'LIGHTEN LIFE' WELL-BEING TOOL KIT

Lighten Life's Well-Being Philosophy

1/10/2017

THE 3 MAIN PRINCIPLES I aim to live by & have tried to incorporate into my business practice, as well as this resource site, are;
1. Holistically
2. Simplicity
3. Mindfully

1. Holistically
True health comes from taking care of yourself on all 3 levels (Holistically) - Your Body, Your Mind, & Your Heart/Spirit. Below are some sources of “Fuel/Energy” for the optimum health of these 3 main aspects of our Being;

BODY	MIND	HEART / SPIRIT
Clean & Lean Meals (Wholefoods)	Meditation & Relaxation	Love & Gratitude
Strength & Stretch (Mindful Movement)	Motivation & Inspiration (wise quotes & teachings)	Play & Connect (with family, friends & nature)

Living "Holistically" to me, also means living in tune with Nature, her Seasons & her 5 Elements (according to Traditional Eastern Philosophy). This theme & theory is woven into the classes I teach & is the main structure of my Kinesiology sessions. You may also notice it is tied in throughout this website. If you're interested to find out more about The 5 Element Theory & connecting to the Seasons, click on the link below ....

Connecting to the Seasons

2. Simplicity
One of the principles I aim to live by (well more so these days, than in the past!), is 'Simplicity' . I have attempted to tie this theme into all the ideas & suggestions on this resource site. Referring to 'Simplicity' on many levels -for example for the heath of our bodies, (Physical level) - I don't believe we need to have lots of equipment, or have a gym membership to keep fit & strong (unless you enjoy going to gyms of course). I believe in eating clean & simply.... which means eating foods as close to their natural state as possible (minimizing; processed, packaged & fast foods) with simple food combinations.

Food Combining Theory

Simplicity on a Mental/Emotional level for example, means realising & experiencing that it is possible to shift the way we feel in a positive way by learning simple breathing techniques, which you can do any where & anytime when you're feeling stressed or over-whelmed. Another method may be focusing on a positive quote or affirmation (I have included some of my favourite inspiring quotes in the 'Lighten Your Mind' section)

An example of simplicity on a Spiritual level, is noticing that what brings our heart "joy" & allow ourselves to really enjoy those moments (as simple as they may seem) &/or do more of it. We when become aware of what brings our heart joy we often realise that it is the simple things in life & they aren't usually "things".... they're experiences.

And finally on an Environmental level, an example of simplicity is "de-cluttering" your home & office. Keeping only what's important to you & what you actually use. This process is not always easy, and can take some time (in my case the past 10 years... & it's still going!). Though it's worth the effort, especially if you're feeling a bit weighed down & over-whelmed with life, the process can be so therapeutic & can make you feel so much "lighter"!

3. Mindfully
All of the inspirational beings who have inspired me over the years (such as; Lao Tzu, Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), Thich Nhat Hanh, Dalai Lama, Rumi, Eckhart Tolle, Tara Brach, Brene Brown, Dr Wayne Dyer, & many more), all have a common underlying message... True inner Happiness & Health on all levels, begins with 'Mindfulness' (Being Conscious/Aware/Mindful of what you; do, say, think & feel in each moment as often as possible).... Sounds simple in theory, but a little challenging to put into practice! Scientific studies have proven Mindfulness to have many positive benefits, such as;

Reduces anxiety
Improves our concentration
Enhances our decision making ability
Eases aches & pains
Improves our mood
Increases our level of resilience
Enhances creativity
Increases our ability to feel empathy for others

The more Mindful we become in our day to day life, the more we can bring about positive change within; ourselves, our lives & our relationships with others.

I find the easiest way to practice Mindfulness is when I'm doing a body-based practice such as; Yoga. Pilates or when out walking. Noticing how you are moving & breathing & how it feels within the body, keeps you anchored in the moment & out of your head! (which is usually caught up with thoughts of the past or future). To find out more about Mindfulness click on the link below....

What is Mindfulness?

You can find & read tonnes of very useful & interesting information on the web & in books on health & well-being, but it's not until you actually apply that knowledge to yourself & your life that you will FEEL & experience the positive effects & benefits. I am also guilty of this.... I find it very easy to get caught up in collecting, gathering & learning more information (you could say it's a slight "addiction" of mine!). This is useful to a point, but it stays on an intellectual level, until you actually give it a go, experience it & put it into practice. A classic example is meditation.... we can read all about it & hear all about the benefits & know it must be good for us.... but until we actually set aside some time in our day to sit down & try it out for ourselves.... we'll never actually FEEL or experience the positive affects. To find out more about the benefits of Meditation click on the link below...

