LIVE LOVE AND EAT I S S U E 6 8 | N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1 / I S S N 2 6 8 9 - 7 7 4 1 Heal t h | Wellbeing| Nutrition
THINGS TO FEEL GRATEFUL FOR THIS YEAR The Divorced Woman’s Guide™...how to manage Thanksgiving holiday stress after divorce Add these 5 habits to your daily routine ALREADY MINE
November poems Last Lunar eclipse of the year and your November 2021 horoscope
This is why you selfsabotage Discover 4 money lessons I actually got from the movie Pretty Woman
CAN A HEALTHIER DIET IMPROVE DEPRESSION?
The Power of "yet"! DO YOU TAKE COFFEE WITH YOUR SUGAR?
Have you dreamed about being an Author? I did too
Meet our Spotlight Miranda Vires
CONTACT US LIVE LOVE AND EAT 4497 Wyndtree Drive #212 West Chester Ohio 45069 513 2758081 bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com www.liveloveandeatmagazine.com
NOTE FROM EDITOR New Stories, New writers It is the Month of November
It is that time of year. The leaves are falling, comfort food is on the stove and Thanksgiving is around the corner. November for me is all about gratitude. Gratitude is noticing and appreciating good things in the world. I am grateful for my family, for being healthy, and for helping so many people with their health and wellbeing. And as always I am grateful for YOU! Thank you for all your support throughout the year. We had lots of changes with the magazine this year and the magazine has grown so much.
I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving from my family to yours!
In this issue, we have amazing articles. If it is your health, fitness, or goals we have you covered. Be sure to check out our recipe section for healthy Thanksgiving recipes.
Be sure to catch up with episodes on our podcast. The Live Love and Eat Show. New episodes coming soon.
Kick back, relax and soak up some quality time with Live Love and Eat
Enjoy the month of November
EDITORIAL BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief
SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE ONLINE https://www.liveloveandeatmagazine.co m/order-your-copy
We hope that you enjoy this issue. BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief
https://organicbasics.pxf.io/c/2699575/1015321/12803
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS 4497 Wyndtree Drive , West Chester 45069 513 275 8081 | bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com
Managing Editor Bernadine Otto Contributor Wendy Sterling Contributor Jace Jacobs
Bernadine
Otto
Wendy Sterling
Lori Booty
Kim Klein
Jace Jacobs
Victoria Kleinsman
Contributor Victoria Kleinsman Contributor Lori Booty Contributor Contributor Contributor Contributor
Kim Klein Skylar Snow Poetry
Skylar Snow Poetry
Judy Brown
Linda Watson
Sherry Parks
Judy Brown Linda Watson
Contributor Sherry Parks Contributor Curt Lewis
Debra Letchworth
Tracy Markley
Miranda Vires
Curt Lewis
Contributor Sharon Clare Contributor Tracy Markley Spotlight Miranda Vires Recipes Bernadine Otto Debra Letchworth Judy Brown
Sharon Clare
ADVERTISE IN LIVE LOVE AND EAT Email: bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com
LIVE LOVE AND EAT
CONTENTS
HEALTH & NUTRITION & WELLBEING
03 EDITOR'S NOTE 04 MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS
46
24 CAN A HEALTHIER DIET IMPROVE DEPRESSION?
17 HOW TO FIND YOUR SET POINT WEIGHT?
THE DIVORCED WOMAN’S GUIDE™ HOW TO MANAGE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY STRESS AFTER DIVORCE
35 THE POWER OF ''YET''! 43 LAST LUNAR ECLIPSE OF THE YEAR AND YOUR NOVEMBER 2021 HOROSCOPE
31
EXCLUSIVE!
30 THINGS TO FEEL GRATEFUL FOR THIS YEAR
28
07
51 ADD THESE 5 HABITS TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
55 ALREADY MINE
MEET OUR SPOTLIGHT
DO YOU TAKE COFFEE WITH YOUR SUGAR?
Miranda Vires. Read all about what wonderful work she is doing in the world
Copyright © 2021 Bernadine Otto. All rights reserved. Published by Live Love and Eat
4497 WYNDTREE DRIVE, WEST CHESTER, OHIO, 45069 513 2758081 BERNADINE@LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM WWW.LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM
NOVEMBER 2021 | ISSUE 68
57 NOVEMBER POEMS
NOVEMBER THANKSGIVING Celebrating on the 25th of November. It is a time to kick back and relax. Watch a football game or go to a movie and enjoy a huge feast. It is always time for us to give thanks.
BLACK FRIDAY Celebrated the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday or retail Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and is one of the two busiest shopping days of the year. In case you did not know the other busiest shopping day is the day after Christmas when lots of shoppers, on holiday vacation goes to the stores to use gift certificates they received and to exchange merchandise
VETERANS DAY
Veterans day is celebrated on the 11th of November. Veterans Day is held in honor of all military veterans, including both the fallen and the living, who have served in the United States Armed Forces, during wartime or peacetime.
MIRANDA VIRES Founder and Reiki/Energy Healer, Spiritual LIfe Coach and Psychedelic Support Guide with The Emerging Soul ''Learn to love yourself where you are. Without this, we will never feel good enough, regardless of what kind of progress is made. Align with your authenticity.''
Miranda lives in Michigan. She is married to her husband Jason for 14 years. They have three boys: Jaycob, 20 Lucas, 12, and Elijah, 9. You can learn more about Miranda here: E-mail: miranda@theemergingsoul.com Website: Theemergingsoul.com
How did you get started in your career? In What Year? I reached a rock bottom point in my life when I was consumed with depression and rage-filled anxiety, causing everyone I loved pain and trauma. I felt as though my kids would be better off without me. I came very close to acting on that suicidal thought. However, nothing short of divine intervention stopped me that day. I heard the message that there was a better way. I would find my way naturally. I quit all my meds cold turkey that day - Adderall, Norco, Flexeral, Motrin 800, Xanax, and whatever anti-depressant I was on that month (never do this, always consult a doctor). After realizing that my insurance would not support me committing myself to a holistic addiction/psychiatric/spiritual program, I felt alone - and determined to find my way through this dance with the dark night. At this point, a part of me knew there was a deeper purpose for everything I had endured. This is where my learning began. Learning to breathe correctly, mindful self-compassion and mindful based stress relief, Nutrition, Spiritual growth, Inner child work, Trauma release, Loving movement, energy work, power plants, and mycelium teachers (psychedelics). Yage and Wachuma were the tools that ultimately led to me overcoming my mental dis-ease, and reconnecting to myself. And in turn, led me to help other stuck humans to get unstuck.
Who or what has been your greatest professional inspiration and why? Tah and Kole Whitty, or TahKole have been my greatest professional, and personal in many ways, inspiration. These two humans are about as real as they get. They have taken the shit they have been through and used it to fuel them forward. Healing themselves, from the inside out. Supporting others in healing themselves in various ways from music, to fitness, to somatic healing, to utilizing psychedelics. The way they hold themselves as individuals is inspiring, and to see how they function as a couple is breathtaking. I am inspired by all humans who decide to take what they have been through, pair it with their passions and use it to support others in healing and optimization.
What advice would you offer to someone starting out in your industry? Lead with your heart, listen to your body, trust the journey and remember that there are enough people on this planet who need us that there is no competition. What professional challenges have you faced that have contributed to your overall success? I have been my greatest professional challenge. Imposter syndrome and self-sabotage are real, and the question “who am I to help?” can come up often. This contributes to my success by driving me to continue to grow and learn, personally and professionally. There is a balance between staying humble and owning our greatness. When that question comes up, I reply like many of my colleges do, “who am I NOT to help?”. What do you do in your free time (volunteer, work, hobbies, etc.) In my free time, I homeschool my youngest boys. I love to travel, explore my own consciousness, be in nature, read and watch the Gaia channel. What would you like readers to know about you and why? I am a spirit walking around in a meat suit navigating this human experience daily, just like you. All of my plant medicine journeys and training do not exempt me from the ups and downs of life; however, it has prepared me to navigate the flow of life with a bit more ease. I want you to know this because too often people assume I have my shit 100% together in all areas, and this is far from the truth. I am not sure any of us truly have our shit together in this realm. We do our best to continue to evolve, and the question becomes, who do you want to be in all of this? What is your favorite quote and why? In the end, we are all just walking each other home” Ram Dass This quote says it all. As humans, we are all on the same path. Our souls come from the same place, and they will return to the same place. It is what we choose to do in between that matters. It is my thought that “we are all just walking each other home” and there are no two sets of life prints that will look the same.
What 3 tips will you give someone who is struggling to live healthy? Learn to love yourself where you are. Without this, we will never feel good enough, regardless of what kind of progress is made. Align with your authenticity. What other people think of you, and your journey is none of your business. Always do you. Take one minute, one meal, one workout, one meditation, one ceremony, one day at a time. There will be ups and downs, and there is a learning opportunity in it all. What kind of legacy would you like to leave the world? Let’s start with the legacy I will not be leaving behind, and that is the legacy of my ancestral and generational trauma. My work is to end as much of this with me as I possibly can, within myself and my children. In this, I want to leave the knowledge of HOW one can do this for themselves and their families. Every one of us who heals these wounds raises the vibration of the collective. When we do our own work, we are inspiring others to do their work. When we are all doing the work - change happens. Less trauma passed down, humans more connected to the earth and our own hearts. How do you support those wanting to utilize psychedelics for therapeutic use? I support my clients through the entire process, whether they are going to journey with me, a center, or on their own. We go through an intense intake to be sure we are choosing the right tools, and we prepare for what may come up in the process. We set intentions so that there is direction and focus. I hold space during the process and then we integrate what has come up. How can one work with me? Group program Aligned Authenticity will be available by November 1st and will begin November 28th. Ganja Goddess Getaway in Glendale, AZ Nov 18th to 21st (only 3 spots left). Offering 1:1 psychedelic support. In-person and distant healing reiki sessions are available.
