Författare: Linda Maria Vestman

Pre Beauty Sleep

  ‘Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.’ – Albert Einstein Evening routine 1. Write   Sometimes I like to practise writing without having any structure, just letting the mind say what it has to say. I like the thought of not thinking too much about anything. But usually, in the evenings, my mind wish to be a complete mess of thoughts, and I allow it. Letting the mind completely unwind and relax is very important. You need that. Your brain needs that. I try to focus on not focusing too much. Something like that. Doesn’t always turn out the way I want it. I have become to realise that I sleep much better, more beautifully, if I write down my mind’s stories before bedtime. Like when you were a child and your parents read good-night-stories (hoping that you would fall a sleep before the news). However, now we are old enough to create our own stories. Although, we were actually around 4 when we started creating all kind of …

Pumpkins & Halloween

‘By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.’ – William Shakespeare, Macbeth   Is fall my new favourite season? It might well be. However, I do still love summer, but autumn… I believe you stepped up your game. Halloween & pumpkins – Let the festivities begin! And how can one not fall in love with October? Dark nights, colourful days, fuzzy socks, books, creative writing, candle lights, spicy soups, a sky full of stars, cosy sweaters and ice cold fingers. If I only had a dog. Then it would be picture perfect. Ha! One can at least wish… Photos: Emelie Lassfolkh

Breathing in the crisp air

‘When seeking pure awareness the best thing one can do is to silently witness the beauty of nature. How effortlessly she’s unfolding her treasures. So transparent, yet so forceful. Copy her, and let yourself be amazed.’   – Linda   The best thing one can do in order to relax and unwind is to spend some precious time close to Mother Nature. Especially those days when she’s picture perfect, taken straight from a fairy tale; crispy autumn breeze, colorful leaves and the October sun caressing our souls. Whenever I’m in doubt, or in need of some motivation & inspiration, I usually go for a walk and breath in the serenity of nature. It works wonders, every time. She’s magic, no doubt. After a 90 minutes walk I’ve been sipping on a large, green smoothie, cleaning out my closet, editing pictures, writing, and thinking about going to the gym. Weekends like these, when October is spoiling us with her kindness, I’m extra grateful for crispy, sunny autumn days. Heartbeats You’re not here, but that’s simply because …

What I learned working in Customer Service

”A simple act of kindness costs very little, but the dividend is remarkably powerful.” Most of my adult years I’ve been working in customer service, either as a full-time job or as a part-time job while studying. You might not expect a slightly introverted person to be working in customer service, but besides being more of an introvert I’m very kind-hearted, and I don’t mind helping people. In other words; I thrive off being able to help others. Even though some of the jobs drove me a bit crazy at times I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for all the experiences I’ve gained. In my opinion working in customer service is a wonderful life lesson. It’s the most perfect way to learn more about human beings, and the way we behave in different situations. With that said, I’ve gathered some of the most important things I’ve learned after many years of serving people. Don’t take anything personally  What a person says to you says more about the person than it …

A sunny weekend in Vienna

‘Autumn killed the summer with the softest kiss.’ _____________ d.j. Hello from beautiful and sunny Vienna. I’m visiting my childhood friend Anna for the weekend and we’ve been enjoying a couple of lovely autumn days here in Austrias capital city. It’s my first time in this gorgeous city, and I really like the atmosphere – all the beautiful buildings, the architecture, the market places, and of course, the Wiener Melange – a speciality coffee drink similar to cappuccino. Not to forget all the traditional Wiener cafés. We’ve been eating delicious vegan food (which is by the way very easy to find), strolling around the city, drinking coffee and enjoying apfelstrudeln, visiting Schönbrunn, and yesterday we visited the art museum Belvedere. I’m flying home tomorrow so still one day left to explore. Below you find a mix of pictures from the past days. The sun has been shining the entire weekend. Just lovely. Liebe Gruesse aus Wien ❤

