what would it look like for you to find peace in the pause? To let go of the “high” and just be with what is, no matter how uncomfortable that is?

Your Move

We’re all on this winding road, learning as we go. For me, it’s about balancing movement with stillness, action with intention, and leaning into the moments that challenge me most.

For you? Maybe it’s something else entirely. But whatever it is, I hope this story reminds you to honor your body, your mind, and your journey—messy, non-linear, and beautiful as it is.

Because true badassery? It’s not just about hitting the pads or sticking the handstand. 

It’s about showing up fully with curiosity and fierce compassion, and letting that be enough.

10 Jan 2025
Empowerment, Environmentalism, Vegan-Related Current Events
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When Crisis Calls: Finding Peace in Purposeful Action

peace in crisis

I’m overwhelmed with emotion as I connect with my friends in Los Angeles and see the devastation being caused by the fires.

My heart breaks for all the animals in harm’s way… humans included (we are animals too!). 

If you are one of those people personally affected by the fires, my heart and prayers are with you.

In last week’s newsletter I wrote about the idea of “fierce compassion” (in case you missed it, I turned it into a blog post here), and I’m so glad I did, because given the current situation in L.A. I’m called to continue the conversation this week.

The Balance Between Being and Doing

I’ve talked a lot about being vs. doing over the last few years following going through severe burn-out, which landed me in Peru, working with Ayahuasca for 12 days. (I have yet to write a follow-up to my pre-aya post, because my experience was something very challenging to put into words.)

I returned with the understanding that my whole life, my focus has been on DOING everything I possibly can to help relieve the suffering of animals, what I’ve considered my life’s purpose since the age of seven.

I realized I was ignoring the importance of valuing my inherent worth as a human BEING, and it set me on the path of placing more of a focus on nurturing inner peace by making practices like meditation and yoga more of a priority.

That said, what I’ve come to understand, in my ever-evolving perspective, is that the most powerful way to be impactful, is to absolutely ACT (do), when action is called for, but to act with intention and present-moment awareness, and, to the best of our ability, to act from a place of inner-peace, grounded in pure compassion (for other people, animals, ourselves, and the planet).

And of course this is no small feat!

In order to act in such a way, we must get intentional with developing daily practices to cultivate inner-peace, and to move through the world intentionally, and with awareness.

Practicing Tonglen: Expanding Our Circle of Compassion

Ella and Rubia at Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary - compassion

One of the most relevant practices I know of is an ancient form of meditation called Tonglen, that is all about helping us widen our circle of compassion and relieve the suffering of ourselves and others. 

Tonglen is a Tibetan word that translates to “sending and taking” and the practice involves visualizing taking in the pain of others with our in-breath and sending out whatever will benefit them on the out-breath. 

And this is of course somewhat effortless when we’re practicing on behalf of people and animals we love deeply… those in our current circle of compassion. And it gets more challenging as we start to practice on behalf of beings we feel neutral toward or dislike.

So instead of turning our attention away from suffering, Tonglen teaches us how to lean into it and use it as a way to connect with others and create a sense of peace even in the midst of suffering.

I love how Buddhist monk Pema Chodron teaches about Tonglen, in case you’re interested enough to check out this 10-minute video of hers.

Outward Action: How We Can Help

Of course, if you are able to take outward action that will benefit those in need right now, like donating to rescue and relief organizations, that is very much needed right now. Best Friends Animal Society, for example, is doing incredible work on the front lines.

The Bigger Picture: Crises Beyond the Fires

I’ll end with this…

Let’s keep in mind that although the fires in LA are getting tons of media attention (rightfully so), there are similar crises occurring all the time, all over the globe—some less visible but equally devastating. 

From the destruction of rainforests for animal agriculture to the suffering of billions of sentient beings in factory farms, the choices we makemaking a difference by choosing vegan meals every day have the power to either perpetuate harm or foster healing.

Everyday Acts of Fierce Compassion

We may not be able to stop a wildfire with our bare hands, but we can make a profound impact by starting with what’s on our plates.

Choosing vegan meals is one of the most powerful actions we can take to reduce deforestation, conserve water, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and spare countless animals from suffering. It’s an act of fierce compassion that ripples out to protect the earth, its inhabitants, and future generations.

