I am absolutely pumped about the fact that it is officially spring AND feels like it outside! Although summer is decidedly my favorite, I am happy with pretty much anything that doesn't closely resemble winter, so no snow on the ground and above freezing temperatures has been a welcome change after a long, cold winter. The crocuses and tulips my grandfather planted at our house over 20 years ago are all coming up and serve as beautiful sign of better days to come. As we start to work on things outside the house, I know that I would really like to be able to preserve those perennials as
My 19 for 2019! And a Whole30 Salmon and Brussel Sprouts Salad with Lemon Cashew Dressing
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! As one of thosetypes of people who always loves any chance for a fresh start, I especially love a brand new year and usually try to capitalize on the psychological advantages that the blank slate provides. And in light of all that's going on this year with the big move back across the pond, becoming homeowners and settling into life in Grand Rapids - it feels like this year is especially turbocharged! However, although I am a resolutions and habit fanatic, I know that many others are decidedly not. And because there are as many different perspectives on goal setting and resolutions as there are individuals out…
Superpowers and a Super Easy Whole30 Tuna Zoodle Casserole
If you could have any superpower what would it be? According to a quick Google search - the most common responses are usually superhuman agility, the ability to fly, being able to read minds, invisibility, superhuman intelligence or immortality. On a slightly more practical level, many people seem to wish that they were blessed with the ability to be in more than one place at the same time or that they always had the right words to say. As a general rule, I'm not a big fan of these kinds of questions (which is the reason why the daily brainstorming sessions are still going strong to stimulate my creativity and levity!),…
Gratitude and a Whole30 Fall Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad
Happy Thanksgiving - one of my favorite holidays of all! It's one that brings people together simply for the purpose of being together and reflecting on the many things that we have to be grateful for. In light of our rapidly approaching date of departure, we celebrated our third annual Irish Friendsgiving a little early this year and today I am enjoying a less hectic day of work with a lot of packing on the side. Moving, as stressful and onerous as it can be, always presents a great opportunity to reassess one's possessions and eliminate or reduce clutter - something I genuinely enjoy. And it provides the opportunity to…
Dealing with Seasons of Stress and a Whole30 Fajita Chicken Protein Salad
Stress is a crazy thing. There are million and one proverbs, clichés and admonitions about how going through times of trial and tribulation bring out one's true colors or show what someone is made of. And while that's all true, valuable, and potentially reassuring - it often doesn't feel like it (or like it matters) in the moment, nor do I always like to be reminded of that fact. I've mentioned before that my own personal, very unattractive natural tendency when I am out of time, patience, or energy is to become a "dictatorial steamroller." Since I am aware of this proclivity, I try to pay attention to the times…
Broaden-and-Build, the Benefits of Positivity, and a Whole30 Chicken Chili
I would consider one of my strengths to be my ability to both formulate and execute a plan. I LOVE planning - everything from meal plans to barre choreography, from vacations to my wedding, and everything in between. I would consider one of my weaknesses to be my strong distaste for not knowing what to expect. I'm not great at "going with the flow" and just seeing what happens when it happens. In fact, "not great" hardly scratches the surface. I loathe being in the dark and thus ill-prepared for anything of importance. Thus the logistics of moving and such a big transition have my anxiety levels above optimum at…
Learning How to Stay in Touch With Ourselves and a Whole30 Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Much has been written demonstrating the value of investing in experiences as opposed to things when it comes to boosting our satisfaction with life. And I know from personal experience I rarely regret spending money on meaningful or unique experiences which is especially true when they include the company of friends or family, a fact I was reminded of when my parents came to visit over the summer. Although we had many very memorable experiences together, one that I was considering lately was our night out in the West End to see Wicked. The production was fantastic. And it was fun to see it together because none of us were at…
Foundational Habits Part Three: How What We Eat Affects Everything Else
An idea which has always been a bit lost on me is the expression or admonition to "work smarter, not harder." Now I know intellectually what is meant, however, I cannot wrap my head around why there is necessarily a dichotomy. I have long thought that if only I could work both SMARTER and HARDER, then it would only serve to be all more advantageous no matter the endeavor. And in many ways this seems to have been the case (and in others it was my sanity and that of those around me to pay!). Certainly being strategic about one's efforts, in addition to being diligent, can really have a…
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At the height of my "going out" phase, I was living with my sister Kyle and we noticed that it was quite common for us to excitedly make plans with each other or friends, go shopping to get the "perfect" new outfit, and even spend significant amounts of time getting ready the day of, only to realize that we didn’t feel like going out after all. Although I have already talked about some of the reasons how and why I try to do it anywaywhen it comes to the fun stuff, I've recently be considering how the phenomenon of affective forecasting errors can influence our ability to build and maintain healthy…
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Willpower and a Whole30 “Mac and Cheese” Casserole
Something which will likely surprise no one is my proclamation that I really love the things that I love. I'm a Mile Deep person; once I get into something I often border on what some might consider obsessive. Clearly, I am a barre addict and intently interested in all things nutrition. I'll always love fashion and never get sick of reading. And I'll also probably never stop being completely enraptured by psychology especially as it relates to habits, mental strength, mindset, and willpower. Learning more about the way that we think and act and why we do what we do is absolutely fascinating to me. Things that seem so obvious…
