Tips for reflection and simplifying your life – create some healthy traditions!

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.  ~Lao Tzu

Get up fifteen minutes earlier and go outside each morning. There is nothing more peaceful than the quiet of early morning. Go outside with your cup of coffee, tea, or herbal infusion and sit in quiet reflection. Think about your day and connect with nature as you listen to the wind, birds, insects, and the sounds of morning. Concentrate on your breathing and do some breathing exercises to help you feel energized and ready to tackle the day. Reserve that special time for yourself each morning and start the day off right.

 Our Family Tradition of Daily Walks…

* If going outside alone every morning seems impossible because you have little ones, take out the stroller. I have a double stroller that I have a rain cover for. We go out rain, shine, wind or snow. We have been able to connect with all of our neighbors this way, they can hardly believe we walk EVERY day so it inspires conversation- and other days barter and trade. My kids have been known to be seen walking back home (stroller full of produce) with a cucumber under each arm after we shared some of our heirloom seeds with our neighbors.  You would be surprised how much wildlife we have here to spite that we live in a suburban neighborhood. We also enjoy watching the domestic animals and their habits- one day we were even stopped by a chicken on the sidewalk! The kids and I also discuss the weather and the seasons year round and when they are in the mood to be silent (which happens at least once during our hour walk)- mama can use this walking time for reconnecting! Other benefits of this include fresh air and exercise- if mama gets cabin fever symptoms (cranky and short) we get outside immediately – even if the weather is bad it is always an adventure … and we feel revived when we return! The great thing about this tradition is the kids now hold mama accountable- what a great way to stick to an exercise routine!

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” ~ Harriet Van Horne

Experience the joys of slow cooking. In this fast paced world it seems everyone touts the benefits of fast food but a new revolution has begin called the slow food movement. It is of course a more healthy way to eat but the real benefit is that you can get back to basics and cook the foods your mother and grandmother may have made and make meal times special in your house again. Create a meal plan each week and though you may spend more time cooking and a bit more money on quality ingredients, you and your family will relish the experience and time together.

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” Julia Child
Have a dinner party. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just make one or two special dishes and have guests mix their own drinks. Sit outside and talk with adults while the kids play. Perhaps you can trade dinner party nights with other families so that at east once a month you have something special and memorable to do.

Artists usually don’t make all that much money, and they often keep their artistic hobby despite the money rather than due to it. -Linus Torvalds

Get a hobby! Start a sewing project or two, take up knitting or crochet, take your camera on a nature walk several times a week, start a scrapbook. Instead of spending time in front of the TV, which will never be very memorable, use some of your free time to create something meaningful. You can even get a head start on a homemade Christmas gift list. Your parents would love to have a scrapbook of the grandkids and your best friend might like a hand knit scarf.

A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.  ~Author Unknown

Start a book club. Gather together with some female friends and choose a book to read over a few weeks time. Get together once a week to discuss the pre-assigned chapters and bring finger foods. This gives you an excuse to get together regularly and you get some reading time too. The laughs and great conversations will be treasured memories for years to come.

“Cleaning house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing” Phylis Diller

Start a babysitting co-op for date nights. Most married couples who have small children will tell you they don’t get out alone together much. Do something about that! Get together with 2-3 other couples and make a plan. Perhaps on every third weekend, two of the couples will go out while the remaining couple watches all the kids. Trade off so that each couple gets a regular date night.

With a little planning you can slow the pace of life and find time for the things that mean the most to you.

Related articles

• Slow-Cooker Recipes: Healthy Eating Made Easy (everydayhealth.com)
• Slowing Down Christmas (wrightmatthew.wordpress.com)

Looking for a way to make your nature walks more meaningful for you and your kids (or others interested in plant lore)? I love storytelling,  plant legends and folklore- my other blog The Herbalist’s Path also covers some legends and folklore if you would like to check out more.

This one is a charming old fairy tale about one of my favorite flowers- The buttercup Ranunculus – The botanical name for buttercup is the diminutive of “rana”, which means frog- the buttercup loves to grow in the same habitat frogs prefer.

Image by AnneTanne via Flickr

Although they are not blooming now (we can expect them in early may around the Pacific Northwest) I thought that this bright beauty may cheer you up on a cold winter day.

The tale….

A man was so obsessed with finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that he had no time for human relationships.

