Meaningful change

Change only comes about when people work towards that change. We are often tempted to just throw our hands in the air and say, “there is nothing that I can do to help” but without the action of individuals, change will never occur. We are scared away from change and from action because we believe that change needs to be drastic and big. We hear almost everyday about all of these overwhelming issues; such as ozone depletion, oil spills, tornadoes and earthquakes, salmonella outbreaks, and more. Due to the enormity of all these problems, we are led to believe that there is nothing we can do. However, doing something great and positive for the world does not have to be something big. There are steps that we can take in our own lives when it comes to food, the environment, consumerism, and overall happiness that do not involve too much effort. The point is that we do something to combat global warming and environmental degradation because doing nothing changes nothing and the environmental problems will continue to persist. These environmental problems are problems we cannot ignore because these enormous issues that we hear about will never be solved if we as individuals do not decide to take action and do our part to fix the problem!

            It is easy to feel hopeless when faced with the enormity of problems that the world and society as a whole must deal with. Most people would gladly save the planet if they could but are not sure how exactly to go about doing that. We tend to believe that saving the planet needs to happen all in one day. However, this is not possible and we are not as hopeless as we sometimes feel. While many think meaningful change can only happen on a large scale, such as through change in government or resistance to corporations, meaningful change can also occur through the change we choose to make as individuals. Meaningful change is change that creates any kind of impact and although the impact is small, individual action does create an impact. Although I cannot directly save the planet, I have decided to live my life knowing that my individual action can create some kind of change. We have the ability to change our own lives by changing small aspects of our lifestyle. Little changes affect more than just the individual. 

This is my personal statement and I really believe in this. 

Dinner!

Grilled eggplant with toasted bread and garlic sauce

Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar

Artichokes with melted butter and garlic (yum!)

Corn on the cob!

A delicious vegetarian meal!!

Healthy state of mind and body

Today is a very rainy Monday and so I figured what better day to blog?

I had my first ever boot camp class today. (Boot camp is a program I signed up for this summer through my town's Recreation Department). It would have been perfect other than the fact that I got the times mixed up and only showed up for half of the session. However, there is another boot camp class tonight that I plan on showing up for to make up for lost workout time! That is right folks, I am getting pretty serious about my workout plan. I even challenged my friend from school who lives in another state that we would compare our fitness/strength when we got back to college. I don't plan on losing this competition.

Although the drive to win against my friend in this competition is pretty strong, my real desire for being in great shape comes from a little more than friendly competition. I have always been blessed with a fast metabolism (thanks mom!) ever since I was a little kid. I have always been nothing but tall and thin. I luckily have never struggled with my weight. Therefore, working out to burn off fat is not exactly an issue of mine. If anything, I want to gain weight in the form of muscle. The reason why I feel the need to workout stems from my desire to actually be IN SHAPE. To me, being in shape is more than just being "thin". Being in shape is about being in a healthy state of mind and body. I want upper body strength and I want to be able to say that I can run a 5k with ease. I want my body to look toned, especially at this time of year. So I set a goal in my mind to try and workout 6 days a week and I don't plan on shrinking away from it.

With that goal comes hard work and, boy, do I know it. There are days when I do not want to get out of bed to workout or I'd rather just lay on the couch and watch TV but I always push through that laziness. I'd like to say I am pretty determined about this. It was raining cats and dogs this morning but instead of sitting in my car and driving back home, I decided to suck it up and I participated in boot camp.

I am powering through the laziness.

Healthy Lifestyle

I have decided this summer that I would work towards gaining more muscle mass and getting in great shape! Through my vegetarianism (it has been about 2.5 months since I've had meat!) I have been able to maintain a very healthy diet and I have been exercising almost every day since summer has started.

Some of my favorite exercises:

• running around the track
• running up and down the bleachers
• hour at the gym
• abs, abs, and more abs!
• suicides at my town soccer field
• swimming laps in the pool
• hour of tennis
• hour of biking
• run around my neighborhood 

Abs that I love to do:

http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

I hope to continue exercising and blogging about my progress in maintaing a healthy diet and lifestyle :) 

Wait, there's more!

