I really want to …
I keep meaning to …
I’ll do it tomorrow …
I’m so curious about this, but …
BANNED.
Those statements are banned from your vocabulary for the month of September. Got it? You’re welcome.
I was reading this book called Nudge (until it started talking about financial things, and then I yawned and slept), and it’s about choice architecture, the depths of which I won’t get into here.
What I will tell you about is this one tiny part that hit me over the head with a statistical 2×4 (don’t laugh, integers hurt).
When people state that they intend to do something, they’re far more likely to do it. Rather than those thoughts that run through your head, like, “This week, I think I’ll start exercising.”
When you state an intention to another person, you’re more likely to follow through on it. And if you haven’t noticed, crafty companies have been employing this little nudge for years now. You know how, when you’re goaded into taking a survey, one of the questions is almost always, “What major appliance/car/computer/whatever purchase do you intend to make in the next 3 months?”
Guess what? When people state that they intend to purchase something, they’re 35% more likely to do it. And if you’re on a company’s website and state that intention? What do you think is in the back of your head when you state it? “I think I’ll purchase this Whirlpool dryer from Sears. Yeah. That’s what I want.”
Shifty nudges indeed.
Let’s Turn This Intending Thing On Its Head
Yesterday, I asked the Crunchy Betty Facebook community what one natural change they plan to make in the month of September. It was SO inspiring, I decided to include ALL OF US in on this hopey changey thing. (Only for real. I am not Sarah Palin.)
Here were some responses:
I’m going no poo!! – Amy
I am promising myself that I will carve out time to make my own cleaning products, cosmetics and meals from scratch. I want my students to have a teacher who actively makes the smallest footprint possible because she cares about their future. And I want them to have a teacher who is pretty. – Abby
I’m experimenting with honey/cinnamon/cardamom hair lightening! – Courtney
Starting an aromatherapy certification program!!! – Samantha
As you can see, everyone has a different thing they want to try. Consider this your little Crunchy Betty Challenge for the month.
Pick one thing or two things – or even three things if you think you can handle it – that you want to experiment with or change in your life – that’s natural, conscious, and good for you.
And then STATE THEM HERE SO WE CAN HOLD YOU TO IT.
Here are mine:
- I am going to meditate for 20 minutes every day during the month of September.
- I am going to make lotion bars (this week!)
- I am going to finish the first ebook (Food On Your Face for Acne and Oily Skin) and have it published by the last week of September (and people, I am so excited about what we’re going to do with it, I’m having a really, really hard time not spilling the beans too early – so part B of this intention is NOT OPENING MY BIG FAT MOUTH until the second week of the month).
What Do You Intend to Do in September?
What have you been dying to try, but you just haven’t gotten around to?
Making your own glass cleaner (which, by the way, Teri just said this about it on Facebook: “OMG I just made your “winning” glass cleaner, and I am blown away completely.”
Trying out no ‘poo?
Assembling an herbal medicine collection?
Starting a walking program?
It can be anything. Any little change you’ve wanted to try making, but haven’t stated your intention to do yet.
And we’re going to hold each other accountable for this. If you see someone who has the same intention as you, consider pairing (or tripling) up so you guys can talk each other through the changes. And feel free to use the Crunchy Community to start your own intention/doing threads.
Because the second part of actually stating and doing what you intend to do is finding people who will hold you to it. (Once you do that, you increase your chances of success by, like, a billion. That is not a scientific fact. But I’m pretty sure it’s right.)
What one or more natural, conscious, and healthy change do you intend to make during the month of September? The more specific you are, the more likely you are to follow through.
(So instead of deciding “I’m going to eat healthy,” tell me HOW you’re going to eat healthy. Are you going to plan salads for your lunches four days a week? Are you going to drink a green smoothie every day? How, specifically, do you plan on eating more healthy? Or what specific cleaning products will you make? SPECIFICITY is the key.)
Tell us.
State your intentions. Don’t be afraid. (The only fear you have, at this point, is fear of change. And that is not allowed. Not this month, anyway.)
So … what is it?
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I intend to surround myself with emotionally healthy, positive, happy people full of love and good energy. (Ahhh…. I just felt a weight lift as I finished typing that… It’s already manifesting.) 🙂
This month I intend to make that shampoo I saw on here (ahem, hair “rinse”) from coconut milk I make myself and a bit of Dr. Bronner’s! Oh yay, I’m so excited to try that! I also intend to use up the last days of summer picking berries and other edibles wheresoever they may grow.
Lastly, I intend to better keep up with Crunchy Betty posts, as they give me such joy. You are a girl after my own heart. The comments are also excellent!
this month i *intend* to do a castor oil treatment on my hair once a week to see if its helpful. also, i intend to learn how to knit!
I intend to:
Keep experimenting with OCM to find a mix that works best for me. Tonight I tried 7 parts sunflower seed oil to 1 part castor oil, but I still had some dry spots on my face (middle of my forehead, outer ends of my eyebrows, and the tops of my cheekbones).