Finally when he was an old man, he did find the pot of gold and tried to hide it, but an elf who followed him cut a hole in the pot so that the gold pieces dropped out one by one.

The fairies  came along and fastened a green stem to each piece of gold so that they would not sink into the earth and get lost.

Because gold had only made the man selfish and unhappy, a good fairy turned all the gold pieces into buttercups which would bring more durable happiness to the world than gold pieces.

Resource: Profiles of Northwest Plants by Peggy Robinson

 More info on Ranunculus

Related articles

• Ranunculus Radiates Charm (funflowerfacts.com)

Here is some wonderful wisdom about how to eat organic on a budget from Emily over at Crunchyishmama! Thank you so much Emily!

Organic On A Budget

As a new mom trying hard to make green, healthy choices for my family I’m often caught in the grocery shopping dilemma of quality versus cost. I want to buy as many natural, organic products as possible, but it’s tough on my tight budget. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned along the way:

1)      Write to the distributers of some of your favorite organic foods. You can tell them how much you love their product, offer suggestions on how to make it better, or just tell them you’re interested in eating healthier on a budget and ask for coupons. I’ve gotten great response from Organic Valley, Horizons Organics, Eggland’s Best, Morningstar Farms and Earth’s Best.

2)      If you don’t have coupons, avoid the name brand organic products all together. Buy store brand. Most major grocery stores and mega-marts now offer store brand organic options.

3)      Shop local and seasonal. Farmer’s Markets can be a thrifty mom’s best friend. Avoid the frou-frou markets in the more affluent part of town. Ask others in your community for the best organic local markets and curb-side stands. Eating seasonal is a bit of an inconvenience – it means no berries with your cereal in the winter and no apples with your oatmeal in the summer – but it makes you appreciate the produce even more when it is in season. And seasonal fruits and vegetables are much more affordable.

4)       Plant a garden. This suggestion sounds really difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but even I manage to grow a few tomatoes, strawberries and squash in the summer. Start small. You could even try a container garden the first year. Make it a project for the whole family. You could (but certainly don’t have to) start composting and turn the garden into a science lesson for the kids. Gardening should be enjoyable, not tedious. Have fun with it.

5)      Experiment with other proteins besides meat. Organic meat can put a big dent in your checkbook. Try using eggs, beans, or grains like quinoa or bulgar wheat as the protein in your meal. Also consider using meat as more of a side dish than the main attraction. You’ll keep your costs down by reducing your portion size.

6)      Consider using frozen organic fruits and vegetables when possible. Recent studies have shown that there is very little nutritional difference between fresh and frozen produce. For some dishes only fresh will do, but for many preparations like smoothies, soups or casseroles, frozen will work just fine.

Those are my favorite tips for eating organic on a budget. Do you have any you’d like to share?

* Emily blogs about her attempts to combine natural parenting, green living and real life at www.crunchyishmama.blogspot.com *

Hello everyone! It’s the weekend so I won’t make this too long. I wanted to write a quick post about a new resource I found on the web. Although I have not read Amy Kovarick’s book Baby on Board: Becoming a Mother without Losing Yourself-A Guide for Moms-to-Be, I ran across her radio show Empowered Motherhood.

When I found the website the first show that popped out at me was  Being A Selfish Mother- of course I wanted to listen! This may sound odd but being ‘selfish’ is something I need to work in! Putting my needs on the priority list is something I need to consciously work on or it would not get done. It is easy to get in the habit of putting everything and everyone first, then I find I get burned out and need my milky oats!

In the show Amy talks with Felisha owner of the company Trans formative Journey – they discuss balancing her at home business while her girls are home with her, juggling nap times, marketing, her clients,  and responding to social media requests (emails, posts, etc) with mothering and work. She discusses with her how she can better balance her life and make it a win/ win for her and her daughters. As a mom if you work at home online I am sure you can relate!

She also talks to a stay at home dad Kevin who says it is easier for dads to be selfish- very enlightening! He talks about how he nourishes and refreshes himself, and how this recharges him. He gives ‘Daily Daddy’ top 10 tips to revive yourself and why breaks are important daily.

I know that being selfish is a ‘bad’ word to most people and being selfless is noble. I think the key is finding a healthy balance. In the show the question is asked “where do you fall on the spectrum” of selfish and selfless (being completely one or the other is not healthy).  We definitely need to nourish our own needs or we cannot be there for our children.

