For those of you doing the 3 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse- hippity hoppity you are likely 2-3 smoothies away from completion. If you joined this challenge following the 5 Days Vegan- you are on day 8 of pure dedication to your health. So… how does it feel? Mighty mighty I imagine.
As I have decided to take a brief departure from food at the start of this week as a reminder to us all that there is more to great health than just food, today we look at smiling. The first time I saw the above short film, was four days after I broke up with a boyfriend, I was feeling a little down in the dumperoonies. If you read my book, The Healthy Cookie: Unbaked, you know all about that. If you read Vanessa’s book, Sleeping Naked Is Green, you likely read about she and I venturing to the bicycle film festival where I was shamelessly flirting with every boy around. Funny how the same night wound up in two books with two different takes on the events that occurred. A Flower In My Pedal was part of the collection of bike movies we saw that night and it picked me right on up off the Debbie Downer floor and continues to serve as a quick pick-me-up when I need.
There are few things I love more than cruising through town or along the beach on my bicycle covered in flowers.
Some people affectionately show off pictures of babies or pets. I do that with my bike. For example- here is my bike having a sweet afternoon in the sun, catching the cool breeze coming off Lake Ontario.
I believe the world is a different place when you see it from a bicycle covered in flowers. People smile at me. They often say hello, wave, or throw a compliment my way. It’s nice. And friendly. Two words that are rarely used to describe the peeps in this big city of Toronto.
As I reflect on the goodness and smiles that come from being on my bicycle, I ask you for another list. Call this A Recipe for Calm and you have to write it yourself: 5 Things That Nourish You.
Here are mine:
1. Being on my bicycle, allowing my mind to clear and making space for new thoughts and creativity to enter
2. Creating things with my hands- whether cooking or crafting, I like creating
3. Nature nature nature
4. The ocean.
5. Meditation where my hands go hot. Of course the point of meditation is to have no goals- but sometimes I fall into a zone where the world floats away and as the energy courses through me, my hands get burning hot.
A less fun activity is to make a list of the energy suckers in our life. 5 Things that Suck Out The Life.
Now that you have these two lists- the trick, as always is to balance it out. More time on the Soul Nourishment activities and less time on the Soul Sucking ones.
Care to share yours?
Here is one more video from the delightfully talented Andrea Dorfman
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ok, I so want to sell my road bike from my triathlon days and get a cruiser now.
always room for two bikes in any bike loving heart!
I had a dream last night that I was hanging out with you and you made me an AMAZING lunch. Oh how I wish I lived by you and could take your cooking classes.
I have a few more things on my list of things that suck the life out of me – need to work on things that nourish me. Thanks for putting a smile on my face first thing this morning! Love your bike!
What sweet and powerful films … I adore them! Thank you for sharing. I miss my bike. It’s in the basement. It needs to come outside with me, and now it will.
cute videos! thanks
sigh… i loved my bike.. i loved the wind in my face, i loved tearing through the neighbourhood, I loved putting the dog in the basket in the back and I loved decorating it as well… yes, meg, i used to decorate my bike with jewels and flowers … but i fear that after a disasterous crash a few years ago, i finally gave it up…. like andrea’s mother. Only I am so much older than her mother, and had to recognize that i had some serious balance problems….at my age, a fall can be much more than bruises, stitches, or abrasions. Remember when I used to bicycle over to your place in Winnipeg with a dog in the back????
I loved the videos. “There’s a Flower in my Pedal” had messages in it that were perfect for me to hear. Thank you for sharing them!
LOVE YOUR BIKE!!!!!! It’s adorable!
Cheers,
Kristen
nourish:
1.busy bee in the kitchen
2.I am addicted to the most beautiful places on earth
3.dancing!
4.makin cool stuff
5.melting in pigeon
suck:
1.fluorescent lighting
2.no sun for days on end (I live on the ocean)
3.space food
4.insincerity
5.tv
excited to hear about your farm adventures!
pigeon as in the yoga pose! its my favorite release, when you sink down real deep into it…melting in pigeon!
I agree 100%… but what does Melting In Pigeon mean?
I am so there with you!