Keep up with my honey wash every morning.
Make the homemade vapor rub.
Attend at least three group classes at the rec center each week. (Unfortunately, I’m coming down with something and feel quite awful, so I’ll have to put this off until I’m feeling better.)
Experiment with my new set of essential oils to figure out what I like! So far I’ve tried rosemary+peppermint in my diffuser, grapefruit in my diffuser (I used too much, though, and it made my eyes and nose itch all day), lavender+eucalyptus+rosemary mixed with milk and added to a bath, and I’m about to try a tissue with lavender under my pillow tonight. I’m having so much fun!
So I am starting a little late but read the comments and had to post:
I intend to:
1. Do qigong at least 4 days a week (hopefully everyday)
2. Complete all the work stuff I have to do before I go to NY(end of the month vacation). It can be done but why do I drag my feet? I have been baddd this year about procrastinating! None of it is hard (tedious at times, but not hard) and yet I have been dragging my (newly crunchy) butt so much this year.
3.Keep up with the coconut oil face and hair treatments(a nightly thing or whenever needed) and my in-bed-before-11 routine. I did these regularly for about a week or so(about a week back now) and someone at my quilt class asked what I did because I looked really good. I only put CO on my face and hair 4 nights and tried to be in bed before 11 that week. I didn’t know what to say to her when she asked what I had been doing…It shocked me that I looked different with just a little change in my routine.
I like to keep a container of coconut oil in the bathroom so I can just put some on as I am getting ready for bed/or in the morning. I try to wait a few minutes before I lay down so I don’t get too much oil on my pillow. It doesn’t take much to moisturize and make you feel good.
I am bookmarking this page. I love coming back and reading the positivity and determination from everyone’s comments 🙂
I’m down!
This month I intend to:
-Start my sourdough starter
-have quiet time at the start and end of everyday
-eat breakfast each day
-Visit The Natural Gardener here in Austin and purchase what I need to start my fall garden
-Consume cod liver oil and/or coconut oil at least once a day
Crunchy Betty I propose a follow up post in one week’s time, just to be the hand that we need to hold through the mire of procrastination and excuses 🙂 Pwetty pwease!
I want to kick my recent apathetic rut (and lifelong procrastination) in the rear! I have challenged myself to do tackle one thing off my massive congested to-do list every single day this month, whether I feel like it or not. Don’t think, just do.
WOW… I teach people how to do this but I am the classic, always time for everyone and never myself!
But I started September (my birth month) with a bang of intentions before I read the post.
I will.. with clear mind and heart.
1. Make choices that start first with me.
2. Finish the outline and content for my Guided Meditation CD’s to present for publisher
3. Make one thing (jewelry, crochet, inspirational messages, etc) each week that allows my creativity and spirit to shine.
4. Laugh
This month I am going to get back into my yoga and start taking the dog for more regular walks. I will!
Oh goodness, I am a textbook start-but-quit-halfway-through person. I was really doing well at practicing yoga every day for several months last year and then the holidays hit and I let myself indulge more than I should have and BOOM – I am 10-15 pounds heavier and feel awful because I let the emotional eating continue and never got back into my yoga. NO MORE.
This month I intend to:
~Do at least 15 minutes of yoga every morning whether I feel like it or not. Starting is half the battle.
~Overhaul my diet to include much more live (raw) foods and less stuffy snacks and no refined sugar. Specifically I am determined to have a green smoothie at least 3 times a week, more often if possible. I also plan to try wheat grass for the first time before the end of the month. (I should probably start a food journal to keep myself disciplined.)
~Start the oil cleansing method for my face (I already wash with honey) and skin brushing in the hopes of clearing up my horrendously fickle acne and improving the overall health of my skin.
Yay!
Ha! I did 20 minutes of yoga and just finished a Strawbery-Blueberry-OJ-Spinach green smoothie! When my hubby gets home from work I am planning to go in search of oils for my first OCM session tonight.
Good luck with the OCM – it completely cured my acne and has left me with healthy, lovely skin. Not a day goes by when I don’t appreciate it!
Awesome! I really hope it works for me..I’m a few days in and liking it so far – I can see a healthy glow when I finish so that has me excited. Now to see if my acne goes away…I was actually on accutane about 5 years ago and that cleared it up for a few years (and was awful to go through for it) but it has been coming back with a vengeance over the last year or two so I’m really glad to be finding some natural treatment options! 🙂
Hi fellow Crunchies!
I have read all the posts and am very motivated and excited thank you!
I intend to:
1. Start back to work on this novel I’ve been sitting on for nearly 18 years.
2. Make more of my own beauty products.
3. Grow some of my own food indoors this fall/Winter.
Ty Betty I have made the facial scrub with nutmeg <3 it!!! I use it M,W,F.
