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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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The Gift of Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Truffles
On the move with not one, but two trips this week! Getting the less-than-fun one out of the way first with a two day workshop in the Amsterdam for business (meh) and THEN heading back to my favorite city in all the world – BOSTON! When I found out that both Melissa Hartwig and Gretchen Rubin were going to be at Harvard for the first stop of The Four Tendencies book tour (the only stop they will be together in fact!), my husband knew that it was the meant to be, perfect gift for me. And I am SO excited to see these two boss ladies who have exerted such…
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Fresh Starts with Fall Resolutions and Fiesta Worthy Taco Muffins
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald I CANNOT believe it is September already. Seriously, where did the summer go?! Although it was fabulous, I feel like I blinked and it was over just like that. And already things are feeling different. Fall means not only a bit cooler weather, beautiful changing leaves, and my personal favorite clothing color palette, but also for many people – a fresh start or opportunity to reset our lives with a semi-clean slate. In fact, it has been said that September is the new January when it comes to setting goals and making…
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Mediterranean Memories and Inspired Simple Salmon Sheet Pan Recipe
Something that I have come to appreciate more and more over the years is value of a photo. It is tangible little reminder of a person, a place or a happy time which conjures up memories that might otherwise fade or be forgotten. Pictures act as type of journal documenting our lives – monumental occasions and milestones and sometimes the more mundane, but simple pleasures and experiences. And both research and personal experience shows that time spent reflecting on the good times in the past, can often make us feel happier in the present. I was recently reminded of this when I saw a post from this time last year…
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The “Perfect” Treat for Busy Times :: Raw Brownie Bites
This past week (or maybe two or three, who knows I am struggling to keep track at this point!) has been an absolute whirlwind. I have become inundated with projects, meetings, deliverables, and other time consuming activities and feeling like I am constantly running from one thing to the next. Of course some of the busyness is self-induced and energy spent on activities that I love, but unfortunately a lot of it has involved obligations and responsibilities that I have less passion for to say the least. And I know that I am not alone as we transition from summer to fall, a lot of people can agree the change…
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The Trouble with Work Travel (and Buffalo Chicken Salad to the Rescue)
I am back in London again today, albeit this time around for business meetings as opposed to “Pilates-marathon-training.” So needless to say there will be less tucking and messy buns and more dresses and PowerPoint over the next few days. As I have mentioned, I tend to travel quite frequently between work and fun and although I find that my habits and routine are quite durable back at home, I must confess that the business trips are the hardest times for me to stay on track. When I travel for pleasure, I build time into my schedule for my habits and the things that I enjoy, which does include working out…
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Leveraging the Familiarity Principle :: Basil Artichoke Chicken Butternut Squash Pasta with Cauliflower Alfredo
When facing an opportunity to make a change in our lives we usually have two options: to orchestrate a big, sweeping, dramatic shift or to take small, incremental steps of progress in the desired direction. There are certainly merits to both approaches and the ultimate efficacy of either is dependent upon our own proclivities, the nature of the change that we are tasked with, and the circumstances and other constraints surrounding it. There are many cases where people have been struck by a lightning bolt, new insight, or deep conviction which caused them to instantaneously start or stop doing something virtually overnight and never look back. A new idea completely…
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From Arts and Crafts to Avocado Caprese Chicken Salad
As I contemplated my love for Sunday Brunch and the fabulous friendships I have had throughout the years, I reflected, as I have many times in the past, on the fact that for me – the time best spent has always been that which involves engaging in deep conversation. Most of the people that I have chosen to surround myself with also enjoy endless hours of discourse and metacognition, often focused on our own introspections and observations of the world around us. For me, this “thinking about thinking” and examination of mental and emotional processes has been not only a valuable source of knowledge, but also so fascinating to me…
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Lemon & Cucumber Smashed Avocado Sweet Potato Toast fit for Brunch & Besties
According to my social media feeds, this past Sunday was National Friendship Day in the U.S. Although I truly didn’t do anything to celebrate this “holiday,” I did stop briefly to consider some of the absolutely amazing women that I have been privileged to call my friends. Research shows that having strong social connections is one of the most meaningful contributors to happiness and life satisfaction. Like most people, I would argue wholeheartedly that my friends are one of the most valuable aspects of my life and I have some pretty fantastic ones. These are strong women who are running their own businesses and nonprofits, some have been published, some…
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Back From Pilates Holiday :: Avoiding Stairs At All Costs, Meal Planning & Prepping, and Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Jalapeno Herb Dressing
I am so sore. We are back from the London “Pilates Holiday” feeling completed depleted physically, but so inspired and deeply contented with the opportunity to take 11 classes over three days! We had the chance to visit so many beautiful and amazing studios; challenging ourselves with new exercises, techniques, and sheer stamina over the weekend. Some of my favorite classes were:
