Summer Spa Evaluation, Good, Bad, and Surprising

July 22, 2015 — 4 Comments

mangos for chutney

This summer I designed a home spa program for myself with an emphasis on positive change. My staycation planning evolved from the original agenda in ways I had not expected. I thought I was in a very artful groove, and needed self expression as a top priority.  I listed poetry writing and art as a daily therapy for wholeness because I know these practices do make me healthier.  For reasons not yet fully examined my poet and artist have been dormant with no interaction.  I have taken a few photos, but what I saw as my big chance to work on my creativity with words and visuals has been channeled in other directions.

I have become a food prepper in my own way.  I don’t attempt to pack or create meals for a whole week in one day as the real serious preppers on Pinterest do.  I have learned from them to make my own diet healthier by planning and using contrast.  My style of food prep involves a constant experimentation and learning new recipes.  I have been trying many salad dressings and cold soups that are new to me.  I am making a conscious effort to include anti inflammatory foods such as ginger and turmeric in my diet.  I am on a huge tea safari of new flavors and types of tea, a journey that will take a lifetime.  This summer I have given up coffee and never miss it because I drink tea, often spiked with ginger tea to keep the anti inflammation theme.  I have tried more new dishes and teas in the last two months than I did in the previous year.  I am hopping enthusiastically out of my culinary rut.  I feel good, and find great satisfaction in mastering new cuisines.  This afternoon I am making mango chutney for the first time.  I might even make an attempt at curry.  Who knows where the food muse will lead?

The most successful element of summer spa is the trend toward minimalism.   If you knew me in the past you knew one of the biggest maximalists that ever lived on earth.  I did everything with way too much over production.  I accumulated mass quantities of stuff I never used, and crammed my space with items.  I made decisions earlier that have cleaned up much of my act, and I continue to go in this direction.  Each time I have the opportunity to donate to the Big Brothers Big Sisters, who provide pick up service, I gather a big bag and leave it outside.  Each time I find things that have not been used in years and have little chance of being used.  The upgrade is fabulous.  I now own…and can find easily in my clean clear space…only things I love.  I am in no hurry to fill the space with more items, since I still have more than I really need.

My exercise routine has been enhanced by the free Apple music subscription I am enjoying. I dance around my house for 5 miles in the morning listening to Apple music.  By tracking I see that I dance at almost the same pace as I walk outside. My air conditioned house is much more comfortable now than it is outside.  The Apple library is vast, so I switch albums and playlists all the time, never listening to the same thing twice.  I don’t believe I will cover everything I want to hear in three months, but for now I am having a very good time with it. The good news is that the minimalist in me does not need that giant library and will not mind at all returning to the very big library at Amazon music.  I highly recommend that everyone take them up on the free offer just to see how much is available.  Even minimalists like free stuff.

grilling vegetables