Breathe in and out — you own your life. Explanations are not required.

I still stand by it; sometimes you just need to cut back and squeeze the juice out of simplicity for sheer enjoyment. Think quality, use and value. It’s like I’d rather have one pair of Louboutin peep toes than a collection of mediocre pumps.

How many times have you opened a drawer and gasped at the sight of an item as though you had only just discovered it, but really it was in there since, well, forever? YEAH. Same goes for purses, or pockets, closets and the scary space under your bed.

In short: you own way more than what you need. Of course there are wants we have lying around the house, but how many of those are just taking up space and interrupting the energy flow in your home?

Declutter your space

Less clothes. If you are like me, you probably have a hard time closing your closet doors and when it comes down to it, you only wear about 30% of what’s in there. So clear it all out: if it’s too old, worn or still has the pricetag on — out it goes. Donate it/throw it out.

Focus on having one of everything first; a good quality item rather than a bunch of half priced clones. Build your wardrobe so that you can mix and match almost everything, with a few key pieces that stand on their own and you’ll be good to go!

Stay away from sales, as they’ll entice you and you’ll only end up with something useless ‘because it was cheap.’

For inspiration: The Uniform Project, A Practical Guide to Owning Fewer Clothing

Less gadgets. One of the reasons I want the iPhone 4 in my life is because it’s like carrying all your gadgets in one. When I have to carry more than three separate techie gadgets — I don’t like it. Think of what you use most. Obviously if photography is your thing, you aren’t going to settle for the iPhone’s built-in camera no matter how powerful it is. The less your life is run my technology the better. So you have a perfectly fine working computer. Do you need an iPad? No. Also remember all these gadgets come with a set of cables/ports/batteries/stands…keep it simple!

“The things you own end up owning you.” — Tyler Durden, Fight Club

Less beauty products. Some of us have developed a tiny makeup obsession, so that walking into any makeup store every product looks like a giant candy waiting to be devoured. And so we buy it, even if the shade is 98.99% the same plum we bought last week (this one is a shimmer so it’s allowwed!) The quickest way to fix this: take part in Project 10 Pan: do not buy a new product until you have used up 10 of the same thing! And just as a general rule, use up everything you buy.

Less *gasp!* books/magazines. Magazines and books take a lot of space and are especially annoying when moving houses. If Kindle types are not for you, simply go through all your books and donate/sell any which you know you will never re-read. There’s no point in keeping those around. Same with magazines!

For more: 101 Physical Things That Can Be Reduced in Your Home

Declutter your mind & heart

Invest energy in the right things. When you’re in highschool you think being Secretary of Advertising is incredibly important, as are all grades so you spend weeks studying for your math final only to just pass by a few percent. Then when you’re out of it you realize how silly it was to put so much of your energy on something that you barely even remember today. When it comes down to it, are you worrying about things that matter? People matter, your health and happiness matter. We need to learn to be selective and to not sweat the little stuff.

Don’t pick up any rocks. When we’re in an argument or we’re insulted, we immediately accept the insult as though it were a bag of rocks with our name on it. Nobody said it was for us to pick up, but we pick it up anyway and lug it around, angry and frustrated. Next time, just don’t. Just because it has your name on it doesn’t mean you have to pick it up. Simply leave it there and move on.

Leave unhealthy relationships of any kind. What do you value in your relationships? Why is your best friend the best? Once you know this, you’ll know who is adding value to your life and who isn’t. Feel free to disconnect from energy vamps, rude and toxic people if they are only detiriorating you and the life you want for yourself. Period!

“Simplicity, clarity, singleness: these are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy.” — Richard Halloway

Enjoy the simple things. A picnic at night, a quick swim in the sea, a walk in the park. Go out and enjoy everything that’s already out there, and drop the mindset that you need to buy this and that in order to be able to do whatever. After all, you’ve been cutting back on so many material things that you’ll have enough money to spare for nice meals out, or travelling!

The less you have, the less you have to worry about; the less time you need to spend maintaining things; the less things you’ll feel like you NEED or even want; the less space you need to keep it all together; the more you can enjoy everything else not attached to a material thing! It’s funny how all this less can equal so much gain.

“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” — Socrates, Way of the Peaceful Warrior

What kind of things will you be eliminating to declutter your life? Any tips for us minimalism beginners?