So, as we reflect on the crises unfolding around us, let’s channel our sorrow and outrage into meaningful action. 

Let’s honor our connection to all life by choosing foods that nourish not just our bodies, but also our planet and its beings.

Together, through mindful choices, we can be part of the solution—every single day.

07 Jan 2025
Empowerment, Holistic Health, Vegan Lifestyle
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Fierce Compassion: Guide to Grieving, Celebrating, and Living Fully

fierce compassion

Before I talk about FIERCE COMPASSION, I want to wish you a Happy New Year from me and Fiona!

We were gifted a gorgeous New Year’s Day in Miami (don’t hate😜… come visit!) and I had the fortune of taking Fiona to Bark Beach with the guy I’m dating (I can hardly believe I’m dating, as I was NOT looking to do so anytime soon, but that’s a story for another day).

I also took some time to reach out to people I care about this week.

I was touching base with a client turned friend, and she mentioned that she typically finds the holiday season to be “performative and annoying,” as well as challenging when it comes to eating healthfully.

She also mentioned that this year she was feeling a heaviness in her heart… a sense of grieving from the election perhaps… that was weighing on her.

As I was contemplating what words I could offer to be helpful to her, I put some energy into checking in with how I was feeling, and came up with the following message that I thought could be helpful to her and many of you reading this right now…

As we step into 2025, I’m reflecting on the idea of living with fierce compassion.

It’s a guiding force for me—a way of being that holds space for the full spectrum of emotions that are all a part of this human experience. 

I feel deep sorrow for the unbearable suffering of animals and humans alike… 

AND

I feel immense joy for the love, beauty, and wonder that still exist in this world.

It’s not either/or. It’s both.

I can grieve AND celebrate.

I can feel pain AND embody gratitude.

I can acknowledge the darkness AND shine my light.

This is what fierce compassion looks like.

It’s about being awake to the suffering around us while staying grounded in hope, love, and purpose.

Every moment offers us an opportunity to raise our vibration and contribute to the relief of suffering—for ourselves, for others, and for the planet.

Every action we take has the potential to do good or harm, to heal or to hurt.

Hogs and kisses farm sanctuary Ella and RubiaSo, as we move through this new year together, let’s ask ourselves:

How can we cultivate peace within, so we can ripple that peace outward?

How can we dance through life with loving awareness and intention?

Let’s make 2025 a year of fierce compassion, grounded in kindness and connection.

27 Dec 2024
Vegan Lifestyle
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Manifesting Your Best Year: The Art of Setting Soulful Intentions

setting intentions for the new year

Happy almost-New Year, friends! 🎉 I hope this finds you in the midst of a soul-aligned holiday season, savoring the magic of these moments.

You know how the Universe loves to serve us up what we need rather than what we want? Well, that’s been my theme since my sudden (and let’s be honest, strange) break-up two months ago. While it wasn’t the plot twist I had in mind, it handed me an unexpected gift: the space to focus on my work (hello, Cravings Cure Challenge on January 13!), dive deeper into self-care (thanks to insights from my Ayurvedic consultations with Eran), and cherish extra snuggles and playtime with my fur baby, Fiona. 🐾💕

Of course, life isn’t all green smoothies and wagging tails. In all honesty, I’m still working through some lingering anger toward my ex.

But here’s the thing: I’m putting into practice all the mental and emotional tools I coach my clients on—and you know what? They work. Grace has been my guide, even as I navigate the messy middle of grief and growth.

Just last Sunday, I spent time with someone I’ve known in passing, someone I deeply respect. And wouldn’t you know it? In one afternoon, a conversation revealed blind spots from my past relationship that I hadn’t yet uncovered. These realizations helped me let go of a big chunk of that lingering anger. It’s funny how the Universe sends people into your life at exactly the right moment, isn’t it?

And no, I’m not about to start a blog series called Sexy Fit Vegan Dating Diaries. (Though if I weren’t such an introvert who prefers animals to humans, maybe I’d consider it. 😜) Instead, I’m channeling my energy into aligning my inner world with my outer world. Because, friends, the Law of Attraction? It’s a scientific certainty, not some woo-woo fluff.

