What Heck Happened?

I genuinely don't know how I ended up here. Actually that's not fully true, looking back along my life timeline would show no shocking surprise that I would be where I'm headed today.

Where is that exactly? Oh, goodness! I'm sorry. I make it seem like I've picked up a new illegal habit or formed some crazy wild addiction.

Lately I've been making a steady (sometimes very sloooowwww) progression towards mindful living. What is mindful living, you might be thinking. Mindfulness is defined as moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, characterized mainly by "acceptance" - attention to thoughts and feelings without judging whether they are right or wrong (by wikapedia- but defined none the less). 

To me mindfulness is just that and so much more. It's taking in life all around me recognizing its sensations (sorry I've been a yogi this year and sensations is a pretty common word in the community). Acknowledging different seasons, emotions, and surroundings and embracing them- even if I don't fully enjoy it. Living life with an awareness of God, myself, others around me, and nature and respecting and honoring each of those.

So how did I get here, what the heck happened?! It began with me learning about animal testing. Originally, if we're fully honest, it was half for the animals half so direct sales make-up ladies would leave me alone. (Sorry if you are a direct sales make-up lady! I'm sure you're a fab person! I just don't want any of the product.) I vowed to avoid products testing on sweet little critters. The more I looked into it and just avoided those products the more it made sense to me. I mean, why test on animals? The obvious! To make sure that a product is safe for human use. But if you HAVE to test on a bunny friend to insure it's safe for a human then what EXACTLY is in this product? I can tell you usually it is lots of chemicals and the ingredients are not natural and safe for the body. That one decision- that I thought was minute, saving me time, money, and awkward encounters turned into something far bigger in my life.

It turned into me realizing I'm worth taking care of myself in every way. From that moment to now I've drawn closer to God. Who I had been avoiding, because He is a big God and there's a lot of stuff going on in the world and my life is not THAT bad and the things I'm dealing are not THAT important in the grand scheme of things. Which of course in the way that the devil plays the field have some truth in them. He is a big God, there are more important things in the world. But he is a big God and I know he's got things covered because he can handle more than one issue at a time. I'm also one of those important things to him. And to think anything else would be to diminish His greatness. I started attending yoga at a local studio, fully fell in love from the moment my instructor blew my mind by reading The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. It was relaxing, no anxiety I usually get from working out. Just me, my mat, and a wonderful journey that goes beyond a class. I got a library card and began reading things beyond Facebook rants (mainly because I deleted my FB), more than 140 characters, and without pictures.

Now, I will tell you I am no expert on mindful living. But, I am sprouting into it. So there are still some things I'm learning, figuring out and growing in. But my goal is to be fully aware of the life I'm living. To be able to pass down good a mindful inheritance to my future family in the way we live. To not say I'm for justice all while supporting unethical companies. This is a journey, kinda like a long hike instead of a quick road trip. It's being healthier and more mindful about the things I put in, on, and around my body.

And I guess I can say, looking back on my life, I should have seen this coming (I know God surely did). This is the same girl whose favorite Seuss book was The Lorax as a small child. The same girl who created a silent environmental statement in a church conference project by making jellyfish decor out of plastic bags. Who loved animals enough to spend a summer as a vegetarian in the 6th grade (actually I think that a lot of girls go through that phase. So maybe I wasn't doing anything brand new. But you get the point!) My whole life I've been drawn towards wanting to do things a bit more natural and making a stand. I know that one person can't fully make a difference in the world. Honestly that's not even my goal. My goal is that by me living mindfully- not just bulldozing through live without a care- it will have a positive impact on the quality of life of my future family (and maybe anyone reading this.) That they won't have to live in the consequences of my reckless life, but that they can benefit from mindfulness. And I'm not gonna be a pro at this, but the goal wasn't to be a pro so that is okay. 

It's hard to look at the negatives of the things we've come to love in our society. Whether that be our MAC makeup, bottled water, or Cheetos. But one thing I do believe is what you don't know, WILL hurt you- maybe even kill you before you realize it. A lot of these things we love are like a backstabbing frienemy. So loving towards you in the start, but quietly working behind the scenes towards your demise.

So Sprout. Bloom. Flourish. Is taking another detour. Because this is a lifestyle blog based on my life, and my life has recently detoured and this blog is coming with it. Life has crazy winding twist and turns and different seasons of life and with that being said my voice as a blogger doesn't like the same as it did a few years ago because I'm not the same and that's okay. I originally said in my very first post, "Sprout Bloom Flourish is my life's perspective on finding the beautiful balance in cultivating all of life's seasons." And my life perspective in this season is different to that in 2014. 

I am working towards living mindfully, naturally, and authentically. My goal is not to be a stickler about it but find a grove in which I can live without straining myself. To find a place where the lifestyle is sustainable for me. I recognize what is doable for me isn't doable for someone else and same for people who are further along than me. I welcome you to join if you want, no pressure. I will be posting all sorts of things on my journey. They are not made to offend you where you are, just to bring some ideas (that you may take or leave- the same as I do with ideas) towards healthier, mindful, natural, authentic living.