A Simple Connection: A Big Difference

A few months ago I was going through the Dairy Queen drive through, very much looking forward to my cool treat. I was wondering if my blizzard would indeed be upside down thick when the gal at the drive through window complimented my hair. While I didn't think it looked any different than normal, it really lit me up inside and made me smile.

That's when it occurred to me, if she said one nice thing about every person who went through her drive-thru that day, she could make each person smile. What an opportunity to make a difference to so many people. Then I thought, how can I implement this positive action in my own life?

I don't encounter many strangers in my normal work day. I see the same people day in and day out, but why not say something nice about them? I spend most my life with these people. "I love your shoes!" or "That band you told me to listen to was awesome!" How easy it is to say those things, yet, the monotony of our schedules can prevent us from saying, or noticing, these things. I also put this flyer up in our break room from The Compliment Project. Got a few takers.

Another opportunity I have taken advantage of is saying, "Good morning!" when I am walking to my office from the parking lot. There are landscapers, delivery drivers, security officers, and the like all around me. A simple greeting can easily change the day, if not for them, certainly for me.

Try it out! Instead of avoiding eye contact with a stranger, give them a smile, a compliment, or a greeting. Hopefully it will make someone (including you) a little happier today. You can also visit The Compliment Project to download and print your own flyers!

5 Easy Earth Day Projects

In 1970, the first Earth Day celebrations were coordinated by the non-profit Earth Day Network. Can you believe the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is only 3 years away? Earth Day Network is working diligently to build the largest environmental movement in history for the 2020 celebration. While they are busy doing that, and bringing awareness to the public, what difference can we make in 2017? Here are a few simple things you can do:

1. Take a walk with two bags, one for recyclables and one for trash. Pick up any garbage you see along the way and dispose of it properly. 
2. Live in your environment. If it's cold wear you live, avoid turning on your furnace and bundle up! If it's hot, reduce your energy usage by turning off your AC. 
3. Plant sustainable plants. Go to your local nursery and ask for the best sustainable plants for this time of year. Anything you plant will help with our Co2 emissions! 
4. Plan your own Earth Hour. March 25th was 2017's Earth Hour day, but turning off your lights for an hour, and convincing your friend's to do the same, can make an impact.
5. Ride your bike. Reduce your emissions by riding your bike or walking to your destinations. If that isn't possible, consider car pooling!

These seem pretty doable, right? Seems pretty doable all year, right? Doing little things like this throughout the year makes a difference!

I am teaching my boys the importance of taking care of our Earth. We talk frequently about the importance of not littering or wasting water. We throw away recyclables in the "blue garbage" and waste in the "white." If I can plant those seeds now, I am hoping for a brighter, greener future for them.

This Saturday, we will be taking a walk on our community trail early in the morning to pick up trash, using our Keep It Wild DIY Clean Up Kit. My oldest son has been talking about it all week. We frequent our favorite path, which wanders through a desert wash, and want to take care of it for our future adventures. Then we will be heading to the farmer's market to support our local farmers!

How are you celebrating Earth Day? 

Where's the Beef?

Health is a very important piece of my life, and I am trying to spread it like a disease. An organic life-style has been a major focus for me for the last five years. Fruits, veggies, legumes, quinoa, and other natural foods are something my family is quite comfortable having on their plates at dinner. But the more I learn about healthy eating, the more I learn about the environment. They go hand in hand. Did you know?

CNN recently reported on the effects that Big Food is having on the environment in their article "Go Vegan, Save the Planet," but that is something I have been reading about for years. Maybe I can’t change the world, but I can certainly vote with my household dollar, and we are taking this into consideration. 

Slowly but surely, we are moving towards a plant-based diet in our home. My husband, who is of Mid-western (German) descent, loves him some of grandma’s hot dish, chicken pot pie, anything meaty, cheesy, and/or greasy. So how do I play into his dietary preference, while considering health and environmental factors? I am sneaking in plant-based “meat-like” products into our dinners. I wait until he says he loves the meal, then spill the beans. It wasn’t meat at all!

Enter “Beyond Meat!” The texture is near identical to the meat they are mimicking with plant-based products! If you follow The Simple Choice on Instagram, you will remember I used their Beyond Beef Crumbles - Beefy in our spaghetti dish this week. Could he tell? Nope. He thought I had used ground turkey or something of the like, but it was still quite “meaty” to him. Now that I have successfully, and lovingly, duped him a few times, he said he is totally cool with incorporating more of these plant-based meats into our lives without balking and me twisting his arm.

If you are worried about protein intake, fear not! Impressively, The Beyond Burger boasts 20 grams of protein vs 19 grams of protein in an animal based patty. The Beyond Burger has double the iron, nearly half the saturated fat, and ZERO cholesterol. Not a fan of soy? No problem! There isn’t any soy in their products.