A Single Word to Set the Tone for 2025

As we roll into a new year, I have no expectations, no rigid resolutions. Instead, I’m stepping into 2025 with one simple, soul-aligned intention:

To BE more in balance.

For me, this means balancing the yin and yang, the masculine and feminine, the doing and being.

And since I am prone to over-doing (over-working and over-training specifically), and am most comfortable with yang/masculine energy, the single word for the year that I will use to remind me of my intention is “SOFTEN.”

Here’s how I plan to embody this intention:

  • Meditating at least five days a week. 🧘‍♀️
  • Releasing tension stored in my body through energy-moving practices like Tai Chi (which I started a few weeks ago!).
  • Laughing more—because joy is medicine.

An Invitation for You

What about you? What’s your vision for the year ahead? Instead of the same old resolutions (we know how those play out), I invite you to try something different:

  1. Choose one word or phrase that captures the essence of who you want to be this year.
  2. Create a few actionable commitments to bring that intention to life.
  3. Focus on being rather than doing—set an intention that reflects your inner transformation, not just external outcomes. (Hint: “Lose 10 pounds” is out; “Cultivate strength” is in.)

Need some inspiration? Here’s a quote I adore:

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” – Andrew Carnegie

What’s your word for the year? I’d love to hear it—drop it in the comments!

18 Oct 2024
Vegan Lifestyle
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POV: You’re a Vegan Introvert at Austin City Limits Music Festival

Austin City Limits Music Festival as an Introverted Vegan

If you’re an introvert, or a highly sensitive person, you’ll probably relate to what I’m sharing today. (I’m an introvert and consider myself toward the highly sensitive end of the spectrum.) And if you’re an extrovert, this may help you understand your introverted friends a bit better.

It’s funny, my friend Anne (founder of Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary) is constantly sending me hilarious “POV: You’re an Introvert” memes and reels like this one on Instagram, and in all honesty, it brings me quite a bit of comfort… they make me feel understood😆!

What’s also interesting to me, is how many acquaintances I have (often in the professional vegan space) are surprised to find out that I’m an introvert, I think because I really put myself out there professionally, DESPITE my introverted nature.

Anyway, all this to say that I recognize that I am ever-evolving, and I find it fascinating to oscillate between challenging myself to experience life outside of my comfort zone, and honoring who I am and what sparks joy, and what triggers anxiety…. Know what I mean?

When it comes to training, I LOVE challenging my body in ways that build strength, increase mobility and flexibility, and improve stamina, which absolutely means being uncomfortable. But to me, that’s a valuable, even exhilarating, type of discomfort.

When it comes to going to festivals on the other hand, being in huge crowds is a whole different type of discomfort… and one that I am finding less and less valuable.

That said, I went to the Austin City Limits Music Festival last weekend for the second time with Quinn (and 90,000 other people). His company puts on the event, and it is one hell of a music festival, with an awesome line-up of some of my favorite artists and bands including Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Leon Bridges, and Norah Jones.

There’s honestly no other way I would go to ACL except hand-in-hand with my man, who is so attuned to my needs it’s ridiculous (I’m such a lucky woman!)🥰. We had access to backstage, the “artist village,” the “Boom Boom” area, and company trailers where we could go to get out of the crowded gen pop area.

I always enjoy meeting Quinn’s friends and colleagues. Since we don’t live in the same city, going to the festival together makes me feel more connected to him and his life.

My dear friend Mahala, long-time vegan chef and Tantra teacher (who I interviewed on Rise & Thrive Episode 46, which listen to here or watch here)  came too, which was awesome. Talk about a beautiful, fun-loving soul!

So even though there were moments where I questioned what the hell I was doing there, I’m grateful I made the trip, and I will carry the memory of the adventure of it all with a smile on my face.

On another note, navigating the festival as a vegan was both easy and difficult. Easy in that there were plenty of vegan options to choose from among the vendors. Difficult because in the Boom Boom area they feature a celebrity chef who was cooking up whole pigs on display, which brought me back to a memory I have of being in elementary school, going to a Fourth of July barbeque where there was a pig roasting. I remember the horror I felt as I literally ran as far away as I could in tears.

Now, I get to practice both being connected to the pig’s suffering/death (along with the billions of other land animals who suffer and die each year), while also not only maintaining my composure, but also giving myself permission to stay connected to joy.