T O
Y O U R
H E A L T H
From eating the right food to the perfect exercise routine, find the best path to a healthier and happier you.
and Wellness Make the right changes When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it’s important to replace them with healthy alternatives. Replacing dangerous trans fats with healthy fats (such as switching fried chicken for grilled salmon) will make a positive difference to your health. Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though (such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut), won’t lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood.
Check your Magnesium Magnesium Fights Depression. It Has Benefits Against Type 2 Diabetes. Magnesium Can Lower Blood Pressure. It Has Anti-Inflammatory Benefits.
Hello Pumpkin seeds Pumpkin seeds are full of valuable nutrients. They are high in antioxidants. Linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers. May improve prostate and bladder health. They are very high in magnesium May improve heart health. Can lower blood sugar levels and they are high in fiber.
HAVE YOU DREAMED ABOUT BEING AN AUTHOR? I DID TOO. By Tracy Markley
National Author’s Day is November 1, 2021. This inspired me to share important tips that may help you to begin creating and publishing your first book. Many inspired writers are self-publishing their books over using a traditional publishing method. I love it. Since 2017 I have published nine books. When I wrote my first book, I was preparing to publish it on the self-publishing platform that I chose to use. At the time I was also planning to attend a fitness convention a couple of weeks away. I rechecked the sessions to see if by chance there were any new sessions that had been added to the convention that would be of interest to me. There it was!! A new session is listed with the title “How to Self-Publish for Fitness Professionals.” I was thrilled and knew I would be a fool to publish what I had written before attending this session. I waited of course. I was so excited for this session, that I arrived 30 minutes early. I was the only one in the room while the teacher was setting up. We said hi. Then unexpectedly he says to me “One of the best advice for you to learn as a writer is: “Friends don’t let friends edit.” He then shared with me a story about a knowledgeable and respected person in the industry who published a book and it had so many errors in it that it was embarrassing for this professional.
At that point, I was done writing this book and I just had two people I knew who helped me edit it. One was a client and the other was a friend. One did it for a trade of personal training sessions with me and the other did it to help with the book because she was excited about it. They both knew the man in the story I wrote about, and they both watched his journey in person. I thought I had my book all set and ready to go. But when I heard that advice from the teacher, my gut said “Listen!” so I did. I contacted this teacher as soon as I arrived back home from the convention. I collaborated with him and his partner at their company Scriptor Publishing. I could not have published this book well without them. They also taught me so much about writing and self-publishing. First, they helped with editing, there were several errors that I had missed, and the other friends who helped me missed. The book would have been a mess without Scriptor Publishing collaborating with me. My friends who helped me edit were an immense help to me though. They both have had editor jobs in their life, but I later learned were too close to the people in the journey in the book. They both said they cried often when they were editing the pages. I did too. In this first book, the gentleman who was the subject in the book passed away right before the book was beginning to be edited. Since both these editors knew him and we were all still grieving his loss at the time, we were not as focused as we thought we were at the time.
This is an example of using editors that are non-related to the story and who are also emotionally disconnected from it too.
Also, do not go by only having yourself read and edit your own writing, even if you are an English major. You defiantly miss things and need a real editor. It is essential. I used Scriptor Publishing for my first two books. They helped with editing, creating the cover, formatting, and publishing. It was one of the best decisions I made as an author. In my other books, I use an editor of Fiveer. During those times, I also may have one of the editor friends read it and my mom read it. This gives different eyes to find things we may possibly miss. I then go over it all again myself. I then send it back through the editor again. There are other editors you can hire as well. Do not worry if you do not have personal help around you. You can still do this! But of course, all this comes after you have drafted your book. The writing of the book. Many of us with the dream to write a book struggle just to get started. I had no idea how to start drafting a book. I had a notebook of notes and events with details that I had kept for over a year. I had a colored construction paper pad. When I wrote my details, I separated them into the colors of the paper. Why do I do this? It just helped my brain organize thoughts and memories. Every writer has their own way of organizing that works for them. There is no right or wrong way for this. Find what flows for you. As I added notes to each separate subject in the book that I had separated by the colored papers, I would write the notes on the matching color page. This way when I went to write that chapter, I had all the notes right there where I needed them to be to help write all that I wanted to get written.
When I thought I had what I needed to make a complete book, I took that colored construction paper notepad and sat with my laptop and thought to myself “I don’t know what to do now.” I felt lost. I felt overwhelmed and I had no idea where to begin. Someone told me to begin with an outline. And that is great advice, but that still did not process with me. I decided to make all my chapter subject titles. This may be just like an outline but seeing them as chapter titles made it easier for me and my brain to continue with it. I then decided that each colored paper in my notes became its own chapter. This made it easier to start the writing. As all the chapters were finished being written, I then focused on giving each chapter the best title I could create.
The team at Scriptor Publishing had their editor review and make the markings of spelling and grammar errors that needed to be fixed. When I was at the session of writing at the fitness convention, he showed examples of what our writings look like after editing. There is a lot of red marking and changes shown to be the needed changes written on the book document. He said this is normal. He was correct. Do not let this worry you. You make the changes needed and keep moving forward. It is part of the process of creating and publishing your book.
When creating your book, here are the things you need to have. The writing of your book. Writing it in Microsoft Word works well. Most editors and formatters work in this program. This makes it easier to send the files back and forth as working together. Create a cover. You can make a book cover yourself with the different software out there. You can make it yourself on the different self-publishing platforms. I personally make a mockup of what I like it to look like. I choose my color choices and pictures/illustrations if using one. Then I use a person on Fiveer to make it with me. For my books, I spend about $80.00-150.00 creating a great cover. You create what you want on the front and on the back of the book. If the book is thick enough to have spine wordage, you create how you want the title to look on the book spine. As you choose to have someone make your cover or you are making it yourself, you will need to know the size of the book. In all the self-publishing platforms you can choose your book size. Then you tell whoever is making your cover the size of the book. It is simple. You will also need to know the correct page count that is in the book. This means you will have to have the book formatted with a formatter first and find out the correct page count before the book cover can be ready for publishing. I usually work on the design of my book cover appearance as I am still writing my books. That is just what I do. Formatting is when the chapters and words are all put in proper placement in correlation with the size of the book and the font size you choose. The formatter knows how to do all this easily. After your book has been edited and looks ready to go then you have it formatted. REMEMBER, it is especially important to understand that formatting a book for a printed book is different from formatting for Kindle or any online book publishing. Once the book is formatted, the formatter will know your page count. The final page count after a book is formatted is completely different from the page count of the book in our word document or pdf form, we write it in. I suggest reading the book again in its formatted form before publishing. This way you can be sure the chapter titles look as you wish, the table of content page, and numbers (if you have one) match up to the actual pages as needed. If you have illustrations or pictures, you want to be sure they appear on the page at the size and spacing you would like. You are basically making sure it all looks the best it can and the way you wish it to be. Once you see it all looks good, and you have had the cover of the book-sized up to the proper size of the book you want it to be and set to with the correct page count of the book based on the Formatted version, it is time to publish it to whatever platform you are using.
You publish your printed hardcopy or
Once it is all good and your book is up and
paperback to one platform. Then you publish
ready to buy, if using Amazon, I highly suggest
your Kindle or online version separately.
being sure you fill out your Author Page. Amazon supplies a section for authors to
I use Kdp/Amazon for all my books. I publish
upload their picture and list a bio about the
both versions of my books there.
author. You then can connect each book you write to your Author page. This makes it easy
Publishing the book is basically just uploading
for readers to find all the books an author
to the platform from your computer to
writes.
whomever you are using to publish. Once it is
There you go. It really can be easy once you learn
approved by the publishing platform you are
the routine of writing and self-publishing. If you are
using, the book is ready for sale. You can
stuck writing, my suggestion is, just do it. Write
order your own printed copies as well.
and write. Some people schedule specific hours each day to write. I write when I feel like it. I
With my experience with Kdp/Amazon. Once
cannot do scheduled times. It is all okay. There is
the book is approved it is available for
no right or wrong to this. If this all sounds a bit
purchase on Amazon. It goes smoothly. If
overwhelming as a new writer, that is normal. I
they find the cover is fitting wrong with the
think it would be great for everyone to have some
size of the pages or if there is some glitch,
professional guidance through their first book as I
they send me a message. I then take
did. All these necessary steps I listed to get ready
whatever they told me needs to be changed
to publish your book will be done for and with you.
and I either tell my formatter or my book
This takes a lot of pressure and fears away. You
cover maker (whatever needed to be
will learn so much too. It is wonderful. Don’t’ forget
changed). They make the changes and I just
that Editing and proper formatting are essential.
upload it again.
Happy writing and publishing. I hope this helped you to conduct your journey and dream of becoming an author.
