Less is more: five areas of your life to simplify for greater health and joy
This week I’ve been reading Maya Tiwari’s book A Woman’s Power to Heal and was struck by this sentence: “Using Wise Earth Ayurveda to help thousands of women heal from the ravages of cancer into good health, I can say the single most significant factor in their healing had to do with simplifying their lives.” Now, this is quite a remarkable claim, but it doesn’t surprise me in the least. The more I study and work with Ayurvedic principles, the more I understand how stress and overwork are huge contributing factors in so many ailments. I’m certainly not making any claims about severe diseases such as cancer. (Although I trust Maya Tiwari’s work, I would always suggest making use of Western medicine in aggressive or advanced diseases.) But I also know that removing stressors, simplifying daily life, and finding joy can have a huge impact on health.
So why is this often the last thing people want to address? I think it’s scary to acknowledge that our stressful lifestyles impact our health, because it can be so hard to imagine changing our lives. I know that at times I’ve felt trapped in jobs, relationships or other situations that made it hard to imagine another way of life. To actually begin to simplify our lives requires courage and imagination. But for me, really understanding the health benefits of doing so was a powerful motivator for making changes in my life.
I think that many of us may sense that our lives have become too hectic or complicated, that we need to slow down. But when everything in our culture is telling us to work harder, achieve more, and reach new levels of success, it can be hard to give ourselves permission. Maybe you’re waiting for someone else to give a prescription for it. If you’re somehow who needs that, here it is:
Slow down. Find joy. Simplify your life.
It may feel frivolous. It may feel impossible. But it is necessary.
I’d like to invite you to start right away. And no, this doesn’t mean making any drastic changes. This is all about being gentle with ourselves and creating less stress, after all. Often clients come to me wanting to know what Ayurvedic foods, herbs or practices they can add to their lives, but usually we first need to start by simplifying the life that you are already living. I’ve found that it’s really subtraction rather than addition that can make the most powerful changes!
So when you want to simplify, where do you start? Here are some ideas of things you can try without quitting your job, moving to Bali, or turning your life upside down. As you start to let these practices infuse your life, you may find greater shifts that at one time seemed impossible to imagine are happening naturally.
Simplify your morning
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you try to get to work as soon as possible, or do you try to cram in a long morning routine that often leaves you feeling more drained than energized? I have often heard clients describe their mornings using words like: they “rush” to have breakfast before “racing” out the door. And yet many of these same people have a desire to incorporate a meditation or writing practice, or want to know the perfect Ayurvedic morning routine to achieve health. Now, if you don’t even have time to eat breakfast, adding a six-step Ayurvedic dinacharya (daily routine) is not really going to simplify your life!
Instead, try this super simple morning routine to start your day with peace and joy: first of all, avoid turning on or looking at your phone when you wake up. Allow yourself to simplify your morning by removing the stress of incoming texts or emails. Next, soon after rising make yourself a cup of warm water with a squeeze of lemon. Drink your morning beverage in a calm and quiet place — perhaps outside if you have access. Take your time, and see if this beverage encourages you to have a bowel movement. It is natural to go to the bathroom in the mornings before beginning the day, but many of us are so used to rushing from the moment we wake up, that we simply aren’t hearing this call from our bodies. It may sound unimportant, but giving yourself time to poop in the morning is one of the best ways to start your day! Let go of the meditation and journaling ambitions for now, and simply focus on attending to your body’s needs.
After going to the bathroom, take time to make yourself a simple yet nourishing breakfast. Oatmeal is my go-to, especially moving into autumn. I have fun every morning topping my oatmeal with different fruits, nuts, seeds and spices and making a beautiful breakfast bowl for myself. You can use the time of preparing and eating your breakfast as a meditation in and of itself. Keep your phone off and simply be with yourself, of your family if they are a part of your morning. Eat without the tv or other devices on. The act of eating can be extremely grounding if you engage all your five senses in the experience. I would much prefer you skip a formal meditation practice and give yourself time to be present with your food, rather than trying to fit in meditation, yoga and journaling only to find yourself rushing out the door with a granola bar.