Why Meditate?

My intention is to make this website a very practical one, so it can be used as a resource site, to find simple tools, techniques & ideas to apply & test out for yourself. It is only at the very beginning stages & will grow over time. Although I love philosophy I am aiming to make this site not too "wordy" , so you can spend more time trying things out & experiencing for yourself, rather than reading more stuff! We as a society spend way too time with our heads/minds glued to the internet, mobiles & social media.... let's get out there and experience! (or in the case of Meditation - Let's go 'with-in' & experience!)

Lighten Life's Services

This web site is also a way of committing to my own mission to “Live Lightly” & hopefully some of the information & ideas will also assist you along your path to enhanced; Health, Happiness & Lightness!
Namaste.
Taz

Tarryn's Mission

Strength & Stretch

25/9/2017

To be fit, toned & feel good, you don’t need to have a lot of equipment, spend hours in the gym or go for long, strenuous runs.

I worked as a Personal Trainer for many years & at the time enjoyed lifting heavy weights & doing high intensity cardio sessions & training others to do the same. To be physically strong & super fit can make you feel amazing & it can definitely have an effect on shaping & toning your body. However, I found this often limited people to believing they had to either go to a gym or buy a whole lot of equipment to have their own home gym in order to keep fit & strong. Also believing for a workout to be "worthwhile" or have any benefit, it had to feel like a "torture" session! This can impact the simple joy of moving your body & becoming healthier.

As I progressed with my studies & self experiments to keep fit & strong, I started doing mainly body weight exercises, Pilates, Yoga & more moderate intensity cardio. Incorporating only a few pieces of equipment, mainly; fit-ball, medicine ball, gym swing & a couple of pairs on dumbbells. I love the freedom & simplicity of this type of method. I also find it more enjoyable & are less likely to make up excuses why not to do it!

Although the purpose of traditional yoga is not just about stretching & loosening tight/stiff muscles & joints, I have included it in the "Stretching" section of "Lighten Your Body", as it is very beneficial for this purpose.

“Our body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.”
(from Buddha's little instruction book).

Back to Strength & Stretch

Clean & Lean Meal Ideas

25/9/2017

I absolutely love food! It’s never far from my mind! When I was growing up we use to eat a lot of what was considered “healthy” according to the traditional food pyramid, like pasta, sandwiches & other refined carbohydrates. These are delicious at the time of eating, but can leave you feeling tired, low in energy/mood & still hungry an hour or so later.

Over the past few years I have been reducing my intake of wheat, refined sugar & dairy. Experimenting with alternatives such as Ancient grains; quinoa, buckwheat, millet & other whole grains like; brown or wild rice. As well as experimenting with alternatives for refined sugar, such as; honey, maple syrup, rice syrup & dates. And substituting cows milk with unsweetened almond, rice or coconut milk. The meals & treats taste much more wholesome & have tones more nutritional benefits & leave you feeling satisfied, rather than heavy, hungry & tired.

I also use to think it was important to have a “balanced meal”… packing as many nutrients into each meal as I could, including protein, carbs & good fats (believing more was surely better!)… but over time realising combining too many different types of foods together can be very taxing on the digestive system, leaving you feeling "heavy". A sluggish digestive system can cause bloating, cramping & other digestive issues, along with lack of energy, as the nutrients from the meal can’t be absorbed & utilized properly by the body.

Food Combining Theory

Through research & experimenting with food combinations & swapping or cutting out certain ingredients from recipes, I found a way that worked for me. And when I say “worked” for me, this means… foods/meals that leave me feeling; satisfied, energised & light. I generally follow the philosophy that "food can heal & it affects how you feel". This belief has a major influence on how I look at food & what I choose to cook & eat.... Don't get me wrong, I also absolutely enjoy the occasional indulgences in life like an almond croissant & dark chocolate... Yummo! :)

General criteria for the meals/recipes chosen;

KEEP IT REAL! - Meals made mainly from REAL, FRESH, NUTRITIOUS ingredients, based on the seasons
KEEP IT SIMPLE! - Few ingredients with simple food combinations that don't take too long to whip up
KEEP IT LIGHT! - Meals that leave you feeling light & energised!

These recipes have been selected from a variety of sources & inspiring chefs, cooks & foodies.
Happy Cooking!

Back to Lean & Clean Meals

Simple & Sweet Treats

25/9/2017

I have a bit of a sweet-tooth.... & use to be a big coffee with a café muffin fan… absolutely delicious whilst eating it, but soon after felt; tired, wired & heavy... & craved more high carb-sugary foods within an hour or so.

