When I was a junior in high school and was dealing with one of my more challenging periods of depression, I (finally) started seeing a therapist for the first time.
In December of that year, during a therapy session, I was telling her about the Christmas lights that my math teacher hung around the whiteboard in his classroom every holiday season. I told my therapist that I’d known about this tradition of his and how much I’d looked forward to returning from the short break at the end of November to see those bright lights livening up the otherwise bland, florescent-lit room.
I described how happy they made me every time I went to math class, and how I thought it was stupid to get so much joy from a simple strand of multi-colored lights.
And my therapist looked at me and asked “Why? Why is that stupid? Why not feel and embrace the joy from this simple thing?”
That was a turning point for me…and it sticks with me still today. I feel it just as strongly as I did that day as a teenager.
That moment of realization that joy is in the small, seemingly insignificant things that, over a lifetime, create these beautiful moments of magic that sustain, comfort, ground, and release.
And really, why not? Why not experience joy from something that simple?
We don’t need to only find happiness in the biggest, boldest experiences. And I’ve found that some of the most significant magic of living is found in the small joys—the things that even if other people might pass right by and pay no attention, your soul is drawn deeply into the beauty of it all, and even if just for a moment, or a season, your spirit can find rest and rejuvenation.
And truly, why not?
Your experiences are valid
Harm and healing
I've been thinking a lot about harm over the last few years.
Investing more and more in abolitionist principles has helped me really explore what it means to cause harm, to be harmed, and what we do with the fact that harm is inevitable in community.
And as much as I'd like to think that there is a possible future where we don't hurt each other, the reality is that we will always hold the potential for incredible impact on one another, which exists on a wide spectrum of positive and negative. We (humans, animals, the earth, the elements), in community, hold the responsibility to, yes, do everything we can to reduce the chance of harm, and to engage with each other in kind and beautiful ways...and also, because harm is inevitable, we also must work to build more transformative ways of addressing harm when it happens.
The Body's Healing via Personhood
How often are we aware of our bodies when we're not feeling discomfort, pain, or illness?
Typically, there's very little focus on intentionally being with our bodies until there is a perceived problem. Before that, we're often just living our lives, taking for granted the incredible, sacred relationship we have with our physical selves...but what were to happen if we became more present with our bodies separate from the very specific signals of pain?
Entrepreneurship and mental health
Several years ago, if you'd asked me about the qualities a business owner needs to have, I'd probably have thought that one of the most important things would be that they'd "have it all together."
(Whatever that means, am I right?)
Fast forward to now, and I've been able to learn through this work that not "having it all together" all the time (aka my chronic mental health issues) is not actually a hindrance to what I do.
In fact, I've found over the years that it's an integral part of my process.
Why?
Blessed Samhain!
Blessed Samhain, my dear friend!
This evening, the veil is thinnest between the material world and the spirit world, or the world beyond this one.
It can be a beautiful time to remember and honor those who have passed on, to communicate with them, and to acknowledge the ways in which we are who we are because of them.
It can also be a sacred time to acknowledge and honor grief. Grief is such a complex experience that each of us embodies uniquely, and it is often intertwined with death and loss.
It's all in the gut
The gut is one of the most fascinating aspects of our overall wellbeing, in my opinion! Here are a just a few reasons why:
The gut is our #1 immune defense system, with about 80% of our immune system housed within our digestive system
About 85-95% of our serotonin is produced by the gut (and requires a healthy digestive system to produce it effectively!)
A healthy gut reduces our chances of developing a ton of different ailments, including certain types of cancers, cardiovascular problems, and endocrine issues
But this is only a part of the story of what I find so incredible about our guts!
Spiders & stinkbugs
Happy Mabon!
Welcome to another season! We have officially entered autumn, and this cycle of life ushers us gently into a time of quiet, of grounding, and of intuitive listening.
Mabon is the celebration of the autumn equinox. During this time, we honor the hard work from the last few months, give thanks for the harvest and the gifts of our labor, and relish in a time of rest, of clearing, and of preparing for winter. We also celebrate that sacred moment where light and dark are equal halves of a whole...and for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, we step into the half of the year in which we are more able to dive deep into the mysteries that are held in the more hidden parts of ourselves.
What's at the root?
"Root cause" may not be an uncommon term, but honestly, I feel like it's not really something we dive into all that often. We so often stay on the surface when we look at problems or challenges, without ever diving deeper.
Truly investigating what's underneath—getting to the source—requires deep curiosity, and a willingness to explore.
Are you on autopilot?
A story about a tree
How do you both/and?
Health is holistic
Holistic, embodied nourishment is more than some "healthy foods" checklist.
That may be old news to you at this point. But for me, it's still one of the most foundational things to my work and my own life.
Our wellness is nuanced, complex, and interwoven with the world we live in.