Tracy Markley is the owner of Tracy's Personal Training, Pilates & Yoga Studio. She is the author of 9 books. Her work is known for training stroke survivors. She also created the CEC course "Stroke Recovery Training" for the fitness industry. Tracy was one of the IDEA 2020 Personal Trainer of the Year Finalists. She is recognized for her work, books, and helping stroke survivors worldwide. She is an NFHOF Pro (National Fitness Hall of Fame) Recognized as one of "Today's Top Trainers" in 2019. She believes “Knowledge is Power” and has earned many certifications in the fitness industry. www.tracymarkley.com www.tracyspersonaltraining.com www.amazon.com/author/tracymarkley www.instagram.com/motivate_healthyfit www.facebook.com/tracyfitt www.twitter.com/tracysfitnesshb www.tracys-healthy-365.blogspot.com www.linkedin.com/in/tracymarkleyfit
DISCOVER FOUR MONEY LESSONS I ACTUALLY GOT FROM THE MOVIE PRETTY WOMAN BY SHERRY PARKS I recently re-watched the movie Pretty Woman. I remember the first time I saw the movie. I was probably 19 or 20 years old and a college student. I still lived at home with my family and commuted to school to save money. Granny came for a visit and brought the movie on VHS tape for us to watch. This was one of my first exposures to an R-rated movie. My mom was SUPER protective and even though I was an adult, I was still very much under her rules. I remember feeling super excited. I was excited to watch a movie that got rave reviews while it was in the theatre but also excited to watch something that was normally taboo, with Mom sitting right there. The movie itself is a romantic comedy but pushes the envelope into new territory. And one for sure that speaks to the desire we each have to not only find love but also have more money.
The lead male character, Edward, is a rich businessman. He has lots of money in his own right, but also has access to lots more. On the other hand, the lead female character, Vivian, is dodging her landlord because she doesn’t have the rent money. She grew up with no money, came to LA with a guy, and when she found herself single and unable to pay the bills, so she turns to the streets. As I was rewatching the movie, it struck me that the movie is full of financial dichotomy. You get a look into the lives of the wealthy as well as the lives of the poor. At the same time, there are some major similarities in how the two characters relate to money. Money drives both of their worlds. For Vivian, it’s the constant worry and stress of not having enough for basic needs. For Edward, it’s the desire to grow his wealth. They both state that they “never joke about money.” For Vivian, she can’t afford to joke about it because she literally is on the knife edge. For Edward, he is negotiating big deals and he wants to make as much as possible on each deal. Master negotiators. I see both of these characters as masters at getting what they want. Knowing what needs to be done to get the money they want/needs.
There is one scene where Edward decides he wants to hire Vivian to stay with him for the whole week that he is in town. He tells her that he has a business proposition and explains what he wants. Vivian immediately starts her wheels turning about how much money she can get. They settle on a sum of $3000 for the week. For Vivian, this is a literal life-changing amount of money. For Edward, it literally is pocket change. I think every single human being falls on this spectrum somewhere. There are amounts of money that would change our lives and there are also amounts of money that feel like it has no pull of loss on our financial success. Maybe because of what I do for a living, but this time watching I clearly saw some money lessons in the movie. Here are four that stand out to me. Keep Your Eyes Open to Opportunity. Both of these characters have their eyes open to opportunities around them. And this is a skill that I think as a general rule gets lost too many of us in the shuffle of life. We get so bogged down in the day-to-day activities that we forget to keep our eyes open to all life’s opportunities for more money. I always tell my clients that when we start looking for our money to come from one specific place, then we close ourselves off to the abundance of the universe. Being open to money coming from anywhere is one crucial step that can mean the difference between growing wealth, or staying stuck with just enough to cover the bills. Live in Possibility. This goes hand in hand with opportunity. But it is more nuanced and definitely worthy of its own bullet point. For me being open to possibility means that I can see things that I wouldn’t normally see. It allows me to get a new perspective. It keeps me in a positive frame of mind. When it comes to money, all of those things are important. When we live in possibility with our money, we see ourselves in a different light. We see how our life will change when we have more money. And what that does is lets our powerful mind begin to figure out the problem and get us what we are envisioning. On the other hand, if we stay closed off from what is possible for us, we stay stuck. We see only what is in our bank account right now and that can feel like it will never change or grow the way we want it to.
Avoid Complacency. I think the movie starts out with Edward feeling a bit complacent. He bought companies and sold them off for parts. That’s just what he did. It took Vivian’s curiosity and questions to really jolt him out of that place and see that he wasn’t happy. Complacency does that to us too. It is easy to get comfortable with how we do things. The amount we save, the amount we spend, the amount we make and we lose sight of our dreams. On the other hand, if we can allow ourselves to get a little uncomfortable sometimes, we can come out of complacency and get back into dreaming about what we truly want for our lives and money. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask. One of my favorite things about both characters is that they are absolutely going to ask for what they want. Vivian didn’t hesitate to ask for a large amount of money when negotiating with Edward for that week of her life. And for sure Edward never hesitated. He knew what he wanted and he asked for it. In our culture, talking about money is often a taboo subject.
So, we can feel intimidated, shamed, or judged for even bringing up the topic, let alone asking for what we want. And that certainly doesn’t serve us.
We absolutely must verbalize what we want. In fact, we often need to specifically ask. This simple action can change the course of a life. When I look at my own life and experiences with money, I see that all four of these come into play when I’ve made lifealtering choices. Here’s one example. After quitting my corporate career, I burned through my savings while I was trying to build my business. With very little coming in, the savings started disappearing quickly. I was approached to go back to corporate work. I needed the money, but I didn’t want to give up the freedom that I’d had for two years. Instead of missing an opportunity, forgetting possibility, and staying complacent, I asked myself what would make me excited to go work for someone else again. And then, you guessed it…. I asked for it. Not only did I get everything that I wanted, but I also got to go back to work that I’m really good at and do enjoy. And since it was on my own terms, I get my freedom and joy for life. When I sat down to re-watch Pretty Woman, I never expected to find money lessons. But I sure did and I think they are good ones and wanted to share. I’d love to hear what you think; reach out and tell me what money lessons you get from Pretty Woman or your favorite movie.
Sherry Parks, CPA, is a Money Mindset Coach who helps women escape feeling trapped by their finances. She is passionate about helping women change mindset, emotions, and actions regarding money so that they learn to keep what they have and generate more. Check out her 5 Steps to a Better Money Story workbook or join her womenonly Facebook group More Than Enough Money Sisterhood.
T H I S I S W H Y Y O U S E L F - S A B O T A G E B y
V i c t o r i a
K l e i n s m a n
Have you ever stopped to wonder why you always seem to self-sabotage your success or any progress you might have made with things that are important to you? There is a lot more to it than it just being “something you do.” My question to you is, WHY is it just “something that you do…?” Today I’d like to chat about the “upper limit problem” that all of us experience. I learned this from the amazing book, “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks. This book was recommended to me by my cosmic co-pilot Rebekah Kiger.
How much data…???!!!
Your perception is your projection
Every single second, we are overloaded with
If you want success, abundance or to generate
data. What we see, hear, touch, smell, feel and
more happiness in your life externally, it has got
experience. In fact, life presents us with 126
to come from within first how many times have
million bits of data per second! And because we
you heard me say that!?!
cannot consciously process anywhere near that amount, our unconscious mind helps us out… Its job is to filter all the 126 million bits of data by either; 1. Deleting 2. Distorting 3. Generalizing And then it feedbacks to your conscious mind, 1.6 million bits of data so that you’re able to actually function and concentrate. Clever hey..?
''Your internal model of the world is made up of your identity, values, beliefs, and how confident you feel in your capabilities as a person.''
TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRANSFORMATION TRIANGLE BELOW: The ironic thing is, everywhere else on the internet, this triangle is upside down. Not literally but figuratively. Everywhere I’ve seen it, “behavior” is at the bottom as the foundation, and spirituality and identity are at the top… I see this as completely backward – unless I’m misinterpreting it the wrong way, which is entirely possible! Our circumstances do not create our life experience, it’s how we perceive the circumstances, that create our experience. And how we perceive life depends entirely on our identity, values, and beliefs…! Get it? So it HAS to start within, meaning for us to change our behaviors and ultimately our lives, we HAVE to first change our identity. This is why most people can’t change long term. They are focusing on and using all of their energy by will powering their way to change their behavior when they really need to do to create lasting change is to change their IDENTITY. If you change your identity, you change yourself at a cellular level. You have the power.
How to change your identity We need to go deeeeep for this my love, let’s peel back the layers and start asking yourself questions that you’ve most likely never asked yourself before… What do you want? Think big here. If anything was possible and I had a magic wand, what would you want to be different in your life? Who do you need to become to be the person who already has what you want?
What empowering beliefs would you need to believe about yourself and the world? Looking at your answers above, now write down all of the reasons why you can’t do that or why that’s just not possible for you. EG – I will give you a real-life example of a few of my old ones: If anything was possible what would I want? “I’d love to be totally happy with who I am and to love myself unconditionally. I would love to feel proud and confident in and of my body. I’d love to feel sexy. I’d love to eat what I wanted when I wanted without guilt. I’d also love to be healthy, strong, and fit.” What kind of person would I need to be to get what I want? “I would need to be the kind of person who generally didn’t give a shit about what anyone else thought about them. I would need to just be myself without worrying about what others would think about me. I would eat whatever I wanted without worrying if it fit my macros. I would be happy with my body, feel sexy and be proud of myself for taking care of myself physically, emotionally, and mentally. I would be fit and healthy and have loads of energy. I would be an inspiration to others.” What empowering beliefs would I need to believe about myself and the world? “I would believe that I can be fit, healthy, and feel sexy without having to be on a diet forever to get and then to stay small. I would believe that showing up as my unapologetic self would help and inspire others to do the same. I would believe that I get paid in abundance in my business just by being me. I would believe that my cellulite and “flaws” are part of being human and that they actually make me, me.”