I've also made the Acne toner that goes with the aspirin honey facial. I use toner every day. I am doing the daily honey wash, but still breaking out. can't use aspirin hate it. I have oily break out prone skin. The rest of my skin is dry dunno why I have oily facial skin but dry body skin.
I had a lot of fun making the things I've made so far. My 4 yr old daughter helped a bit and is excited about the lip balms recipes we got from you. yes we're making those too.
I will try the no poo because regular poo makes my head itch and I have bad dry poodle frizzy hair right after using it. I only use it (poo) once a week and the rest I rinse my hair and add some moisturizing conditioner to ends. I also use Argan oil 3 times a week. get it from Sally's beauty supply – makes my hair super great for dry frizzy hair! NO hairdryer just naturally air dry. hmm.. does Tresemme have gluten it in could this be the itch factor I experience?? Nada on label. I looked.
Take care and thank you everyone for all the recipes and great posts. 😀
Namaste,
~nadimoon
I am going to finally take some of my homemade beauty products and sell them! My hairdresser wants some of my stuff to try out. Who knows… maybe an Etsy store? A website? Sing it with me!!!!
Very funny that you posted this today as DH and I made a list LAST NIGHT for this very purpose. I already crossed one thing off the list today (homemade coconut milk-OMG Fantastic-ness!). I’m doing the second in a few minutes (make granola) and just love the idea of this challenge. So, to put it out there in cyberspace. . . this month, I will:
– Be more adventurous in trying new vegetables (this goes with less meat in our diet)
– Buy non-GMO food when possible
– Try infusing honey with lavendar
I made granola for my hubby recently and he loved it. It was easy and just fun to make, getting into the hippie groove. haha This is the recipe I used, but used 1 cup of unpasteurized honey instead of the brown sugar, and reduced the water to 1/3 cup. It’s not too sweet with the honey. Then you can add extras after baking, like dried cranberries, raisins, more nuts, etc.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups rolled oats
2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, or slivered almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and reserve.
Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Place in microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add vanilla extract and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.
When the mixture comes out of the oven, it is still very pliable. You may choose to add in dried fruit as a finishing touch at this time. When granola has cooled completely, store in an airtight container.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kathleen-daelemans/crunchy-granola-recipe/index.html
That looks good! I’ll add it to my “recipes to try” for the future.
I intend to:
Continue drinking green smoothies, but make sure to have one at least every other day– if not every day.
Hit up the gym 3-4 times a week. I tend to find every excuse in the book to not get off my booty and go. I’ve recently joined a new gym that offers many fun classes; including yoga, which I LOVE. Good for the body and the mind. 🙂
Start the Oil Cleansing Method! I’ve been washing my face with local honey; however, I wear makeup during the day, so OCM will be my nightly method.
Finally, FINISH “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. I have had this book for three years now and while I have read most of it several times…(I like to take it all in), I have yet to finish it in it’s entirety due to many extenuating factors.
I needed a kick in the pants…. Thanks!! I will:
1. Get to bed each might by 10 pm and rise by 6 am.
2. I will take my multivitamin and cod liver oil supplement everyday.
3. I will exercise for the sake of exercise and just for me at least 3 days per week.
(4. Will try to have a green smoothie 3 days each week) – this will be my bonus.
Want to lose some weight and get my energy back. I eat whole foods at home (don’t buy anything else) but sometimes fail when I’m running late in the am and grab something out for lunch, ect. This is the part of the idea behind the in bed early and rise earlier. This will also provide time in am to exercise before getting kids up!
Continue putting honey on my face every day!! LOVE this!!
I haven’t seen a thread on this in the community yet. I will start it now and list my intentions as the first post!
run at least three miles a day 5 days a week 🙂
thanks for the support guys!
I intend to get more organised…Thanks Crunchy Betty!!
There are 2 things I think about all the time but have been putting it off, so this is exactly what I needed to give me a push!
I am going to wash my face with honey everyday.
I am going “No Poo.”
This is so exciting!
I hereby declare that I will in the month of September 2011:
1***Continue washing my face with local honey. Thanks Crunchy Betty!!!!
2***Instead of letting consumer marketing dictate to me how my Christmas will be, Christmas will be as I intend for it to be for me. Crunchy yea!
3***My gifts to others for Christmas will be handmade by the one and only; me. Stained glass, homemade scrubs, Jar mixes with the recipe, knitted items, wreaths, pictures, etc. I want to learn to make soap too!
4***Make New Year gifts for 2012 this month. Decorate a small box and fill it with “good luck” stuff with a catchy poem I need to create. The box will surely include an angel, black eyed pea, (I’m from the U.S.–South), pink elephant, clover, etc. Can anyone say fun?
Ooh I’m adding that to my list, nice one Tammy. Nothing but handmade for presents. I like it!
