Wake Up Wednesday: Self-care for busy people who "don't have time"🕑

Amber Hagberg: Reconnecting With Yourself Through Yoga

We are constantly busy all day. Our minds are pulled in a million different directions. How many times have you checked your phone today?

My guest Amber Hagberg is a yoga instructor, business coach, and host of the Yoga Off the Mat podcast. In our conversation today, she gives plenty of truths and wisdom about the value of self-care and taking time for you, even if you think you don't have time.

After the passing of her father, Amber tried to numb the emotional pain... until she found yoga. Yoga allowed her to feel more comfortable with herself spiritually and emotionally. She gave excellent advice in this episode about slowing down your busy life and using the power of yoga, breath exercises, meditation, and journaling to reduce stress and find peace from negative emotions.

If you're overwhelmed and you want to heal your body and mind, you need to take a listen to this episode! By the end, you'll know how to become more aware of your needs and take care of yourself.

You can subscribe to my podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora or wherever you enjoy listening. It would make my day if you left a rating and review. And if you know someone who needs a Soulution for their stress right now, send them whichever episode you think is best for them!

Why Is So Much Food Going to Waste?

Did you know that one third of all food is wasted?

Approximately 33% of all the food in the world that could be eaten ends up getting thrown away instead! If you think that’s a crazy high number, you’re right. But if you think this is a solvable problem, thankfully you’re right about that too.

Food waste facts

Today is Stop Food Waste Day. This day was created in 2017 to bring awareness to the food waste issue.

Food waste affects American families financially, with the average family of four losing $1,500 because of food waste. Most food waste in the US happens in the home (43%), but restaurants, grocery stores, farms, and processing facilities all play a role.

Food waste also contributes to climate change. When food is thrown into landfills instead of composted, it breaks down and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that’s more harmful than carbon dioxide. In addition, food waste is one of the biggest causes of freshwater pollution.

Solutions for stopping food waste

Spread awareness - People often throw away small amounts of food here and there not realizing how much it adds up. Tell your family, friends, and social media followers that one third of food in the world is wasted -- they'll become more aware of their own food waste habits!

Buy imperfect fruits and vegetables - Just like we humans are judged for our physical imperfections, so are fruits and vegetables. If their color isn’t the brightest or they have a blemish or two, many people don’t want to buy them. But they're still good to eat, so give them a chance.

Eat “expired” food - According to the FDA, some foods have a "Best If Used By" label. This seems like an expiration date but it actually isn't. The food is still safe to eat after the date. Instead of automatically throwing away out-of-date food, examine it closely and see if it’s changed in "color, consistency, or texture."

Make the most of leftovers - Not sure what to do with leftovers? The official Stop Food Waste Day website has a free digital cookbook full of delicious world recipes that are designed to make use of leftovers you might normally throw away.

Donate to the hungry - Even though large amounts of food are wasted each day, there are still plenty of people who don’t have enough food to survive. If you think that’s completely messed up, you are right yet again. Learn more about the hunger problem and how you can help.

Food waste is a solvable problem, and you can do something about it. Next time you’re about to throw food away, see if you can save it for later. You’ll feel good knowing you’re taking steps to save food, save money, and help save the earth.

"Today I release myself from the pressure to be busy."

We have errands, work, and chores to do every day. We try our best to accomplish everything on our to-do lists. The problem is, we sometimes tie our self-worth to how busy we are. Do you ever give yourself permission to stop being busy? Do you ever give yourself permission to slow down, to not reply to that message right away, to binge-watch your favorite show? It’s okay to not be busy. You’re not a bad person for not accomplishing everything on your list. Say this affirmation and let go of the pressure to be busy. Take time today to slow down, breathe, and just be.

Did this resonate with you? Hit reply and let me know!