Seedling Magazine Issue #4 - April/May 2019
What would it be like to grow up in an all-vegan household? In this issue, Kenna Rose tells us about her vegan upbringing. Meanwhile, we learn how one amazing woman is providing blankets and shelter to the homeless in Tampa, Florida - and we find out how to minimise our impact on the planet whilst travelling. We have some thoughts about "quiet activism" too - understated things we can do to make the world a better place. Finally, Elize Lake and Melissa Donovan reflect on the impact our lifestyle choices have on our bodies.
What would it be like to grow up in an all-vegan household? In this issue, Kenna Rose tells us about her vegan upbringing. Meanwhile, we learn how one amazing woman is providing blankets and shelter to the homeless in Tampa, Florida - and we find out how to minimise our impact on the planet whilst travelling.
We have some thoughts about "quiet activism" too - understated things we can do to make the world a better place. Finally, Elize Lake and Melissa Donovan reflect on the impact our lifestyle choices have on our bodies.
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What<br />
does it<br />
mean to<br />
be<br />
yourself<br />
...?<br />
I told the story on my blog of I how I studied computer<br />
science at uni, thinking I should do something that would get<br />
me a good job. The uni tried to push me into doing a<br />
placement at an investment bank or a software development<br />
company. But after a few mindnumbing sessions of listening<br />
to company representatives drone on about how great it was to<br />
work there, I just couldn't do it anymore. I knew it wouldn't be<br />
true to myself to take on any of those placements, and I just<br />
couldn't motivate myself to do it. I dropped out of the<br />
placements program, and ended up leaving uni too. That<br />
decision, inspired by a friend of mine who encouraged me to<br />
follow my truth, was based on a deeper recognition of what<br />
my core values were. In other words, I realised that I am a<br />
creative and freespirited person, and working in an<br />
investment bank would probably have destroyed me!<br />
Underneath our egos, we all have some deepseated core<br />
values like compassion, perseverance and groundedness. And<br />
if we derive our sense of self from these, we are much more<br />
likely to live and behave in an authentic way.<br />
Personal growth<br />
"It's possible to<br />
form a deeper<br />
sense of self based<br />
on authenticity<br />
and values."<br />
This is another phrase that sounds kind of cheesy, but I'm<br />
coming to believe that personal growth just means learning to<br />
live in line with your core values, like the ones I mentioned<br />
above. When we do this, we begin to live with intention,<br />
becoming driven to pursue the life we want. We realise the<br />
value of having a purpose in life, beyond making money or<br />
simply surviving. And we stop letting our fears, doubts and<br />
insecurities hold us back and dictate how we live.<br />
Living authentically and with intention benefits us in so many<br />
ways. Tough situations become challenges rather than threats.<br />
Life begins to go our way. We are happier, have better<br />
relationships, laugh more. We act with integrity, because we<br />
know our values. And we become confident in our strengths<br />
and abilities, because we are grounded in who we are. That, to<br />
me, is what being yourself is all about. SM<br />
seedling magazine | 45
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