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Purpose in Leisure Time and a Whole30 Sweet Potato Crusted Quiche
Ahh. That's a sigh of contentment after the three day May Bank Holiday weekend here in Ireland. It was a particularly quiet one for me since in addition to having an extra day off from normal work, Flex in the City was closed and Jonathan was away for round two of his sailing course. And although I love all these things (ok - definitely less so when it comes to the day job, but I do love teaching at the studio and spending time with my husband!), I have to say that it was a pretty fabulous few days at home and around town for me and little Coco. The weather was nice,…
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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (A Lesson on Repeat) and a Whole30 Spicy Shrimp with Avocado Puree Dinner
You know what "they" say: some people never learn. And you know what I hate: when I am one of those "some people." It's amazing to me how we (AHEM ME) can KNOW what we should do and yet we still do not do it. It's humbling to write about my recent experiences in this area, but my hope is that since this continues to be a struggle for me, maybe I can catch someone else at just the right time before he or she falls into more of the same himself or herself. The mantra of my day/week/month (probably life): Don't sweat the small stuff. Earth-shattering and groundbreaking I…
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Announcing the Flex in the City Studio Whole30 and a Delicious Whole30 Chicken Caesar Salad
Last week over at Flex in the City we announced something which I personally am extremely excited about – our very first Studio Whole30! At the end of last month, I became Ireland’s one and only Whole30 Certified Coach and this will be my first official event. As I have shared previously, I am extremely passionate about this program and after completing several successful rounds, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it did indeed live up to its bold promise to “change my life.” I have completely transformed my health, my habits, and my relationship with food and have experienced tremendous growth in many other aspects
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How to Overcome Feeling Overwhelmed and a Whole30 Blackberry Marinated Steak
You know those times when you have so much to do that you don't even know where to start? Yeahhhhhh. It's been one of those kind of weeks. I am completely inundated with actual work, rework, odd errands and nagging tasks, requests for small favors, and even fun events currently. I do admit to keeping myself pretty richly scheduled as a general rule, but it really does feel that often - when it rains, it pours. Although there are many things on my plate which are important and/or urgent, I have been feeling overwhelmed lately which is leading to an uncharacteristic and paradoxical level of inaction almost to the point…
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Writing :: 100 Blog Posts Later… and a Whole30 Taco Mason Jar Salad
Guess what?! This is officially the 100th blog post to be published on barreeatrepeat.com! I can't believe it - starting a blog is something that I have wanted to do for literally years, but was afraid to start for a few reasons. Firstly, I tend to keep a very full schedule and I wasn't sure if this was something that I could commit to. When I take on something new whether of my own initiative or by signing up for something with someone else, I take it very seriously as an Upholder. I am not someone who likes to quit things once I get started, so I knew this would…
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Well Worth the Effort :: Developing Grit and Healthy Habits and a Whole30 Chicken Parmesan
One of my stocking stuffers from Christmas this year was one of my family’s all time most beloved movies – Matilda. I had read the book by Roald Dahl as a little girl and loved it so much that when I saw it was also produced as a movie insisted we rent it to watch as a family. And it was a HUGE hit. I hadn’t watched it in ages, but for over 15 years now my dad, mom, brothers, sister and I have continued to quote the absurdly hilarious lines, so much so that some of them have nearly become family mantras and we may have even forgotten their…
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Emotional Contagion and Chocolate Coconut Energy Bites
Have you ever stopped to really consider the tremendous impact that those around you have upon your experience of any given situation? Most people have noticed that the jokes in their favorite sitcom are much funnier when accompanied by a fellow couch-mate than when on one’s own, and the breathtaking sunset is even more spectacular when we are with someone else to share in awe with us. Similarly, when your Debbie Downer colleague walks into the office grumbling about Monday again, the week ahead may not seem as unsurmountable to you as it does to her, but certainly doesn’t lift your spirits. When we are around those who are sad,…
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A Fresh Perspective and a Whole30 Tuna Avocado Salad
I once had a friend, who although I loved (and still do) dearly, had one quite irritating quality. It seemed like she would always ask for advice or suggestions on what to do or say, but she didn’t actually want to take it. She would circulate her latest dilemma or decision to be made around our circle of friends, soliciting opinions, but almost to no end. Regardless of how many people said she should do X or they would take Y, she seemed unsatisfied with the response and unwilling to make a step forward in any direction. This would usually go on for a while, until eventually, maybe days, weeks,…
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A Love of Learning :: What I’ve Been Up to Lately and a Whole30 Strawberry Guacamole Swordfish with Coconut Cauliflower Rice
I love to learn. One of my greatest passions is continuous learning and improvement. I have a unquenchable thirst and desire for wanting to know more and gain deeper insight, to grow, to improve, and to change. In virtually every situation I find myself in whether it’s professionally, socially, or personally related I find joy in the pursuit of gaining deep subject matter expertise and an understanding of the underlying dynamics that are in play. On a typical day off (after I get my barre fix in of course), you are likely to find me curled up with a book or with my laptop researching and studying something. It’s what…
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Learning to Reframe (Because Words Matter!) and a Whole30 Breakfast Sausage and Gravy
Words matter. Perhaps especially to me since as previously mentioned, I am a self-professed logophile and I know that my love language is “words of affirmation.” However biased I may be though, there is a lot of evidence which supports my claim. According to Gretchen Rubin, “research shows that people who use language that emphasizes that they’re acting by their own choice and exercising control (“I don’t,” “I choose to,” “I’m going to.,” or “I don’t want to”) stick to their habits better than people who use language that undermines their self-efficacy (“I can’t,” I’m not allowed to,” or “I’m supposed to”). There’s a real difference between “I don’t” and…