Simplify your diet
Paleo, keto, raw vegan, vegetarian… there are so many diets on the market these days, and often it can cause more stress trying to find and follow the perfect one. Ayurvedic eating can also absolutely fall into the category of complicating rather than simplifying your life – especially when you’re new to it. There have been times in my own life where I was so concerned with eating the right foods for my metabolic type, the season, or the phase of my menstrual cycle… that it made my head spin!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your food choices, or just feel like you need a fresh start, an Ayurvedic cleanse can be a wonderful practice. This is the really the most simple and easy cleanse I’ve ever done, because you’re eating the same dish for all three meals. This dish is called kitchari, a warm, spiced porridge made from basmati rice, mung beans and vegetables. During a traditional Ayurvedic cleanse you make a big pot of kitchari in the morning, and eat it for all your meals throughout the day.
This type of cleanse simplifies your life on several levels. First, it simplifies things for your digestion. Instead of having to digest different foods all day with possibly incompatible qualities, your stomach gets a little break. This allows your digestive system to release toxins that may have built up, and get back on track with regular bowel movements and healthy digestion. Second, it simplifies your daily schedule, because you only have to cook once per day. Third, it simplifies your choices! Studies have shown that making even small decisions causes fatigue and can take focus away from other tasks. I love doing a cleanse, because I know exactly what I’ll be eating for every meal, and I don’t have to think about it at all during the day.
But is this type of diet sustainable? You only want to do a cleanse for up to one week at the most, so this is more of a system reset than a way of life. But if you enjoy your cleanse, I encourage you to incorporate some of the principles into your daily eating habits. Part of a cleanse is practicing mindful eating, and this is something that I definitely recommend continuing, always.
Practicing good eating habits, like the meditative breakfast routine I described in the section above, can go a long way towards your health. Sometimes it’s how we eat rather than what we eat that matters most. So let go of the food lists and rules, and instead learn to be present with your food. Take the time to breathe, to chew, and to have appreciation for each meal. Once you’ve mastered these simple habits, you may find your diet changing naturally as you make space to listen to your body and learn what foods are most nourishing for you.
Simplify your schedule
Remember when I talked about the person who is trying to fit way too much into her morning routine? I have to confess, that was me. I used to wake up at 5am every day, stumble out the door half asleep and drive 30 minutes to a 545 hot yoga class, drink a breakfast smoothie in the car afterwards while commuting another 30 minutes to the office where I worked. On the way home traffic was even worse and it often took me close to two hours on jammed LA freeways to get home. By that time it was getting late, so I would try to eat a quick dinner with my husband to fit in time for practicing guitar and working on songwriting. I felt pretty awesome about this schedule, because I was working a good job, dedicating time to my passion every day, and getting in my exercise. There was nothing really wrong… except I wasn’t giving myself time to poop in the mornings, and I was always pretty exhausted! Those were definitely warning signs that became harder and harder to ignore.
I tried arranging my schedule in so many ways to make all the pieces fit perfectly, but the truth was, I had to give something up to really make a change. There were just never going to be enough hours in the day to do all the things I wanted to do without creating massive stress and exhaustion. For me, it was quitting my job and getting rid of the 3+ hours of commuting per day that eventually allowed a real lifestyle change. But I told you I was going to give you tips that don’t involve quitting your job, I know.
One benefit I’ve seen to come out of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic is that it’s forced many of us to simplify our schedules. A much greater percentage of us are working from home than did previously. You may love this, or it might drive you absolutely crazy, but I encourage you to ask yourself: have there been any improvements to your daily schedule during this time that you’d like to keep moving forward?
I’m definitely the person who tries to do it all, so for me this time has actually been really soothing for my nervous system. With limited options, I’ve found I don’t have to pack everything into my day that I thought I did. I don’t need to drive somewhere to do an hour yoga class every day — a 30 minute walk or a quick morning stretch can be just as soothing. I don’t need to go out to eat all the time — cooking dinners with my husband has given us more quality time together and led to healthier choices. I see that in the past I said yes to certain social events just to feel like I had things going on, regardless of whether I really wanted to do those things or got anything out of them!