So there you go!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you’re signed up to receive my Soul-Aligned Sunday weekly newsletter for your weekly dose of me sharing my latest discoveries and updates as related to Sexy Fit Vegan, holistic health and fitness, veganism, and playfully navigating this adventure we call life.

09 Jun 2024
Vegan Lifestyle
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Powerful Life Lessons: A Birthday Reflection

It’s my 44th birthday today.

As I reflect on my life and prepare for my 45th trip around the sun, I’d like to share a few of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned… lessons that have helped me get to a place where I can embrace life as an adventure that I’m navigating with curiosity and compassion.

Sometimes I flow through the matrix gracefully, while other times it’s pretty damn messy. And I realize that it’s the discomfort of the mess that sprouts the opportunities for discovery and growth. So instead of resisting, the practice of leaning into the discomfort, and finding peace in the midst of it, is the most powerful practice of all.

Prioritize Curiosity

My number one mantra, for both myself and my clients, is “I approach myself and the world with curiosity and compassion.”

When we prioritize being curious over being right, and when we ask more questions than voice answers, we put ourselves up on the fast track for discovery, growth, and set ourselves up for a life filled with awe and wonder.

I find that the more I learn, the more I know I don’t know. And the more I know I don’t know, the more I want to discover, which makes life a hell of a lot more interesting!

We Are Human BEINGS First & Foremost

I was a human DOING for much of my life, basing my worth on what I accomplished, and believing that fulfilling my life’s purpose (to reduce the human-caused suffering of animals) was based solely on what I did. 

The spiritual path I have been on for the last many years led me to the understanding that by realizing my inherent worth, as a soul inhabiting this human body, and then focusing on being present, connecting with my “higher self,” I can more through the world with much more peace and ease. And the more peaceful and at ease I am, the more my actions (doing) are aligned with my purpose, and the greater impact I can make.

The Goal is Not to Feel Better…

“The goal is not to feel better – it’s to get better at feeling,” is a concept that I was introduced to by Michael Brown while reading (and following the protocol in) The Presence Process. 

The result of adopting this mantra is that we get to stop constantly looking for ways to numb, hide, or distract ourselves from negative emotions in unhealthy, self-sabotaging ways (e.g.  eating junk, endlessly scrolling through Instagram, over-working, over-eating).

We get to step into our power and live life fully, because we don’t get to experience happiness without knowing sadness, and the more we can embrace loss, the deeper we get to experience love. That’s the nature of this adventure we call life.

Mindfulness is foundational for Holistic Health & Wellness

The only way to gain awareness about the unhealthy habits, patterns, and programs that keep us from becoming the best version of ourselves is through mindfulness. 

Yoga has been instrumental in helping me practice mindfulness, which is the foundation for the self-coaching I use and teach, and that helped me overcome the depression and disordered eating that plagued me for a decade in my early adulthood.

Mastering mindful eating, specifically, has been a game changer for me and countless clients, both for upleveling overall health and longevity, AND for losing excess body fat and keeping it off without stressing over calories and macros. 

Love Wins

By embodying love and compassion for ALL beings on earth, and making decisions from a place of love instead of fear (as those are our two options), is a win-win-win-win. There are no downsides. 

For me, veganism is all about love and compassion. It’s about moving through the world with the intention of doing the most good and the least harm. 

Love wins. Period.

01 Jul 2022
Empowerment, Holistic Health
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Dear Introverts…

I wrote the following article on June 18th, 2022, four days after I returned home from my trip to the Temple of the Way of Light in Peru…

I’m coming to understand why it was necessary for our extraordinary facilitators to take the time and energy to prepare us for what they call the “integration process,” upon returning home after our 12-day Ayahuasca retreat.

As I understand it, explained by our shaman at the Temple, the healing power of “the medicine” (Ayahuasca) is activated during the ceremonies (we had six of these over 11 nights), and then continues to work over the weeks and months to follow in various ways. 

In addition to following certain guidelines, like avoiding alcohol, cannabis, psilocybin, spicy and ice-cold foods, it’s vital that we take time, and give ourselves space to process the inner-knowledge and discover information that will continue to unfold.

My overall intention for my trip was to recover from burn-out and my addiction to “doing,” release the blockages that were fueling my depression and restlessness, and embody inner-peace and freedom. 

