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Vegan Kitty Cat

inEurope, Life Learnings, Travel

Meeting Anita

onNovember 11, 2018November 12, 2018
inEateries, Europe

Being Vegan in Stockholm

onMay 14, 2018May 14, 2018
inEurope, Travel

Every Moment Is The Right Moment

onMay 10, 2018May 10, 2018
inEurope, Travel

Why Do Shops Close at Six in Sweden

onMay 2, 2018May 2, 2018
inLife Learnings

Can Mini Habits Change My Life?

onDecember 29, 2017December 30, 2017
inLife Learnings

My Confessions As A Former Shopaholic

onOctober 18, 2017
inEateries, Southeast Asia

Veg Eateries in Hanoi for Summer 2017

onMay 13, 2017May 5, 2018
inInformation on Veganism

10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

onApril 21, 2017
inLife Learnings

12 Ways to Empower Yourself to Create A New World

onMarch 23, 2017December 30, 2017
inEateries, Southeast Asia

Myanmar: What to Eat As A Vegan

onMarch 20, 2017March 21, 2017
inInformation on Veganism

Periods Are No Longer Annoying After I Turned Vegan

onMarch 8, 2017March 13, 2017
inLife Learnings

Keeping A Relationship Alive

onFebruary 14, 2017February 15, 2017
inInformation on Veganism

Eating You Alive

onFebruary 9, 2017December 30, 2017
inLife Learnings

What The Heck Am I Doing in Vietnam

onDecember 5, 2016December 9, 2016
inLife Learnings

Dr. Will Tuttle And His Endless Love

onDecember 1, 2016December 2, 2016
inInformation on Veganism

Instagramming for A Cause

onNovember 5, 2016November 7, 2016
inInformation on Veganism

IS IT EASY TO TRAVEL AS A VEGAN?

onSeptember 29, 2016April 30, 2017
inInformation on Veganism

New to A Plant-Based Lifestyle? I Have 9 Tips for You.

onSeptember 10, 2016September 22, 2016
inChina, Eateries

My Vegan Trip to Shanghai

onSeptember 5, 2016September 5, 2016
inLife Learnings

Walking the Path of Purpose

onAugust 13, 2016August 13, 2016
inEateries, Hong Kong

Looking for Vegan Food in Hong Kong? Easy!

onJuly 7, 2016March 25, 2017
inLife Learnings

Laguna: My Forever Angel

onJune 30, 2016February 11, 2018
inEateries, Taiwan

10 Veg Places in Taipei You Have to Go

onMay 30, 2016May 30, 2016
inNorth America, Travel

A Visit to Farm Sanctuary’s Animal Acres

onMay 29, 2016May 29, 2016
inEateries, Taiwan

About Animals

onMay 27, 2016May 27, 2016
inMain Dishes, Recipes

Yes! Pizza Can Be Vegan

onOctober 5, 2015May 27, 2016
inLife Learnings

Don’t Ask Where I’m From

onSeptember 30, 2015February 11, 2018

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Meeting Anita

I never imagined one day I could become friends with an ex of my boyfriend. But after years of inner work and healing, I made it.…

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onNovember 11, 2018November 12, 2018inEurope, Life Learnings, Travel
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Being Vegan in Stockholm

onMay 14, 2018May 14, 2018inEateries, Europe

I had the best ice cream, plant-based mylk and buffet in Stockholm. Check out what else I discovered! …

Every Moment Is The Right Moment

onMay 10, 2018May 10, 2018inEurope, Travel

The story of how we helped a Chinese-speaking grandpa find his home in the capital of Sweden. …

Why Do Shops Close at Six in Sweden

onMay 2, 2018May 2, 2018inEurope, Travel

You need to read this if you wish you didn't work so much! …

Can Mini Habits Change My Life?

onDecember 29, 2017December 30, 2017inLife Learnings

It's not our fault that we “failed”, and it's not because we’re lazy, either!…

My Confessions As A Former Shopaholic

onOctober 18, 2017inLife Learnings

I thought I was a minimalist...but I wasn't. …

Veg Eateries in Hanoi for Summer 2017

onMay 13, 2017May 5, 2018inEateries, Southeast Asia

It's easy to eat vegan food in Hanoi! Check out my recommendations. …

10 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

onApril 21, 2017inInformation on Veganism

How are you going to celebrate Earth Day? I have 10 suggestions for you.…

12 Ways to Empower Yourself to Create A New World

onMarch 23, 2017December 30, 2017inLife Learnings

How do we empower ourselves to build the new world that’s emerging? I have 12 ways to share.…

Myanmar: What to Eat As A Vegan

onMarch 20, 2017March 21, 2017inEateries, Southeast Asia

Many people have warned me that it’s challenging to find vegan food in Myanmar. My two cents - not true!…

Periods Are No Longer Annoying After I Turned Vegan

onMarch 8, 2017March 13, 2017inInformation on Veganism

How can girls deal with periods, which could be potentially annoying?…

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Embodying Love & Joy on Earth

I'm Hailey, a global citizen sharing my whole food plant-based lifestyle and journey of healing. Thank you for your presence. ♥

