A LA CARTE LIVING
If there is one thing that being plant-based has taught me, it’s that a la carte is a significant key – whether you a designing a meal or your life. You have the right to choose and the flexibility to create whatever it is you desire. I know this is super cliché, and many times seemingly easier said than done. So, I thought I would share a few helpful steps for living a la carte.
Visualizing the first step to anything, including deciding on what you want to eat. How else will you have a clear image of what you desire? It’s more than just seeing it in your mind’s eye – it’s feeling it. Engage all your senses to create a complete picture and make what you desire to feel more familiar and attainable. I am telling you, visualization is a powerful tool, and all it takes is a little imagination.
Do you know what’s already out there? If not, start doing some research. While building something from the ground up is fantastic, building on an existing foundation and making it your own can be a peace-saver. When I am looking to go out to eat, I look up the restaurants to see if they have something I can work with, whether customizing an existing entrée or building a meal out of al la carte sides. Most of the time, I can easily create my desired meal with what’s already available. It might just take a few slight tweaks to make it exactly what I want. The same can be applied to your life.
Now that you know what’s out there ask for what you want. Mama Paige always taught me two things about asking for what you want – (1) the worst thing someone can say is no, and (2) don’t be discouraged by a closed door. But don’t let these things stop you, continue to ask until you get what you need and understand how to use it. Taking advantage of an existing framework will save you time and peace while allowing you space to direct energy where it’s genuinely needed – building something new to make the current framework extraordinary.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s build! Craft and customize the meal or life you desire. Lean on what you’ve learned in steps one through three, and don’t be afraid to fail forward. You got this! You have the foundation.
That’s it, just four steps. Keep these in mind when meal planning, life designing, or anytime you want to attain what you desire but don’t know where to start. I look forward to sharing more lessons from being plant-based with you in the future.
If you have more tips for living a la carte, I would love to hear them. Share them in the comments below or on Instagram. Be sure to tag us #plantbasedslay.
