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Stress-Free Buffalo Egg Muffins
This week on the blog you’ll notice a special theme because I am celebrating my two year wedding anniversary! I can’t believe how time quickly time has flown by and what a unique experience it has been. Jon and I were happily dating and living in Boston when all of a sudden, he was presented with a career development opportunity which entailed an up to 18 month position in Cork, Ireland (now extended to 3 years). As we weighed the pros and cons of this major relocation, it became clear to us that that there was one thing that we still wanted to do while we were in Boston, which…
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Celebrate “Treat YO Self Day” with an Autumn in Mason Jar Salad Picnic in the Park
I mentioned recently that for the month of October, one of my resolutions is to abstain from absolutely all non-essential purchases (i.e. food and coffee). I have become increasingly lax in my budget management over the past few months and have found myself frequently indulging and accumulating more things which I do not actually need (although it is hard for an athleisure addict to admit, I do have plenty of leggings). This approach might not work for everyone, but for me, as an abstainer (as opposed to a moderator), it’s easier and better for me to give something up completely than to allow for a little bit here and there.…
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The Value of Being Versatile (as Demonstrated by Cashew Nut Butter)
Versatile – to be able to adapt or be adapted to a many different functions or activities. See also: adaptable, flexible, all-around, multifaceted, multitalented, resourceful, protean; adjustable, variable, convertible, alterable, modifiable, multipurpose. It is interesting to me how particular values, traits or qualities become more or less in vogue throughout the passage of time. Today it seems that concepts like gratitude, mindfulness, balance, and versatility are highly prized in the media and society at large around many parts of the world. Although often the rise in popularity of such buzzwords can end up translating loosely to nothing tangible (and can be a bit excessive or annoying at times), they do…
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Savoring a Suddenly Free Schedule and Whole30 Sausage Egg Sandwiches
Growing up, my sister and I LOVED playing with Barbies. We played nearly everyday, in all our free time for hours on end, and for years beyond what would generally be considered socially acceptable. At one point I know we counted and had over 120 Barbie or at least 9 Ken dolls (which meant having a boyfriend or husband was a pretty big deal) along with many kid and baby versions. For us, playing with Barbies did not entail just the usual dressing and hair brushing activities; rather we used them to create our own microcosm of society. We used them in all the usual childhood playtime favorites – house, bank,…
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Self Knowledge, Being True to You, and Craveable Chimichurri Steak with Crispy Smashed Potatoes
If you have read more than one or two of my previous posts, you may have noticed that I am probably one of Gretchen Rubin’s biggest fangirls. One important thing that I have learned from her work is the importance of having a clear manifesto or guiding principles which help to direct your actions and decisions. In The Happiness Project, she wrote about her twelve “Personal Commandments” which are essentially her own core values acting as a mission statement for the way that she lives her life. Everyone’s would naturally be different, based upon their own experiences, beliefs, and objectives, however she did outline one which seemed to transcend most…
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The Power of Connectedness and Lemon Baked Haddock
For the most part, I work from home. This of course does not include the time that I am teaching at the studio, but alas, I do have an additional, regular, full time position as a business consultant which involves a lot of time at my computer or on the phone. When I explain this, it is confusing to many people, conjuring up a variety of misconceptions or delusions, ranging from “oh wow – that is awesome, working in your pajamas everyday or taking the afternoons off right?” to “yeahhhh right, you don’t really do very much work do you?” or “that must be really hard to stay focused and…
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The Strategy of Convenience and Whole 30 Coconut Crusted Chicken Fingers with “Honey” Mustard Dipping Sauce
Let’s get one thing straight – I have not always been a super healthy eater. While I have always liked my veggies and fruits, I also liked my fast food, sweets, and prepackaged convenience foods. When I was younger, I was all about what was easy and “tasted good” and not too concerned about the health (or lack thereof) in the foods that I was eating, plus I lived down the street from a Steak and Shake. According to Google, there are some Steak and Shake locations in the EU, but none in Ireland, so for those who may not know, it is a fast food diner type restaurant with…
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Enjoying the Process, Rosy Prospection, and Slow Cooker Balsamic Roast with Cauliflower Mash
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the anticipation of an event is even better than the actual event itself? The excitement of looking forward to something quite often makes a holiday, vacation, celebration or night out much richer and greater than the sum of its parts. Psychology refers to this phenomenon as the “rosy prospection” and according to researchers, Terence R. Mitchell and Leigh Thompson, it is the “tendency for people to anticipate events as more favorable and positive than they describe the experience at the time of its occurrence.” There are a multitude of variables which contribute to this effect (which tends to be more specific and situational that…
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Adventures in Brainstorming and the “A Team Salad”
Throughout my studies in both psychology and business and my professional life thus far, I have been fortunate enough to participate in many ongoing learning, training and certification opportunities. Some have been quite niche or nuanced and others more broad and generic. Topics have ranged from leadership development to time management and goal setting techniques; from interpersonal skills like conflict resolution or negotiation to project management and so on. And a lot of these programs or protocols, especially my Six Sigma training, have emphasized brainstorming as an invaluable and critical first step to problem solving and identification of root causes as well as potential solutions. And to be honest, I…
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The Profound Impact of Others and Paleo Fish Tacos
The power of word of mouth is phenomenal. There are so many times that I personally have been influenced or influenced someone else’s decision by a simple referral or recommendation (or avoided a situation or product based on someone’s negative review). According to Nielsen, 92% of all consumers trust and believe recommendations from friends and family members over all other forms of advertising and even anonymous online reviewers have a 70% trust rate. And beyond just purchasing decisions we can be persuaded or dissuaded to pursue certain goals, activities, or decisions in our careers and personal lives. Researching which is best or what we should do is often only more…
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