Looking at your answers above, now write down all of the reasons why you can’t do that or why that’s just not possible for you. “You can’t be fit and healthy without being slim. It’s impossible for me to like my body and to feel sexy without losing weight first. I can’t show up as myself because people will think I’m weird or “too much.” I can’t get paid just for being me, that’s ridiculous! I hate my cellulite, how could I ever look at it positively?” Now it’s your turn… Outdated limiting beliefs All of the reasons you gave for why you can’t be the person you’d love to be are all outdated limiting beliefs, my friend! If you take a look at the word BELIEF it actually has the word LIE within it. There is no truth when it comes to beliefs. We only believe the things we believe to be true because we have been taught these beliefs since we were born and our parents have been taught them too throughout generations and through our ancestors.
“REAL” truth is true for all people all of the time, like gravity or the law of attraction – they are science. Anything else, no matter how true it feels, is not the truth, it’s simply a belief. The most exciting thing about all of this is that you literally get to choose what you want to believe. If you get to choose to believe things that empower you to live your best life, full of freedom, liberation and bursting with self-love, then why wouldn’t you…? So start to challenge those limiting beliefs that you have. Question them. Find evidence against them being true for you. You can do this by asking yourself questions such as: “Where /who did I learn that from?” “Is that the actual truth?” “Is believing that empowering me or disempowering me?” Find people who are living the life you want to live. Who have chosen to believe the opposite of your limiting beliefs.
Find evidence to support the new empowering belief. Choose to believe that for yourself.
What are your values? Let’s take a look at your values… what are your values? Are your values truly in alignment with who and what you want to be? Why or why not? Can you align your values with the goals you have? For example, if you’re goal is to be happy with your body and live in food freedom and your current values are: Persistence Control Dedicated Perfection Committed How can you line those values up with your goal? Most women who come to me(and my past self) have continuously gone “all-in” on a diet with those kinds of values driving them…hello diet-binge cycle!!! Instead of attempting to completely change who we are overnight, we can use these values to our advantage. If we allowed the process of living in food and body freedom to be driven by these values – persistence, dedication, and commitment – no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it turned out to be, we would be gifting ourselves a different reality. A new paradigm. By arriving in food and body freedom through not giving up on the process and taking control of your mindset to do the inner work needed t make the shift. No matter how committed you are – dieting doesn’t “work” long term because you’re fighting against your own biology. The action and inner shifts needed to live in food and body freedom are working with your biology… And your biology will always win in the end. Are you self-sabotaging or expanding? Take a look at where you tend to self-sabotage in your life. If you were already BEING the best version of yourself, what would you do differently? Would you choose self-growth and expansion over self-sabotage? What part of your identity, values, and beliefs are holding space for and allowing selfsabotage? Why is that? Take the time to journal and then act on all of the questions I’m offering you today and you will radically change your life!
Signs of self-sabotage Worrying Overcritical Blaming others Deflecting compliments Externalise an internal problem. EG, I didn’t do it good enough – what's underneath that trigger could be “I’m not good enough as a person.”
Upper limit problem Now let’s get to the root of our self-sabotaging behavior, shall we? Which is our “Upper Limit Problem.” This is our inability to receive, accept, and then to hold pleasure, abundance, success, love, and happiness. It all comes down to self-worth. If we feel guilty or “bad” for experiencing deep love, kindness and happiness then we need to work on the capacity to “have what we want and know that we are worthy of it and more.” We don’t have to “Earn” or “Deserve” anything, contrary to what we’ve been made to believe. We – YOU – were born 100% worthy and deserving of infinite love, success, and abundance. Don’t feel that…?
Raise your worthiness thermostat setting Each and every one of us has an internal thermostat setting. And when we exceed the setting we self-sabotage. For example, let’s say you’ve been conditioned to believe that romantic relationships never last, men don’t listen and there’s always something you have to “put up with” in a relationship. AKA “You can’t have it all.” If you then found yourself in a relationship that was the opposite of this – a man who listened, was fully committed to the relationship and who was willing to come up with solutions to things that you weren’t fully happy with – you would unconsciously find ways to create a “problem” in the relationship so that it would break up. Your upper limit problem would kick in and you would self-sabotage the relationship… maybe by messaging an ex-boyfriend or looking for things that your partner does “wrong” without speaking to him about it so you can complain instead of to your girlfriends. Your upper limit problem is stopping you from receiving and holding that beautiful relationship because unconsciously you don’t feel worthy of it. Do you see? Disclaimer; That is actually my own real-life example that I’ve just shared!
I had to work on my self-worth, self-love and expand my capacity to receive and hold pleasure to enable me to be and stay in such a wonderful conscious relationship So my question to you is: Be radically honest with yourself… where are you self-sabotaging? The real issue is where are you stopping the flow of love, abundance, and success?
We are meant to have as much abundance as we want but we block ourselves from receiving it. We feel bad and guilty for receiving what we truly want deep down in our souls. Ask yourself, Where am I stopping the flow and how can I increase that? Move into your upper limit with curiosity, excitement, and wonder as you move out of self-blame and criticism. Ask yourself questions such as, “I wonder why I treated myself like that? I wonder why I did that?” etc. It all starts within Before we start blaming others, we need to take full responsibility for everything in our lives. For example, If you think your partner doesn’t listen to you… Are you listening to YOURSELF? Are you honoring your body’s feedback for rest, food, pleasure, or adventure? Why or why not? Are you listening to your partner? Why or why not? If you are listening to yourself and your partner, have you communicated how you feel with your partner? Without making your partner wrong? Why or why not? To address our upper limit problem, it always has to start from within.
Being aware Start to become aware of when you hit the upper limit problem – what was the old belief that was driving this pattern? Which belief is going to win at this moment? The old limiting belief or the new empowering one? Another great question you can ask yourself in difficult or uncomfortable situations is: How is this happening for me? What has this taught me? ***Sometimes we have so much trauma around where our beliefs have come from that we need to seek out therapy or/and do some inner child healing work in order to choose new empowering beliefs.
4 main upper limit problems There are 4 main upper limit problems. We download these “upper limit problems” into our unconscious mind from the moment we are born until we are around 7 years old. (I even believe these can also be passed down through DNA, past lives, and also obtained in the womb) And from then on we just keep attracting more of what we already believe about ourselves into young adulthood, adulthood, etc, and keep playing the same patterns over and over again throughout our lives – until we become aware of it and do something about it. Which is what you’re doing right now! By the age of 7, we have already had unconscious ideas of how happy and successful we can be. We automatically download any family trauma. We see how happy our parents are, what kind of relationship they have, whether the money comes easily or has to be earned through hard work and stress etc We have our own set of self-imposed limits. Unless we do the work to expand our potential for happiness and abundance, we will stay “stuck.” We must move through our blocks and open ourselves up to infinite love, success, and abundance. It is our birthright after all. Feeling fundamentally flawed We don’t feel good enough at our core. We always seem to fail. We keep ourselves small. We think there is always something bigger outside of us that we need to achieve in order to “be good enough”
We have a worthiness wound. The love received growing up was conditional. Then you give yourself conditional love. You may have been hugely congratulated whenever you achieved something – really good grades for example – yet you were never complimented for just being you. You were not congratulated for trying and failing, only if you “won”. Disloyalty and abandonment You feel that you can’t expand to your full potential because if you did you’d end up alone. If you were to be successful you would be abandoning yourself or your family. You would have to break your family's spoken or unspoken rules if you were to become successful. eg, wealthy people are greedy and corrupt. “They’ve changed since they became rich/got married etc”
You’re a burden You believe that the more success you have makes you a burden. You feel that you can’t take up space in the world as you will annoy others. You can’t express your emotions, they’re not valid. You feel guilty for feeling. Acknowledge that you’re not a burden but in fact, you are a cause for celebration! Crime of outshining You have an unconscious belief that if you achieve your full success, you’ll make others look bad You cant shine too much as you’ll make others feel uncomfortable You must make everyone around you feel better or good about themselves You don’t want to be “too much” Childhood These upper limits problems always come from an experience in your childhood. As I mentioned previously, some inner child healing work may be necessary in order for you to really embrace raising your thermostat and breaking through the upper limit problem. Your limiting beliefs are the glass ceiling to your potential. Breakthrough them and live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
What are the hidden beliefs that are stopping me from achieving all the success I want and desire? The cure How can I expand my capacity to hold more love abundance and success? What new beliefs do I need to embody? Action step Really practice feeling your upper limit problem in your body. When does this happen for you? When you consciously notice that you’re self-sabotaging, take a breath, create space and sit with yourself quietly. Then ask yourself these questions: What do I feel? Where do I feel it? Just hold yourself through experiencing this feeling and then when you’re ready, think of something that you are so grateful for. Something you feel so much love for when you think about it. Then imagine a big ball of loving light filling up your body. It starts in your heart and then it expands beautifully throughout your whole body. How does that feel? Allow yourself to feel that love and good feeling. Do this whenever you notice that you’re hitting an upper limit problem. Hold the feeling of success, love, and abundance in your body. Don’t push it away. Increase your ability to receive it all. Challenge any guilt that crops up. Hold the feeling of expansion of love and success in your body. Connect to your new empowering belief and BE the version of you that already HAS IT ALL. She would ALLOW that abundance. She would welcome it all in.“Thank you, more please” Remember that whenever we hit a block, feel stuck or self-sabotage, THAT’S when we can choose to step into a new paradigm. Because YOU are worth it.