Part of my “doing” addiction included being in a constant state of learning from people I idolize as top thought leaders, changemakers, and solutionaries, through books, talks/lectures, and podcasts. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with seeking knowledge from gurus who have devoted their lives to attaining, embodying, and sharing their truth in ways that positively impact the world!

The problem was that I hadn’t given myself the time and space to embody what I was learning.

Determined to break my destructive patterns, during the 12 days at the Temple of the Way of Light, I devoted myself to giving top priority to simply BEING. No phone. No laptop. No internet. No messages. No media. No contact with the outside world. No digital anything. 

We had ceremonies. We had group meetings. We had individual check-ins. We shared. We were silent. We spent time reflecting. We ate food void of salt, oil, sugar, and spices. We read. We wrote. We sat with ourselves. We sat with nature. And that was it.

Today I decided to go to a group movement session at my Budokon sensei’s backyard studio, which was to be followed by a potluck.

I realized about halfway through that I wasn’t ready to be surrounded by people, much less share my experiences.

So when the movement portion ended, and the potluck began, I quietly excused myself.

On the scooter ride home I felt a wave of emotion take over me. Tears started streaming down my face, and the thought, “What is wrong with me?” came into my mind.

It’s a thought I’ve had a lot throughout my life, only this time, it was immediately countered with my true Self saying,

There’s nothing wrong with you!

I then took a mental step back with my conscious mind, to explore the thoughts continuing to stream from my subconscious programming…

Why can’t you just relax and have a good time like everyone else? You’re insecure. You have so much to work on still! You made such a huge investment in time, energy, and money to go on that trip and now you’re back and haven’t changed a bit! What the hell?!

My conscious mind stepped right back in, and this time, with total confidence she declared…

You are who you are, and who you are is perfect. You are enough. So what if you don’t want to hang out with a group of people. YOU DO YOU! Let peace be your north star. You make decisions about what you choose to DO based on what aligns with you BEING PEACE. Fuck the “shoulds”. Fuck the thoughts that judge what you need to do to be at peace. Remember when you found peace during that 2nd ceremony? It was when you finally let go of what you thought you SHOULD be experiencing… when you let go of needing to be in control. LET GO. LET GO. LET GO!

And with that, I let go, and I smiled from my soul. I found peace at that very moment… The peace that I am, that got buried under the “shoulds”. 

I love spending time alone with animals and in nature. I love connecting with my spirituality through movement, music, books, and talks. I value spending time with one, or a few close friends. And I often get great pleasure being out, in settings where there’s great energy and many people involved, especially when we’re all focused on energy-based practices such as yoga, meditation, and dancing.

I don’t need rules or restrictions. I simply need to connect with, and follow, my heart. I need to value myself and love the human being that I am, unconditionally, and make the choices that allow me to access my inner peace.

Simple?

Yes!

Easy?

No way!

It WILL get easier though.

Learning to let go is a practice, and practice I shall.

And now, for a letter to myself, and introverts everywhere…

Dear Introverts,

There is nothing wrong with you.

Who you are is perfect.

You are enough, exactly as you are.

We live in a society that venerates extroverts, and programs us to believe that introverts are less lovable, less valuable, and have less to offer the world. 

Fuck that!

Bull shit.

Let go. Let go. Let go.

You are lovable.

You are valuable.

You are powerful.

The world needs you.

 

With Compassion for All Living Beings,

Ella

29 Mar 2022
Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Fitness, Vegan Lifestyle
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Time to Celebrate! (EP 100: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Celebrating the closing of Season 1 with 100 episodes under our belts!

