The Selfish and Selfless Reasons Why I Decided to Stop Eating Meat

Some of us don't think about what we are eating, and simply go through our daily lives without paying any attention. Some of us perhaps pay too much attention. One thing I'm sure about is that all of us start our life not thinking about what we put in our bodies. We take what is given to us by our parents or caregivers. Eventually we learn, not only through reading but listening and paying attention to the way our own body reacts to certain things. It has been almost one year since I stopped eating meat and here are the two main reasons why I do not eat meat.

I am Grateful for the Morning

She woke to the sound of the metro tooting,

letting everyone know it's coming through.

Another day, another toot.
She stretches, yawns and
folds her arms under her head.

I am grateful.
I can hear the morning sounds.
A rooster crows in the near distance—in someone’s backyard.
A dog’s collar jingles as it walks by. 

I am grateful.
I can see the morning light.
A deep breath and she looks towards the window.
Sunlight comes in through the sheer-like curtains. 

I am grateful.
I can smell the morning scents.
Another deep breath.
She draws in the remnants of last night’s rain.
A slow breath in, and she counts to eight,
inhaling the scent of wet earth. 

I am grateful.
I can feel the morning’s touch.
A gentle wind from the open window and
the curtain lightly waves.
Toes and feet caress the gray linen,
they curl and grab the sheet, pinching it, pulling it down.
The cold sheet slowly slides down the body,
like a cool intentional breeze
softly sweeping over her. 

I am grateful

(November was gratitude month and so I wanted to end it with this)

What are you grateful for today?

Let's Cut Our Unmindful and Unappreciative Way

Have you ever felt like you are not here? 

Lately I've been finding myself multi-tasking in a very unmindful and unappreciative way. As I talk to someone on the phone, listen to a podcast or even when I'm food prepping or cooking, I have been scrolling through Instagram or watching something on YouTube.

It's like I'm not fully there. I don't like it it because I'm not even enjoying the activity. I'm enjoying neither of the activities! Even worse, I am not giving my attention to the person on the phone, who takes time to make the phone call or seems to look forward to talking to me. 

Looking for "home"

"Your body is your first home. Breathing in, I arrive in my body. Breathing out, I am home."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

I've been thinking about what "Home" is. Which was one of the day's word prompt last week for the gratitude challenge. 

Optimism

November is gratitude month and I am doing an Instagram challenge where I post everyday (based on the daily word prompt) what I am grateful for. One of the words was OPTIMISM.

I'm not a very optimistic person, but I know that what helps me look at the brighter side is making the effort to think of the positive and reciting that over and over in my head. Like a mantra. I'm thankful for those conscious times when I do decide to make that choice.

It's also important to not forget those days when you hung in there to be where you are now.

I don't necessarily mean career wise, it could be not struggling financially where you are counting those quarters to see if you need to walk or if you can take the bus. It could mean not struggling mentally and emotionally when going through, or after some traumatic event.

Thinking about how far we've come can keep us optimistic. 

With the pandemic going on right now, it has been difficult for many of us. I'm thinking of the silver lining. For me, it would be the time I've had to reflect on my growth, and how much I need to keep growing. I am grateful for this time to reflect, learn, and the small rays of optimism that flicker behind the clouds, and make it through the breaks. Make it through just enough to make me optimistic and realize that I CAN DO THIS.

What helps keep you optimistic?