As I am sure we have all experienced firsthand, being inspired to do something or thinking that a certain thing is worth doing can still be quite a distance from knowing exactly how to do it or getting started. Although I am full of good intentions, one constant struggle for me is taking the first step to get things moving. I am often paralyzed by the desire for perfection or afraid of making a mistake I’ll later regret, but I am continuing to learn that that it is often better to do it now and to get things going, rather than to get them perfect. And now that I described…
Learn to Flourish: Why Do a Happiness Project and a Whole30 Broccoli “Cheese” Frittata
"However much we resist acknowledging it, we humans are not static. We're either on a positive trajectory or a negative one. Either we're growing in goodness, becoming more creative and resilient, or we're solidifying our bad habits, becoming more stagnant and rigid. [Our] life trajectory is leading [us] to languish or flourish…. People who flourish function at extraordinarily high levels - both psychologically and socially. They're not simply people who feel good. Flourishing goes beyond happiness, or satisfaction with life. True, people who flourish are happy. But that's not the half of it. Beyond feeling good,
Conducting a Personal Mid Year Review With a Side of Whole30 Southwest Stuffed Avocados
Although I know firsthand that it requires a lot of extra effort on the part of the manager or supervisor, and that the feedback may not always be all that wonderful, I think I've always been someone who really enjoys regular performance reviews. For as long as I can remember, I've looked forward to report cards, parent-teacher conferences and both corporate/companywide and personal reviews on the job. It's nice to get a reality check or alternative perspective on what's going well and what can be improved upon. Far too often, I find for myself at least, that I can really beat myself up or minimize my successes and progress and…
Overcoming the WTH Effect with a Whole30 Smoked Salmon Stack on Sweet Potato Toast
So there's failing, and then there's failing big. And let's just say, when I do go wrong, I often do it BIG. And it ain't pretty. I'm feeling like I'm finally caught up now, but just recently there were a few consecutive weeks which were extra hectic with a lot of deadlines and time intensive deliverables plus an inordinate amount of "little things" here and there which just required a lot of time. It was one of those months in which everything that had to be done was just barely getting done at the last possible moment and anything else was moved to the backburner. The lack of downtime was…
Plan it in, Do it Anyway: Checking off the Summer Goals with a Whole30 Green Gazpacho
LOVE SUMMER! It's been a fun and fabulous couple of days - the weather couldn't have been too much better and Jon and I had time over the weekend to cross off a few of the Summer Bucket List items! We both have pretty full agendas with some impending travel over the next couple months and since planning is my favorite sport, we had spent some time a few weeks ago to map out tentative dates, book events, buy tickets, etc. for the fun things we wanted to do. I've learned that for me at least, it's important to schedule in time not only for the serious and work related…
Considering “What Went Well” and a Whole30 Blackened Tilapia with Cherry Salsa
If you are familiar with traditional applied psychology, therapy, or counseling, you may be aware of the fact that there are several different protocols, or interventions, which may be employed to reduce the patients' negative symptoms depending upon the presenting problem. Although Freudian psychoanalysis is not generally leveraged or deemed effective these days, many other forms of treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms of mood disorders such as depression or anxiety. However, throughout his practice, Dr. Martin Seligman, former president of the APA, founder of positive psychology, and someone whose research has had tremendous impact on my own life over the…
Know Your Purpose + a Whole30 Strawberry Walnut Salad
It's important to know your purpose. This is true on a large scale of course, but I acknowledge that might be slightly too big a topic to cover right here and now. I mean it in a more temporal and specific kind of way which I was reminded of earlier this week. On her podcast, Happier, Gretchen Rubin and her sister Liz Craft discuss ways to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life. One of the things that I really appreciate about the podcast and Rubin's approach in general, is that she is very good at making the esoteric, transcendental, or very aspirational more practical and tangible. In this…
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Push Yourself! Taking on a Challenge Builds Self-Efficacy :: Whole30 Burgers with Sundried Tomato and Basil Artichoke Sauce
Today is a very exciting day because it marks Day 31 for the rockstars of my very first Flex in the City Studio Whole30! They did it! And I couldn't be more impressed or happier with how well so many of them did. They committed to the program, changing not only what was on their plate (which was hard!) but also they committed to changing their habits and their relationship with food (which is HARDER!). If you heard or saw the physical changes that they've experienced, you'd be pretty darn impressed. And when you consider the psychological side of what they have done, you'd be positively blown away. Yes, sticking…
Celebrating Sunny Days in Ireland with My 2018 Summer Bucket List and Whole30 Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef
What a fabulous last two weeks it has been in Cork! The weather has consistently been the best that it has been since I've lived in Ireland and I am thrilled to have sunshine and warm days finally. It actually feels like summer which means it's time to pull together my 2018 Summer Bucket List - a tradition that Jonathan and I started a few years ago. It's my favorite time of year and I know that for me to ensure the optimal experience, I need to have some sort of plan. Making a Summer Bucket List is kind of like setting New Year Resolutions for me (but arguably more…
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Balance is NOT Key (for me at least!) + a Whole30 Stone Fruit and Blackened Chicken Salad
As I've written many times over the past year, the decision to dedicate time to truly knowing myself better has been life changing. Before that I would have, as most people do, just assumed certain things to be true without giving it much consideration. It's easy to be distracted by what I wish I were like or what I (or others) think I should be like. And thus I just assumed that I must like music (I really don't), that pizza is delicious (I have always been underwhelmed), and that "everything in moderation" is a good thing (not for an abstainer like me). And learning that, for me at least, balance is…