So although my college class assignment has ended and there really is no reason for me to continue posting on this blog I have decided, why let a blog go to waste? I have decided that I am going to continue blogging about my struggles as a vegetarian and life choices that I am making as I continue to attempt to "live deliberately".

The Health and & Happiness aspect of this experiment really opened my eyes to the lack of happiness that we really have in our lives. As a society we seem to have defined happiness as having material products and having a lot of friends on Facebook. But what I really want to know is, are we really happy? If you can truly answer yes to that question, then congrats. But this blog will be about me really thinking about my own personal answer to that question. So stay tuned for this summer as I try to define my own happiness!

Conclusion: Success!

I consider my experiment to be a success even though I struggled with several aspects and I definitely failed at doing everything that I had wanted to do. However, the point of the experiment was to think about our values and about how we can take action to “live deliberately”. I have definitely discovered what I am passionate about when it comes to living deliberately. I have decided to continue my vegetarian diet beyond this experiment, go on Facebook less, and spend more quality time with friends. I will continue to ride the shuttle bus and I will eventually have to purchase products other than food, but I can definitely say that I have learned a lot from this experiment.

“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” –Tony Robbins

This is the quote that I really modeled my experiment after. The quote may appear to be only a simple and obvious statement, but it carries a true and powerful message. It is the message that change only occurs when people work towards that change. As stated earlier, it is so easy to feel defeated by all the problems of the world and to feel a sense of hopelessness. By doing this experiment I learned that we are not as hopeless as we sometimes feel. We have the power to change our own lives by changing different aspects of our lifestyle. Little changes lead to big changes. Even though this experiment was just one class of 19 students trying to make little changes, we have spread the message about change through our blogs. This message could have influenced a reader to do the same. Individual change does not just affect the individual. For example, my decision to become a vegetarian has influenced my family to eat less meat during the week and has even influenced my friends; some of which go vegetarian for some meals when they eat with me. If everyone created some kind of small change in his or her life for a greener lifestyle I have no doubt that collectively we would make a big difference on the environment. But if we all just sit around and do nothing, then nothing will change and the world will continue on its downward spiral. Does that sound like fun?

My belief is that we are scared of change. We are scared because we believe that change needs to be drastic and monumental. But does doing something great and positive for the world have to be something big? I don’t think it does. Sure, big change is awesome, but we are not all capable of bringing about big change.  Therefore, I believe that small change is better than no change at all.

So my message for anyone who is reading this blog is to go out there and try your own experiment. What are you capable of changing in your life that can help the environment? It can be as simple as recycling or as intense as going vegan. But what is important is that you DO SOMETHING. Don’t just sit there. Unless you have a house on Mars, this is your planet and we are all equally responsible for taking care of it. In the words of Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Be the change you wish to see because it is up to individuals to incite the change for a greener, more sustainable world. 

Day 3: More successes and failures

Transportation:

I really am failing at this aspect of the experiment. We were on a bit of a time crunch to get supplies for an art project and I didn’t even realize until I was sitting on the bus that the experiment required me NOT to take the bus. At this point I am wondering how other people are reminding themselves about transportation because I am really struggling with this one. I think the shuttle bus has become such a regular part of my life that it is easy to forget that I should be walking instead of riding. I have now posted a sticky note on my mirror that says (in all caps letters) “DO NOT TAKE THE SHUTTLE BUS!” so hopefully this will be good reminder.

Food:

Today I grabbed food from the vegan section! I had pesto pasta with bread and some peppers that I dipped in Caesar dressing.  It was not only a completely vegetarian plate, but it was also very healthy!

Ever since becoming a vegetarian, I have found that my diet has improved and I have become more conscious of the food that I am putting on my plate. I have been eating more vegetables (and not just salad) and more fruit. The best part is, I actually enjoy eating these meals more than I ever enjoyed eating fried chicken or any other meat concoction that the dining services has prepared. I never would have guessed that eating healthy could actually be so delicious! I have even been doing some brainstorming for future recipes that I want to cook that are strictly vegetarian (I am planning on doing a lot of cooking over the summer!).

One site that I found lists the recipes by meal type, cuisine type, and food type so you can really find the meal that you want.

http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/recipes/default.aspx

I have also become addicted to Pinterest and I plan on trying to recreate some of the recipes that I have found on that website!

