The world we live in is fast and can make our heads spin with the tremendous amount of information that is accessible to us every day, all day. We are fortunate to have resources that provide answers to any question that comes up throughout the day. We can learn new skills, laugh and be entertained, and even relax during downtime. When you have the combination of learning, relaxation, and entertainment that is the trifecta of what a well-curated and crafted Instagram page is and why Natalia Korop has over 19.3k followers. Natalia’s Instagram page is happi.farm.ga and the theme is wellness, kindness, and inspiration.
Natalia is originally from Ukraine. As a young girl, she grew up taking care of animals and farming. When she was 18 Natalia took a job in the financial industry that provided the means to be able to support her loved ones. Once she came to the United States she continued to excel in her career and remained focused on her success. She lived in New York City and when she came to Georgia she had a home in Buckhead. City life was comfortable and she enjoyed it, but often what you had in childhood is what you eventually go back to and that is what she and her husband and two boys did in 2020. They made the big move to a farm and traded city life for acres of land, 300 chickens, a horse, 8 Black Angus cows, peacocks, and turkeys, ducks and geese, and any rescue cats that may find their way to Happi Farm.
Many chores need to be taken care of daily on the farm and Natalia has figured out clever ways to use her time wisely. Her father was an engineer and she uses what she learned from him. She built a feeder for the chickens that sustains the hundreds of hens and a handful of roosters. She and her husband and their sons do it all. Collecting the eggs is a daily task and the reward of visiting the coop is more than fresh eggs. Watching the over 40 varieties of chickens navigate through the coop and the outside covered space is fun to see how they interact with each other and their duck and geese neighbors. They run and cluck at each other and it appears they could fight, but they just calm down and move along.
The farm environment is peaceful and brings anyone who visits close to nature. Natalia is sharing her story with her followers of farm life and she has three main sentiments; wellness, kindness, and inspiration. The five steps Natalia speaks about are achievable in any environment and are meant to be implemented with ease and thoughtfulness.
- Surround yourself with YOUR KIND of people.
Be mindful of the qualities of the people who surround you. Are they kind and understanding towards you? Can you be open-hearted when you are talking to them? Do you feel like they will understand, support, and love you no matter what because they know that you always have the best intentions, even when you make mistakes? Learn to recognize people that put you at ease and (over time) may have your trust. Remove complainers, drama magnets, and disingenuous people from your circle.
- Get grounded and get your body moving! Two to three times a week and don’t forget to take deep breaths while doing it!
The best way to do this is to walk barefoot when possible, submerge into nature, and take deep, intentional slow breaths… even if it is a 10-minute walk in the park, it will have a positive influence on your energy level. Our minds might have forgotten, but our bodies naturally recognize the energy of the earth because we evolved by touching the earth. Men used to walk barefoot all the time and slept right on the ground. Being connected to the earth’s energy helps bring us back to our natural electrical state which is vital to our health.
- Nourish your body.
Respect your body by supporting it with natural foods and drinks. When you consume natural foods you are giving your body nutrients that are intended for it by nature. Your digestive system will be able to absorb all the right elements and distribute them to the right organs. Avoid taking in junk and processed foods.
- Learn to be more self-sufficient. It will help you feel the freedom and satisfaction you might have never experienced!
Am I asking you to produce everything you eat and consume? No, not at all. But self-sufficiency is more than just trying to produce everything yourself. It’s about community. Supporting local farms, working together, and building skills that will help you become more self-sufficient regardless of your location. Even if it’s just baking a loaf of bread with store-bought flour or growing some herbs in your kitchen window. So many basic skills became lost in our society today. But they are all within your reach of learning! All that’s needed is your desire to learn. The supply chain makes it quite convenient to grab what you need off the shelves of massive stores but having skills and knowledge of self-sufficiency will help you feel more confident that you can take care of yourself and your family.
- Stay connected to yourself. Stay mindful of your life choices vs how you dream your life should be.
We often get carried away by our daily routines. Too busy to breathe.. too busy to think of better food choices… no time to rest… sleep deprivation.. stress is too high. When you feel like your life doesn’t bring you enough joy and positive energy anymore – start at step 1. The top 4 actions will help you to align yourself with your mind, body, and spirit yet again.
Incorporate small, sustainable changes into your life and grow your holistic lifestyle over time.
Natalia said, “If you want to make the lifestyle changes bad enough, you can find a way. Nothing can stop you, as long as you put your mind to it. There are ways to work around just about anything that’s holding you back.”
Natalia’s list is meant to be an inspirational tool. Anyone anywhere can use these steps to gain a more holistic and fulfilling life. After speaking with Natalia and having the pleasure of visiting her farm I am inspired to plan a fall garden. Natalie emphasizes that even a small area or a balcony can be used for a start-up garden. Have you ever planted tomatoes or peppers? Do you remember how gratifying it felt to pick one fresh off the vine and use it in a meal? The luxury of having access to fresh and organic produce from your own garden is more beneficial than the money savings. It just feels good knowing what you are feeding your family and that it was your patience and persistence that produced the food.
Natalia shares her farm life escapades with her online community daily. The latest task she’s working on is bread baking. No doubt that she will be an amazing baker of sourdough and any other bread that she takes on. Check her out and be inspired!