You are most welcome!!! (>’.'<) I feel like handmade gifts are the best when I receive them. Someone actually used their energy, time, and thoughts to create something special just for me. Hopefully my recipients will like the gifts, if they don't they can re-gift or donate them. At least I've given to them from my heart!
I’m going to go to the Sunday meditation session offered at the local Buddhist center…thanks for the inspiration!
Ok I just read up on dry brushing and I am totaly adding that to my list!
Last month I watched a movie (Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead) it was so inspiring! I did a 20 day juice detox that was eye opening I thought I was a healthy eater before but I found out how addicted to food I really was and how I used it emotionally.
For the month of September (and the rest of the year) I am going to be content with myself and try to remember my road to being happy and healthy is a marathon not a sprint, results are not always imediate.
I will continue to juice for breakfast and lunch.
I will make bulk healthy meals to freeze and feed to my family.
I will make some deodorant for myself and husband.
I am recently unemployed, so I started up my etsy shop to sell my pottery…. I need to commit to at least 4-5 hours in the studio every weekday.
Of course exercise! My birthday is this month so I’ve asked my hubby to give me a month long membership to our local rec club so I can take water aerobic classes after I drop the kids off at school.
Btw thank you so much for spending your time on helping so many people be crunchy!
I feel so modivated right now. I have a history of getting very excited about things, and losing excitment halfway through. I have never believed in anything as much as I believe in natural, organic, and DIY products though. Never. I promise myself that I fully and completely intend to never put a harsh chemical and whatever else is in those store bought beauty products on my face again. I will make every OCM mixtures, masks, toners, and scrubs myself from your wonderful recipes here, and never put anything on my face I wouldnt put in my mouth, (besides essential oil and baking soda and water) and look and feel better than ever. Its only been 2 days and my skin feel so light and clean and soft. Hooked for life here. Also I intend to make new pillows for the bed, and practice deep breathing with body scan meditation while listening to recordings of relaxing rainfall and thunder everyday. Ahh I feel good just thinking about it. Thank you so much for your inspiration and enlightenment, and changing my life. <3
This month I intend to start using the workout dvd I purchased and have yet to commit to, get my husbad and I to quit the nasty pack of cigarettes a week habit we picked up over the past year, and start cooking large batches of beans on the weekends to use over the week! Now these things must happen…. 🙂
Be Happy! I have a crazy month a head of me, I start freelancing full time in 3 weeks, so I need to focus on my happiness and not completely stress out about eating healthy and exercising. I just made two trips a local health food market, stocking up on great products and ingredients for homemade goodies, (most of which came from here!) so I know that I have some great stuff to work with. I will focus on making some great beauty and home products and be proud of myself for all the crunchy strides I’ve made.
I have been no poo for about a week. I am will make at least 2 meals a week from scratch. I will drink a green smoothie at least 3 times a week.
I love how stern you are haha tough love. “Be positive NOW”
I am going to
– Do 20 minutes of exercise every night then a nice bubblebath
– Try to beat my social anxiety by not fearing interacting with my room mates
– Wash my face with honey every night! (I know I know I’m late to this one lol)
I really need to buckle down on myself this month with my sugar consumption. I’ve been following a heathy diet for months and had gotten used to using honey instead of sugar. But then last week a woman at work bought cookies and I convinced myself it wouldn’t hurt to have just one… I’ve been struggling with sugar since then. Nothing serious, but allowing myself to have just a little bit here and there. So this month I will really tighten down on my sugar consumption. NO SUGAR in the month of September. Honey is okay and the natural sugar in fruit and vegetables is fine, but no cane sugar. I’ve been following a tough workout routine for quite a while and my body has made some wonderful changes, but I still have a tiny bit of fat to lose on my stomach and I’m really hoping that a slightly stricter diet will help me get rid of it. I think I will also go to the shooting range this month. I’ve been telling myself for months that I’d go and practice and get comfortable with hand guns, but I keep putting it off, so I will do that this month.
I’m nearly three weeks into my own month without sugar! I wanted to try getting rid of ALL added sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, to see if it would help my skin. Seemed to at first for about five days, then I broke out again and it hasn’t cleared up. I’m still going through with it and have definitely seen weight loss, especially in my belly, and my belly has always been stubbornly fat. Nice little plus side!
This month, I intend to get my diet back on track. Eating more fruits and veggies. I also intend to get back into a regular exercise routine.
I also intend to find more natural cleaning methods.
I would like to do a cleanse~will check into the one mentioned above.
I am also doing the AM Honey face wash and the PM OCM wash. LOVE it.
I intend to get more crunchy with my eating. I’ll do it by cooking and refrigerating a few meals on the weekend for when classes are busy, and by baking something if I want some sweet. I don’t have the will power to give sugar up completely, but making cookies with real ingredients is healthier than all of the artificial flavor/color/additives/substitution/preservatives from a box! It will also take enough work to make them that hopefully I’ll think before I grab one, and my roommates will help out eating them 🙂
I will also do something calisthenic-like every day. There are about 12 flights of stairs between me and my classes, and they’re murdering me!