This was a fun radio show:)

What are your thoughts on being a ‘selfish’ mother?

Related articles

• Mark McGrath: My Kids Have Made Me Selfless (celebritybabies.people.com)

Free cold and flu MP3 course with Angie Goodloe (that’s me!)

Since I started posting again here at Authentic Mama, I have received  so many amazing personal messages of gratitude and thanks from my readers. I am humbled and honored that you would take the time out of your busy day as a mom to write me personally.

I wanted to show my appreciation in return. I considered creating a new course to share free, created especially for moms, but I knew it would not be ready before the holidays. Then I remembered that my Cold & Flu mp3 covered a lot of information on holistic living as well as cold and flu information- perfect!

It’s the season for colds and flu! I am giving away the Cold’s and Flu mp3 (previously password protected) to authentic mama readers through the season. This is the Mp3 I created in October of 2009 with John at Learning Herbs.Kids & Herbs course is officially closed The , but you can get the mp3 version of the Cold’s and Flu section of the course.

If you like the MP3 I would love to hear from you in the comments below! Please pass it on to your friends and family as well- Happy Holidays!

The Mp3 covers:

If you are practicing conscious mothering then you are likely creating your own rules for your family as you go along. Every child is unique and requires a different parenting style. Just when I started to feel comfortable parenting my daughter, my son was born and I had to start all over again!

How do you know if what you are doing is right? I would say first, be easy on yourself, forget about ‘perfection’ parenting is a journey and every family is unique- there is no ‘right’ way! If you are even reading this article, chances are you are an amazing mom who wants the best for her family.

You can get tips from books, the internet,  friends, etc, but in the end you are creating your own path- your guide is your own intuition. That being said, I do think that being part of a community of moms who have the same goals (they want what is best for their own authentic family)  can be a great inspiration and help motivate you on your journey. If you find the information here useful, the exercises and tips here can be adjusted to fit your unique situation.

Establishing Your Values:

Once you have established your values for your family (another great way to do this is to establish your needs, here is a list to get you started.)

You may find when you establish your values they differ from the family who raised you, you may get some resistance. Here is a past article I wrote Setting Personal Boundaries ~ Family that may help.

After you establish your needs and values, the next step is living them out daily. Children change and grow daily (too fast it seems!), keeping a healthy holistic rhythm can sometimes be a challenge… things may be going along smoothly, then one day you wake up and suddenly the kids are screaming, the house is a mess, you have nothing to make for dinner, and you need a bath!

When frustration strikes, the first thing I like to do is stop, take a deep breath, and take a short break if possible (sometimes if we are halfway through the day, I stop what we are doing and take a walk around the neighborhood with the kids in the double stroller- the kids enjoy scenery and walking is very therapeutic for me).

During this time I take time to envision each of my children and their own unique gifts. I focus on gratitude. Even on the days when it seems like nothing is going right, if I reflect I can find at least one shining moment each of my children has had and it brings a smile to my face.

The nourished home: keeping rhythm/ harmony.

Observe- Reflect -Adapt

In the evening, after the nightly routine of stories and blessings, and the kids are asleep in their beds, I like to take a few minutes to review the day.

Here are some of the questions I ask myself.

• Did I model the behavior I want to see in my children? Did I give them valuable things to imitate?
• What went right today?
  
• What went wrong today? Is there something I could have done to avoid it? Could I have handled the situation differently?
• Where the needs of my family met? Are my needs being met?
• When were my children the most engaged, did the daily transitions go well?
• What am I proud of today?
• Did I have realistic expectations of my child’s behavior today?
• How was the harmony (or balance) of our lives today? Did we do too much of one thing- Not enough of another?
• What will change tomorrow? Is there an overall bigger change that needs to happen?

Parenting with intention: By practicing  reflection on how things are going with the family daily, I have found it is easier to  adapt as our family changes. I then attempt to do the best I can to work toward living our core values daily, changing and growing.

Overall, what I try to do is stay in tune with my children, celebrate their unique gifts, and attempt to help them be the best version of themselves they can be. Part of mothering holistically is also working on myself, so I can be a good role model for them (more on this in future articles!).