The way she so eloquently put what her life had been into such beautiful prose, and the way I couldn’t help but identify with so many questions and doubts that inevitably pop up as one grows up and is supposed to make way in the world made this book so easy to get lost in. I think especially now that I’m having my own doubts as to what it is I really want to do, whether I can succeed doing what I love and whether I’m just adequate in general (though hopefully I’m not alone in all that, how scary!)

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked….I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”

It was heartbreaking and funny and tragic all at the same time.

What are you currently reading? And for those of you who have read The Bell Jar, what are your thoughts?

In less than half a week I abandoned lazy summer days in the sun for a job that now takes up most of my time. It was what I’d wanted then, but as the weeks keep pushing by I’m starting to treasure little things that perhaps I barely paid any attention to before.

Things like a nap after mom’s amazing cooking, or walking Chimbo (even if he IS 15 and takes forever to walk around a corner); having a ‘me’ night, where I give myself a little at home spa treatment, sitting around the TV with my mom laughing at the sillyness of the world or going out for dinner together and talking about big dreams.

I’ve missed lunch dates with friends and silly photos. Two weeks ago I was convinced to go out and watch Eclipse, and I can’t even remember the last time I’d gone to the movies! (OK I lie — I’m pretty sure the last time was for Avatar).

Talking to Tom every day forever isn’t possible anymore, which is heartbreaking, especially considering we are True Blood junkies and I can’t watch an episode if he isn’t around. I’d feel like I cheated.

Now that I have to stretch every bit of time that I have to myself, I seem to be getting a lot more done. I’ve picked up my love for reading again thanks to the long commute to work — currently reading The Time Traveller’s Wife because this is one book I want to read every word of before I see the movie. I’d just hate myself if I didn’t!

What little things have you learned to treasure?

I’m going to be 100% honest here — I’m not an early riser. Anyone that sees me up before 9 a.m. has only seen me make a quick trip to the washroom or for some water. I’m not talking about waking up at lunch time either, but I know that if I were to wake up at 6 every morning, I’d probably not get much done because my mind is hardly awake by then. This is why heading for an 8 o’clock class can be so incredibly exhausting for some of us, not to mention the amount of information that my brain fails to retain is somewhere near monumental at those times.

So I have to work around that. I do go to all of my classes (not without some coffee in me), and I listen and take notes, not bothering trying to make sense of anything, especially when it involves the early philosophies and beginnings of psychology. I know that I’m at my best in the afternoon, so I go over those notes with an open mind and actually sit down to understand them.

Some people can’t seem to get anything done unless it’s midnight, and others would not know what to do with themselves in bed past 7 a.m. AND THAT IS FINE! We need to step away from the strict early riser mindset, because it isn’t for everyone. It’s one thing to become an early riser if you believe it will provide you more energy for the rest of the day, or it’s part of your exercise routine. But waking up earlier for the sole purpose of doing doesn’t mean you’ll be any more productive; it can be quite the opposite if you aren’t at your best in the morning and end up wasting all that time just trying to function, and then you’ll just be frustrated and feel uninspired. Why not start things when you know you’ll be able to do it best?

In this step, find out when during the day you are at your best to take on different challenges. At the beginning of the year, for psychobiology, we determined our biorhythm by measuring a few things. Some people don’t believe in it, but it couldn’t hurt to try it out right? To find out, just do the following for the next five days:

1. Pick a time interval that will allow you to repeat each step 4 times each day (E.g. every 4 hours.)
2. Temperature: take your temperature at the time and record it. When you look at your results, a change in 0,5 might seem insignificant but it is not!
3. Heart rate: record your heart rate at the time as well.
4. Time: put a timer and without looking at it, estimate when you think a minute has gone by. Stop the timer and record the time it was running (it doesn’t matter how close you are/aren’t to the exact minute!)
5. Record how you are feeling at that moment (E.g. exhausted, excited, apathetic…)

So if I chose a time interval of 4 hours and I started at 8 a.m., at 8 a.m. I would measure my temperature and heart rate; I would then estimate a minute in time and write down how I’m feeling. Take a look at your results. Generally, body temperature and heart rate will be highest at your most alert times. Regarding time, your estimates should fall below the actual minute when you are most activated (higher heart rate and temperature), and the opposite should happen when you are less so. Don’t forget to take into account how you were feeling at the time as well!