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It’s not easy to stay grounded and balanced in t It’s not easy to stay grounded and balanced in times of uncertainty and chaos. And yet there are some simple things we can do daily that may be helpful. Here are some of my personal practices: 💚 Eat healthy (whole food plant-based) 💚 Do yoga 💚 Meditate 💚 Spend time in nature (even a park is fine) 💚 Maintain a journal 💚 Stay connected with loved ones The goal isn’t to be perfect - every little step counts. Something I’m terrible at is going to sleep & waking up early…which I’ll work on next! 😆 (Wearing my babe @sophieyyh ‘s dress ❤️) 🔹🔹🔹 當外在的一切都處在不確定和混亂的狀態下，我們能做些什麼來保持內心的穩定和平衡？這些是我自己每天會做的： 💚 健康全食物蔬食 💚 瑜伽 💚 冥想 💚 接觸大自然（公園也行） 💚 寫日記 💚 跟我所愛的人們交流 做這些的目的不是為了要完美，任何一小步都好。接下來我自己要把「早睡早起」加入到目標當中（一直覺得這件事很難）！😆 #taiwan #lilyfield #summer #home
Kindness will always win, even when it feels like Kindness will always win, even when it feels like losing. ⭐️
A study that involved more than 590,000 participan A study that involved more than 590,000 participants concluded that "[a] diet characterised by healthy plant-based foods was associated with lower risk and severity of COVID-19" (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34489306/). COVID isn’t the only health hazard we need to be concerned about. Personally, I’d focus more on taking care of one’s health in general by eating a whole food plant-based (not just vegan) diet, exercising, meditating, doing things that bring us joy, and fostering meaningful connections with ourselves, others, and nature. 一份針對超過590,000位參與者的研究指出，「以健康植物為主的飲食，與罹患新冠肺炎和病症加劇的風險降低有關」（https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34489306/）。我們需要關注的健康危機不是只有新冠。個人來說，我會想把更多精力放在提升整體健康，方法是採取「全食物蔬食」（不只是純素食）、運動、冥想、做會給自己帶來喜悅的事，並且培養和自己、他人及大自然之間有意義的連結。 #yunnan #throwback
Home 💚 The other day I lay on the grass in Da’an Park, stared at the blue sky and the passing clouds, and sang one of my favorite songs “Heart of Fire.” I haven’t seen anyone other than my family because nowadays I can’t talk for more than five minutes without thinking about my friends back in Shanghai and crying. How do we cultivate joy and peace in times of turbulence and chaos? That’s been my practice lately. 回家💚幾天前躺在大安森林公園的草地上看雲看藍天，然後把一首很喜歡的歌「Heart of Fire」唱了幾遍。回台灣一個多月除了家人誰也沒見，因為我處於一種說話不到三句就會想到我在上海的朋友們，然後開始哭的狀態。該如何在亂世中保持內心的喜悅和平靜？這是我最近在練習的課題。 #台北 #台灣 #peace #mindfulness
In the end All that isn’t aligned with nature n In the end All that isn’t aligned with nature needs to go All that goes against the flow of life needs to be exposed and cleansed All the lies will crumble It may seem scary and shaky Sometimes hopeless But violence can not win We are the untouchable formlessness That sees through all the form identities That remains grounded amidst chaos and suffering Don’t resonate with the frequency of fear Because that’s a trap Don’t let them take your power away from you Because that’s the only way they can thrive Don’t ever forget what you’re capable of Because you can be a magnet for miracles ✨
A dysfunctional world thrives on fear, ignorance, A dysfunctional world thrives on fear, ignorance, confusion, helplessness, and despair. They want us to give up and hand over control. So don’t. When you can’t go outside, go inside. Whatever that’s done to me on the outside, I can handle it with grace and equanimity on the inside. You can restrict my movement, but you can’t stop me from manifesting people and circumstances that are for the highest good. You can disconnect me from the outside world, but you can’t stop me from connecting to my essence. You can present a narrative of fear, but you can’t stop me from following my intuition and making choices that protect me from harm and keep my hopes high. You can never take away what’s within me. Love and light travel across man-made borders and boundaries. Meditate, exercise, eat healthy, sleep well, and stay aware, authentic and resilient - it’s time to wake up and reclaim our power. 💙
Sensitivity Is A Gift Sensitivity is a gift becau Sensitivity Is A Gift Sensitivity is a gift because it allows us to feel deeply and live authentically. But the society tells us otherwise, because a distorted civilization relies on people’s numbness to thrive. If we embraced our sensitivity, we wouldn’t be able to harm ourselves with alcohol, cigarettes, or junk food. We wouldn’t be able to eat animals because we’d feel their pain. We wouldn’t be able to shop mindlessly because our hearts would ache for the damage done to our planet. We wouldn’t be able to play violent video games because we’d long for peace. We wouldn’t be so easily manipulated because we’d be connected to the deeper inner knowing of why we’re here on Earth. The world wants to strip our sensitivity away and make everyone guarded. I’d say let’s do the opposite. Let’s open our hearts to feel. Let’s say what we truly mean, with compassion. Let’s accept our full range of emotions, whether it’s sadness, happiness, or anger. Let’s treat each other with empathy because we are all different manifestations of the same source. Let’s commit to our own healing so we can help others heal, too. ❤️