I cook huge batches of things on the weekends and it’s been incredibly helpful for a grab ‘n go meal before work in the mornings. I know what’s in them and I don’t have to cook the night before. I make easy stuff, like soups, and then divide them into mason jars for a week. I do the same thing with breakfasts and snacks. It’s been a blessing and it’s really helped me avoid unnecessarily spending money on food during the work day AND making poor food choices.
Thank you for the motivation I need to attend a time-saving cooking class for six weeks! It is a free class, but not exactly close to me. I am really hoping the recipes are healthy or that at least the techniques taught will be transferable to healthy meals. 🙂
I am so desperately trying to find the crunchy betty facebook page, I get crunchybetty community. Is that it? Because I’m not seeing anything on the wall. Is there another facebook page where you asked this question? Every time I click the link to it, it goes to my profile. I’m so confused.
Anyway, back to the Intention…
I intend to either find a part time job, take a course to make finding a job easier, or start a business from home making crunchy pretty things and potions. Like lip balm, I’ve been experimenting with recipes from different sites and sort of making a mash-up of all of them to find my own signature recipe. Also, facial oils that double for cleansing and moisturizing.
My husband and I are trying out the original homemade deodorant and liking it so far. SO I intend to keep with it.
Also, I intend to make Christmas gifts for people instead of buying more “stuff” to clog their closets.
And now that I’ve been reading everyone else’s intentions, I’m adding dry brushing this month, and a cleanse once the baby’s weaned. I need to make a to-do list to put on my fridge now. 🙂
I know of what you speak regarding intention! Having been a smoker for 50 years plus, I decided to quit on my birthday Aug 27th. I stated my intention for 2 weeks prior to that date, and on Aug 26th, I smoked my last cigarette! I know I wouldn’t have followed through without the target date and the intention to quit.
congrats!! keep it up! 🙂
Congrats!! As an ex-smoker, I know how hard it is to take that leap of quitting. My manager just passed away 2 weeks ago from lung cancer diagnosed 2 months ago, so every time I think I could go back to smoking (it’s so easy to go back, to start again), I just think of the hell she just went through and how horrible of a death it was, totally avoidable by not smoking. Although, as an ex-smoker, I could still get lung cancer, I just intend not to!
I intend to keep my head out of the clouds and buckle down where my grades are concerned. I will NOT let things slip away from me, I will stay on top of my classes and ROCK. THIS. SEMESTER.
I am also going to treat my body right- eating and exercising the right way.
These are great things! Now tell me, what are you going to do to keep your head out of the clouds and buckle down? What actionable plan are you going to take? Will you study for exactly two hours every evening, Monday-Friday? (Okay, maybe Sunday through Thursday?) Will you take judicious notes in class? Tell me how!
I have a day-by-day schedule/to-do list that I will write out on the weekend in preparation for the week, and I will add to it throughout the week as needed. I will stay awake in all my classes and take notes, even if I think I could just wing the material (that is my downfall, my cockiness in class). I will review Organic Chemistry (ugh) every night- EVERY night, no matter what!.
i am so with you on this one!
i intend to spend at least one hour working on my thesis 6 days/week and run at least one mile every day. the other day i realized that even if i am terribly tired and slow, a mile only takes 15 min of my day. that’s barely over 1% of the day!
i also intend to continue (started this at the beginning of august) writing down everything that needs to get done in the adorable tiny planner that i picked up at the borders sale. (and of course, doing those things too. :] )
Good on you, Ali!
I’m going to get that job that I’ve been after and then I intend to take the business to new heights! So many crafty and creative ideas floating around right now, I can’t wait to implement them! 🙂
Heck yes, lady. I’m sending all kinds of “getting job vibes” your way right now. And keep pushing forward with those crafty, creative ideas. I have some weird feeling that NOW is the best time in the world to be creative!
I am going to sign up for a few enrichment classes just for me! I casually started looking online earlier today and just read this challenge. Perfect timing!!! Classes start soon and most are the “show-up on the first day and register” type. I have to finish perusing the options before I can commit to specific classes, so I’ll come back and do that later. 🙂
Yes. Share what class(es) you decided on. I wanna see what you’re doing. How did your spa party go, anyway??
The spa party ROCKED!!! Such a fun evening and campout! 🙂 The girls left the next day excitedly recapping the events for their parents with smiles.
I’m having a challenge finding classes, however. I have a wide range of interests and there are hundreds of classes, yet mysteriously most are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have limited availability on Thursdays and there are only so many classes I can take in one day! LOL I’ll figure something out and state my intentions clearly and concisely.
So much for “clearly and concisely”…LOL
I’m interested in so many classes! Narrowing it down based on scheduling has, unfortunately, knocked the list down A LOT! I want to learn Italian, but those classes are in the $200 range — beyond my budget. I also wanted to take a home decor sewing class (to encourage me to get a bunch of projects finished) and they are not being offered this semester. I am also very interested in singing lessons…thinking about that in Winter.