This is a rough guide but it will help you define when more or less you are most alert during the day! Once you’ve figured it out, try working on your projects at that time and see if it works for you.

So sugardrop, will you give this a go? At which time during the day do you think you are at your best?

1. Wake up inspired.
2. Under no circumstances should you put your dreams on the back burner.
3. Know your strengths and play up to them.
4. Know your weaknesses and work on them.
5. E-mail someone to tell them how much they’ve inspired you.
6. Hand make your gifts, and give them to those you love whether it’s their birthday or not.
7. Spread the word about things you love/have helped you so that they may do the same for others.
8. Treasure relationships above all else. Everything would be pointless without those that make up our world!
9. If you’re thinking of doing something, do it NOW.
10. Learn to accept constructive criticism, for easy/pleasant it is not!
11. Say hello/good morning/good afternoon to the store clerk before you ask, to the bus driver as you pay the fare, to your waiter before you order…
12. That said, be kind to waiters! Just because that’s their job doesn’t mean it’s their only aspiration in life. It may not require a 4.0 GPA, but you try running around with trays full of drinks and remembering everyone’s order. I know I’d be a mess!
13. Regard yourself highly but don’t boast. Just don’t do it.
14. If someone is disrespectful, there’s no need to be nasty and start shooting them with every insult you know, but there’s nothing wrong with putting someone in their place. Don’t let anyone trample on you, but be classy about it!
15. Let everyone you love know it, every day, any way you want.
16. Think less “I want [object]” and more “I want to do [activity/goal/project]“.
17. Own your mind.
18. Allow yourself to be unreasonable every once in a while.
19. Always be curious.
20. ‘Be the best version of yourself you can be’.

What do you lovelies do to be so amazing?

In the first chapter, Jonathan Brings up a defining issue that may very well be the beginning to this mess we’ve got ourselves into. And that problem lies in the fact that we don’t own our minds; they are always “brooding about something” and tossing thoughts around. Thoughts rich in conflicting messages about who we should be and who we can be (according to societies, fellow human beings and our own selves). Funny enough it has had me thinking all day.

My thoughts are an ‘original’ mix of everything I’ve ever heard, everyone I’ve ever met and everything I’ve ever seen. They didn’t just spring to life in my head, of course. But what about my fears and self-doubt? That’s also got to be a mix of external influences, as well as all that internal brooding. What if I could control that? What if I could choose when to listen to myself? As Jonathan puts it, we walk away or zone out when someone says something we don’t want to hear, so why can’t we do that with our selves? Chapter 1 ends with a neat little exercise to take this first step, and I can’t wait to try it!

So sugardrop, what do you think “owning your mind” means? Do you sometimes pay too much attention to what your mind has to say, even if you don’t like it?

While seafood (specifically prawn) holds a dear spot in my heart, I am not that fond of…regular fish. And by regular I mean basic dishes containing any sort of fish not in sushi form. Because fish is so important (hello omega-3 fatty acids, good for everything) this is NOT OK! If you’re on my boat and have a hard time swallowing your fish, let’s review the benefits of said omega-3 fatty acids:

• They reduce blood fat levels (triglycerides)
• They lower the chance of dangerous blood clots
• They help reduce bad cholesterol and fatty plaques that block the arteries
• They help boost good cholesterol, which improves blood vessel elasticity. This helps reduce high blood pressure. Yay!
• They reduce inflamation, which can help relieve joint pain and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
• They contribute to brain tissue health, as well as that of the retina
• They are linked to lower chances of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s) and depression

All right, so we’ve established that fish rich in omega-3 are obviously a huge plus/essential in one’s diet. So if popping out 30E every time you want to have sushi is not your thing and you don’t particularly enjoy other fish, you are in luck!

Salmon is amongst the tastiest fish, versatile when it comes to cooking and contains the most omega-3 fatty acids! WEE! Okay maybe this is too specific and might only be my case, but even if you do enjoy fish here are some fun ways to have salmon for instant healthiness:

• Smoked Salmon and Vegetable Cream Cheese Bagels
• Peppered Salmon
• Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll (I had to!)
• Smoked Salmon with Pasta

The key of this step is to find out what essential food your diet is missing due to it not being your absolute favorite. Next, research its benefits for extra motivation! Look up recipes for that which include other foods you do like, to make it easier. Finding out about alternative foods that can be sources of that essential health benefit is also an option!