“Animals are here with us, not for us.” I used “Animals are here with us, not for us.” I used to not understand why such a simple truth could sound like blasphemy to many. “What’s wrong with these people?” I thought. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I finally realized that the majority of human beings have been so wounded ourselves. We literally carry our trauma within us - ancestral, collective, and individual trauma that requires consciousness to heal and transform. To think something’s “wrong” with anyone just because they don’t behave in ways I believe are “right” is to deny the interconnectedness of all beings. How can we love freely when we’ve never experienced unconditional love? How can we refrain from harming others when we’ve been hurt ourselves? How can we serve the healing of the planet when we aren’t even aware of our own pain? The time has come for us to choose conscious healing and acting from a place of acceptance and compassion, instead of resistance and blame. We simply can’t heal the planet without healing ourselves. (Photo taken at @green_common Taikoo Li Qiantan flagship store opening)
It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel exhaust It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel exhausted. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel stuck in confusion. It’s okay to lie on the floor and cry for hours. We’ve been through a lot, collectively and individually. We’ve felt the sadness of not being able to see our families. We’ve lost loved ones. We’ve witnessed so much suffering. Some may feel it more deeply than others, but we are all affected one way or another because we are all interconnected. Give yourself permission to accept whatever experience you’re having now. You don’t have to have all the answers all the time. You don’t have to be productive all the time. You don’t have to be or feel any particular way in any given moment. Whatever you’re experiencing right now is valid. If you surrender to the present moment fully, things may start to shift. Until then, it’s okay to just be where you are. You are always loved and held. . 你可以悲傷。你可以疲憊不堪。你可以不知所措。你可以深陷於困惑之中。你可以在地上躺著哭著好幾小時。無論是在集體還是個人層面上，我們過去這段時間都經歷了太多。有人因無法和家人重逢而難過，有人失去了至親，所有人都目睹了太多的痛苦。或許有些人比其他人感受來得深，但因為我們都是互相連結的，所以無論如何，每一個人都在不同程度上受到了影響。 允許自己接受當下所有的體驗。你不用總是知道答案。你不用總是高效率。你不用成為任何一種特定的樣子，或有任何一種特定的感受。無論你此刻正在經歷什麼，都是正當的。如果你能全然臣服於當下的時刻，或許一切會開始轉變。但直到轉變發生前，待在你現在的地方，是完全沒有問題的。你永遠都是被深深愛著、守護著的。
“Love yourself enough to not let anything outsid “Love yourself enough to not let anything outside of you pull you off your center by simply choosing to accept each moment.”
Our love & intuition is our protection. We no long Our love & intuition is our protection. We no longer need outdated, fear-based mechanisms to embrace the ultimate gift of life. ✨ . . Photo by: Yiming #yunnan #meilisnowmountain #sky
Happy 2-Year Breakupversary! Two years ago today, Happy 2-Year Breakupversary! Two years ago today, everything I thought I knew was stripped away. To embrace the transformation of a 5-year romantic relationship into friendship wasn’t easy. The first two months were endless tears, anguish, lying on the floor lifelessly, not eating and losing a lot of weight, and doubting why I even existed. Then I went back to Europe and the US to embark on my own adventure. I needed to remember how to be independent and whole again, and seek comfort in the arms of people who could hold me in my most vulnerable moments. In December 2019, I was so ready to come back to Shanghai, take my cats and leave for good. But my cats’ paperwork would take so much longer than I imagined. Then…COVID hit. Whatever happened next is history now. For the first time, I started to explore Shanghai for real. I found a community of friends I now call family. I fell in love with another wonderful person and realized I could open my heart again (tho we separated after 7 months). I was so wounded and broken when I first met @narayansilva in Beijing in 2014. I didn’t know I had feelings. I lost hope in humanity. He picked up pieces of me, provided me with a safe environment to start my healing process, and modeled how to be a loving presence in other people’s lives. After 5 years of nurturing and growth, I was ready for my next stage of evolution - to practice unconditional love, to consciously heal past traumas, and to light others’ light with my own. What I thought was the worst day of my life - July 6, 2019 - turned out to be one of the most amazing gifts I could have ever received. One that required me to take a leap of faith. To surrender. To venture into the darkest corners of my heart so I could be reborn in this life. I am forever grateful for walking this journey with you, and now with the addition of our loving community. ❤️
If you care about creating a more conscious and co If you care about creating a more conscious and connected world like I do, Nonviolent Communication may be an important tool for us all. My observation over the years is that many well-intentioned initiatives fail not because we don’t have the technology (or even the money), but because humans don’t know how to collaborate with each other on a conscious level. Most of us have never been taught that, or even taught the opposite way. That’s why I think it’s essential for us to integrate our inner work and outer work, so we can truly be effective change agents for Earth. Book: “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships” Website: https://www.cnvc.org/ 如果你也和我一樣想創造一個更有覺知的世界，那麼「非暴力溝通」或許是個非常重要的工具。 多年來，我的觀察是許多初衷很好的項目之所以會失敗，並不是因為技術不夠或沒有資金，而是因為人與人之間不知道該如何更有意識地去合作。我們多數人都沒有被教導過怎麼去做這件事，甚至是被以恰巧相反的方式去教導的。 正因如此，我認為把內心功課和外在功課整合在一起，才能更有效地去為地球成為變革者。 書籍：《非暴力溝通：愛的語言》
