Mindful Eats, Earth’s and Climate Beats=
=Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & vegan Treats
Mindful Eats, Earth’s and Climate Beats=
=Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & vegan Treats
Welcome to ‘Lelo-Lelo’ blog,
created by yours truly, Maayan.
I’m an amateur cook, pastry chef, animator, and an illustrator.
A few years ago, I discovered that I had Gluten sensitivity and dairy allergy.
In recent years I embraced a vegan lifestyle.
Therefore, I decided to create a blog that is all-
Healthy, Vegan & gluten-free recipes.
Welcome
to my green corner,
where thoughts take flight,
Doubts, fears, and struggles shine bright.
Together we’ll fight the climate’s plight and fright,
I’d love it if you’ll join me now; so we’ll make it right!
Exposing the reality of ‘Mother Earth’ through a captivating poem, describing her abuse and the imperative to treat her with care.
The first step in dealing with depression from the climate crisis or any other reason is acknowledging and accepting it.
Emotional acceptance of depression isn’t necessarily easy, but it is an essential step to start the coping process.
Accepting something that we are not fully aware of can be challenging. We often unconsciously separate our physical experiences from our emotions. For instance, there were times when I didn’t grasp what I was feeling or going through, but my body sensed it on my behalf.
Moreover, events, tasks, and responsibilities typically fill our lives and divert our attention away from ourselves. It’s not always easy to tune into our emotions, pay attention or acknowledge how we genuinely feel, and recognize the sadness creeping into our hearts.
Up to the point where it accumulates and clouds our perspective, making it difficult to see anything beyond it or anything else.
The opposite of emotional acceptance is resisting it and our feelings.
Fighting to accept and acknowledge the emotion of depression, as well as depression itself, can manifest in various ways and wear countless faces. Here are some examples from my experience:
*While there are numerous other examples, it’s crucial to remember that the ones I’ve mentioned don’t necessarily link directly to depression or to you.
To know what we truly feel and experience at the moment sounds like something we should know and couldn’t miss. However, it’s not as simple as that, and it certainly may take time to reach this insight.”
I’d like to share the five steps I went through until I understood and accepted that I experienced depression:
At first, I felt something was off. I was less energetic, my motivation dropped, and my overall mood sharply declined. I felt something was wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it and understand what was happening to me and why. Even though a storm was already brewing within me, my emotional state fluctuated wildly, as though it was shifting at 100 km/h. Similarly to the climate crisis, all temperatures (emotions) dropped or rose drastically. I didn’t understand how to control it or what to call it, why it happens, and what it is.
After that, I immediately denied, ignored, looked the other way, pushed the emotions aside, and said: “It’s okay, it will pass.” I wasn’t ready to accept that it was here with me. Without noticing, unconsciously, I escaped to other places, watching movies and series to avoid feeling and experiencing reality.
I tried to convey that I was strong, telling myself I mustn’t break and no one should see or discover how unstable and fragile I was. I covered my face with an imaginary mask shielding my true self, which helped me put on a brave face and carry on with life.
But little did I know that the “strength” I projected was as fragile as glass. Once a crack appeared, the slightest pressure could cause it to grow and spread throughout the entire glass until it eventually shattered.
Only this time, after the glass “shattered” every time I put on the same mask again, it might have given me the illusion that it was protecting me from the eyes of the world at that moment. However, every time I removed my mask, a few more shards of glass stabbed me and inflicted immense pain that echoed and worsened in time.
When I eventually broke, I realized that the more I denied or concealed it, the further my mood worsened. Whenever someone asked me how I was, and I replied with “I’m fine” or “All good,” I felt it strayed further from the truth. I slowly created a gap between what I projected and my true self.
At a point, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and no longer recognized myself.
A picture of me illustrates a quote from my diary: “Looking in the mirror, a reflection reveals a shattered vessel. What is that I see? Could it be me?”.
It might be a bit funny and sad at the same time, but I felt like it required singing this excerpt from the song ‘Reflection‘ from Disney’s movie ‘Mulan.’
There is a subtle yet fundamental difference between feeling something is not right and actually understanding and knowing something isn’t. When you feel something is wrong, you don’t necessarily know how to attribute it or understand the reason. But when you understand… well, you understand. This stage was the most challenging for me: removing my mask from myself and seeing all the fragments.