It can be painful to let go of things if you’re used to packing your schedule. But know that in doing so you are supporting your health and preserving your energy for what matters most to you. I can’t tell you what that is, but I challenge you to spend some time figuring it out. What are the things in your schedule that truly align with your values? Can you let go of some of the things that don’t?
Simplify your exercise
Whether it was pre-dawn yoga or after-work Zumba, I used to plan my life around making sure I got at least an hour of an intense workout class every day. These classes were mostly super fun and made me feel great, and I would never discourage someone from exercising; but I think many women overdo it. From studying Ayurveda and women’s health I’ve learned that exercise should be tailored to each person’s specific metabolic type, and should also change depending on the season, moon cycle and hormonal phase. For instance, it’s best for a woman to begin slowing down her exercise routine the few days before she begins her period, and to rest or engage in gentle movement during the menstrual phase. Men’s hormones are more suited to waking up at 5am every day for the same fitness routine, but women often benefit from having a more fluid approach.
From what I’ve observed in my own body, I truly see very little difference from the times I’ve committed myself to intense cardio workouts every day, and the times I am doing more gentle movements like walking and yoga. I know that this is specific to my type and won’t apply to everyone. But I’ve also seen women frustrated with not seeing results despite intense workouts, who are actually able to lose weight when they stop exercising so much. The explanation for this is that intense physical exercise causes stress to the body, and stress has the effect of making us hold on to weight! This is going to be especially noticeable if the exercise is something you don’t enjoy. If you hate running, please don’t force yourself to run every morning.
My advice for simplifying your exercise is to find something you truly love doing, and create a regular yet flexible routine. Don’t stress if you miss a day, simply go for an after-dinner walk on days where you don’t get in a longer routine. In fact, walking is one of the best forms of movement for your health, and can be worked in in small increments throughout the day. Incorporate movement into your life with daily gardening, simple morning stretches to your favorite music, or dancing in the kitchen while making dinner! Stop focusing on the number of calories burned and start doing what feels good.
Simplify your creativity
As a multi-passionate creative, I’ve struggled to find the focus and time to commit to all the projects I dream up. In college I double-majored in filmmaking and visual art, with a minor in creative writing. I was also a singer-songwriter and played solo and in a band. My creative ambitions have been hard to keep up with, and when I’ve fully committed to one discipline, I’ve found myself mourning the loss of the others.
What’s helped me is to view my life more cyclically. Just like with food and exercise, there is a season (whether that be a period of days or years) for all things to manifest in my life. It doesn’t have to be “everything, all the time, right now!” If you’re someone with creative dreams that at times feel overwhelming, I invite you to play with taking baby steps.
Whatever your passion, can you incorporate it into your daily life in a small way that would bring you joy and satisfaction? This could be writing three pages in your journal each day, picking up the guitar for ten minutes, or taking photos on your daily walks. I’ve found that inspiration can be intimidated by grand dreams, and sometimes needs to be coaxed out with gentle invitations.
Rather than trying to use your creativity to prove to the world what you’re capable of, can you see time spent in the creative flow as a gift to yourself? This isn’t to say that you can’t be successful or recognized with your art, or that it’s just for you. On the contrary, I’ve found that when I can really connect to the pure joy of creating, it will take on a momentum of its own that leads to more opportunities. But it comes from a place of exploration rather than forcing.
One of the greatest feelings I know is that of being totally in the flow of creative inspiration. My wish for everyone is that they could touch this place for a little while every day. Besides the obvious fun of it, it’s wonderful for reducing stress and building your inner radiance! If you think of creativity in grand terms, you might be tempted to stop before you even begin. Allow a simple daily creative practice that lights you up, and see where it takes you from there.
I’d love to hear from you! Is there an area of your life that you can envision simplifying?
If you’re interested in spending five days simplifying your diet and routine with an Ayurvedic cleanse, join me for the guided group cleanse experience at the end of this month!