So, I am down to Qigong (free) on Tuesdays and Thursdays; Time-saving cooking (free) on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and Naturopathic medicine ($75) on Tuesdays. Neither of the Thursday classes actually work, schedule-wise, but I know I can leave qigong a little early to make it work as long as I can find parking this time around. Last spring, I tried taking this class and there was not a single parking space anywhere within a mile of the school on registration day. Theoretically, I could take two of the three classes on Tuesdays, but it’s going to require a schedule shift for my husband and I haven’t asked him, yet…
I intend to attend the first day of classes for time-saving cooking on Tuesday and qigong on Thursday this week. (Both classes are free, but students must be present to register and get a seat/spot on the first day.) The naturopathic medicine class begins next week and I intend to investigate it and see if it is a viable class for me to attend. If so, I’ll get childcare worked out and be there!
Oh, this (naturopathic medicine class) reminded me about the natural healing institute where I know someone who teaches aromatherapy. I’ve been wanting to take classes there, too. I looked up the Fall schedule. WOW!!!! So many exciting classes, but these all have more significant “investments” (aka money) involved and are ideally part of a certificate program. I did see several “intro” classes that would be good for me to take and see if this is a direction I would like to go. For now, I intend to attend (LOL, that’s funny when spoken aloud!) the free open house on Thursday night this week. There will be a raffle for three free scholarships and I intend to be one of the recipients. How’s that for intending? 😉
Okay, I did it! I attended and registered for the six week cooking class today. I’ve been meaning to take this class (same teacher, but different location/day) for about a year now. Today was very little cooking, but we broke into three groups and each group made a dish, then we all ate a buffet lunch. Class is free and the students share the cost of the food. We ate a rather healthy lunch for only $2.25 each consisting of: roast beef lettuce wraps, spinach salad (tortilla) wraps (we cooked bacon for this), and apple & brie kabobs (that group heated up the caramel for the sauce). Delicious!!!
I intend to confront my challenges head-on and not withdraw when the going gets rough. I intend to practice yoga 20 minutes a day.
YES. Yoga! I fully support you in these decisions and also … I will follow your lead on not withdrawing. You set an example for me here, right now. (Skip just chastised me last week for being really bad about surging ahead and then withdrawing as soon as I “got anywhere” – and it was so true!) We’re in this thing together, lady.
I intend to:
*make my own deodorant
*swim a mile most days of the week (I’ve been working up to this)
*make a recycled denim quilt (or two… or five….whatever it takes to get rid of the huge stack of jeans I’ve been collecting!)
Note: I’m 2 and a half weeks into no ‘pooing and washing my face with OCM (pm) and honey (am). I’m loving the results, and am hoping the good stuff continues!
Oooh. Yay for your face cleansing successes! Also, when you swim, will you do an extra lap for me? I used to be a lifeguard, and I miss NOTHING more than the daily laps around the pool. (I’d do it here, but the local pool is kinda … icky.)
And if you need more jeans (though it doesn’t sound like you do), I have a pile of old ones that I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with!
That’s sad that you have an icky pool! I live in a small town, but our high school has an olympic sized pool that’s open for lap swimmers in the morning. It had been years since I had been swimming, and when I got back at it, I wondered why I let insecurities about being seen in a bathing suit keep me from something that I LOVE for so long! ……of course, it also helps that my work schedule is different and I don’t have to get up super early to get there any more as well!
Thanks for the offer of the jeans! I do have a rather excessive stack, already though….. 😉
I’m going to try dry brushing this whole month! I picked up a brush years ago and bring it out every now and then but I really want to commit a whole month to it.
Dude. You want to know something totally weird? I was wracking my brain last night, while trying to go to sleep, thinking of what our next “group challenge” could be – and I kept coming back to dry brushing!
You’ll be the pioneer. The one who can talk everyone through their questions. More motivation to do it! Yay!
What is dry brushing?
Yeah, what is it? I kind of like a homenade deodorant challenge! But I’m already doing that so it wouldn’t be a challenge for me. Hum… I’ve also started the oil cleansing and LOVE it. I look forward to washing my face each which has NEVER happened in my life.
Pssst. *makes darty eyes, sidles up* http://crunchybetty.com/3-ways-to-naturally-dissolve-cellulite-without-breaking-a-sweat *slinks away*
Brushing your skin before you shower. It’s supposed to be amazingly good at detoxing your body, as skin is your largest organ. Check it out: http://www.jashbotanicals.com/articles/skin_brushing.html
Here’s another link with a few more specifics on how to brush: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/treat7.php
Good idea – I think I’ll try to dry brush more often this month, too! I’m never good at sticking with regimens and have only dry brushed intermittently.
