Going Beyond the Kale Chips: Conscious Living

Conscious Living is knowing in 20 years time that the only people who will remember you worked late all the time will be your children.

Conscious Living is knowing that when you have children you only get 10 - 15  years where you’re the most important person in their life before friends, partners and life takes them on their own journey.

Conscious Living is about waking up from the monotony, becoming self-aware, and making choices with purpose.

For me, right now, conscious living is cutting alcohol from my life and spending more quality time with my partner and little girl who is 4 years old.

No more Prosecco Fridays.  No more alcohol as a reward for a hard day's work.  No more fuzzy heads the next morning.

I’m now wide awake and ready to have an amazing day as soon as my little girl wakes up.  That’s play time, watching scooby doo, drawing, breakfast together, and all before mummy has woken up demanding her morning coffee in bed.

Magical. 

It really is true when they say that the small things are really the big things.

At some point in your life, you’ll come to the realisation that the only thing you can never get back is time.  And when that hits you, and it will, everything changes.

That doesn’t mean conscious living it’ easy, but nothing in life worth having is.

I get it.

In today's whirlwind of deadlines, social media notifications, and cat videos, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters.  So, put on your metaphorical yoga pants, jump on that magic carpet, and join me as we explore the delightful world of conscious living.

Understanding Conscious Living (and Avoiding Conscious Snoring): 

Imagine a life where you're not just sleepwalking through your daily routine like a zombie in search of brains (well, figuratively speaking).

It’s like that scene from Trainspotting with the saying, “Choose Life”.

You can choose to be on auto-pilot and have your life disappear in the blink of an eye, or, you can grab hold of that steering wheel and take control.  It’s scary knowing that you can write your own story, you’ve just got to believe.

And get started.

Cultivating Mindfulness (Minus the Kale Panic Attacks): 

Now, before you start picturing a bearded monk meditating on a mountaintop, let's demystify mindfulness. It's not just for the gurus among us; it's for everyone who wants to find a little more Zen in their lives. 

Think of mindfulness as a mental vacation, a way to escape the daily grind of stress and chaos. And remember, you don't have to start chanting "om" or surround yourself with kale to be mindful (although kale chips can be surprisingly delicious if you give them a chance). 

Simply taking a few moments each day to pause, breathe, and appreciate life's absurdities is a great start.

Nurturing the Body: More Than Pizza has to Worship at the Temple 

When it comes to conscious living, you’ve got to look after yourself. 

Conscious Living isn’t consciously choosing to eat pizzas and kebabs, because what’s the point of living if you limit what you can do as you move through the stages of your life.  I don’t know about you, but I want to be as with it and as mobile as possible in my later years.

So, love pizza.  But don’t love Pizza if you know what I mean.

Fuel yourself with food that makes your taste buds dance and your body sing like Beyonce in the shower.

And let's not forget about functional drinks.

They're like the secret agents of nutrition, swooping in with their superpowers to save the day. 

So, grab that Kombucha and drink yourself conscious.

Living in Alignment with Our Values (While Still Laughing at Bad Jokes) 

Conscious living isn't just about personal well-being; it's also about aligning our actions with our values. We can choose to support brands that care about the environment, reduce our carbon footprint, and stand up for social justice. 

No one likes the person who says one thing, then does another.  It’s not real, or authentic.  Conscious Living is about being true to yourself, even if it's hard.

And you know what, let’s now forget about the power of laughter.

Laughing at bad jokes might not save the world, but it sure makes the journey a lot more enjoyable. So, let's embrace conscious living, have a chuckle or two, and create a life that's as hilarious as a cat wearing a tiny hat.

Practicing Gratitude (Even When Your Wi-Fi Betrays You)

In the realm of conscious living, gratitude is the secret sauce that adds flavor to our lives. It's like finding a hidden Wi-Fi network in a sea of weak signals—it's a moment of pure joy. 

Taking time each day to express gratitude for the little things reminds us that life is filled with blessings, even when our Wi-Fi decides to go on strike or our local pub still only serves 0% Heinekens. 

Hell, be like the Train song, “Drops of Jupiter”.

“Now that she’s back in the atmosphere,
I’m afraid that she might think of me as,
Plain old Jane told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land.”

Pretty much sums up conscious living.

So, fly my pretty, fly.

Be like David Bowie in Labyrinth, let it all hang out.

So, let's raise our metaphorical glasses and toast to the quirks, mishaps, and delightful surprises that make life oh-so-interesting.

Conscious living is like a joy-filled adventure that involves savoring pizza, laughing at life's quirks, and occasionally embracing the mystical powers of kale. It's about waking up, being present, and hitting the day with purpose.

This isn’t about productivity, it’s about purpose.  

If your purpose is to make sure that your children have a magical childhood.  Then live that, because as you get older the world will knock the magic out of you if you let it.

Be David Bowie.

If you’re ready for this, then let's embark on this journey of conscious living, armed with a smile, a functional drink, and a healthy dose of humor. Together, we'll create a life that's as vibrant and uplifting as a meme that makes you snort-laugh in public. 

Cheers to conscious living and all the laughs it brings!

And to end on the words from the speech that stopped the cold war...

"If I can change, and you can change, then everyone can change!"