The power of now

‘You don’t have to move mountains in order to find the answer. Sometimes all you need is to embrace the stillness. Listen to that inner voice. It knows the way. It always does.’ _____________ Linda 5 things I noticed after meditation I’ve introduced a new habit. A new daily routine. Meditation. For 20 days straight I’ve been dedicating 5-15 minutes a day to meditation. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Already after 5 days I noticed how easily it had become a new habit of mine. A habit I most likely will stick to, like brushing my teeth. A sense of calmness. I might seem as a calm person on the outside, nevertheless, on the inside, my mind is constantly chatting. I easily get anxious, nervous and caught up in negative thoughts, but meditation has helped me a lot already, only after 20 days. Some days though, I can’t seem to concentrate at all, and the 5 minutes of meditation seem more like 5 hours. However, most of the time the time flies …

5 THINGS I LIKE ABOUT FALL

‘It’s during rainy nights his soul wanders away, leaving him with nothing but thoughts of her. Early morning the sun comes out, his soul returns and she’s gone.’ ______________ Linda   The tranquility that suddenly appears. A sense of calmness arrives when the evenings get darker. Candle lights are burning inside while the nature is changing its colours. Heavier rains, stronger, brisk winds and a mind at ease. Heart-warming soups & spicy veggie stews. Even though I love a creamy smoothie bowl my body is longing for warm, flavourful foods when the days get colder. How wonderful isn’t it to cuddle up with a spicy dish after an hour walk breathing in the cool, crisp air. Nature at its finest. I’m definitely a summer person, but I have come to appreciate the fall more and more. Especially September. The colours of the trees, the fresh air and cooler nights. A creativity that blossoms. Take today for example – It has been raining non stop. I tried going outside but I almost blew away, and by the time I got …

Dear September…

… you’ll be filled with power and heart. ‘She’s never alone with a soul full of heart. A sky full of stars, and a world full of hope. Never alone. Never afraid. With a soul full of passion.’ _____________ Linda With a gentle breeze you came, dear September. The wind so warm it makes our worries melt away. A mild and pleasant fall is a hundred times better than a cold and rainy summer. Dear September, embrace our hopes and dreams with your colourful and humble character. You’re exactly were you should be. Here amongst us. September is for faith. Love and compassion. It’s for knowing ones worth, and the ability to shine light in another person’s life. Taking care of the body, as well as the soul. Exploring new cities and friendships. It’s for constantly learning, constantly progressing. Small steps in the right direction. Appreciating every minute. It’s about the ability to inspire other human beings. Improving the quality of life. Challenging the body. Loving the body. Loving life. ‘Your greatness is not what …

Headspace

‘Try not to overthink the process too much. Instead, enjoy the feeling of pausing to balance and catch your breath.’ ___________ Headspace   Stressed out? Meditation has been shown to reduce daily stress and perceived stress. A couple of days ago I’ve found this app called Headspace, a meditation and mindfulness app.  Since I’m new to meditation this app is perfect. I appreciate the simplicity of it – meditation made simple.  I must say I’ve been enjoying it very much, although it’s only been three days – it’s easy and you can choose from 3, 5 or 10 minutes sessions (the Basic theme). There’s definitely a theme for everyone since you can choose from different topics such as health, brave, happiness, work & performance, sport etcetera. The health theme has sessions such as anxiety, stress, sleep, depression, pain management while the work & performance theme has sessions such as productivity, focus, creativity and balance. The sport theme focuses on topics such as motivation, focus, training, competition, communication and analysis. Perfect for any athletes! There are also these …

Health Food & Other Stories

‘The most effective way to do it, is to do it.’ __________ Amelia Earhart   Update! After much thought and careful consideration I’ve decided to change my blog name, as well as my Instagram name. However, cleaneatingbylinda.com will still be the blog URL (at least for the time being). I’m still CleanEatingbyLinda though; I simply view the name change just as it is – a name change or more or less – Health Food & Other Stories by cleaneatingbylinda. While CleanEatingbyLinda is the brand name, Health Food & Other Stories is the blog name. After four years I felt it was time for some fresh vibes to sweep in and change things up. As I wrote in an earlier post: ‘Although CleanEatingbyLinda is evolving, growing up, the main purpose will always be the same as from the very beginning; A wish to inspire to a healthful and holistic lifestyle.’ ‘Health Food & Other Stories is going beyond eating clean. It’s about awareness. It’s about feeding the body, as well as the mind & soul. It’s about passion. It’s about listening to …