I love dry brushing purely for the fact that it sheds dead skin BEFORE you get in the shower so you can just rinse off on water-only-hair-days for a very quick shower. I am usually NOT a skeptic but I really wonder about the whole dry brushing and lymph system thing. I never feel any different on days I skip brushing (usually in the summer) or when I’m sick. I would love to believe everything the internet says about it but just can’t. But is FABULOUS for keeping your skin smooth in the winter. I forgot to mention IT FEELS SO GOOD!!! Like you are having your back scratched but it’s all over. . . YUM!
I’m going to finish learning how to knit and get going on my winter gear! Not buying some crappy Target mittens which are doomed to fall apart this year!
Ha! I’ve got you now. Once you learn to knit, you must make this: http://rewindknits.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/pattern-convertable-center-row-lace-headband-neck-warmer/ and then you must send it to me.
So be it. So it is.
Heh.
Have fun with the knitting. Talk about self-sufficiency once you can do that!
THAT IS AMAZING! Also, knitting will give me a reason to finally collect fancy buttons! And incorporate them into gifty things!
I really love that! I want one too!
I found that learning to crochet was easier for me than to knit. Besides, then you can be known as a “hooker.” 😉 I’m a happy hooker.
hahaha! My husband is a happy hooker too!
Ha! I’ve always wanted to learn to crochet as well! I aspire to become a happy hooker! Never thought I’d be saying that 😛
Crunchy Betty does tend to make one say things that one would never dream of saying, normally. 🙂
Going no ‘poo – I’m out of the store-bought sham of a ‘poo, have aluminum-free baking soda, water, a sprayer and raw ACV … all set! I’ve got curlies/frizzies, so I can’t wait for the good results. 🙂
Woot! Don’t forget to peruse the no ‘poo posts comment section and the no ‘poo thread in the Crunchy Community if you get stuck somewhere (or just want some encouragement). There’s SO much knowledge there.
Good luck, lady!
No ‘poo for four months now I think, and it is so great. I love the phrase ‘sham of a ‘poo.” I want an excuse to quote you on facebook, I’ll have to work it into my status somehow.
🙂 Thanks, Margie – it just came to me!
This month, I intend to
*get back to Couch to 5K
*complete the herbal cleanse (diet rework+cleanse)
*find one more thing for this list! 😉
Oooh. Do me a favor? Share what cleanse you’re doing? The fourth thing on my list was going to be doing a cleanse/detox after I publish the book, but I didn’t want to get too far ahead of myself with that one.
But I’m looking for a good one to do, and am REALLY open to suggestions.
Also, I must look up what Couch to 5K is. So many things learned in this question – I had someone mention they were doing the Riot for Austerity this month, and I had no idea what that one was either!
I have been waiting until my little guy is weaned to do a cleanse. He is turning one in September and I’m hoping to have him done by the end of this month, so I can put the cleanse down for an intention for October. Ooh, I’m skipping ahead. 🙂
Trying to research a good first time cleanse is tough work. Who knew there were so many to choose from?!? So I wouldn’t mind the advice either.
I’m planning on doing a cleanse as soon as my little guy is weaned as well! One very helpful tip someone gave me was this: in the weeks before your cleanse, make sure you wean yourself off of certain foods. Like dairy, meat, and sugar. It will make the cleanse go much more smoothly, and you’ll feel a lot less crappy. And also, the day before you start your cleanse, do a colon cleanse. They have kits at almost every health food store. Good luck!
So I guess the half cup of chocolate chips I just ate is off the menu from now on. hahaha I was looking at a starter cleanse and it seemed as though it included a colon cleanse with it?? I forget the name of it, it had a sun on it and I think the box was purple. A colon cleanse before the real starter cleanse is the way to go, huh? Alrighty. Thanks for the tips. I guess the more info I have on it, the less of an excuse I have to procrastinate. 🙂
Betty- Have you heard of the GAPS diet? It’s a healing diet that restores your “gut.” You should look into it if you are thinking detox. It is Weston A. Price Foundation approved.
I’ve done two cleanses: Spring 2010 (7-day) and Fall 2010 (5-day). Both were done with my Ayurvedic Practitioner and really last for about two weeks with pre-work and post-work. She gave me the recipes and instructions and I purchased ingredients and herbs. She saw me before and after, taking my pulse and checking my tongue and asking a LOT of questions.
My first cleanse was really, really, really ROUGH! I was essentially sick (flu-like) for over a month. I was in constant contact (email and phone) with my practitioner and she “held my hand” through it all. Apparently, this is common.
My second cleanse was AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!! Complete opposite. LOL I felt terrific almost the entire time! 🙂 I followed nearly the exact protocol both times. My body was just in a better place the second time around.
Also, from my first experience, I set myself up for success in several ways. I had saved up gift cards from several spas and used them during that month (October-November) for various treatments. I connected with many healing-type friends and acquaintances during that time frame. I “disconnected” from any and all even-remotely negative forces.