So, what foods will you be looking into this week?

The result of having all the time in the world right after having to squeeze every last second of it, is stretched out hours in the day and days in the week in which to open my mind to all these new ideas and inspiring reads. I have some very exciting new things to share with you all, and as you have helped me make Lemon Soda what it is today, I’d like to invite you onboard a different route of amazingness. As Winston Churchill put it, “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” And this is the right direction.

I want Lemon Soda to continue to be a playground where you can explore all the little nooks, question things with me and simply try to come up with new ways to define and shape our lives to our heart’s content. For that I will keep Luana Loves and Friday Goodiebag posts for the last two days of each month; I will continue on with the 40 Steps of course, and every Sunday I will continue to bring you my favorite corners of the internet. The rest will be articles aimed to inspire and motivate, but they can only happen with your help.

It would mean the world to me if you could tell me which kind of posts you enjoy the most, so if you could leave your favs in the comments that would be a great way to map out this new direction we’re heading in!

As always, thanks so much for reading guys. I have a lot of goodies in store for you that I’m really excited about, so hang around!

Inspiration comes and goes, and I like to keep a repertoir of resources I can turn to when I’m running low on it! In no particular order, here are 50 inspiring quotes from 25 individuals who have shaped our world (some ages ago, some not so long ago!). Print them and hang them on your wall, let them fill in your subconscious as you work on your next project or bookmark this page for quick reference ;) Whatever you do, have a read through these and please share your own favorite quotes!

1. Albert Einstein
   • Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
   • Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds.
2. Lao Tzu
   • Great acts are made up of small deeds.
   • He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
   • We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.
   • Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.
4. Helen Keller
   • It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.
   • I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
5. Wayne Dyer
   • How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.
   • If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
6. Mahatma Gandhi
   • An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
   • I will far rather see the race of man extinct than that we should become less than beasts by making the noblest of God’s creation, woman, the object of our lust.
7. Leonardo da Vinci
   • Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation… even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.
   • It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.
8. Virginia Woolf
   • I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.
   • If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.
9. Jane Goodall
   • I do not want to discuss evolution in such depth, however, only touch on it from my own perspective: from the moment when I stood on the Serengeti plains holding the fossilized bones of ancient creatures in my hands to the moment when, staring into the eyes of a chimpanzee, I saw a thinking, reasoning personality looking back. You may not believe in evolution, and that is all right. How we humans came to be the way we are is far less important than how we should act now to get out of the mess we have made for ourselves.
   • The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.
10. Pope John Paul II
    • An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded.
    • Humanity should question itself, once more, about the absurd and always unfair phenomenon of war, on whose stage of death and pain only remain standing the negotiating table that could and should have prevented it.
11. Nelson Mandela
    • There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
    • There is nothing like returning to a place that reminds unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
12. Billie Holiday
    • If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.
    • Sometimes it’s worse to win a fight than to lose.
13. Confucius
    • Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
    • It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
14. Kofi Annan
    • We have to choose between a global market driven only by calculations of short-term profit, and one which has a human face.
    • We have the means and the capacity to deal with our problems, if only we can find the political will.
15. Gautama Buddha
    • Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.
    • You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.
16. Sappho
    • Beauty endures only for as long as it can be seen; goodness, beautiful today, will remain so tomorrow.
    • When anger spreads through the breath, guard thy tongue from barking idly.
17. John Locke
    • What worries you, masters you.
    • There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men.
18. Rosa Parks
    • I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move.
    • The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.
19. Tenzin Gyasto (Dalai Lama)
    • If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
    • Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.
20. Galileo Galilei
    • The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the Universe to do.
    • In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.
21. John Lennon
    • If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.
    • If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.
22. Maya Angelou
    • If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.
    • Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.
23. Thomas Jefferson
    • Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.
    • Be polite to all, but intimate with few.
24. Ludwig Van Beethoven
    • What you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am by myself. There are and will be a thousand princes; there is only one Beethoven.
    • Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.
25. Socrates
    • Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.
    • One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.