I LOVE muffins & didn’t want to cut them out of my life, so this motivated me to seek out healthy muffin recipes, without processed/refined carbs, like white flour & sugar – which generally creates the "flat, tired" feelings afterwards. This lead to lots of fun experimenting with all sorts of ways to get my sweet fix (raw desserts, bliss balls, bean brownies, etc) & to also feel energetic & satisfied afterwards without the sugar crash!

Back to Simple & Sweet Treats

Meditation & Relaxation

24/9/2017

My earliest memory of experiencing the benefits of meditation was during a random class in year 11 at high school. We had a fill-in teacher who got us to lie on the floor & close our eyes, as she lead us mentally through each area of the body. As a generally anxious & racy teenager at the time, I discovered a wonderful feeling of peace & easefulness within my mind & body which I had never felt before. Later years I got to know this practice as “Yoga Nidra”, an ancient Yogic practice. but at the time, I just thought it was a nice break from the normal teenage worries, doubts & confusion.

Learning to meditate has been such an asset in my life, especially during times of; stress & anxiety, struggling with adrenal fatigue, early motherhood & general feelings of being over-whelmed & having too much on! After a meditation session (even mini ones) I often feel like a “re-set” button has been activated within me, my mind feels lighter, happier & less chaotic!

Why Meditate?

Although according to yoga & other traditions, 'Meditation' & 'Relaxation' have slightly different intentions & desired outcomes, for the purpose of these posts they will be combined as one in the same. Different methods/techniques will work for different people at different times & some may not resonate with you at all. I encourage you to try a few, see how you feel, pick one that you enjoy & stick to that one practice for a while to gain the best benefits.

Back to Meditation & Relaxation

Inspiration

24/9/2017

I have a bit of a hobby (or you might call it an "addiction"!) collecting information on all things positive & inspiring to do with developing a happy & healthy Body, Mind & Spirit.

Since about the age of 18, I started keeping scrap books of inspirational & insightful; sayings, quotes, affirmations, life lessons, messages & the like, from various books, websites & workshops. They range from motivational authors like; Louise Hay & Deepak Chopra, to Health professionals such as; Dr Libby Weaver & Paul Check, to Ancient sages such as; Gautama Buddha & Lao Tzu, to Yogis such as; Ram Dass & BKS Iyengar & other Spiritual teachers such as; Tara Brach, Brene Brown & Eckhart Tolle.

The inspirational topics are tied into the essence of each season according to Traditional Eastern Philosophy. If you'd like to find out more, refer to link below...

The 5 Elements

Back to 'Inspiration'

Play & Connect

24/9/2017

I’m not sure if my thriftiness has come from the fact that my mum has Scottish blood or that I was a backpacker off and on through my 20’s & early 30’s!!? Anyway I tend to spend very little money on entertainment & "toys", and maybe this sounds a little boring…. But I haven’t found this to be the case…. in fact I started to notice that my level of enjoyment experienced within, whether through a typically "exciting experience" such as a; holiday, festival or concert, was on many occasions the same as when I was doing something simple & humble such as going for a bike ride or a picnic with friends.

My love for nature, the outdoors, adventure & being active, have influenced these ideas, however there are also more chilled games & other creative ideas for those indoor days.
Have fun!

Back to Fun with Family & Friends

Attitude of Gratitude

23/9/2017

This might sound like a bit of a lecture, but I know I definitely need reminding of this from time to time…. So I thought I’d share this reminder in case you need it too!…. Living here in Australia we are so privileged, our basic needs are well & truely met & we generally have more than enough of everything! It is easy to take what we have in our life for granted (especially the simple every day things) & constantly desire more. It usually isn’t until something is taken away from us that we actually really fully appreciate it.

This can become very apparent if you’ve ever traveled to a third world country. In most places in Australia we drink water straight from our taps whenever we wish, but if you do this in a place like India or Thailand, you may end up spending the next few days very close to a toilet!

We also expect to be able to have a nice hot shower before going to bed, but many places I’ve traveled to (backpacker style), a cold shower was all that was on offer… brrr definitely not enticing after spending a day bike riding in 5 degree weather conditions! Or if you’ve ever woken up with a stiff back after spending a night in the great outdoors sleeping on a thin camping mattress…. Your bed becomes the best place in the world!! :)

I am very grateful for all the opportunities I have had in my life to travel and experience other parts of the world. To discover how other people live, to meet people from different cultures & to learn more about myself. One of the greatest lessons I've learnt from observing & spending time with people in places such as; India, Cambodia, Africa & South America, is that in comparison, on a material level have very little, but seem so happy & content. Common values they seemed to share are; strong connections & support from family & friends, a deep connection to a Faith/Spirituality, & gratitude for the seemingly small things.