Victoria is a CTNC specialized in helping women to feel “normal” around food, actually like their body & fall madly in love with themselves! She is a coach, mentor, speaker, and writer; working with women from all around the globe, speaking at worldwide events and is a writer for Live Love And Eat Magazine. Victoria is also club President of The Netherlands for the Global Empowerment Woman Summit - a powerful global movement connecting and training female entrepreneurs. Victoria has lived with eating disorders and body hate for over 20 years. (she was diagnosed with Anorexia in her early teens and then Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia in her early twenties). Victoria has alchemized her pain into her power and passion! Through her own personal experiences, education, certification, and countless hours spent on personal development, she holds the skills, knowledge, and empathy to guide and support you to food freedom whilst building a loving relationship with yourself and your body. Victoria has profoundly helped many women around the world to transform their lives and she knows the importance and value of constantly investing in and improving herself in order to serve her clients powerfully. Her goal is to inspire millions of women from all around the world to fall madly in love with themselves. https://www.victoriakleinsman.com/ info@victoriakleinsman.com https://www.facebook.com/victoriakleinsman https://www.instagram.com/victoriakleinsman/ https://anchor.fm/victoria-kleinsman “Break Free From Binge Eating - With Victoria Kleinsman” on any podcast platform. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1g1H40rbSQ6Trmcha59kDg
CAN A HEALTHIER DIET IMPROVE DEPRESSION? By Sharon Clare
Poor mental health is a worldwide problem, which has a significant impact on people’s quality of life. Mental health conditions affect around 1 in 6 adults living in England and are more common among women than men. Among these, depression is one of the most common, although the exact cause is often not clear – it may be triggered by a stressful life event (e.g. divorce, bereavement), alcohol or drug abuse, and is more common in people with a family history of the condition. What is known, however, is that the treatments that are currently available for depression (e.g. anti-depressant medications) are not effective in all cases, and this has led to a lot of interest in other potential therapies, including a healthier diet. The processes of oxidation and inflammation are recognized for their role in heart disease. However, recent research shows that they may also be involved in depression. We already know that following a healthy dietary pattern like the Mediterranean-style diet, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, as well as other bioactive, may help in protecting against cardiovascular disease.
It is increasingly recognized that the totality of our diet—the combinations and quantities in which foods and nutrients are consumed—may have synergistic and cumulative effects on health and disease and that it is the overall diet, rather than individual foods and nutrients, that may be the most important. As a result, many researchers have begun to ask: can eating a healthier dietary pattern also help to treat depression? A healthier diet pattern would be The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is perhaps the beststudied diet for its beneficial health effects. Although the ‘traditional’ MedDiet may no longer be commonly eaten, the principles of this diet form the cornerstone of many national healthy eating guidelines, including the UK’s Eatwell Guide.
These are characterised by:
Most of the research but also for other dietary patterns with similar
higher consumption of vegetables,
characteristics such as the Healthy
fruit, wholegrains, seafood, nuts,
Eating Index and Alternative Healthy
seeds and pulses
Eating Index (HEI/AHEI), as well as the
moderate consumption of dairy
Dietary Inflammatory Index. The
unsaturated fats as an important fat
problem with observational studies,
source e.g. olive oil
however, is that it’s not possible to
lower intakes of fatty/processed
know the direction of the effect – does
meat, refined grains, sugar-
a better diet protect against
sweetened foods and beverages
depression, or do people with
lower salt and lower saturated fat
depression eat a less healthy diet?
intakes
The only way to really look at cause and effect is through randomised controlled studies. Only a limited number of such trials have been performed to date. In two Australian studies, encouraging depressed participants to eat a more Mediterranean-style diet, either through dietary advice or by providing food hampers and cooking classes, significantly improved their symptoms (compared to a social group control). However, although promising, more studies like this are needed to know if there is a causal link between healthy dietary patterns and a reduced risk of depression. looking at the association between dietary patterns and depression has come from observational studies.
A systematic review of such studies was published last year, including data from 41 studies performed in 8 countries (US, UK, Australia, France, Greece, Spain, Ireland, and Iran). The researchers consistently found that following a healthier dietary pattern was associated with a lower risk of depression. This was true not only for the MedDiet. Diet and mental health is a fascinating and rapidly emerging field of research, although one which presents several challenges. Accurately measuring what people eat has always been difficult. Also, symptoms of depression may be either clinically diagnosed or self-reported, and there is a range of different questionnaires that are used to do this. Despite the limitations, it is possible that dietary recommendations may become more recognized not only for reducing the risk of chronic physical diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer but also as a way to protect our mental well-being. If you would like to know more about dietary patterns and mental health, then go to our websites listed below.
Sharon can help you achieve your fitness goals in the gym, at home & also outdoors. Personal training is available 1-2-1, in couples & also small groups. Body coach fitness has a holistic approach to health & wellness, fitness, nutrition & sports performance & is dedicated to educating people on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle! Whatever your goals Sharon will help you achieve them. When not training others to achieve their goals Sharon works towards her own, training hard to compete at an international level as a natural physique competitor. www.bodycoachfitness.com www.bodycoachfitness.org www.bodycoachfitnesseducation.com www.businessvault.net 07875086760
DO YOU TAKE COFFEE WITH YOUR SUGAR? By Kim Klein When I moved up to Olympia, Washington in 1987, there was this incredible and edgy new coffee roaster in town, Batdorf and Bronson. This was well before Starbucks became the rage and occupied every street corner in America. On my first visit, I sat down at the counter and ordered some crazy (at the time) concoction. I think they called it an iced cappuccino, but really, it was anything but that. It came in a large glass, poured so that the espresso and 1/2 and 1/2 separated, creating these wonderful layers, almost too pretty to stir. It was one of the most delicious things I had ever tasted. It was like drinking an adult milkshake, without the guilt. I mean, come on, it was coffee. Now, loving coffee as I do, I really appreciate the idea behind the coffee house. The gathering place where friends meet and conversation is cultivated. And for many years, it felt that way to me. It was a place geared towards adults and the once considered adult beverage. But slowly it changed. Everything about it changed.
Starbucks and the other large chains became the place to bring your kids. It became the Ronald McDonald playland for the hip young moms and the grandmothers with their little grandchildren in tow. A place where they could get their "coffee" and buy the kids a little something as well. What's the problem with that, you might ask? Well, for starters, what we are now calling "coffee" is just a major sugar high in disguise. It’s not even in disguise, and it's not coffee. It's in a cup called a Grande or Venti ~ it is filled with caramel, vanilla or chocolate syrups and topped with whipped cream and another helping of caramel, or . . . yes, yes, I know, everyone loves them. And what's wrong with giving our kids a little treat? What’s wrong is that they are not a special treat anymore. They have become a part of our daily lives. They say most people now average spending between $60-$90 a month on "coffee" ~ the drinks we buy outside the home. And the cost is much larger than the dollar amount we are spending. Now I must admit, years ago, during the winter, I got into the habit of getting a Starbucks "tall, non-fat, 2-pump mocha" on my way to work, at least 4 times a week. Later in the summer, I would treat myself to a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Vanilla Blended. A small one. Oh, how much I loved them! I hadn’t had one in a long time and one day I felt I wanted to treat myself. It was the first time I ever asked the barista how much sugar the small Vanilla Blended contained. He didn't know, so he went to look it up. He came back over and said, "Not too bad, it has about 44 grams of sugar." 44 grams! That comes out to about 10 teaspoons of sugar in that one small drink! I ordered an iced coffee instead. What we have started here is an awful habit and for some, addiction, in our young people. I see teens with these monstrous sugary "coffee" drinks, and it's no wonder we have such obesity and early childhood diabetes problem in this country and spreading quickly to many more I might add. We have got to get our sugar addiction under control, as consuming sugar only leads us to crave it more and more. (And just an FYI ~ Starbucks Grande Caramel Frappuccino comes in at a whopping 59 grams of sugar.)
I was sad to learn about the sugar content in my favorite Iced Vanilla Blended. One more item on my "never to do" list. I don't see it though as deprivation, but instead, a newfound appreciation and dedication to my health. There are other ways to treat your taste buds and get that warm and cozy feeling without harming yourself in the process. You can recreate many of your favorites at home. For example, now that Starbucks has brought back their crowd-pleasing, Pumpkin Spice latte, do yourself and the ones you love a favor and make a healthier version of it at home.
Kim Klein is a Life Coach, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner, and author. She is the founder of Kim Klein Life Coaching and Wabi-Sabi Women and is the author of Damn, the Pusherman ~ Sugar, The Legal Drug that is Keeping You Sick and Fat, and Nine Degrees North, a young adult fiction novel. https://kimkleincoaching.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/boomerwomen/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberklein/ kimberjklein@gmail.com
Issue 27 | 234
30 THINGS TO FEEL GRATEFUL FOR THIS YEAR
BY LORI BOOTY
There’s no arguing that the last year and a half has been really stressful for everyone around the world. Illness, supply shortages, shipping delays, political unrest, school changes, and weather disasters are just some of the things we’ve had to learn to deal with. However, many of us are noticing some things about our life that we weren’t noticing before. We are feeling grateful for some things we took for granted. This new normal has some gifts in it as well.
