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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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Choosing to Invest Time Wisely and the Value of Meal Prepping
Throughout conversations in my recent travels and with my visitors this weekend, I have come to the amazing realization that it has already been almost TWO years of our living in Ireland. This is shocking to me and proof of the fact that the although the days themselves seem to be long, the years are in fact quite short and time absolutely does fly by. A common theme for my 2017 has been on the topic of using the resources that I have at my disposal to live a more satisfying, meaningful, and happier life. Over the past several months, I have been studying and reading extensively on the topic…
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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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A Stumble May Prevent a Fall :: Getting back on track when we experience a misstep
Strongly considered changing the name of this blog to Coffee.Coffee.Repeat after the past two weeks. Seriously the amount of coffee consumed over long work days in Amsterdam and the whirlwind trip to the States with a five hour time difference has been challenging. It’s probably because I am so regimented (rigid) in my sleep schedule normally that I find adjusting to time zones so brutal. But aside from the copious amounts of caffeine, I cannot complain about a thing. The trip was pretty much perfect. It was sunny and warm, with lots of time with Jon’s family and some friends over meals and walks and coffee (obviously). I did some…
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Cheers to Gut Health and Happiness!
As I stepped out of the Back Bay train station into Copley Square this week, I was actually overwhelmed by a rush of emotions and love for Boston. I have been fortunate enough to spend time in some amazing places, but I can definitely still say unequivocally – Boston is my favorite. Of course walking the same paths, visiting my old barre stomping grounds, shopping at my old Whole Foods and Trader Joes and having lunch around the corner from my old apartment (“The Nest”) conjured up some tremendous nostalgia.  However, there is something different about the atmosphere and vibe of the city that struck me even the very first…
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The Profound Impact of Others and Paleo Fish Tacos
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Pure Love for Pure Barre
Being back in the States this week has been awesome! Although a quick trip, I have (in true to Miranda form) tried to make the most of it with full days of family, friends, food, and fitness. I love my husband’s family and it has been great to spend time with them and some of my favorite Bostonians while here. Catching up over coffee, lunch or dinner has been so enlivening and uplifting! I have also had the chance to do a bit of shopping for things that are not available across the pond and, of course, have snuck in some barre and Pilates classes along the way! This trip…
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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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Knowing When It’s Worth It and a Whole30 Chicken Salad with Avocado Poppy Seed Dressing
Challenging = Breaking Up with Bad Habits, Easy = Whole30 Jamaican Jerk Steak and Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (A Lesson on Repeat) and a Whole30 Spicy Shrimp with Avocado Puree Dinner
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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…