Things I’ve been telling myself... 1. Stay away Things I’ve been telling myself... 1. Stay away from people or circumstances that don’t nourish you. You don’t have to be nice all the time. 2. Be on time. And request that others respect your time as well. 3. Don’t force it. If something doesn’t flow, perhaps it’s not meant to be. 4. Always check in with yourself. “Do I feel at ease now? Am I trying to run away from any feelings or thoughts?” 5. You don’t “make” change happen. The flow of life is bigger than you. Change is bound to happen, and your job is to create conditions that support it. 6. You can only receive the gifts from life when there’s space in you. Being in a liminal space is okay. 7. You don’t need to do the most “impactful” thing. Instead, do what you’re here on Earth to do, big or small. The impact of any action is not so linear or overly simplistic. 8. Stay committed to your inner work. No one else can do this for you. 9. You know what’s right for you, and what you need to do at any given moment. You just need to stop pretending that you don’t.
The best gift you could offer others and the world The best gift you could offer others and the world is your fully integrated self, one that does shadow work, heals past traumas, mends broken relationships, and takes care of one’s physical and emotional well-being. Without deep inner work, whatever we do on the outside may become an elaborated attempt to mask our pain. We may still be effective and influential on the surface, but we may also be prone to power struggles, burnout, or disconnection from ourselves and others. Our outer work and inner work are one. When we are fully integrated, we can truly serve as an instrument for love and peace on Earth. I realized this for the first time five years ago, and even though there’s still a lot of purification needed, I’m happy that I’ve started the process with the support of many beautiful souls. ✨
I’ve always felt uncomfortable with things that I’ve always felt uncomfortable with things that I deem too “girly.” Things like getting eyelash extensions, getting your nails done, wearing high heels, wearing lace, etc. I also subconsciously choose women friends who are more like me. So when we get together, we talk more about activism than fashion or dating. Growing up, I suppressed the side of me that was emotional, nurturing, and empathic, and only valued my dominating, critical, and sharp characteristics. I hated asking for help because it put me in a vulnerable position. I hated admitting I was wrong because it felt like annihilation. I hated showing my sadness so I usually pretended I didn’t care. Over thousands of years, we have created a distorted civilization that overwhelmingly values masculinity over femininity, to the point that even the feminine internalized the oppression and adopted the paradigm of control of the oppressors. A woman is more likely to be considered “successful” if she outperforms men by the rules of a patriarchal society. A man is looked down upon if he’s not “manly” enough. There’s so much wounding. So much unlearning is needed to restore balance. I’ve only begun to be aware of the possibility of embracing my femininity since a bit more than a year ago. And from time to time I still feel resistant. So I’m really not writing this as someone who has “figured things out,” but as an invitation to other women like me who may also feel uncomfortable with their femininity. It’s beautiful and healthy to embrace all that we are, and I believe when we do, we can bring more open-heartedness, love and healing into our actions. Happy International Women’s Day. ❤️ (photo taken during a @wanderlette_ sisterhood retreat in Oct 2020 with a group of amazing women)
What COVID has taught me: Community (Part II) I s What COVID has taught me: Community (Part II) I still remember 7 years ago when I first met Narayan, he asked: “How do you host conversations with companies whose practices towards animals you’d like to change?” “What do you mean? I first send them emails telling them I’m not happy with how they treat animals, and if they don’t listen, I mobilize consumers to call them. If they still don’t change, I organize protests and attract press attention to make them regret their inaction. What conversations...?” That summed up my worldview at the time as an activist with the “make-change-happen-at-all-cost” attitude. It’s embarrassing to admit this, but I saw human beings merely as obstacles I needed to clear, one after another, until all cages were emptied. Being in a human community was the last thing I wanted, not even a vegan one, because I experienced firsthand how easy it was for any group of people to succumb to power struggle and projections. After all, we’re all just humans - perhaps wounded, traumatized, and have never been exposed to the tools of self-reflection or compassionate communication. Can we really be authentic, work on our shadows, expand our awareness, and support each other to live in harmony with ourselves, others, and Planet Earth? I thought it was well-intentioned naivety. Little did I know how conditioned I had been by my upbringing and the ensuing cynicism. When I was finally given a safe space to speak my truth, own my imperfections, and experience unconditional acceptance - I started to heal, and I realized that community was not only possible, but vital. We are all interconnected in the web of life, whether we like it or not. And if we can’t live well together with each other, there won’t be true peace between different people, nation states, or species. We’d be too busy setting each other’s apartments on fire before eventually realizing we all live in the same building. It was a slow process, but with the loving support of @narayansilva and the @knowmads.vn community, I opened up and shifted my perspective on human relations, and had a glimpse of what kind of world I really wanted to live in.