HERE ARE 30 THINGS THAT WE CAN FEEL GRATEFUL FOR: Extra time with our family More time spent outdoors, enjoying nature Learning about local attractions we may have missed in favor of traveling further away Time to beautify our living spaces Learning that we actually can work from home Sleeping in and no commute during bad weather Noticing toxic relationships that we were too busy to pay attention to, but were sapping our energy Time to explore a new hobby Time to enjoy an old hobby Time to create a side hustle or new business idea
Time to get our finances in order Time to finally write that book Adding a new pet to our lives Learning to grow a garden Taking the time to eat healthier, because we can cook at home Curbside or grocery delivery Time to reflect on our lives and make necessary changes Appreciation for family and friends, (even with their quirks) Appreciation for frontline and service workers Appreciation for teachers Virtual appointments for things we may not have had access to before, (therapists, doctors, coaches, lessons) Wearing casual clothes all day and dressing up only when we want to.
24-hour access to movies and TV shows through streaming services Exercising more because we have more time Learning to enjoy sitting in silence, where our intuition can speak to us The chance to grow your spirituality Learning what triggers stress, and how to soothe it Great empathy for others that are going through difficult times Noticing the generous people in the world that step up during hard times Uniting with people around the world to fight something that is difficult for all of us Was there anything that stood out to you, that you hadn’t thought of before? Was there anything that you thought, “Oh no, I’m not grateful for that!”? Hopefully, I’ve given you a few ideas of things that are not so bad about this time of hardships for many. When you start to feel fearful or upset about things happening, ask yourself “What is this here to teach me? What is the lesson to be learned?” That really works for me, because I go from a place of fear or anger to a place of discovery. I can usually find something I can learn. It may just be to look for things to be grateful for.
Lori Booty is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach with over 20 years of experience teaching elementary school and a Masters in School Counseling. She is the owner and creator of Beautifulimmunity.com. Lori began her health transformation after watching her mother battle a traumatic illness and she realized her own health was not as good as she wanted it to be. She found out that nutrition held the key to improving her symptoms and not medications with terrible side effects. Throughout her journey, she's found that there are many natural remedies she could turn to for her family and not always have to rush to the doctor. One of the most surprising remedies she found was that her thoughts actually impact the quality of her health. She now works to support women who are exhausted from raising kids and caring for aging parents to get back their own health without using medications or crazy, complicated diets. http://beautifulimmunity.com/ https://www.facebook.com/beautifulimmunity/ https://www.instagram.com/loriboot/
The Power of “Yet”!
By Curt Lewis
Three letters. One small word. One SIGNIFICANT impact. Have you ever considered how one tiny word can impact your thought patterns and change your whole outlook? I had not either until I was introduced to the concept of adding “yet” to the end of a limiting thought. For example, I cannot do 50 push-ups, yet. Or, I have not been able to cut processed foods out of my diet, yet. Taking the word “yet” out of each of those sentences creates a fixed mindset, i.e., you are stuck with what you have, and it cannot be changed. By adding the word “yet”, potential success is created, and a new outlook is provided creating a growth mindset.
In essence, the word “yet” means a realization that some things are worth waiting for, and those things take time and work. It is not always easy, but the power of this small word allows for success. I was initially introduced to the “Power of Yet” by my fitness trainer several years ago. To this day I can recall the very instance. He had written out a workout for me, and after reviewing it with him, I said “I can’t do that.” I immediately found myself doing five burpees. I failed to add the word “yet” a few more times during that session and eventually found myself doing 15 burpee penalties. I did not realize it at the time, but without telling me he was changing my fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
This little word encourages you to continue along your learning journey, as you have not yet reached the final destination. How do people with a growth mindset view and respond to challenges? They see challenges as opportunities to learn and push their abilities. Those with a growth mindset consider themselves “works in progress.” They have the confidence to admit there are skills they are not good at yet. Plus, they are open to embracing challenges they have not yet faced before. Oftentimes, the first step in your journey to regaining your health and wellness is not with food and movement. It begins with your mindset and understanding that your past is not your present or your future…and you just haven’t found your sustainable journey, YET! Our health and wellness are not a “set in stone” methodology. What works for your friend/colleague will not necessarily work for you, too. You are your own person with your own special DNA and genetics. Stop trying to put a square peg in a round hole. Our health journey is about learning and development. A skill that is highly valued in a growth mindset environment. The concept of weaknesses takes on new meaning. As explained by social psychologists “weaknesses are defined as strengths you haven’t developed yet.” This phraseology acknowledges where you currently are while providing assurance and encouragement for continued personal growth.
I use the word “yet” to keep my coaching clients engaged in a task, especially one that I am more enthusiastic about than they are. For example, with my coaching clients, I’ve learned to ask as we near a deadline: “How are you doing with your food journal? Are you ready to review it, yet?" The insertion of “yet” shows that I am expecting them to talk with me about the journal entries; however, I recognize that they may need more time. As I’ve experimented with this technique, I’ve discovered that it puts individuals at ease and encourages them to acknowledge their true feelings. Getting my clients to be authentic and vulnerable with me can be the key to their success as they are able to let go of fear and learn that failure is just feedback. They learn to see failure as uncomfortable but useful and important.
If you want to foster a growth mindset, you must believe you can improve and change. Negative thoughts lead to negative results. Not having the answer right now should never be a dead-end. When success isn’t immediate, we need to persevere through adversity and push ahead when the odds are against us. You haven’t failed in a task – you just haven’t succeeded...YET. Don’t give up when you don’t know the answer – you just haven’t found the answer...YET. That problem with your health and wellness, i.e., weight loss or a certain level of fitness you’ve been struggling with? Imagine the possibilities if every time you tell yourself you are not good at something another part of your brain whispers to you “YET!” This encourages problem-solving, innovative thinking, and continuous learning. You just don’t know how to solve the problem YET. This small, but important distinction is the difference between frustration and patience and ultimately success.
I think we all need to realize we have not failed nor are failing. We should recognize we are all under “development” and still building the best versions of ourselves. If we continue down this path, we will eventually land on success. This goes for the kids who are still having trouble with reading or math, as well as adults looking to break through their negative self-talk patterns. I love a good challenge and am always excited about learning. I am definitely a work in progress. There is still so much I don’t know…yet! Who wants to come with me on this journey of “YET”?
Curt L e w i s. Curt Lewis is a Certified Tra n s f o r m a t i o n a l N u t r i t i o n C o a c h ( C T N C ) an d M e n t a l H e a l t h a n d Emot i o n a l Eating Specialist through the I n s t i t u t e f o r T r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l N u t r i t i o n . H e i s a l s o a C e r t i f i e d Pers o n a l Trainer (CPT) and Fitness Nutr i t i o n S p e c i a l i s t ( F N S ) v i a t h e N a t i o n a l A c a d e m y o f S p o r t s Medi c i n e (NASM). He focuses on helpin g o t h e r s l i v e l o n g e r , h e a l t h i e r , a n d h a p pi e r l i v e s t h r o u g h fitne s s , n u trition, an d self-care. Curt can b e r e a c h e d a t curt . f i t . l i f e style@gmail.com and o n F acebook and I n s t a gram at Real.Fit.Lifestyle. http s : / / w ww.facebook.com/RFitLifestyl e / http s : / / w ww.instagram.com/real.fit.life s t y l e /
LAST LUNAR ECLIPSE OF THE YEAR AND YOUR NOVEMBER 2021 HOROSCOPE By Linda Watson On November 19th, we will experience the final Full Moon Eclipse of the year with the maximum eclipse occurring at 4:02 am. Even though this eclipse will not be a total eclipse like the “Blood Moon” in May of this year, this partial eclipse will still be a show-stopper since this is an especially deep partial eclipse with only a very thin sliver of the moon exposed to direct sun. Eclipses are always in pairs with coinciding new moons (solar eclipses) and full moons (lunar eclipses). They appear in a family of signs that are joined on the same axis. In other words, eclipse families come in pairs of signs that are exactly opposite each other on the horoscope wheel. For instance, last year in June of 2020, began the Gemini/Sagittarius eclipse series, which will come to an end with the last Solar Eclipse occurring on December 4, 2021. The Gemini/Sagittarius cycle highlighted knowledge, communication, and a time to embrace new ideas and experiences. Sagittarius brought in a search for truth and a philosophical approach to life and a search for expanding our horizons. This November 19, 2021, lunar eclipse kicks off a series of eclipses that will occur on the Taurus/Scorpio axis ending on October 28, 2023. The Moon will be in the sign of Taurus, highlighting the traits and talents of this reliable Earth sign. Taurus symbolizes fruitfulness, productivity, practicality, luxuriance, and fertility. It brings an instinctive connection to nature. The opposing Sun will be in the sign of Scorpio, which is a passionate and intense water sign. This cycle is encouraging us to use our willpower and passion to manifest our dreams. Venus as the ruler of Taurus brings determination to our creative pursuits and encourages us to live life through our senses. Pluto being the ruler of Scorpio knows how to transform and shed old worn-out beliefs and habits that are no longer working for us.
Lunar Eclipses often open gateways in the part of our lives being triggered by the Full Moon. An eclipse involves the transformation of some sort and shows where in our life that change is necessary and where our attention will be directed. This is a chance to embrace changes, let go, and develop and improve a greater connection with a higher power and your inner self. An eclipse will help to illuminate our life path. Whatever has been pushed aside or shoved underground, will become obvious, bringing to the surface any hidden issues that need some work. The energy of a Full Moon and a Full Moon Eclipse is always that of a culmination or completion of whatever has been developing up to this point. It is an opportunity to let go of any emotional experiences that you have outgrown and for releasing the things that no longer serve you. It is important to remember that with every ending, there is an opportunity for a new beginning. No matter what happens, you will see that the universe is intent on moving us forward whether we are ready or not. Eclipses often mark a major turning point and it’s up to us to take that leap or remain in limbo.