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

Celebrating the closing of Season 1 with 100 episodes under our belts!
Grateful to you, Empowered Vegan Lifers, for being a part of our lives through this podcast and our programming.
In this episode, Stephanie and I share the lessons of our podcasting journey, what inspired us to create 100 episodes, and intriguing answers to the questions: which episode is the MOST…
🎙️💫 Entertaining
🎙️💫 Valuable in terms of the self-coaching tools we teach
🎙️💫 Spiritually awakening
🎙️💫 Practical for the transitioning vegan
🎙️💫 Informative on the topic of nutrition
🎙️💫 Heartwarming for animal lovers
🎙️💫 Most inspiring for embodying every aspect of the vegan lifestyle
And there’s more! Stay tuned to the end for a special celebratory gift from us to you!
P.S. Make sure you’re on our email list and a part of our E.V.L. group on Facebook. So you get updates on things we’re doing like the Burpees & Greens Challenge we’re doing altogether, live, in April.
P.P.S. If you haven’t yet, please leave us a star rating and review… Even though we’re taking a break, the show remains published. Having positive reviews will continue to help us and help you to spread our message of empowerment, authenticity, and compassion. I know it feels like a pain in the booty, and it’s easy to say; I promise I’ll get to it later. And we all know that later often becomes never, right?
[EVL FACEBOOK GROUP LINK]

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

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CONNECT WITH US!

Subscribe to Ella’s Soul-Aligned Sunday Newsletter HERE.

Take the NEW FREE Self-Assessment to explore your relationship with food, exercise, and your body, and receive valuable, personalized insights and resources from Ella herself!

Check out Ella’s website HERE and learn about current coaching opportunities HERE.

Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary Website

01 Mar 2022
Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Fitness, Vegan Lifestyle
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Leveling Up to Solutionary Veganism (EP 99: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

To be truly solutionary, a solution must significantly and strategically address the underlying causes of the problem. It must do so without causing harm to people, animals, or the environment.

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*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

Solutionary vegans level up by:
↗️ questioning the “true price” of their actions by asking, “what are the impacts of my everyday choices on other humans, non-human animals, and the planet?”
↗️ diving deep for accurate information (truth)
↗️ (inclusive) building coalitions by supporting and amplifying the many important, beautiful, diverse voices for change.
↗️ Prioritizing high-impact strategies that revolutionize systems
…so that we can effectively advocate for ALL beings.
In this special episode, Jennifer and I dive deep into our soon-to-be-launched “Solutionary Vegan LEVEL-UP podcast.” Here we explore the inspiring range of strategies used by animal protectors, environmental activists, and social justice warriors to LEVEL-UP the playing field for all Earth’s inhabitants. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Find out how working with Stephanie and me, and the tools we teach in Vegan Life Coach Academy made a difference in Jennifer’s personal growth and ultimately led to Solutionary Vegan Project.
Listen, learn, and enjoy!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

SolutionaryVegan.org
https://www.facebook.com/solutionaryvegan
https://instagram.com/solutionaryvegan
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CONNECT WITH US!

Interested in working with us? Email [email protected]

Check out our new FREE Master Class!

Take Our New Going Vegan Quiz HERE!  

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer, or feedback you’d like to give us (we love hearing from you!)? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary Website

22 Feb 2022
Empowerment, Podcast, Vegan Fitness, Vegan Lifestyle
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The Art and Science of Journaling (EP 98: The Vegan Life Coach Podcast)

Here’s a little trivia question for you…  What do Albert Einstein, Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiVinci, and Frida Khalo have in common?  They all benefited from a daily journaling practice. The fact is, I could fill this episode with a long list of recognizable people spanning centuries and in all walks of life who have implemented journaling into their daily routines.

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Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify |  YouTube

*Links mentioned in the episode are at the bottom of this page.

