For me, it has always been food. From the fear of not being to prepare a good meal to learning how to do it, then, trying as much as I can to learn to manage funds that finance my daily bread.
You see when it comes to food, we are all guilty of mismanagement in one way or the other. Some of us would love to prepare our meals at home, but, we find ourselves placing orders for fast foods daily. It's not that we wouldn't be able to get our assess off the seat and get into the kitchen sometimes, it's only that we haven't learned this part of holistic living. We haven't learned what it is we have to do to sustain our daily bread.
Initially, for me, I didn't cook because I was always afraid, the outcome would be terrible. Once I passed over this fear, I began to dread cooking because I calculated how much time I would be wasting in the kitchen just to put a meal together. Let me explain, when I didn't learn how to manage my time I always thought making food takes a whole lot of time. And I kept thinking I needed more time to work than to prepare food.
I hadn't realized I needed to eat properly to be able to work effectively. Therefore, reaching out for a bottle of Pepsi and a loaf of bread was quicker than heating the oil in the pot for me. I never knew managing time entails setting up my day to accommodate the kitchen time. Once I learned this one, nothing beats preparing food for me anymore. Reaching for a coca-cola product doesn't replace my daily meals anymore, it only balances them.
Now, apart from preparing food, I have found sustainability because I began to create food budgets. These days, I know just about how much I need to put a balanced meal together. I am no longer freaking out because I assume my funds won't be enough. No, I have found the funds I have to be enough for today, tomorrow, next tomorrow, and for the next 30 days.
Speaking of the next 30 days, if you are like me, there is a period in your life where your money bank dries out completely. You will begin to freak out because you can't possibly think of where the next meal will be coming from. Now, this is the part of holistic and sustainable living that I am trying to master. I have been able to draw my energy up to day 27, the three days are still pending. What I mean is that I have been able to do my food budget to be enough for at least 27 days. This is a good thing as compared to when I was always eating out and I run out of funds around the 15th of every month.
Let's move away from preparing food, budgeting, and balancing. What about our health? Fast food is cool, and fast according to its name. What about our health? It took me quite a while to realize that the amount of money I spent on food from the food mart would give me equivalent food in larger quantity, better quality, and proper nutritional value if I made them at home. Plus, I'll eat it to my satisfaction, it wouldn't be a few spoonfuls, but, in the right amount and proportions for my body. Again, I can invite friends over to join me, because I'll have enough to go around and everyone is happy.
Firstly, It's not difficult to prepare food, I hope you realize this sooner than I did. Secondly, you will save more by preparing your meals at home. Thirdly, the nutritional value of your meals will be balanced. You wouldn't have to put your health in the hands of a chef, who is only making food rounds for his monthly payments. Who might not necessarily care about your health but the profit of the business? Take your health into your hands today, it's a proper way to gain sustainability, after all, health is wealth.
In my case, you can say, I have been able to incorporate all four qualities of holistic living which includes;
Mindfulness, Intentionality, balance, and practice. Although, I still haven't had an entire balanced picture up to point, I am still thriving. And I am positive, one day, I'll get it right.