To get an indication of what to expect and where the focus should be for each sign, I look to the area of life where the Moon is moving and the planetary connections that it is making. The following horoscopes for each sign will give you an idea of where your energy will be activated. However, to get a more detailed picture of how you will be affected, it is always better to view exactly where the eclipse and planetary aspects will be in your own specific chart.
Linda Watson is the owner and creator of Soul Guide Astrology. She is a member of the American Federation of Astrologers. She provides birth chart readings and solar return (yearly) chart readings, offering support, insight, and guidance to better help others find their focus and move forward with their dreams. You can schedule a consultation by visiting her website, www.soulguideastrology.com. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/linda.watsonastrolog or on Instagram at instagram.com/soulguideastrology
ARIES – March 21 – April 19 This eclipse brings up intense feelings regarding your financial security and stability, as well as feelings about your self-worth. Try to find a balance between your personal financial obligations and the financial obligations involving others. If someone else has been controlling the purse strings or has financial power of you, now is the time to get on more equal footing and move into a better financial cycle. With the Moon in Trine to Pluto in your career sector, you may have the opportunity to transform the way you earn your own money and gain more control over your finances.
TAURUS – April 20 – May 20 This eclipse is lighting up the area of life which focuses on self, both your physical appearance and your personality, your independence, and your self-actualization. It can be a powerful time when you learn to stand on your own and be proud of the person you are. Although the emphasis is on yourself, you will still need to figure out how you can harmoniously blend your own needs with the needs of another. Try to find a compromise if you have been more focused on your partner lately and make time to concentrate on your own needs for a while. The culmination of this time period will shed light on who you are, who you are within your relationships, and who you can ultimately become.
GEMINI – May 21 – June 20 The emphasis is on nurturing your innermost being and spiritual self. This is a good time for identifying any behavior that has been sabotaging your growth in the world. Focus on retreat and recuperation, honoring the fact that you need some solitude and time for contemplation. Since this eclipse occurs on the 12th/6th house axis, combine some of this 12th house spiritual work with the daily routines in your life. This spiritual journey can be integrated with selected portions of your day-to-day activities. Allow your intuition to show you where you may be sabotaging yourself regarding your daily habits. The mind, body, spirit connection will be important during this phase. Any clarity and awareness that occurs will enhance your ability to take action and make changes in your life for the better.
CANCER – JUNE 21 – JULY 22 You are ready to put yourself out there and express yourself in a creative way. This eclipse is shining a light on what you have been dreaming of. You are thinking about how your network of friends or group associations can help you achieve your goals. The first step is to release any self-doubt that has held you back in the past. The second step is to honor your friendships and balance your own needs with those of your social circle or groups. The 5th/11th house axis is emphasized, with the 5th house empowering creative beginnings and the 11th providing a little help from your friends. LEO – July 23 – August 22 These next months will be about focusing your emotional energy on your career and the foundations of your life. This eclipse shines a light on your life path and direction. You’ll be seeking answers to questions about your commitment to your goals if you are happy in your current role, and where you want to go next. Because this is on the 10th/4th house axis, it is likely that issues of balancing the demands of your career with the obligations of the home will arise. This is the opportunity to realign your priorities. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Perhaps hire extra help at work or at home, in order to spend more time with family AND excel at your career.
VIRGO – August 23 – September 22 The eclipse in your 9th house brings up feelings of uncertainty regarding the direction your life has taken, where you’re going, and your life philosophies. You are questioning the beliefs you grew up with and are now on a search for new wisdom and truth. This Moon pulls you from the limited local box you have been in, into the infinite opportunities of the big, wide world. This is the house of expansion and higher learning. You are being shown that you have outgrown the narrower, restrictive thoughts, and are ready for an adventure in expanding your mind and spirit. This is a chance for you to grow, develop your understanding of the world, and open yourself to new ideas.
LIBRA – September 23 – October 22 This eclipse is all about transformation and examining the deep recesses of all topics considered taboo: sexual intimacy, psychological issues, intimate bonding, and other people’s money or resources. Release anything that has been holding you back from the life you want. It is time to settle debts both financial and otherwise. Whatever the topic that rings true in this area of life for you, will certainly bring about a transformation or a rebirth on a deep level. The goal is to gather up your emotional courage and turn your deepest fears into constructive accomplishments. Letting go of something that has been holding you down can allow you to restart this area of life in a more positive way.
SCORPIO – October 23 – November 21 The eclipse is moving through your house of partnerships and relationships. These next few months will be critical in evaluating your relationships. You will need to be able to strike a balance between your own needs and those of the others in your life. To make the most of this time period, practice your skills of negotiation and compromise, and invest emotional energy into seeing your partner’s side of things. The whole point of relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, is about learning lessons through another person’s eyes.
SAGITTARIUS – November 22 – December 21 Your focus during this eclipse period is all about your daily routines, including service to self and others, and your overall health. Release any problems you have had in breaking habits that are inhibiting the daily rhythm of your life. This lunar eclipse is your chance to hit the reset button when it comes to taking care of yourself. The Moon can illuminate the goals we have been working towards, whether it involves the workplace, a health and fitness goal, or a daily lifestyle habit. Find a balance between your daily responsibilities and that place within yourself to just be.
CAPRICORN – December 22 – January 19 The emphasis is going to be on your creativity and personal self-expression. This eclipse is shining a light on what you truly yearn for. If you have been working on a creative project these last few months, this is the time you may reap the rewards of your efforts. The Moon is connecting to both Saturn and Jupiter in the 2nd house, which heightens the possibility of being able to earn money from that passion project you’ve been absorbed in. These planets provide the commitment needed for you to make money, and they provide greater focus on getting rewards for your efforts.
AQUARIUS – January 20 – February 18 This eclipse can bring up intense emotions regarding your home and family, and feelings of safety and security. If you have moved residence in the past few months to a year, this could signal the time when you finally are able to feel settled in and have everything in place. You can see the needs of your family more clearly, realizing your attention has been placed elsewhere, and are finally able to bond and connect with those important to you again. You will have a deeper understanding of what you truly need to feel safe and comfortable, with a stronger sense of a connection to your loved ones and ancestors.
PISCES – February 19 – March 20 Your 3rd/9th house axis is being stimulated by this eclipse. For the next few months, your attention is focused on the things that are closer to home and not in the wider expanse of the world. You are being given a push to establish yourself in your immediate environment. Any opportunities for learning or sharing information will take place in your local community or region. This cycle provides the ability for you to develop or learn a new skill. If you have been developing a new interest, this would be a good time to take it to the next level. *Want to go deeper and understand yourself, your purposes, opportunities, and challenges in this life? Visit www.soulguideastrology.com and schedule a one-on-one consultation with Linda.
SELFCARE IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS Fill up a basket with things you love Blanket, favorite book, tea etc.Take one out when practicing self care Let go of the Idea of perfection Try a new form of Therapy Knitting, herb
drawing,
garden.
Do
coloring
You are perfect just the way you are in,
something
start that
a
you
love!
Turn of technology Choose a time of day to at least turn your phone of for half an hour. Talk it out Connect with a friend or family member. Don't keep it inside.
Get enough Sleep 7-9 hours are recommended Breathe Set
a
timer
on
your
phone
every
30
minutes and breathe 3 times in through your nose and out of your mouth
Meditation Start to meditate at least for 5 minutes and 10 and then 15 minutes a day
The Divorced Woman s Guide: How To Manage Thanksgiving Holiday Stress After Divorce ’
By Wendy Sterling
After your divorce, every holiday and event will require some flexibility as you navigate sharing parenting time and creating new traditions. You will experience sadness reflecting on memories of previous holiday traditions you shared. This time of year is stressful for everyone, even for people who aren't going through a separation or divorce. However, those feeling of stress and heartache seem to be on steroids for those of us who are. Not only do we have to worry about the holiday stress that comes with family, over-spending, and logistics nightmares, we are going through a complete emotional nightmare that we wouldn't wish on our worst enemies. Therefore, the Thanksgiving holiday is bound to have some challenges for both you and your kids; however, there are some things you can do to help everyone get through – and maybe even enjoy – Thanksgiving after divorce Here are four core strategies that will help you get through Thanksgiving so that you can focus on the important things: healing yourself, getting back to happy, and enjoying all the warmth of Thanksgiving and none of the drama.
Take this year to make new traditions. If you always spent Thanksgiving with your spouse's family, go visit yours this year. Consider volunteering at a soup kitchen or having dinner with your friends. When you're dealing with divorce, don't put all your focus on how things were. Think about how things get to be now and take steps to make them that way. If you have always wished that you had more connection or relaxation during the holidays, build that into your time with your kids or without your kids. Divorce can feel out of control to a kid, so including them in creating new traditions for Thanksgiving after divorce is a way to give them license to create their new family life. Model gratitude. Thanksgiving is a holiday about being grateful. It might sound impossible to feel grateful for a divorce or the stress of navigating a holiday when you feel sad, angry, hurt, or lonely. I’m not asking you to pretend to be grateful for those things or to fake your feelings. Rather, I’m encouraging you to identify the things in your life that you are grateful to have. It could be close relationships with your kids, your health, or supportive friends and family. Highlighting real gratitude for your children will model positive coping and will remind you that nothing is black and white – there are still good things in your life.
