Wisdom and impact: two things I cherish with age.

So many afraid to get older and worry about what will happen as time progresses, but lose sight of what they are disregarding in the present. 

The way you make people feel is so important. The energy you emit, the vibe you bring and the words you share, all affect your place in others lives. You are the people you associate with, but also what others say about you, tells a lot, about you.

Are you approachable? Helpful? Kind? Encouraging? Strengthening? Are you selfless and giving?
 Are you making a difference? 

Your own answers can reveal how much of an impact you’re

making for your own well being and around you. 

I've also had a personal interest in making others laugh and have a good time. Seeing joy on someones face, even for a short moment, livens up my mood and gives me joy. 

Luke 6:31 

  “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.” (NWT)

Now wisdom, ahhh the root of all non-existing gray hair (pun intended). What good would I be to the people I meet, my children I'm raising, the husband that I love, if I don't have and use wisdom. The older I become, I know I'm a better version of myself than I previously was and there is nothing my younger self can do about that. 

I don't look back in my past with regret, but with affirmation that I've harvested, that my youth can only have wished upon. 

Wisdom has allowed me to feel comfortable in my skin and accept parts of me I either neglected or fixed that weren't broken. 

If there were two things I'm still learning from life, that I want my children to know, is with growing comes age, as with age comes wisdom. The role we play in our own life, affects the screenplay of everyone else's life. We can't always be a lead, but we can always play a part in doing and sharing good. 

Proverbs 3: 13-14 

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom And the man who acquires discernment;

To gain it is better than gaining silver, And having it as profit is better than having gold.” (NWT)

What have you learned as the years go by, or you wish you could tell your younger self? 

-xo Natasha 

How to Travel Healthy and On a Budget

So the family and I eat mostly vegan, while a little vegetarian on the side (especially for me with Baby G3 on the way) and a dash of meat for the mister (organic poultry or wild/caught seafood). 

We make the exception for travel and don't want to stress the kids with strict eating habits, but want them to enjoy more fruits and vegetables, plant based sources as much as possible, but still be able to enjoy food and different tastes.

So how'd we do it you ask? You know, with no fast food stops and pickings from the gas station every time we filled up?

I'll share a few tips that has helped us and can inspire you!

Trader Joe's! (Or your favorite grocery store).

For one, we know what we like and don't like to eat and to save money we bought a few items to last us for the meantime and until we knew we could purchase more by our AirBnB or the night before we got onto the road.

For example, our kids love dried fruit, so I got dried mango, which subs for candy because it is naturally very sweet and I don't have to worry about any added junk because it's
just plain ol' dried fruit.

You can also buy regular sizes, pack what you need in ziplock bags, and then 

pack the rest away in your luggage.

  

Salty, sweet, soft and/or crunchy.

I know when I'm in the mood to snack while traveling, this is usually my layout.

Salty in the form of nuts, tortilla or plantain chips, popcorn etc.

Sweet in the form of dried fruit, regular fruit (I prefer dried because it doesn't spoil and can be resealed in a closed container so you don't have to eat it all at once), dark chocolate, fruit died and cane sugar sweetened candies (if you're vegetarian or vegan there are tons of brands out there), and the same goes for cookies. 

 Soft can fall under the sweets category easily and crunchy for salty and/or sweet as well.

As long as I have those four things covered, my family and I are happy and fed. 

Google, Yelp, Instagram and family locals.

Be resourceful, research  and ask! If you know where you'll be staying, how long you'll be traveling from point A to B and you know you have to be weary of what you eat (whether it be, healthy (in this context I mean whole foods, not deep fried etc), low sugar/fat, vegetarian, vegan and the list goes on) look up in advance where you and your family can eat.

As excited as I was for our family summer trip, I started looking up restaurants on Google for location references, Yelp for reviews, and tags on Instagram for visual presentation and more reviews.

From there I was able to see what I did and didn't like and then added them to our little itinerary.

Gluten free waffles w/ fresh strawberries and bananas and tofu scramble from Reverie Caffe

If we knew we'd be driving a bit, fast food wasn't an option and we wanted hot and healthy food, we'd stop (where we already had to stop to sight see or get gas) and find the nearest Whole Foods. I grabbed fresh juice for the kids that was cheaper than buying several bottles at a gas station, some hot food to get us by, a salad for the mister and I to share and one or two extra snacks (to replace what we already had or to liven up our taste buds).

Remember vacations are supposed to be fun and not worrisome, so if you have health or diet restrictions or health goals, and a budget like the rest of us, you can still eat to your liking and enjoy yourself.

-xo Natasha

Who’s that Lady?

Hey y’all, my name is Natasha Grant, but for most of my life I’ve been “Tasha.” I’m a lover or natural hair, greener living, and real Whole Foods! 

 My natural and green lifestyle began once I found out I was going to be a mother! I wanted nothing but the best for my baby and I boldly took the leap to stop chemically processing my hair. As a black woman, that was a big deal, because chemically straight hair was all I knew and was socially accepted at the time. Allowing my hair to grow and start to learn to accept the kinks and coils I was blessed with, led me to want to accept more things 

as they naturally were. 

Then fast-forward to two years later....

My daughter's diet needed to be preservative free and whole based as possible, and that opened up a world of fruits and vegetables I didn't know of or never ate. 

Today, me wanting a better self not for me, but for my daughter, (and now son and unborn child) shaped the mold of selflessness that I've humbly accepted to become a better Christian, woman, mother and wife. 

From food, to family, and even lifestyle, finding ways to do things naturally, come with effort and patience.

On this blog you'll find tips and tricks on living a greener lifestyle, and how I've gotten this far doing things the natural way and how I'm still making it. 

As a woman who married her high school sweetheart at 19 and is now an almost mother of 3 children, if l can do it, you sure can too! 

If you've read this until the end,

 thank you for visiting my blog and welcome. 

I hope to share how I am still incorporating natural aesthetics and a greener lifestyle into my everyday life and my desire to help others do the same. 

Life is all about balance, and I’ll share how I try to keep my family, health and life in order all while being human, naturally. 

-xo Natasha