This powerful tool is something we often require for our clients.  The scientific research to support journaling is extensive and compelling.  It is a key strategy for personal development for a variety of reasons.  Here’s what the research says:
  1.  According to a study conducted at Harvard, implementing a practice of journaling can increase productivity.  The reason behind this is that an experience itself is not where learning and growth occur. It is, rather, reflecting on the experience that actually produces the learning and growth.
  2. Another study conducted at Cambridge University found journaling improves overall well-being after traumatic and stressful events. Participants were asked to write about such events for 15–20 minutes resulted in improvements in both physical and psychological health.
  3. Other studies have found that journaling decreases emotional distress, improves sleep, helps us cope more effectively with daily stress, decreases intrusive and avoidant thoughts, and improves communication skills.
Clearly, journaling is one of the most effective acts of self-care. It allows us to make sense of the many inputs—emotional, external, psychological–that otherwise overwhelm us or cause us to shut down or lean into unhelpful distractions as a way to avoid.  We can bring our problems and destructive thoughts and leave them in our journals.
On the flip side, our journals allow us to reflect on our joys and all that we are grateful for.  It provides a place for us to record our inspiration, aspirations, and ideas.   We can write for our future selves.
Entrepreneur Derek Sievers says of his journaling practice, “We so often make big decisions in life based on predictions of how we think we’ll feel in the future, or what we’ll want. Your past self is your best indicator of how you actually felt in similar situations. So it helps to have an accurate picture of your past. You can’t trust distant memories, but you can trust your daily diary. It’s the best indicator to your future self (and maybe descendants) of what was really going on in your life at this time. If you’re feeling you don’t have the time or it’s not interesting enough, remember: You’re doing this for your future self. Future you will want to look back at this time in your life, and find out what you were actually doing, day-to-day, and how you really felt back then. It will help you make better decisions.”
So, let’s talk about how you can implement and keep this powerful tool as part of your self-care ritual. This is really the Art of journaling and takes the science and turns it into something that works for you.
Something we often hear from our clients is that journaling is just intimidating.  They don’t know how to start, and staring at the blank page is so uncomfortable. Other times, we’ve found that clients have let an established journaling habit go a bit stale.   So… here are some strategies to help you get started and keep it going.
  1. If you hear no other tip from me today about journaling, hear this one:  Forget all the rules about journaling and just do what works for you.  There is no ideal time of day except what is ideal for you.  Format doesn’t matter except what matters to you. How much time and space should you devote?  You guessed it…whatever works for you.  The point is, there is no right or wrong way to journal.  How you journal is much less important than why you are doing it: To get something off your chest. To have quiet time with your thoughts. To clarify those thoughts. To separate the harmful from the insightful. To prepare for the day ahead and review the day that passed. To practice gratitude in a tangible way.  And your WHY is personal and unique to you. So, I’ll say it again for the people in the back:   There’s no right way or wrong way.
2. Start small.  There’s no reason to set your sights on filling page after page of your journal each night.  Your journaling practice can start with one line a day or even three minutes each morning.  You could begin by simply listing three things you are most grateful for each night or a list of two priorities for the next day.  By starting small, you won’t say no.  It will be a task you will find exceedingly simple that you would feel silly not doing it, so you’ll do it.  For example, you might start with one line per day for a week.  You can write anything in that one line–something you’re excited about, how you are feeling, an event that took place, a mindset you want to attack, an idea you had, or an affirmation you want to implement.  However, you decided to start, start so small that skipping it would be preposterous.  You’ll know when you are ready for more depth and further commitment to this practice.
3. Journals can take many forms, and you may want to try a few.  You can do a bullet-style journal or a place to put your sketches along with a few words.  You might use your journal in the morning as a way to help you organize your priorities at night or in the evening to simply free yourself of the thoughts that are still cluttering your mind.  If you need some further ideas on formats, I suggest using YouTube.  Type in Journaling Formats, and you will find a wealth of specific ideas just for formats to use.
4. If you are having difficulty, try prompts or a guided journal.  We‘ve provided you with a list of prompts in the show notes.  Some of the topics are in-depth, some are light and silly.  You can use any format that you are comfortable with.  You might also find a guided journal is what you are looking for.  You can find guided journals that focus on one specific topic, like wellness, anxiety, self-discovery, building habits, and the list goes on and on.  One that I recommend that has a variety of formats is “Zen As F*ck” by Monica Sweeny. It is funny and a great way to help yourself not take life too seriously by letting go and embracing your inner rock star.  Of course, as you can guess by the title, it also embraces swearing just a bit, too.  I also recommend Start Where You Are by Meera Lee Patel. It’s full of inspirational quotes and prompts aimed at helping you be more mindful, reflect on your inner-most thoughts, and find joy in the small things. Prompts and guided journals aren’t just for those starting out in a journaling practice.  These can also renew your journaling experience providing a way to dive deeper and explore yourself a little more and in new ways through this powerful tool.
Give yourself this powerful gift of self-care. Marcus Aurelius (Aw-REE-lee-ius), Roman Emperor and prolific journaler wrote in one of his journals,  “People look for retreats for themselves in the country, by the coast, or in the hills “There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind…So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.”

The Daily Dosing of Self-Coaching Segment begins at 13:55.

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