And a part of what that means is that the environment, soil health, agriculture practices, and our understanding of the complexities of nutrition can all impact our unique experiences in our own bodies and how we give and receive nourishment.
What's your next right step?
You do not need anyone to give you permission to feel how you hope to feel.
But what is often helpful is having someone outside of yourself to see beyond what you can, to guide you toward your own intuitive knowing that has just been buried for awhile.
Someone to help you cultivate your own sense of freedom, of possibility, and of truly expansive and embodied living.
And even when you can't see the whole journey all at once, there is magic in taking that next right step.
Does practice make perfect?
You are right on time
We can have the feelings we have, wholly honoring whatever they might be, while also holding them alongside the Knowing that we're still ok. That our timing is still just fine. That we haven't failed, we're not too slow or too fast, and that this particular timeline is what we have to work with...and so it is.
You are right on time.
Trust Your Magic
Where are you keeping yourself small? What big dreams, magical plans might you create for yourself and the world around you if self-doubt didn’t creep in? If you allow yourself to get really quiet and listen to the hum of your spirit, what is being communicated to you? What is your body guiding you to know for yourself?
Why "Anti-Diet" Doesn't Mean "Anti-Health"
I get a lot of questions about my anti-diet approach and how I can still focus on health and nourishment with that approach.
And I get the confusion. We’ve been taught that if we finally allow ourselves to eat intuitively and freely, we’ll “lose control” and eat too much or only “junk.” But the first problem with diet culture is how it’s become so embedded into our thinking that these are the thoughts we have in response to an anti-diet framework.
Anti-diet is not anti-nourishment—in fact, it’s the opposite. Because, really, let’s consider how not nourishing dieting and diet culture is! Stepping away from restriction, shame, guilt, and fear allows us to truly learn what our bodies and hearts need, and to feed them accordingly.
This, of course, is not an easy process, especially if you’ve been deep into the diet narrative (and truly, who of us hasn’t been impacted by these harmful messages?!). But often the first step, I think, is to recognize that the diet world is not synonymous with health, and that moving away from it will likely help you to reconnect with your health in a much more nourishing way.
“Anti-diet” and “health” are not enemies. They’re companions, I believe. And if that’s something you want to explore, I would be honored to help support you through that process.
Chili Time!
Chili is something I love to make not only because it's delicious, but because it's yet another "throw a bunch of stuff together" sort of meal. As you know if you've been around here for a bit, a lot of what I make doesn't have a strict recipe, and my chili is definitely in that category.
If you're used to meat in your chili, don't worry—I'm positive you won't miss the meat with this delicious veggie-ful stew. Below, I'll guide you through a general idea of how I make mine—but remember, cooking is most fun when you can experiment, be creative, and trust your instincts!
Alyssa's Veggie Chili:
1. Chop a yellow onion and saute on medium heat in a large pot with a little oil or water.
2. Once the onion has cooked for a few minutes, toss in the rest of the veggies. I like to add broccoli, squash, bell peppers (a variety of colors), and carrot.
3. Next, add the spices! The spices I use are: garlic and onion granules, cumin, chili powder, coriander, cayenne, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. (I just feel the amounts with my heart, I don't measure. I do tend to go heaviest on the garlic, onion, cumin, and chili powder)
4. After the spices have cooked with the veggies for a couple of minutes, dump in a can of tomatoes (diced or crushed). I like to use a 28 oz can. Then add cocoa powder or cacao, molasses, and a hefty amount of tomato paste.
5. Next, add the beans. I like to use canned black, kidney, and cannellini beans, and I typically use one 15 oz can of each.
6. Once all of the ingredients are cooking together in the pot, add as much water as needed. (You can also add a little bit of water earlier in the cooking, if it seems like the veggies are struggling.) Remember that water from the veggies will get released as it cooks, so be cautious with the amount you add—I try to add just enough to make sure it can get to cooking!
7. Let it simmer for a bit. I honestly don't know how long I let mine simmer, but I'll stir it every so often and make sure it's coming together and thickening up. If you're using squash, use a fork to test for tenderness.
8. About halfway through the cooking time, I've started to throw in a secret ingredient that my sister recommended to me awhile back, and oh, is it ever delicious! What's the ingredient? Yellow mustard! This is another "measure it with my heart" situation—just squirt some in and let it bring your chili to the next level! (I’ll also typically throw in another round of garlic and onion granules, cumin, and chili powder during this step.)
9. When the chili is looking ready, I like to toss in a hefty dose of quinoa (which I make in a separate pot while the chili is cooking). This helps to thicken it even more, and it gives it a really nice texture.
10. I usually let the quinoa cook in the chili for a bit, and then it's ready to serve! I like to top mine with cilantro, green onion, avocado, and homemade vegan sour cream. Dinner is served!
I hope you enjoy this chili, and as always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!