🌱 How to start eating more whole food plant-bas 🌱 How to start eating more whole food plant-based 🌱 After I made the post about being mostly whole food plant-based (WFPB), I received some questions from people who’d like to know how they can start doing that, too. I think it’s worth noting that when I started eating WFPB, it was already 11 years since I went vegetarian and 8 years since I went vegan. So for me, it was really about cutting out processed plant foods rather than cutting out any animal products. Here are some of the tips that have helped me: 1️⃣ Replace oil with water or vegetable broth when cooking. 2️⃣ Replace salt with miso, or if you have access, try salt substitute “Table Tasty.” 3️⃣ Replace sugar with date syrup when baking (search “date syrup” on NutritionFacts.org for recipe). 4️⃣ Replace refined grains with whole grains such as millets, quinoa, whole wheat noodles, etc. 5️⃣ Try not to have processed foods at home at all so you naturally wouldn’t eat them. 6️⃣ Try your best when you eat out, and if you really want that vegan chocolate cake topped with cream and packed with sugar...just enjoy it and don’t feel bad (I just had two pieces of an amazing vegan coconut strawberry cake last night). It’s really the day-to-day stuff you eat that counts. 7️⃣ Ask the restaurant to accommodate. For example, one of my favorite restaurants adds rice cakes to their spinach salad dish. I always ask them to take out the rice cakes and give me more spinach instead. 8️⃣ Find your favorite organic vegetable supplier and know where your food comes from. Talk to the people who grow your food. It may bring appreciation and make your meal prepping experience nicer, at least for me! 9️⃣ For more healthy recipes, check out the How Not to Die Cookbook and follow @nutrition_facts_org for the latest science on evidence-based nutrition. (This photo was taken a couple years ago when you could still do this thing called “enjoying summer in Europe”...and when I was maybe 10% chubbier and more tanned than now.)
On April 3, 2020, I met @marianarattes for the fir On April 3, 2020, I met @marianarattes for the first time at Peet’s Coffee on Donghu Rd. On my walk back home, I realized my life was about to shift towards the direction I had always wanted to go but didn’t think I was ready for. In less than a year, she has become one of my best friends who has brought so much love, support, and healing to my life. Through aura reading, I was able to see my inner landscape visualized and gained clarity on important personal questions; through Family Constellation, I experienced the power of ancestral healing and practiced not just being open-minded but open-hearted; during the women’s retreat she invited me to, I was able to relax and remember joy again in the mountains when I felt so disconnected from myself (she even sanitized the bathtub in our room so I would agree to use it). Your cheerful vibe, authenticity, commitment to inner work and generosity to offer your gifts to the world have been an inspiration and an essential part of my life. I thank the universe for bringing you all the way from Brazil to Shanghai so we could meet and become a companion on each other’s journey. Happy birthday to my soul sister. Here’s to more vegan restaurant hopping, celebrations, and learning with the rest of our crew. ❤️
Why am I mostly whole food plant-based? First of Why am I mostly whole food plant-based? First of all, “whole food plant-based” (WFPB) refers to foods that are unprocessed. So in other words, real foods that grow from the ground: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, etc. I went mostly whole food plant-based three years ago for two reasons: 1) When you work for NutritionFacts.org and watch video after video about the health benefits of a WFPB diet, it’s hard not to walk the talk. 2) My body naturally doesn’t like foods that are too heavy, oily, salty, or sweet. It just doesn’t feel good to consume those foods. Do I do it 100% all the time? Of course not! 😛I don’t have oil, salt or sugar at home, and I don’t buy any refined grains. So when I cook at home, I’m 100% WFPB & SOS-free. But when I eat out, I’m more flexible with SOS. I still wouldn’t eat deep-fried foods even when I eat out, and avoid white rice or white noodles as much as I can. But when I crave a vegan donut or cheesecake, I also won’t stop myself. The point is not to do it perfectly all the time, but to make it a habit to eat healthy and just do the best you can. People go vegan for different reasons. I didn’t care about health when I first started my vegetarian/vegan journey 14 years ago, and I was even proud of it. But I always strive to expand myself, so going WFPB seemed like a natural next step. When I eat clean, I see the difference in my level of energy, cognitive function, and most notably - my skin. I also think it’s a pity to see people who went vegan reverse back to eating meat because they encountered health issues that have nothing to do with being vegan or not, but are actually about eating healthy/real foods vs. processed junk, not supplementing correctly (B12, for example), or not maintaining an active lifestyle. Taking the environment into consideration, unprocessed fruits and vegetables also don’t require much packaging, unlike vegan patties or nuggets that usually come wrapped in plastic. Nature is not something outside of us - we are nature, and our health is interconnected with the health of the planet. So feel free to reach out if you have any questions, or even better, follow @nutrition_facts_org ❤️
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vegan_kitty_cat