” Wisdom is what works” – Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D from The Dangerous Old Woman

Do you have your own unique tips and techniques for creating a rhythm and harmony in your home? Please leave a comment, I am open to hear from other authentic mamas!

* If you like this mp3 course don’t forget to sign up for my updates so you don’t miss any other great resources- the sign up box is on the right hand side of this page

Colds and Flu Audio Webinar

This webinar is from the course Kids & Herbs ~ A naturally simple course for parents

This Mp3 is a conversation between two parents (me and John Gallagher from Learning Herbs ) we talk about how we use herbs daily with our kids.

This MP3 audio is a casual webinar format, it is perfect for the busy parent- download and listen on the run!

Topics of the Mp3 include:

Download the Mp3 on the link below:

KidsHerbs-2

Disclaimer:

Related articles

• How to use and make your own natural herbal remedies for children- colds and flu (authenticmama.com)
• How to take charge of your childs health naturally (authenticmama.com)

I didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon and make it seem like I am doing an new years resolution- I just had to share this! I am being true to my body… it was time for a change- nothing really to do with New Years, more to do with the cabin fever blues.

I have discovered Yoga…. again.

I was probably around 19 when I first heard about yoga. 

I was working at an athletic club at the time. I remember the class was later in the evening (by that time I was already looking forward to going to the next party). Yoga wasn’t really my ‘style’. Frankly, at the time it seemed a little woo woo and wimpy for my taste- I could go on a mountain and contemplate the world some other time, I used to joke to myself (of course I view things a little differently now).  I already got plenty of stretching in my Tae Kwon Do class, I also reasoned (my least favorite part of the class at the time). I thought Yoga was all about gentle streching and relaxing – something I didn’t have the patience or time for.

I have always been into more ‘agressive’ type sports. I was pretty into weight lifting (I won 1st place in the Jr National Championships in Chest press power lifting if you could picture that-  has it been almost 20 years?….) I loved high risk/ high energy sports- playing around with downhill skiing, mountain bike riding, riding 4 wheelers, and high impact step aerobics as well. I used to have quite a bit of stress in my life- so all these aggressive sports were a literal counter balance, at the time it worked out nice and probably saved me in many ways.

Don’t get me wrong. Working out the ‘hard core’ way had it’s benefits (and it’s downfalls, I can still feel the huge bone spur on the front of my knee from asgood slaughters disease- an ailment that is usually reserved for boys who play soccer or football- but I was lucky enough to get it when I was 12 in both knees ). The main benefit for me was the self esteem boost I got from meeting and exceeding my goals and the stress reducing endorphin rush. Even though I was more prone to injury because of the high risk sports I choose, overall my body was strong and I was confident because I found something I really excelled at.

  Back to the benefits… I tend to be high energy and happy on my good days, but on the flip-side can be aggressive and snappy if I don’t burn off that energy. I tend to start nervously doing things like cleaning around the house or searching for new projects to take on- sometimes it is hard for me to just be.  Or, if I get exhausted from not getting enough exercise (sounds weird I know, but I am the type who really needs to move my body) I can start getting the blues big time.

In general, I like to jump right into things- really going for it. Again this tendency has it’s advantages and disadvantages. I have worked for many years to try and balance this, and I do have a gentle and sensitive side, but I just tend toward the latter if I am not too careful. Spring and summer are great because I get to be out in nature- this is when I feel the most ‘myself’. Working with the plants, hiking, this was my center, but in the off season, whew hewww look out!

All that being said I have really calmed in my old age, but some of those old tendencies are still there- I tend to get edgy if I don’t get enough movement in my body. This has been fine so far, I have a double stroller and I am able to take my kids most places with that, there are beautiful places to walk here with challenging hills for a nice workout. Both of my kids are super active, so lifting them off counters, breaking them up from their baby brawls has really been a workout in itself.

 Fast-forward to these last few months. I live in the Pacific Northwest. It rains here (yes the rumors are true). Not to convenient to take the kids for a stroll. Don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate the rain (I know it is why it is so beautiful and green here) but these past few months it just seems to go on and on and on….. So I have been getting a serious case of cabin fever here. I don’t keep weights or my exercise ball around because it can be downright dangerous (OK I guess you need to know  my kids- trust me). So my body has not been getting the movement it needs.