Acknowledge your kids’ feelings. Your kids may feel sad or angry about the divorce, and the holidays may increase those feelings. Instead of trying to spin things positively (“You get two Thanksgiving feasts!”), acknowledge their feelings even if it’s difficult (“You are really sad that we aren’t all together this year” or “You are angry that you won’t see your mom on Thanksgiving”). This will help your kids feel understood – which is the first step for beginning the process of healing and moving forward. Finally, take care of yourself. You will likely have times over the holidays when you do not have your children. Plan ahead for how you would like to spend that time. To some, it is ideal to be alone and relaxing, while that might feel lonely to another. There isn’t a right or wrong way; it’s about what is meaningful and enjoyable to you. Reach out to family and friends to stay connected and feel supported.
The holidays are an opportunity for connection and making memories. It can also be a stressful time because of unrealistic expectations
Recognizing that everyone will have reactions to the changes will allow you to support your kids and be gentle with yourself during your first (or second, or third) Thanksgiving after divorce. So, the best way to survive this holiday, and the start of the overwhelming holiday season, is to recognize that you are going through a ton of stuff right now and not to punish yourself for that. Be kind to yourself, focus on the things that truly provide you and your dependents comfort, and do your best to forget the rest.
Wendy Sterling is a Divorce Recovery Specialist, writer, author, and speaker who founded The Divorce Rehab™. Wendy helps divorced women recover from their divorce by finding their true identity and voice by ending their pity party, mourning the loss of their marriage to create a new, better life they design. Prior to becoming a certified life coach, Wendy established her 18-year career as a top-level advertising sales executive in the digital space, at the world’s most progressive social and lifestyle website brands (such as Who What Wear and Refinery29). After learning of her own unexpected divorce and finding the world of coaching, she realized she could combine her 20 years of experience in Corporate America as a leader with this new coaching methodology and make a profound impact in the world. She helps women see their divorce as a gift, it happens FOR them not TO them. Wendy is a graduate of UCLA and a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) from The Co-Active Training Institute. She is also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coach Federation. She is a guest blogger on Hello Divorce as well as a Contributing Writer for Divorced Girl Smiling. https://www.facebook.com/wendytsterling/ https://www.instagram.com/divorcerehabwithwendy/ https://www.wendysterling.net/
Do you trust your intuition? November is my birthday month. My intuition tells me it's going to be a great month to be authentic and inspired.
As I take a deep breath And choose my next line There is no turning back now All I want is already mine
Sometimes I feel like writing a few lovey-dovey poems instead of my usual happy mindset spiritual jams. I often hear rhymes in my mind as I go about my day. Sometimes I write them down and sometimes I let them drift away. I love those feelings Stirring inside of me Another step forward And set those butterflies free As I write out the words, my intuition will guide and cheer me on. I've learned to value inspiration more than motivation from others. Your intuition is powerful when you trust it and embrace it. The moonlight shines a path As the clouds divide up the sky There is abundance all around And no reason to question why Yes, there is abundance is all around. It doesn't matter if it's money or love. There is always enough to go around when you learn how to attract it. So I've learned not to question it. The cool wind blows As I walk up to you I offer a hello and my coat All because I want to The words remind me to be confident in who I am and what I have to offer. It's about following your passion even if your passion changes to something new. It's about appreciating what you already have and being okay with letting it go. Yes, the freedom of the flow can be powerful. Below is the finished poem which I call Already Mine.
Namaste ☮️ Jace Jacobs Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing
I love those feelings Stirring inside of me Another step forward And set those butterflies free
The moonlight shines a path As the clouds divide up the sky There is Abundance all around And no reason to question why
The cool wind blows As I walk up to you I offer a hello and my coat All because I want to
As I take a deep breath And choose my next line There is no turning back now All I want is already mine
***
I wrote those words while feeling an abundance of love. The funny thing is, my lovey-dovey poem has a lot of mindset depth to it. Funny how that works out. Thank you, Universe, for reminding me that Love and Mindset already coexist in my artwork.
Much appreciation, love, and light.
Meet Jace Jacobs! Jace Jacobs is a Happy Mindset Poet, Performer, and Creator
and spoken word poetry performer. His @ jacejacobs.com. Jace is an author Happy Mindset Poetry books are available on Amazon or via jacejacobs.com.
Jace enjoys helping cool souls raise their vibrational state so they can experience
more confidence and clarity in their life.Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need
the social media links below for video Nothing#HappyMindsetPoetryVisit performances of spoken word
rhyming happy mindset poetry.
Already Mine
https://www.facebook.com/jacewjacobs/ https://www.youtube.com/jacejacobs https://www.instagram.com/jacejacobs https://twitter.com/jacejacobs
NOVEMBER POEMS BY SKYLAR SNOW POETRY
A month before Christmas we embrace ourselves into Winter, November is a lovely month to celebrate wonderful acknowledgments. November 1st -World vegan day A day to celebrate being vegan. Turning away any animal use for a healthier plant-based diet. November 9th -World adoption day We celebrate the success of adoption for children. Offering them a family they deserve and need. November 13th -World kindness day We celebrate that kindness goes a long way, always be kind. November 25th -Thanksgiving A time to appreciate blessings throughout the year.
Skylar Snow Poetry is a Poetry and blog writer. Aspirations to study Forensic Psychology as a degree. deartherapyblog.wordpress.com https://www.instagram.com/deartherapy/
-A vegan's dreamBy Skylar Snow Poetry No more meat, no more dairy, No more animal use for at least today, The opinions on eating meat may vary, Yet some of us choose to push the plate away,
Vegetables, nuts, fruits, salad, vegan food, Healthy and happy your eyes will gleam, Nutrients and minerals help set your mood, No more animal cruelty is a vegan's dream.
-Adoption praiseBy Skylar Snow Poetry
Welcome to the world of adoption, Where having a family is an option, Even if you can't have your own, There's many children that still need a home,
It is a wonderful thing to see, A child to be given love from family, There is hope after all, Adoption is worth the call.
-The art of kindnessBy Skylar Snow Poetry Being kind is the best gift to give, Kindness goes such a long way, To make someone happy as they live, Making the sorrows go away,
A flower, a treat, a walk outside, Kind in our hearts and kind in our eyes, No need to run, no need to hide, Free like the clouds up in the skies.
-Thanksgiving
By Skylar Snow Poetry
Let's go around the table, Say what we're thankful for, How we appreciate everyone, Like a nurtured horse in a stable, Never needing to ask for more, The festive thankfulness has begun,
It's so beautiful to see, A meal prepared with love, So loyal and humble, Elegant like a wise tree, To be thankful nothing comes above, Full belly and thankful we needn't grumble.
OUR FAVORITE THANKSGIVING RECIPES
Perfect Roast Turkey By Bernadine Otto
The Ingredients 1 (18-pound whole turkey 1/2 cup unsalted butter salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
The Method Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven. Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until the meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Butternut Squash with Apples and Maple Syrup By Kim Klein
The Ingredients 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (about 6 cups) 2 ¼ pounds medium-size tart green apples, peeled, quartered, and cut into chunks (about 6 cups) ¾ cup dried cranberries or currants Freshly grated nutmeg (to taste) ¾ cup pure maple syrup ¼ cup butter, cut into pieces (1/2 stick) 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
The Method Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook squash in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain well. Combine squash, apples, and cranberries in a 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Season generously with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Combine maple syrup, butter, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until butter melts. Pour over squash mixture and toss to coat evenly. Bake until squash and apples are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil; chill. Rewarm covered in 350°F. oven about 30 minutes.)
My Fall Arugula Salad By Judy Brown
Greens are in! They are abundant and lush and nutritious. This salad recipe is what sold me on arugula. I knew it was a healthy green but I had to warm up to it. I redesigned this recipe from many I had tried, and now I crave this salad. It is easy and versatile. This is a recipe for 2. All ingredients can be modified as desired. Use organic when you can! bit of body text
The Ingredients Arugula - generous handful or two, rinsed 1/2 avocado - sliced 1/2 tart apple sliced thin 1/4 cup of dried cranberries 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds S and P Favorite vinaigrette or EVOO and balsamic vinegar
The Method Roll up bunches of arugula leaves and cut off end tips. Slice very thinly. Place in a bowl and mix in your favorite vinaigrette. I use EVOO, red wine vinegar, a splash of balsamic, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Add the remaining ingredients and toss. Serve immediately. This simple but hearty salad is a great addition to a perfect cold season meal of soup and bread. Enjoy!
Spiced Pumpkin Mocha Latte Smoothie By Debra Letchworth
The Ingredients 1-2 cups water or milk 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 serving mocha-flavored protein powder 2 Tbsp cacao powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon, plus a dash of nutmeg, cloves and cardamom, or use the shortcut of 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 medium avocado 2-4 cups lettuce, spinach or kale
The Method Blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Makes two servings -- one to have and one to take on the road, or a double serving for holiday power shopping.
Make it a Potluck Get active Get crafting Watch Football Have a family photo shoot Dig out your Christmas Decorations Volunteer at a soup kitchen Create a black Friday List
Remember to give thanks on Thanksgiving! Gratitude is linked to our emotional and physical health. It’s important to stop and practice gratitude for all of the good and positive things that have happened to us and to say thanks to those who have made them happen.
“Don't wait until the fourth Thursday in November, to sit with family and friends to give thanks. Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!” - Charmaine J. Forde