vegan_kitty_cat
It’s not easy to stay grounded and balanced in t It’s not easy to stay grounded and balanced in times of uncertainty and chaos. And yet there are some simple things we can do daily that may be helpful. Here are some of my personal practices: 💚 Eat healthy (whole food plant-based) 💚 Do yoga 💚 Meditate 💚 Spend time in nature (even a park is fine) 💚 Maintain a journal 💚 Stay connected with loved ones The goal isn’t to be perfect - every little step counts. Something I’m terrible at is going to sleep & waking up early…which I’ll work on next! 😆 (Wearing my babe @sophieyyh ‘s dress ❤️) 🔹🔹🔹 當外在的一切都處在不確定和混亂的狀態下，我們能做些什麼來保持內心的穩定和平衡？這些是我自己每天會做的： 💚 健康全食物蔬食 💚 瑜伽 💚 冥想 💚 接觸大自然（公園也行） 💚 寫日記 💚 跟我所愛的人們交流 做這些的目的不是為了要完美，任何一小步都好。接下來我自己要把「早睡早起」加入到目標當中（一直覺得這件事很難）！😆 #taiwan #lilyfield #summer #home
Kindness will always win, even when it feels like Kindness will always win, even when it feels like losing. ⭐️
A study that involved more than 590,000 participan A study that involved more than 590,000 participants concluded that "[a] diet characterised by healthy plant-based foods was associated with lower risk and severity of COVID-19" (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34489306/). COVID isn’t the only health hazard we need to be concerned about. Personally, I’d focus more on taking care of one’s health in general by eating a whole food plant-based (not just vegan) diet, exercising, meditating, doing things that bring us joy, and fostering meaningful connections with ourselves, others, and nature. 一份針對超過590,000位參與者的研究指出，「以健康植物為主的飲食，與罹患新冠肺炎和病症加劇的風險降低有關」（https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34489306/）。我們需要關注的健康危機不是只有新冠。個人來說，我會想把更多精力放在提升整體健康，方法是採取「全食物蔬食」（不只是純素食）、運動、冥想、做會給自己帶來喜悅的事，並且培養和自己、他人及大自然之間有意義的連結。 #yunnan #throwback
Home 💚 The other day I lay on the grass in Da’an Park, stared at the blue sky and the passing clouds, and sang one of my favorite songs “Heart of Fire.” I haven’t seen anyone other than my family because nowadays I can’t talk for more than five minutes without thinking about my friends back in Shanghai and crying. How do we cultivate joy and peace in times of turbulence and chaos? That’s been my practice lately. 回家💚幾天前躺在大安森林公園的草地上看雲看藍天，然後把一首很喜歡的歌「Heart of Fire」唱了幾遍。回台灣一個多月除了家人誰也沒見，因為我處於一種說話不到三句就會想到我在上海的朋友們，然後開始哭的狀態。該如何在亂世中保持內心的喜悅和平靜？這是我最近在練習的課題。 #台北 #台灣 #peace #mindfulness
In the end All that isn’t aligned with nature n In the end All that isn’t aligned with nature needs to go All that goes against the flow of life needs to be exposed and cleansed All the lies will crumble It may seem scary and shaky Sometimes hopeless But violence can not win We are the untouchable formlessness That sees through all the form identities That remains grounded amidst chaos and suffering Don’t resonate with the frequency of fear Because that’s a trap Don’t let them take your power away from you Because that’s the only way they can thrive Don’t ever forget what you’re capable of Because you can be a magnet for miracles ✨
A dysfunctional world thrives on fear, ignorance, A dysfunctional world thrives on fear, ignorance, confusion, helplessness, and despair. They want us to give up and hand over control. So don’t. When you can’t go outside, go inside. Whatever that’s done to me on the outside, I can handle it with grace and equanimity on the inside. You can restrict my movement, but you can’t stop me from manifesting people and circumstances that are for the highest good. You can disconnect me from the outside world, but you can’t stop me from connecting to my essence. You can present a narrative of fear, but you can’t stop me from following my intuition and making choices that protect me from harm and keep my hopes high. You can never take away what’s within me. Love and light travel across man-made borders and boundaries. Meditate, exercise, eat healthy, sleep well, and stay aware, authentic and resilient - it’s time to wake up and reclaim our power. 💙
Sensitivity Is A Gift Sensitivity is a gift becau Sensitivity Is A Gift Sensitivity is a gift because it allows us to feel deeply and live authentically. But the society tells us otherwise, because a distorted civilization relies on people’s numbness to thrive. If we embraced our sensitivity, we wouldn’t be able to harm ourselves with alcohol, cigarettes, or junk food. We wouldn’t be able to eat animals because we’d feel their pain. We wouldn’t be able to shop mindlessly because our hearts would ache for the damage done to our planet. We wouldn’t be able to play violent video games because we’d long for peace. We wouldn’t be so easily manipulated because we’d be connected to the deeper inner knowing of why we’re here on Earth. The world wants to strip our sensitivity away and make everyone guarded. I’d say let’s do the opposite. Let’s open our hearts to feel. Let’s say what we truly mean, with compassion. Let’s accept our full range of emotions, whether it’s sadness, happiness, or anger. Let’s treat each other with empathy because we are all different manifestations of the same source. Let’s commit to our own healing so we can help others heal, too. ❤️
“Animals are here with us, not for us.” I used “Animals are here with us, not for us.” I used to not understand why such a simple truth could sound like blasphemy to many. “What’s wrong with these people?” I thought. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I finally realized that the majority of human beings have been so wounded ourselves. We literally carry our trauma within us - ancestral, collective, and individual trauma that requires consciousness to heal and transform. To think something’s “wrong” with anyone just because they don’t behave in ways I believe are “right” is to deny the interconnectedness of all beings. How can we love freely when we’ve never experienced unconditional love? How can we refrain from harming others when we’ve been hurt ourselves? How can we serve the healing of the planet when we aren’t even aware of our own pain? The time has come for us to choose conscious healing and acting from a place of acceptance and compassion, instead of resistance and blame. We simply can’t heal the planet without healing ourselves. (Photo taken at @green_common Taikoo Li Qiantan flagship store opening)
It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel exhaust It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel exhausted. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel stuck in confusion. It’s okay to lie on the floor and cry for hours. We’ve been through a lot, collectively and individually. We’ve felt the sadness of not being able to see our families. We’ve lost loved ones. We’ve witnessed so much suffering. Some may feel it more deeply than others, but we are all affected one way or another because we are all interconnected. Give yourself permission to accept whatever experience you’re having now. You don’t have to have all the answers all the time. You don’t have to be productive all the time. You don’t have to be or feel any particular way in any given moment. Whatever you’re experiencing right now is valid. If you surrender to the present moment fully, things may start to shift. Until then, it’s okay to just be where you are. You are always loved and held. . 你可以悲傷。你可以疲憊不堪。你可以不知所措。你可以深陷於困惑之中。你可以在地上躺著哭著好幾小時。無論是在集體還是個人層面上，我們過去這段時間都經歷了太多。有人因無法和家人重逢而難過，有人失去了至親，所有人都目睹了太多的痛苦。或許有些人比其他人感受來得深，但因為我們都是互相連結的，所以無論如何，每一個人都在不同程度上受到了影響。 允許自己接受當下所有的體驗。你不用總是知道答案。你不用總是高效率。你不用成為任何一種特定的樣子，或有任何一種特定的感受。無論你此刻正在經歷什麼，都是正當的。如果你能全然臣服於當下的時刻，或許一切會開始轉變。但直到轉變發生前，待在你現在的地方，是完全沒有問題的。你永遠都是被深深愛著、守護著的。