Spinach, Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2011/06/01/spinach-strawberry-goat-cheese-salad-with-pomegranate-vinaigrette/

Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes

http://www.wholeliving.com/151701/avocado-bell-pepper-and-tomatoes

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast

http://www.therauberhouse.com/2012/01/26/peanut-butter-banana-french-toast/

Consumerism:

No more news to report here other than I have not spent a dime on anything other than food! I haven’t even spent money on food recently because I use most of my meal swipes or Eaglebucks to purchase food. The result? My wallet is feeling very happy.

Technology:

Success! I only went on Facebook once today! Okay, so it might have been for a very long time that I was online, but I still consider this to be an accomplishment! Wednesday was another story… I believe I went on Facebook around 3 or 4 times. However, I have really made use of my sticky notes and have left a note on my laptop reminding me to not sign onto Facebook. I have also signed myself off Facebook so that when I click the link for Facebook I actually have to enter in my username and password. It used to be that when I click on the link for Facebook that it automatically signs me in. This extra work actually helps me remember and reevaluate my choice to go on Facebook.

Positive Impact/Political Action:

Today I talked with my site manager of Jumpstart about moving forward with community service after my term with Jumpstart is over. She offered fellow Jumpstart members and myself some advice on the future in terms of volunteering. Although I haven’t been able to dedicate much more time yesterday and today than I already do to Jumpstart, I still have been thinking about the impact that I make when volunteering and am keeping that open as a possibility for the future.

Health & Happiness:

Yesterday I went for two walks with two separate friends. This whole walking for a half an hour thing has really been beneficial to having real conversations with people that I really enjoy spending time with. I think I am going to try and incorporate more walks into my daily schedule even after this experiment is over. Also, today I painted my nails and watched a TV show. It was nice to have some “me” time to help de-stress and take a break from my work. To be honest, this has to be my favorite part of this whole experiment.

This experiment is going great so far! I have become so passionate about vegetarianism and late-night walks!

Day 1: Let the Living Deliberately Begin!

My sustainable living experiment begins! Although it is just day 1, I can tell that following through with all the different aspects of the experiment will be difficult. I will not lie and say I did everything I was supposed to do today, because that is not the point of an experiment. The point is to see what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs improvement. So let me break down my Tuesday for you:

Transportation:

I am disappointed to say that I did not walk to the metro as I had decided that I would do. I was running late today and didn’t have time to walk instead of taking the shuttle bus. Excuses, excuses, I know. I am definitely not proud of being unable to follow through with the transportation aspect of the experiment. I knew right from the start of this experiment that this would be one of the most difficult parts and I was right. I am really going to have to work towards not using the shuttle bus.

Food:

The continuation of my vegetarianism has been going great. No bumps in the road so far. Just this weekend I even bought some more breakfast options, such as oatmeal and healthy cereal, to start eating a healthier (and vegetarian!) diet. Also, for lunch today I actually participated in Taco Tuesday. I have been avoiding Taco Tuesday since I started being vegetarian because I just couldn’t see myself eating a taco without meat. However, today I filled my taco with beans instead of meat and surprisingly enough, my taco still tasted just as delicious as I remember it tasting when it had meat in it! Participating in Taco Tuesday without using meat really made me think about the value we put on meat to “complete” our meals. Is it really necessary to have meat on our plate in order to have a satisfying lunch or dinner? I’m beginning to realize that meat is not always necessary for a meal to be delicious.

Consumerism:

Aside from buying the oatmeal and cereal for my breakfast I have not purchased anything at all this week! I am planning on avoiding CVS (my weak point for spending money) for this entire experiment. This way I cannot be tempted to buy anything that I do not need. Also, today I didn’t even spend money on food for dinner. I went to a free dinner event for Professional Women’s Association. Hooray for free food and lack of consumerism! Although I realize the importance of consumerism for powering an economy, for the purposes of my experimentation, I am happy with my choice to not spend any money. My bank account will surely thank me.

Technology:

Sadly, I must report that I went on Facebook three times today and I cannot even count how many times I went on Twitter. Although this isn’t what I wanted to accomplish for this experiment, three times is better than going on every time I turn on my computer. I take this as an improvement and a step forward but there is definitely room for improvement! Why do Facebook and Twitter have to be so addicting? It is almost as if Facebook has become essential to my life. I seemingly cannot go one day without it.