In this section I would like to share what I am grateful for (both simple & significant) & hopeful in doing so inspires you to start your own Gratitude Collection (journal or scrap book).

"It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful". (David Rast)

Back to Attitude of Gratitude

Lighten Up!

23/9/2017

I am definitely guilty of taking myself & my life way too seriously at times. Getting so caught up in trying to tick items off my “to do list” each day just to feel like I have “achieved” something. Getting annoyed if I don’t get to finish what I had planned, or didn’t get to do what I wanted to do. Believing that the next thing on my “to do list” was the most important thing in the world!! Or getting frustrated at the little old lady driving 10 km’s below the speed limit when I need to get to the supermarket, or feeling tense when my chai I ordered was not quite hot enough! :)

Sometime I have to stop & remind myself to "Lighten up"!... & have a little laugh at my own little "dramas". A good question to ask from time to time is…. Does this REALLY matter?? Is it really THAT important?? Is it worth getting so tense & uptight over?? Anyway…. I’m confessing here that I’m certainly not a totally chilled, 'go-with-the-flow', cruisy-chick on a normal regular moment-to-moment basis..... however I am very AWARE of the times when I just need to "LIGHTEN UP!" And some of these ideas, suggestions, stories, clips, insights (of my own & others), which i have & will add to this blog, have helped me & may help you too (if you can relate to this) :)
I love this quote below... so true!

"Life isn't as serious as the mind makes it out to be" (Eckhart Tolle)

Tarryn's Personal Mission

21/9/2017

My personal mission is to “LIVE LIGHTLY”.... & to Be "LIGHT" !

At first this might sound strange, because the word “light” can mean so many different things to different people. Let me try and explain what it means to me….

“LIGHT” is a way of FEELING within my entire being;

PHYSICALLY	MENTALLY/ EMOTIONALLY	SPIRITUALLY
BODY = EASEFUL	MIND = PEACEFUL	HEART /SPIRIT = GRACEFUL
Strong & Supple	Calm & Centered	Grateful & Playful

When we nurture all 3 parts of our being, not only do we feel happier & lighter within, but the care & respect that we have given ourselves naturally flows out & affects the way we treat & care for others.

"Lightness" is also a way of Living = LIVING LIGHTLY!..... or you may prefer to call it "Simple Living" - which is basically not needing a lot to be happy & content. Living by the age-old saying "Less is more" (funnily enough I often find a lot of the cheesy sounding sayings are actually true!!).

De-cluttering is an on-going process & not always an easy one, especially if you grew up with the belief you must hold onto what you've got because you never know when you'll need it one day! (often though that "one day" never seems to comes!). Living Lightly doesn't mean depriving yourself, it means having things in your life, home & office, which you love, need & use. I have found living with less clutter helps me to feel more calm & relaxed.

De-cluttering not only refers to material processions, but also how much you put on your daily/weekly schedule (including; work, social stuff, family commitments, recreational activities, etc, as well as your daily "to do list"). I still find it challenging to live this way.... as growing up with a belief that "more is better"... I use to jam pack weekends full of social & recreational commitments, believing the more I could fit into my life, surely the more fun life would be! (believing this was the meaning behind "living life to the fullest!"). But over time realised the opposite to be true... I would often end up feeling anxious & tired, constantly rushing from one thing/place to another, not able to fully relax or enjoy what it is I was doing, because my mind was so busy thinking about, or worrying about the next thing I had to do, or place I had to be. This can make life feel so serious & "heavy".

And the most challenging part of my mission to Live Lightly.... is to learn to take myself less seriously... in other words... LIGHTEN UP!! :) And that is what my "Lighten up" section of this site is dedicated to... refer to this link....

Lighten Up!

My background, studies & experience over the past 15 years has been centered around health & healing. My qualifications are; Diploma of Kinesiology, Hatha Yoga Teaching Diploma, Deep Tissue & Trigger Point Therapy Massage Therapist, Cert 3 & 4 in Fitness, Group Fitness Instructor, Reiki level 1 & 2, & on-going studies with the art of Shiatsu & Chinese Medicine 5 Element Theory.

I am not claiming to be an “expert” on anything in particular…. Just a “Holistic Health Enthusiast”..... In fact the more I learn, the more I realise I don't know! I enjoy researching, studying & collecting information on health & well-being on all levels & putting it into practice.... Now I've created this space to share this collection of "Lightness" with others.
Hope you enjoy!

Tarryn's Services