My husband has insisted on turning back on the cable TV for his sports obsession, that has made matters worse - or has it? I ran across Yoga on TV!

WOW what have I been missing all my life! I feel wonderful! I am not concerned with the amount of calories burned, or if it is a ‘real’ workout. I am going on how it makes me feel. All my muscles feel awakened- it is literally like getting a drink of much needed water after walking in the desert for the past few months- (or should I say getting dried off and  cozy by the fire,  in an snuggie, after being submerged in the Pacific Northwest rain). 

I have been practicing daily for about a week now. It is really amazing. I am a total novice of course, but that is not even an issue with me! I was lucky enough to try my first session when the kids were napping so I got to feel that real connection. I am not able to experience that every day because usually my daughter gets a kick of trying to hang off my back leg (great for resistance, not so great for concentrating) when I am attempting Warrior 3- or my son is laying under  my head when I bend over to perform ‘downward- facing dog’ - I get to see the backwards, upside down smile on my son’s face as he grabs the back of my head so I can’t come out of the pose.

But really, it is no big deal, I am  not on a mission to perfect Yoga. I am going with what my body tells me and how I feel. It does not have to be done perfectly, and I accept even the few poses I am able to get in (without interruptions from the adorable rapscallions) and am very grateful for it!  Other than hiking and wildcrafting, this is the only ‘workout’ or exercise I have done where I don’t try to compete with myself, or have some goal I want to attain, it is really all about being in the moment and the process.

I am so glad I decided to give Yoga a try! It has become part of my morning routine and I am lovin’ it! Some other interesting ‘side effects’ I feel much more in touch with and aware of my body. I have even been eating more healthy and feeling more energetic overall- because I am just so in tune with my body, I am also in tune with what it needs food-wise. My posture has improved tremendously in just one week, and my hips feel like they are getting more aligned (they never felt quite right after my son was born). My stress (a side effect from not taking care of/ making time for myself like I should) seems to be gone.

I have also been inspired to pencil more time for myself~literally~ doing creative things that I love. I have been writing some fiction short stories (something I have wanted to do forever) and have been making even more time for reading.

In general I just feel more balanced and ‘with it’. Yoga along with my herbs (like my old stand by milky oats) and I am good to go- I feel relaxed yet energized for the entire day, with more energy to spare in the evening after the kids go to bed. And dare I say it, but I don’t even need my morning coffee—God I never thought I would give up that- you have no idea how much I enjoy being the rebel herbalist who refuses to give up her coffee addiction!

 Yay! I never thought making one small change like this could make such an impact!

Whewww! It is finally here! Today is the launch day for Kids and Herbs- a naturally simple course for parents! If you have not been following Learning Herbs list get more info HERE

This is what I have been working on for the past few months- AND the reason why you have not seen many posts!

 The coolest part of this is for one week only, Kimberly and John Gallagher the creators of Wildcraft are giving away a FREE Wildcraft game with the course! The launch is at 9 am PST this morning!

We had so much fun creating this course. I have to thank John Gallagher, L.Ac., CCH from herbmentor and learning herbs for all of the work he put into this, as well as putting up with my TOTAL ignorance when it comes to technology!

If you are not a member of the learning herbs email list, and you have not heard about this course, you can check out the details HERE (plus learn how to make Elderberry syrup just in time for flu season!). If you love herbs you should definitely sign up for the learning herbs list, the offer free recepies and videos, all about herbs and health- it is an awesome resource!

Please forward to any parents you feel may be interested!

Classes I teach (check back frequently for updates)

Herbalist 101

Holististic Herbal Remedies For Children

Kids and Herbs – A naturally simple course for parents

Check out my other blog The Herbalist’s Path!

My Short Bio:

Short professional Bio:

I am a self taught herbalist (constantly learning & growing) who also has a Master Herbalist diploma from The American College Of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). I love herbalism because I feel there is always something new to learn from the plants. I teach basic herbal online courses at universalclass.com &  www.kidsandherbs.com.

I also have a certificate in holistic nutrition from ACHS. I have experience as a wellness director,nutrition consultant, personal trainer & aerobics instructor.

I received my massage license (LMT #10528) from East West College in Portland Or. in 2002- I enjoy practicing Deep Tissue and Thai massage.

Email me at authenticang at gmail dot com for more information.

Check out what students and clients are saying below!