“Love yourself enough to not let anything outsid “Love yourself enough to not let anything outside of you pull you off your center by simply choosing to accept each moment.”
Our love & intuition is our protection. We no long Our love & intuition is our protection. We no longer need outdated, fear-based mechanisms to embrace the ultimate gift of life. ✨ . . Photo by: Yiming #yunnan #meilisnowmountain #sky
Happy 2-Year Breakupversary! Two years ago today, Happy 2-Year Breakupversary! Two years ago today, everything I thought I knew was stripped away. To embrace the transformation of a 5-year romantic relationship into friendship wasn’t easy. The first two months were endless tears, anguish, lying on the floor lifelessly, not eating and losing a lot of weight, and doubting why I even existed. Then I went back to Europe and the US to embark on my own adventure. I needed to remember how to be independent and whole again, and seek comfort in the arms of people who could hold me in my most vulnerable moments. In December 2019, I was so ready to come back to Shanghai, take my cats and leave for good. But my cats’ paperwork would take so much longer than I imagined. Then…COVID hit. Whatever happened next is history now. For the first time, I started to explore Shanghai for real. I found a community of friends I now call family. I fell in love with another wonderful person and realized I could open my heart again (tho we separated after 7 months). I was so wounded and broken when I first met @narayansilva in Beijing in 2014. I didn’t know I had feelings. I lost hope in humanity. He picked up pieces of me, provided me with a safe environment to start my healing process, and modeled how to be a loving presence in other people’s lives. After 5 years of nurturing and growth, I was ready for my next stage of evolution - to practice unconditional love, to consciously heal past traumas, and to light others’ light with my own. What I thought was the worst day of my life - July 6, 2019 - turned out to be one of the most amazing gifts I could have ever received. One that required me to take a leap of faith. To surrender. To venture into the darkest corners of my heart so I could be reborn in this life. I am forever grateful for walking this journey with you, and now with the addition of our loving community. ❤️
If you care about creating a more conscious and co If you care about creating a more conscious and connected world like I do, Nonviolent Communication may be an important tool for us all. My observation over the years is that many well-intentioned initiatives fail not because we don’t have the technology (or even the money), but because humans don’t know how to collaborate with each other on a conscious level. Most of us have never been taught that, or even taught the opposite way. That’s why I think it’s essential for us to integrate our inner work and outer work, so we can truly be effective change agents for Earth. Book: “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships” Website: https://www.cnvc.org/ 如果你也和我一樣想創造一個更有覺知的世界，那麼「非暴力溝通」或許是個非常重要的工具。 多年來，我的觀察是許多初衷很好的項目之所以會失敗，並不是因為技術不夠或沒有資金，而是因為人與人之間不知道該如何更有意識地去合作。我們多數人都沒有被教導過怎麼去做這件事，甚至是被以恰巧相反的方式去教導的。 正因如此，我認為把內心功課和外在功課整合在一起，才能更有效地去為地球成為變革者。 書籍：《非暴力溝通：愛的語言》
Things I’ve been telling myself... 1. Stay away Things I’ve been telling myself... 1. Stay away from people or circumstances that don’t nourish you. You don’t have to be nice all the time. 2. Be on time. And request that others respect your time as well. 3. Don’t force it. If something doesn’t flow, perhaps it’s not meant to be. 4. Always check in with yourself. “Do I feel at ease now? Am I trying to run away from any feelings or thoughts?” 5. You don’t “make” change happen. The flow of life is bigger than you. Change is bound to happen, and your job is to create conditions that support it. 6. You can only receive the gifts from life when there’s space in you. Being in a liminal space is okay. 7. You don’t need to do the most “impactful” thing. Instead, do what you’re here on Earth to do, big or small. The impact of any action is not so linear or overly simplistic. 8. Stay committed to your inner work. No one else can do this for you. 9. You know what’s right for you, and what you need to do at any given moment. You just need to stop pretending that you don’t.
The best gift you could offer others and the world The best gift you could offer others and the world is your fully integrated self, one that does shadow work, heals past traumas, mends broken relationships, and takes care of one’s physical and emotional well-being. Without deep inner work, whatever we do on the outside may become an elaborated attempt to mask our pain. We may still be effective and influential on the surface, but we may also be prone to power struggles, burnout, or disconnection from ourselves and others. Our outer work and inner work are one. When we are fully integrated, we can truly serve as an instrument for love and peace on Earth. I realized this for the first time five years ago, and even though there’s still a lot of purification needed, I’m happy that I’ve started the process with the support of many beautiful souls. ✨
I’ve always felt uncomfortable with things that I’ve always felt uncomfortable with things that I deem too “girly.” Things like getting eyelash extensions, getting your nails done, wearing high heels, wearing lace, etc. I also subconsciously choose women friends who are more like me. So when we get together, we talk more about activism than fashion or dating. Growing up, I suppressed the side of me that was emotional, nurturing, and empathic, and only valued my dominating, critical, and sharp characteristics. I hated asking for help because it put me in a vulnerable position. I hated admitting I was wrong because it felt like annihilation. I hated showing my sadness so I usually pretended I didn’t care. Over thousands of years, we have created a distorted civilization that overwhelmingly values masculinity over femininity, to the point that even the feminine internalized the oppression and adopted the paradigm of control of the oppressors. A woman is more likely to be considered “successful” if she outperforms men by the rules of a patriarchal society. A man is looked down upon if he’s not “manly” enough. There’s so much wounding. So much unlearning is needed to restore balance. I’ve only begun to be aware of the possibility of embracing my femininity since a bit more than a year ago. And from time to time I still feel resistant. So I’m really not writing this as someone who has “figured things out,” but as an invitation to other women like me who may also feel uncomfortable with their femininity. It’s beautiful and healthy to embrace all that we are, and I believe when we do, we can bring more open-heartedness, love and healing into our actions. Happy International Women’s Day. ❤️ (photo taken during a @wanderlette_ sisterhood retreat in Oct 2020 with a group of amazing women)