There is a significant distinction between understanding and accepting a situation.
There is resistance and a lack awareness before reaching self-awareness and accepting feelings. So, resisting feeling depression is also a refusal to accept reality as it is.
Therefore, I realized that finding a tiny ray of light in the darkness during a crisis can only start when we accept the present and current emotions.
Only when I said to myself, ‘I don’t feel okay right now, but it’s okay,’ I made room for my emotions.
It is important to note that it won’t help to accept it now just like that unless you believe in it. Hence, it won’t help if I or anyone else tells you to do it right now.
It will help, however, only if it comes from within you and you genuinely want and are ready to do it.
Reaching the understanding that I was sad and didn’t want to get out of bed due to being depressed. It helped me realize that perhaps I needed to pause a moment and maybe even assistance.
A thought that somewhat encouraged me was that pain, depression, and sadness are all part of the broad spectrum of human emotions.
You and I are we’re only humans. Embracing emotions helps us understand that it’s okay to feel sad because that’s what we’re experiencing at the moment. It’s okay not to be at our best, sometimes let go, and not to be strong all the time because we are not machines! Depression is not a shameful or taboo word!
It doesn’t mean that I failed, it doesn’t mean that I’m less good, and it doesn’t mean that I’m crazy or insane.
It simply means, and even proves, that I am only human.
After removing my mask, I found the courage to open up and be authentic with my nearest and dearest.
However, I didn’t always necessarily receive the support or what I needed from those around me. I suddenly felt exposed, and that revealing vulnerability made me even more vulnerable.
So, I’ll reveal a secret that strengthened me –
Despite those feelings, I understood it wasn’t a sign of weakness. Because in order to be able to expose emotions that most people usually try very hard to hide, you need to be very, very brave.
Isn’t it true that you cannot navigate a blocked path?
In the same way, it is impossible to cope with and overcome pain or emotions when they are blocked and resisted.
When we block or suppress an emotion, we are essentially not giving it room, not accepting it, and not allowing it to exist (which might sound like a positive thing).
However, only after we let it be and acknowledge it, then ‘the emotion feels’ it is seen, and eventually ‘feels’ it can leave the system.
To illustrate this better, I’ll attempt to personify the range of depressive emotions and call it “Gloomy.”
Imagine Gloomy as a little toddler feeling unaccepted, unloved, and constantly pushed aside. It cries endlessly to the heavens, hits, throws tantrums, and even bits to get our attention.
The more we ignore Gloomy, the more hurt and louder his cries become. He desperately hopes someone will finally listen without plugging their ears. He keeps crying louder and screaming more intensely as this is the only way he knows to express himself.
Only when we embrace Gloomy with love then he starts to feel better, and a smile appears on his face. Once he feels heard and contained, he can eventually release the pain he experienced. At last, he can accept himself, let go, start over, and embark on a new journey.
If you have such a Gloomy within you, despite the problems he may cause, the noise he makes, and even a great deal of pain, remember that he is like a child, your child.
Be a caring parent, and treat it with understanding because all it truly needs is your love and attention.
Interestingly, after I was ready and agreed to acknowledge and face my emotions, I felt relieved. It helped me understand what I’m feeling and accept the situation as it is, even if it’s not as good as I’d like.
Acknowledging my feelings helped me to understand myself better, accept the situation, embrace reality, and eventually accept myself. In the end, the clarity of awareness sparks the desire (even if small) to find a solution.
This acknowledgment allowed me to take off my protective mask and shattered armor. Though it made me feel vulnerable and exposed at first, it also allowed me, later on, to heal and let go of the pain. Removing the shards of glass that hurt me so badly made me feel more at ease and even courageous to start over, building a new, stronger armor.
For me, it is only the first step in discovering more ways to deal with depression caused by the climate crisis and depression in general.
You are welcome to visit the page Coping Strategies for more coping strategies and explore how I managed and continue to overcome these challenges.
1. Animate-
I invite you to try talking to your inner child. Treat it like a real child in dire need of love. Listen and try to understand what might be causing the pain, where and what brings tears the most, and understand what it needs right now.