We will definitely be using Beyond Meat much more frequently in our house now. I highly recommend trying their products. The less animal products we consume, the kinder we are, in every aspect of the word. 

Easter Sunday

My eldest son is more excited for Easter than he was for Christmas this year. Maybe it is the search for the eggs, or copious amounts of chocolate? It's the latter for me, personally. We don't do a lot for Easter usually, but we will be dying eggs tomorrow. The biggest preparation I did was buy my eggs a week in advance because, supposedly, "old" eggs peel better. We are also hosting a brunch with our friends and their children and I can't wait! Bring on the mimosas!

When the boys get older, and I have a little more time to devote to the process, I would like to try my hand at dying the eggs naturally. Some of the dying options include using turmeric, onion skins, purple cabbage, spinach, and more. Most of this good stuff can be found in one's pantry or refrigerator. As for this year, I will be using the old food dye and vinegar method. What plans do you have? Have you ever dyed Easter eggs naturally? I would love to hear all about it!

• Here's a great article on dying eggs naturally.
• I love the colors of these ones,
• and here are a few examples of how people stamp them naturally too!
• Also! Have you heard of EggNots? They are a great vegan alternative- ceramic eggs that can be dyed too! 

Aren't they amazing?

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Death and Beginning

I haven’t experienced many deaths in my 31 years. My grandmother when I was 8, my family dog when I was 17, and my husband’s grandfather before we were married. As an adult, we've lost my Aunt Joan, the kindest woman I’ve ever known, my step-mother’s father, a WWII veteran, passed away just before Christmas, and most recently, my husband’s uncle. The older I am getting, the more I am witnessing these losses.

My relationship with these losses feels so heavy and emotional, but also like they are not mine. I see the sadness and suffering of people I love very much, but does it also belong to me? I feel like an fraud when I weep for the losses. I weep for the absence of life, I weep for my hurting family, and I weep for the realization that maybe they didn’t get to do all that they set out to do. I, then, start to look inward.

Why is it that it takes a loss to help us to see what is important? A death that makes us shift our priorities? The end of something to help us begin again with purpose?

2017 has not started out as I would have liked. Things are hard at work. Things are hard at home. Schedules don’t allow for much self-care (2017 cliche?). That all changes now. 

Things I am doing for me:

• Personal Training – Getting fit and taking control of my health
• Food Consumption – Significantly reduce the amount of animal products I consume
• Education – Seriously consider going to school for Holistic Nutrition
• Mindfulness – Meditation and mindfulness solo and with my family
• Relationships – Monthly date nights with my husband, one-on-one time with each son, reach out to family and friends more regularly outside of social media
• Minimalism – Reduce the crap and clutter in my home and office that doesn’t have meaning or create joy in my life

Mercury is retrograde; is there any better time to discover what is working and what isn’t? 

Pre-Workout Snack: Em's Peanut Butter Toast

This is the simplest Pre-Workout Snack I know how to make. I make it for breakfast too... and any time I can really. It takes little time, less effort, and totally pays off in full! Protein, Omegas, Fiber, Anti-Inflammatory Qualities, Complex Carbs for Energy? What more could a person ask for? I love this little power snack so!

Ingredients:

• Slice of Dave's Killer Bread (or organic bread of your choice)
• Organic Peanut Butter
• Banana (sliced)
• Squeeze of Honey (or sweetener of your choice)
• Dash of Cinnamon
• Sprinkling of Mamma Chia Seeds

Instructions:

Toast bread. Spread peanut butter, strategically layer banana slices, squeeze the honey, dash your cinnamon, and sprinkle your chia seeds.

Easy, filling, and not too bad on your body!

Warning: My require a little finger licking upon completion.

About The Simple Choice

Hi, I am Emily. I am a wife, mother, daughter, and friend. I am on the prowl for a simple way of being. I am certain simplicity is the key to life. This space represents that journey. In addition to that journey, this is a space for inspiration, motivation, and positivity.

I have found myself surrounded by people who inspire me in so many ways: entrepreneurs, squares, artists, moms, dads, children, grandparents, chefs, vegans, professionals, job seekers, and adventurers (some holding several of those titles)! I take lessons from each of them because they are all powerful and amazing teachers, whether or not they know it. They inspire me to be my best self. I think they have stories to tell, lessons to teach, and gifts to give the world. This is where I would like to do that, to capture their motivation and inspiration.

The Simple Choice is about gathering thought leaders with different stories and backgrounds to inspire others as they have inspired me. Just regular people who say, think, and do amazing things.

Stay tuned.