Whew - I'm just about to the point where I need to dust the cobwebs off my laptop and this blog! After a brief hiatus the last two weeks (the longest since I started almost two years ago!), it feels good to be back. I've certainly been busy but also missing the opportunity to write. And it's one of those things which is hard to come back to after a break - like so many habits, it's often much easier to just keep going without "breaking the chain" as opposed to getting back into the swing of things. But I think I needed time away - I've been experiencing some…
Three Ingredient Paleo Cherry Pie Bars
I vastly underestimated how much I would LOVE being a homeowner. As someone who tends to take commitments pretty seriously, owning a home has always been one which sounded a bit overwhelming. Yes, although I realize that homes can always be sold and you can still move if you ever wanted to or needed to - it still seemed like a scary commitment. However, after we have been living here for about a month and a half, we have been hard at work making upgrades to the house and it has been tremendously rewarding and fun. I now totally get everyone's obsession with all things HGTV,
Taking Advantage of Temporal Landmarks and Enjoying Paleo Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
Over the past week onboard the Queen Mary 2, I've had a bit of time to reflect on the year - what went well, what did not-so-much and think about what I want to do with our fresh start back home. Although I really love the process and "doing" once I get started on something, whether that's making a presentation for work, writing a blog post, undertaking something artistic, or soon designing and decorating a new home, I often feel quite overwhelmed by a totally blank slate. However, since I know that a lot of research shows that a big change like a move, a different career, or a new…
My “Personality Project” and Paleo Zucchini Brownies
“One tree is like another tree, but not too much. One tulip is like the next tulip, but not altogether. More or less like people—a general outline, then the stunning individual strokes.” - Mary Oliver As I prepare to move back to the US, there are a lot of not fun things that need to happen - the packing, the administration of closing accounts and opening new ones, and most obviously leaving behind some of the best friends I've ever had. It's been a lot of work and a bittersweet experience so far, but of course there are many things on the other hand to look forward to - including…
Keeping Perspective and Paleo Strawberry Cashew Truffles
As someone who absolutely loves to travel (for fun, NOT work), I have had the opportunity to go on several trips accompanied by others. My most frequent travel partner is naturally my husband, but I have also traveled with friends and family in recent history, some relationships more closely knit than others of course. And I've seen that it can be interesting to learn what certain people value or consider a vacation. For some people, doing as little as possible aside from sitting poolside in the sun is ideal. For others, it's not a holiday unless that means drink in hand at all times. There are beach goers, there are adventurers, and…
The Benefits of Reading Fiction and Dark Chocolate Paleo Granola
I am definitely what one would call a creature of habit and love my routine oh-so-much. Recently my guided journal provided me with a writing prompt to describe the ideal/perfect morning. And to be honest, as I considered the idea, it didn't look all that much different than business as usual. I'd still get up early (usually between 5-530 AM) surrounded by my little fam and I'd prefer to eat one of my "normal" breakfast foods in my kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and messy bun atop my head, before I head out to teach and take barre. Initially when I think about these types of questions,…
Paleo Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake in Honor of My Sister
It's been almost a month since we added to our family! After losing our sweet little Kiely, we realized how much Coco appreciated having a playmate, so we decided to adopt another miniature Yorkshire puppy - Lulu! As is the case with these kind of things, there has been an adjustment period, but the two of them are mostly just excited to be around each other. That's especially true for Lulu who is OBSESSED with Coco - she's really too small to walk on a leash as of yet so we carry her in our arms, but she positively loses it if she can't see her sister at any stage while…
Choosing the Bigger Life :: A Second Dog and Paleo Almond Butter Blender Muffins
I would generally consider myself someone who really likes to have clear expectations set, be in control, know the plan and stick to it. I would not consider myself to be very spontaneous, but I suppose moderately flexible. Since I am an Upholder, I sometimes find myself hesitant or reluctant to take on new things because I don’t want them to crowd out the things I have already started on because of course, we all have limited resources (time, attention, money, etc.) and I am not one to commit to something unless I know that I can see it through to the very end. When I take on a new…
Learning to Savor, Appreciating the Now and Paleo Brownies with Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting
Over the past month, I have been running on extra high energy and enthusiasm, making good progress on some pretty big projects. If you know me, you know that I love working towards goals and positively thrive on getting.stuff.done. I am now starting my eighth month of my Happiness Project and the daily resolutions tracker has gotten long. This weekend as my husband and I sat together for breakfast at home, I was working my way through the list and mapping out my strategy for the day. He is more than well-acquainted with the particulars of this project (and my general achievement orientation) and made some comment to the effect…
Positive Thinking, the AIM Method, and Spirulina Bliss Balls
I wrote not too long ago about the Cognitive Triangle which describes the interplay between the way we think, feel, and act. Although we may mistakenly believe that one always influences the other, there is a lot of evidence which shows that in reality, each of these processes actually both affects and is affected by the others. In that post I considered the ways that acting the way we want to feel can lead to a shift in our emotions, which is something I have tried to remember in my day-to-day experiences. But more recently I read about the power of positive thinking on our subjective well-being in Ed Diener…