Positive Impact/Political Action:

Instead of staying for the usual two hours of volunteering at Martha’s Table, a low-income DC school that Jumpstart works with, I stayed for an extra half hour.  In this half hour I was able to read about three or four books to some of the children. If I was not there, they certainly would not have been read to that day. I feel like staying longer really let me get more involved with the children as opposed to just leaving at my regular time.

Health & Happiness:

Today, my friend and I went for a walk for about 45 minutes. We explored some of the nicer neighborhoods near campus and allowed ourselves to get a bit lost amongst the mansion-style houses. We were able to really talk to one another about anything and everything without the distractions of Facebook, YouTube, or even cell phones. This kind of relaxed conversation mixed with a long walk is what I feel like I need more of in my life. My friend and I had very intellectual conversations about our futures after college, our families, Easter, and even the difficult subject of money and happiness. We talked about what is going on in our lives that we find stressful and what we could do to help us de-stress. Truth is, that walk was the perfect de-stressor for me. Mission accomplished for the health and happiness aspect of this experiment!

I'd say, overall, a great start to my week of experimentation! Stay tuned to hear more about it later! 

My Experiment

"By changing nothing, nothing changes." -Tony Robbins

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the problems our society faces when it comes to the environment and sustainable living. We are constantly bombarded with stories and debates about global warming, poverty, animal cruelty, and the list goes on. We are tempted to just throw our hands in the air and say, "there is nothing that I can do to help". However, without the action of individuals, change will never occur. Starting Tuesday, April 3rd I will be taking part in an experiment to help me "live deliberately" for seven days. To me, this experiment is an attempt at a new lifestyle of change that can teach me how to live more responsibly and sustainably. For the experiment I will be changing six aspects of my life: transportation, food, consumerism, technology, positive impact/political action, and health & happiness. 

Transportation: 

In regards to transportation, I have decided that I will not take the bus to the train station on my way to my internship. Instead, I will walk the ten minute walk in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. Normally, I take the bus at least twice a week so this will definitely be a good part of my life that I will have to change during my seven-day experiment. 

Food: 

The change that I have already started two weeks ago in regards to food is to  become a vegetarian. I started being a vegetarian when I went home for spring break about two weeks ago. I want to continue being a vegetarian for this experiment because I am thinking about making this a permanent part of my life. I have managed to survive two whole weeks without meat and I am confident I will be able to continue on without meat for the seven days of this experiment. I have decided to choose vegetarianism because the meat industry is one of the largest contributors to global warming. For the purposes of this experiment, I want to experiment with vegan food as well and gain a better understanding of the food that I am eating and what food we actually need in order to be healthy. 

Consumerism: 

For the consumerism aspect of the experiment, I have decided that I will not purchase anything other than food for the seven days of the experiment. The only food that I will be purchasing will be, of course, vegetarian food! I often find myself purchasing things that I really do not need and these purchasing habits just end up being a waste of my money. I always look at my bank account after a month and wonder where all my money went. 

Technology:

The technology aspect of the experiment will probably be the hardest to stick with. The change I have decided on is to only go on Facebook once a day. I am practically addicted to Facebook. I go on Facebook pretty much every time I turn my computer on and this time could be spent on more productive things, such as schoolwork. During the week of the experiment, I will make an effort to do other things whenever I would normally just sign onto Facebook. 

Positive Impact/Political Action:

For this category, I have decided to contribute more time and effort to Jumpstart, an organization that I have joined this semester. Jumpstart's goal is to provide the literacy skills needed for later education to low-income children who might not otherwise get the chance. By committing more of my time to Jumpstart for a week, I am contributing even more time to a great cause. I strongly believe in the work that Jumpstart is doing and donating more of my time is a great way to support that message. 

Health & Happiness:

I have decided that I will try and dedicate at least thirty minutes of my day to help me de-stress. This could be anything from painting my nails, going for a walk, or watching a TV show. I think it is very important to have at least thirty minutes to relax and pause from my busy schedule. I do very little activities as of right now that help me de-stress.

Wish me luck!!