2. It’s OK to be sad-
This is my personal experience and how I have dealt with it. Each person is unique, and everyone can cope in different ways.
I am not a psychologist or an expert on the subject, but I merely share my thoughts and what I have learned as part of my long journey. So, please understand that everything I share is simply a suggestion, and I can’t promise immediate or definite solutions.
These recommendations aren’t a replacement for seeking psychological counseling or emotional support when necessary, and I can’t take responsibility for any adverse outcomes.
The first step in dealing with depression from the climate crisis or any other reason is acknowledging and accepting it.
Emotional acceptance of depression isn’t necessarily easy, but it is an essential step to start the coping process.
Accepting something that we are not fully aware of can be challenging. We often unconsciously separate our physical experiences from our emotions. For instance, there were times when I didn’t grasp what I was feeling or going through, but my body sensed it on my behalf.
Moreover, events, tasks, and responsibilities typically fill our lives and divert our attention away from ourselves. It’s not always easy to tune into our emotions, pay attention or acknowledge how we genuinely feel, and recognize the sadness creeping into our hearts.
Up to the point where it accumulates and clouds our perspective, making it difficult to see anything beyond it or anything else.
The opposite of emotional acceptance is resisting it and our feelings.
Fighting to accept and acknowledge the emotion of depression, as well as depression itself, can manifest in various ways and wear countless faces. Here are some examples from my experience:
*While there are numerous other examples, it’s crucial to remember that the ones I’ve mentioned don’t necessarily link directly to depression or to you.
To know what we truly feel and experience at the moment sounds like something we should know and couldn’t miss. However, it’s not as simple as that, and it certainly may take time to reach this insight.”
I’d like to share the five steps I went through until I understood and accepted that I experienced depression:
At first, I felt something was off. I was less energetic, my motivation dropped, and my overall mood sharply declined. I felt something was wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it and understand what was happening to me and why. Even though a storm was already brewing within me, my emotional state fluctuated wildly, as though it was shifting at 100 km/h. Similarly to the climate crisis, all temperatures (emotions) dropped or rose drastically. I didn’t understand how to control it or what to call it, why it happens, and what it is.
After that, I immediately denied, ignored, looked the other way, pushed the emotions aside, and said: “It’s okay, it will pass.” I wasn’t ready to accept that it was here with me. Without noticing, unconsciously, I escaped to other places, watching movies and series to avoid feeling and experiencing reality.
I tried to convey that I was strong, telling myself I mustn’t break and no one should see or discover how unstable and fragile I was. I covered my face with an imaginary mask shielding my true self, which helped me put on a brave face and carry on with life.
But little did I know that the “strength” I projected was as fragile as glass. Once a crack appeared, the slightest pressure could cause it to grow and spread throughout the entire glass until it eventually shattered.
Only this time, after the glass “shattered” every time I put on the same mask again, it might have given me the illusion that it was protecting me from the eyes of the world at that moment. However, every time I removed my mask, a few more shards of glass stabbed me and inflicted immense pain that echoed and worsened in time.
When I eventually broke, I realized that the more I denied or concealed it, the further my mood worsened. Whenever someone asked me how I was, and I replied with “I’m fine” or “All good,” I felt it strayed further from the truth. I slowly created a gap between what I projected and my true self.
At a point, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and no longer recognized myself.
A picture of me illustrates a quote from my diary: “Looking in the mirror, a reflection reveals a shattered vessel. What is that I see? Could it be me?”.
It might be a bit funny and sad at the same time, but I felt like it required singing this excerpt from the song ‘Reflection‘ from Disney’s movie ‘Mulan.’
There is a subtle yet fundamental difference between feeling something is not right and actually understanding and knowing something isn’t. When you feel something is wrong, you don’t necessarily know how to attribute it or understand the reason. But when you understand… well, you understand. This stage was the most challenging for me: removing my mask from myself and seeing all the fragments.
There is a significant distinction between understanding and accepting a situation.
There is resistance and a lack awareness before reaching self-awareness and accepting feelings. So, resisting feeling depression is also a refusal to accept reality as it is.
Therefore, I realized that finding a tiny ray of light in the darkness during a crisis can only start when we accept the present and current emotions.
