Although a few weeks ago at this stage, I have continued to muse over my experiences at the Whole30 Coaches Summit, which truly was as my friend Julette said, like a Whole30 Disney World. We had SO many out-of-this-world delicious Whole30 approved and compliant food options, group workouts both mornings, a hike on the picturesque trails of Park City, Utah, a full schedule of meetings and breakout sessions, plus time to connect and network with other coaches and to learn from one another. Although it was pretty much nonstop awesomeness, getting to know some of my peers, hearing what they are working on and how things are going was probably the most valuable part of the experience. There was a quite diverse group of people, some of whom are just starting out in the world of wellness and others who are already very, VERY successful ones that I have long admired. However, there was overwhelmingly, a sense of sharing and community. And one of the key overt and pervasive messages that I have continued to consider since then, with relevance to a wide variety of life circumstances, has been the admonition to trust in abundance.
This reminded me of one of Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project resolutions which I myself borrowed during mine – “Spend Out.” Rather than always saving things like the pretty journal, good china or the new clothes indefinitely for some undefined period, I have tried to work on using things for their intended purpose and to trust in abundance. While there is of course something nice about having nice things for special occasions, I often find things in my closet with tags still on a year later or a big stack of pretty but completely blank notebooks and stationary sets. It’s like saving for a rainy day, but then never being satisfied that the day is rainy enough to warrant cashing out. Rather than stockpiling things like a hoarder, I do better when I trust in abundance, spend out, and use things up. And of course the same is true for when it comes to the way that I share whatever it is that I have with others, tangible or otherwise.
Similarly, at the Whole30 conference, experts in their respective fields continually reminded each of us, in concrete ways or with their own personal anecdotes, the importance of staying in “your own lane,” avoiding comparison or jealousy, while not being afraid to hold back or be overly protective of “what’s yours.” And as I continue to contemplate this, I have realized increasingly that whether or not we approach things with a trust in abundance or a belief in limited resources, actually has a huge impact on the way we live our lives. I have always been quite competitive in nature and I think innately I tend to err more on the side of the “poverty mindset” in this area. It honestly takes effort sometimes for me to truly believe deep down that one person’s success doesn’t necessarily take away from another’s. However I continue to learn and more deeply appreciate that each of us have unique personalities, giftings, passions, talents, skills, and experiences. And as I’ve said, one of the biggest benefits of my Happiness Projectwas getting to know myself better and gaining a better understanding and appreciation for who I am and am not. So I am starting to feel much better about sticking to what I know that I can do well and authentically, rather than trying to be all things to all people or constantly checking “over there” to see what someone else is doing. And I do believe that we are the most powerful when we do stay in our own lanes and focused on what we are individually called to do.
During the Summit, it would have been easy to compare what I am doing versus So-and-So or wish that I had thought of XYZ, but the cool thing was that I didn’t feel at all tempted to do so. The speakers and my peers were in fact excellent examples of living out a trust in abundance and that there are plenty of good ideas, strategies, and the rest to go around. As one of the partners and speakers from The New Primal so aptly said- a rising tide raises all ships and a truly good outcome benefits the collective whole.
There are few things better than finding a community of people who are not afraid to give and share generously with one another, whether that’s in terms of their ingenuity and creativity, their time or other resources. And I aspire to be one of “those type of people” who can trust in abundance – spending out, not holding back and giving freely and altruistically. Of course, this is something which will take a lifetime of committed practice, but I hope that my at least being aware is the first step in the right direction.
Although I certainly have bigger things in mind that putting my kitchen appliances to good use, in pursuit of spending out and using what I have, I decided to pull out my waffle iron which I received as a wedding gift recently to make these ridiculously easy, but super savory Three Ingredient Sweet Potato Waffles. They’re perfect on their own or topped with any variety of things like some shredded chicken or beef and I usually drizzle some hot sauce over the top for over-the-top deliciousness!
Serves: 4
- Eggs 4 each
- Medium Sweet Potato, Shredded/Grated 2 each
- Coconut Oil, Melted 1.5 TBSP
- Heat the waffle iron on a medium setting
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and then add the sweet potatoes and coconut oil and mix well
- Scoop ¼ of the mixture (or change up depending on the size of your waffle iron and spread it out about .25 inches/1 cm from the edges
- Allow to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until your waffle iron signals it's done. If desired, cook again for a more crispy finish
- Top with your choice of shredded or pulled proteins, sausage, avocado, hot sauce, or anything else of your choosing. The possibilities are nearly endless!
