10 Cs of Conscious Living

Since you are reading this, it is likely that you have awakened from the illusion of a mediocre life. You feel the need to live a purposeful existence but perhaps are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. The 10 C’s of conscious living are helpful tools to get you on the right track, one breath at a time.

The first 3 C’s are the most important ones. These are about building a solid foundation, growing your roots, so to speak. Once you have completed the first 3 steps, you are ready to follow the next 7, which are about taking inspired and mindful action.

The 10 C’s of conscious living

1. Celebrate what’s right with your world. Let’s appreciate the abundance and opportunities that are available to us. It may seem odd to start with focusing on what’s right in order to create change, but this really is the key. Simply pointing out the wrongs of the world doesn’t inspire anyone to create radical improvements. If all of us today make a list of all the things we love about our lives and the planet we share, it could create an unprecedented ripple of positivity, powerful enough to create lasting change.

Simplistic? Perhaps.

But modern science is not far behind in proving the tremendous power of collective focus and intention. As much as the ‘issues’ in the world can come across as daunting, it’s important to stay positive and solution minded.

For example:

• Try telling a smoker about the effects of cigarettes on one’s health and they will likely get overwhelmed and reach for the next cigarette.
• Tell them about the miraculous function of our lungs and their capacity to oxygenate the body instead. This person might find a new level of respect for their body which could be the first step on their journey to better health.

2. Consider your impact as it reaches far beyond your comfort zone. You are a powerful creator through the thoughts you think, the way you act and the choices you make. On a day to day basis you have the power to change the world.

In fact, you ARE changing the world, by just bringing consideration  into your awareness. In this way you get to make informed decisions. It’s an important key in claiming your power.

For example:

• When we hear about the palm oil crisis and how it relates to destruction of our most precious rainforests and its indigenous communities, we are quick to blame the corporations involved.
• But what is inside our kitchen cupboards? Products that contain palm oil?
• It’s our responsibility to know what we invite into our lives and consider the effects it has on the web of life we are part of.

The New Earth Cooking Philosophy helps break down the complicated world of ethical ingredients into bite sized chunks. But considering doesn’t stop there, but goes beyond consumer behavior into every aspect of our lives.

3. Create your own philosophy, strategy or standard of living. Mehhh- the sheep! Don’t rely on others’ social standards or guidelines to determine how you should live. We are all part of creating and facilitating the expansion of humanity and carry all inspiration inside of us. Question everything, find better ways and start walking the talk today. This step is about shifting from being a consumer to being a creator.

For example:

• Large department stores are starting to ban plastic bags from their outlets.
• Fast food chains are selling organic hamburgers in certain countries. Like it or not, these corporations are onto something.
• But should we really wait for others to raise the bar?
• What are your views on plastic and pollution?
• And how can you, in radical ways, make a change? What are your standards?

4. Channel your energy into something physical. Find a hobby or a project that embodies your philosophy in order to stay focused. Whether you want to become a square-foot-gardener and start a vegetable farm on your balcony, or bake cookies for old folks at nursing homes, or teach local kids how to play the guitar. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as you find a way to materialize your thoughts into something tangible.
5. Choose an area of focus. Saving the world is absolutely possible but do realize the size of the planet in relation to your shoe size. There are many steps to be taken. Focus on one thing at a time.
6. Collaborate with like-minded people. As much as it’s important to think for yourself, you may not need to reinvent the wheel. Support and appreciate like-minded people and it will help you grow. Don’t see others as a threat, collaborate instead!
7. Commit. And probably fail miserably. And commit again. Climb back up, and tumble down a few steps. Keep smiling along the way. You are amazing for trying.
8. Communicate feelings and findings. Write blog posts, articles, songs, poems. Talk. Don’t be afraid to have deep conversations with strangers. This doesn’t mean preaching and pontificating. Let’s share our stories and be curious about others. Take time to listen. This really is the fun part.

9. Conquer fears as they come up along the way. Sit with fears & doubts and doubt them. With the next fearful thought, ask, ‘Is that true’? As you start living a more ‘leading edge’ life, you may feel a bit isolated from the rest of the world. Breathe into the awkwardness of being different from most people. The majority of our fears are simply old thought patterns we no longer need.
10. Control the things you can. And more importantly, let go of the things you can’t control. If life gets overwhelming, have a cup of tea. Remind yourself about the only person you need to work on. Be nice to that person. Smile in the mirror.