Only when I said to myself, ‘I don’t feel okay right now, but it’s okay,’ I made room for my emotions.
It is important to note that it won’t help to accept it now just like that unless you believe in it. Hence, it won’t help if I or anyone else tells you to do it right now.
It will help, however, only if it comes from within you and you genuinely want and are ready to do it.
Reaching the understanding that I was sad and didn’t want to get out of bed due to being depressed. It helped me realize that perhaps I needed to pause a moment and maybe even assistance.
A thought that somewhat encouraged me was that pain, depression, and sadness are all part of the broad spectrum of human emotions.
You and I are we’re only humans. Embracing emotions helps us understand that it’s okay to feel sad because that’s what we’re experiencing at the moment. It’s okay not to be at our best, sometimes let go, and not to be strong all the time because we are not machines! Depression is not a shameful or taboo word!
It doesn’t mean that I failed, it doesn’t mean that I’m less good, and it doesn’t mean that I’m crazy or insane.
It simply means, and even proves, that I am only human.
After removing my mask, I found the courage to open up and be authentic with my nearest and dearest.
However, I didn’t always necessarily receive the support or what I needed from those around me. I suddenly felt exposed, and that revealing vulnerability made me even more vulnerable.
So, I’ll reveal a secret that strengthened me –
Despite those feelings, I understood it wasn’t a sign of weakness. Because in order to be able to expose emotions that most people usually try very hard to hide, you need to be very, very brave.
Isn’t it true that you cannot navigate a blocked path?
In the same way, it is impossible to cope with and overcome pain or emotions when they are blocked and resisted.
When we block or suppress an emotion, we are essentially not giving it room, not accepting it, and not allowing it to exist (which might sound like a positive thing).
However, only after we let it be and acknowledge it, then ‘the emotion feels’ it is seen, and eventually ‘feels’ it can leave the system.
To illustrate this better, I’ll attempt to personify the range of depressive emotions and call it “Gloomy.”
Imagine Gloomy as a little toddler feeling unaccepted, unloved, and constantly pushed aside. It cries endlessly to the heavens, hits, throws tantrums, and even bits to get our attention.
The more we ignore Gloomy, the more hurt and louder his cries become. He desperately hopes someone will finally listen without plugging their ears. He keeps crying louder and screaming more intensely as this is the only way he knows to express himself.
Only when we embrace Gloomy with love then he starts to feel better, and a smile appears on his face. Once he feels heard and contained, he can eventually release the pain he experienced. At last, he can accept himself, let go, start over, and embark on a new journey.
If you have such a Gloomy within you, despite the problems he may cause, the noise he makes, and even a great deal of pain, remember that he is like a child, your child.
Be a caring parent, and treat it with understanding because all it truly needs is your love and attention.
Interestingly, after I was ready and agreed to acknowledge and face my emotions, I felt relieved. It helped me understand what I’m feeling and accept the situation as it is, even if it’s not as good as I’d like.
Acknowledging my feelings helped me to understand myself better, accept the situation, embrace reality, and eventually accept myself. In the end, the clarity of awareness sparks the desire (even if small) to find a solution.
This acknowledgment allowed me to take off my protective mask and shattered armor. Though it made me feel vulnerable and exposed at first, it also allowed me, later on, to heal and let go of the pain. Removing the shards of glass that hurt me so badly made me feel more at ease and even courageous to start over, building a new, stronger armor.
For me, it is only the first step in discovering more ways to deal with depression caused by the climate crisis and depression in general.
You are welcome to visit the page Coping Strategies for more coping strategies and explore how I managed and continue to overcome these challenges.
1. Animate-
I invite you to try talking to your inner child. Treat it like a real child in dire need of love. Listen and try to understand what might be causing the pain, where and what brings tears the most, and understand what it needs right now.
2. It’s OK to be sad-
This is my personal experience and how I have dealt with it. Each person is unique, and everyone can cope in different ways.
I am not a psychologist or an expert on the subject, but I merely share my thoughts and what I have learned as part of my long journey. So, please understand that everything I share is simply a suggestion, and I can’t promise immediate or definite solutions.
These recommendations aren’t a replacement for seeking psychological counseling or emotional support when necessary, and I can’t take responsibility for any adverse outcomes.