What COVID has taught me: Community (Part II) I s What COVID has taught me: Community (Part II) I still remember 7 years ago when I first met Narayan, he asked: “How do you host conversations with companies whose practices towards animals you’d like to change?” “What do you mean? I first send them emails telling them I’m not happy with how they treat animals, and if they don’t listen, I mobilize consumers to call them. If they still don’t change, I organize protests and attract press attention to make them regret their inaction. What conversations...?” That summed up my worldview at the time as an activist with the “make-change-happen-at-all-cost” attitude. It’s embarrassing to admit this, but I saw human beings merely as obstacles I needed to clear, one after another, until all cages were emptied. Being in a human community was the last thing I wanted, not even a vegan one, because I experienced firsthand how easy it was for any group of people to succumb to power struggle and projections. After all, we’re all just humans - perhaps wounded, traumatized, and have never been exposed to the tools of self-reflection or compassionate communication. Can we really be authentic, work on our shadows, expand our awareness, and support each other to live in harmony with ourselves, others, and Planet Earth? I thought it was well-intentioned naivety. Little did I know how conditioned I had been by my upbringing and the ensuing cynicism. When I was finally given a safe space to speak my truth, own my imperfections, and experience unconditional acceptance - I started to heal, and I realized that community was not only possible, but vital. We are all interconnected in the web of life, whether we like it or not. And if we can’t live well together with each other, there won’t be true peace between different people, nation states, or species. We’d be too busy setting each other’s apartments on fire before eventually realizing we all live in the same building. It was a slow process, but with the loving support of @narayansilva and the @knowmads.vn community, I opened up and shifted my perspective on human relations, and had a glimpse of what kind of world I really wanted to live in.
🌱 How to start eating more whole food plant-bas 🌱 How to start eating more whole food plant-based 🌱 After I made the post about being mostly whole food plant-based (WFPB), I received some questions from people who’d like to know how they can start doing that, too. I think it’s worth noting that when I started eating WFPB, it was already 11 years since I went vegetarian and 8 years since I went vegan. So for me, it was really about cutting out processed plant foods rather than cutting out any animal products. Here are some of the tips that have helped me: 1️⃣ Replace oil with water or vegetable broth when cooking. 2️⃣ Replace salt with miso, or if you have access, try salt substitute “Table Tasty.” 3️⃣ Replace sugar with date syrup when baking (search “date syrup” on NutritionFacts.org for recipe). 4️⃣ Replace refined grains with whole grains such as millets, quinoa, whole wheat noodles, etc. 5️⃣ Try not to have processed foods at home at all so you naturally wouldn’t eat them. 6️⃣ Try your best when you eat out, and if you really want that vegan chocolate cake topped with cream and packed with sugar...just enjoy it and don’t feel bad (I just had two pieces of an amazing vegan coconut strawberry cake last night). It’s really the day-to-day stuff you eat that counts. 7️⃣ Ask the restaurant to accommodate. For example, one of my favorite restaurants adds rice cakes to their spinach salad dish. I always ask them to take out the rice cakes and give me more spinach instead. 8️⃣ Find your favorite organic vegetable supplier and know where your food comes from. Talk to the people who grow your food. It may bring appreciation and make your meal prepping experience nicer, at least for me! 9️⃣ For more healthy recipes, check out the How Not to Die Cookbook and follow @nutrition_facts_org for the latest science on evidence-based nutrition. (This photo was taken a couple years ago when you could still do this thing called “enjoying summer in Europe”...and when I was maybe 10% chubbier and more tanned than now.)
On April 3, 2020, I met @marianarattes for the fir On April 3, 2020, I met @marianarattes for the first time at Peet’s Coffee on Donghu Rd. On my walk back home, I realized my life was about to shift towards the direction I had always wanted to go but didn’t think I was ready for. In less than a year, she has become one of my best friends who has brought so much love, support, and healing to my life. Through aura reading, I was able to see my inner landscape visualized and gained clarity on important personal questions; through Family Constellation, I experienced the power of ancestral healing and practiced not just being open-minded but open-hearted; during the women’s retreat she invited me to, I was able to relax and remember joy again in the mountains when I felt so disconnected from myself (she even sanitized the bathtub in our room so I would agree to use it). Your cheerful vibe, authenticity, commitment to inner work and generosity to offer your gifts to the world have been an inspiration and an essential part of my life. I thank the universe for bringing you all the way from Brazil to Shanghai so we could meet and become a companion on each other’s journey. Happy birthday to my soul sister. Here’s to more vegan restaurant hopping, celebrations, and learning with the rest of our crew. ❤️
Why am I mostly whole food plant-based? First of Why am I mostly whole food plant-based? First of all, “whole food plant-based” (WFPB) refers to foods that are unprocessed. So in other words, real foods that grow from the ground: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, etc. I went mostly whole food plant-based three years ago for two reasons: 1) When you work for NutritionFacts.org and watch video after video about the health benefits of a WFPB diet, it’s hard not to walk the talk. 2) My body naturally doesn’t like foods that are too heavy, oily, salty, or sweet. It just doesn’t feel good to consume those foods. Do I do it 100% all the time? Of course not! 😛I don’t have oil, salt or sugar at home, and I don’t buy any refined grains. So when I cook at home, I’m 100% WFPB & SOS-free. But when I eat out, I’m more flexible with SOS. I still wouldn’t eat deep-fried foods even when I eat out, and avoid white rice or white noodles as much as I can. But when I crave a vegan donut or cheesecake, I also won’t stop myself. The point is not to do it perfectly all the time, but to make it a habit to eat healthy and just do the best you can. People go vegan for different reasons. I didn’t care about health when I first started my vegetarian/vegan journey 14 years ago, and I was even proud of it. But I always strive to expand myself, so going WFPB seemed like a natural next step. When I eat clean, I see the difference in my level of energy, cognitive function, and most notably - my skin. I also think it’s a pity to see people who went vegan reverse back to eating meat because they encountered health issues that have nothing to do with being vegan or not, but are actually about eating healthy/real foods vs. processed junk, not supplementing correctly (B12, for example), or not maintaining an active lifestyle. Taking the environment into consideration, unprocessed fruits and vegetables also don’t require much packaging, unlike vegan patties or nuggets that usually come wrapped in plastic. Nature is not something outside of us - we are nature, and our health is interconnected with the health of the planet. So feel free to reach out if you have any questions, or even better, follow @nutrition_facts_org ❤️
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