A tip I got before both cleanses was to clear my schedule for 2-3 weeks. Be as flexible and open as possible for new experiences to come about while giving myself a chance to stay home when I felt icky. Terrific advice!
One challenge I have with Ayurvedic cleanse protocols is I am allergic to several spices (such odd allergies!) and that seriously contributed to my first cleanse results. (I knew about one beforehand and skipped that one, but I discovered the others during the cleanse. Very challenging to recover.) I axed the offending spices completely for the second cleanse. All the supports I put in place for the second cleanse were pretty much a one-time shot since I had saved gift cards for years. Future cleanses were going to have to be different.
I then discovered bentonite clay. I took hydrated bentonite clay twice a day for two months in Spring 2011. Much more gentle detox.
Spring and Fall are the best times to cleanse. I am going to be doing the clay for two months again in October & November. I may try pascalite, also.
It’s all through my Naturopath, all products are Standard Process brand, and are all herbs and food-based products. This is absolutely fantastic! I did it back in March, and now am looking forward to it again. Not an easy one, as the first 10 days are ALL vegetable and fruit consumption, as much raw as I can, with the SP whey protein in smoothies, then day 11, I can add in deep-water fish and/or chicken, all cooked simply. Last round, I lost 26 pounds in the 21 days and have kept it off, keeping with the clean eating mindset. I’ve plateaued with my weight loss in the last month or so, thanks to a foot injury limiting my exercise, and letting some junk back in the ol’ diet.
Accidentally dropping a filing cabinet on my foot this past Monday has put my goal of C25K on hold again, but we’ll see how that goes once I get in to see what I’ve done to myself.
Changing my skin care products and etc, around, ala CrunchyBetty, has made a MAJOR difference in the toxic load on my body, along with this cleanse and clean eating, has helped my health improve in IMMENSE ways in just the last six months!!!
ummm, yeah. FAIL.
I broke my foot. DOH.
Cleanse is still on. Starts Monday.
I’m going to advertise the cooking class that I’ve been “wanting” to teach for the past year. The class will take place in October. Yay!!!
That is awesome, Amanda! Is it going to be local, or is it an online class? Is there anything I can do to help?
It’s going to be local. I have so many friends who keep telling me they want to take a class from me. Thank you for the offer of help! I’ll let you know if I can think of anyway you’d be able to help.
Maybe you or someone in the Crunchy community can help me with this after all. I was asking a friend about how much she’d pay for a cooking class. So far I’ve gotten as low as $20 for a 3 hour course and as high as $50. Anyway, the friend I was talking to today, said that I should be thinking about liability since I’d be providing a service out of my home. I just want to do a simple cooking class! Maybe it’ll turn into a home business, but right now I’m just “trying” it on. She said if someone cut a finger, burnt themselves, tripped over my rug and got injured they could sue me. Don’t you just love the world we live in? So should I be concerned about this? Does anyone in the community have any ideas?
For your class, have everyone sign a waiver…that should keep you from being liable. I live in FoCo, I would love to come to a class! I found your website about a week ago….I LOVE it! You put so much personality in your writing, I can’t stop reading. I am on your site everyday for hours! I am a wife and mother of four boys (ages 8-16), they all think I’ve gone insane. I was, however, able to bribe my 16 yr old into trying the honey/asa mask and toner with me, both of us loved it by the way. You are awesome. Thank you for your site.
MAKE SOAP!!
Oh boy it feels good to have said it, now I’m committed. If I start now, I’ll have time to run a test batch or two, and then have a good batch in time for presents in December. I shall order the stuff at once 🙂
KICK BUTT! That’s definitely on my list of things to do soon, too. When you’ve found a soap you really love, share it! (I just found this one the other day that I’m dying to try: http://www.bloombakecreate.com/2011/09/more-soaping-here/ ). Which recipes have you been looking at?
Oh! I’ve got one….I’ve been making soap for my family for years. I have “The Complete Soapmaker” by Norma Coney and have tried several of her soaps. She has several basic soap recipes and then you “mill” or “re-batch” them with herbs, spices, foodstuffs, etc. This is the only book I’ve seen that you add the stuff after the soap is made. This way, you get to keep all the great benefits of the stuff you put in there, whereas, if you mix it in with the lye, it may react and change. You also aren’t committed to huge amounts of a certain type, as you can mill it in small amounts.
I make her Olive Oil Castile Soap (ingredients: olive oil, lye and water). Then I’ve milled it and added lettuce, cinnamon and oatmeal, frankincense and myrrh, etc. I’ve tried nearly everything in her book, but the above are the favorites for my family.
She also has recipes for shampoo (for dogs too!), herb and vinegar rinses, and liquid soap/soap gels. I’ve not tried any of those. She has great instructions with photos of all steps and good information on ingredients.
For all those who are making soap for the first time, DO have adequate ventilation with the lye…….(voice of experience here!)