KINDNESS COUNTS

“Be kind to your body, gentle with your mind and patient with your heart. Stay true to your spirit, cherish your soul and never doubt yourself. You are still becoming, my love, and there is no one more deserving of the nurturing grace of your love.”

—Becca Lee

Being kind to others is natural, but being kind to yourself is often the hardest thing you will ever do. Below you’ll discover several ways to be kind to yourself.

1. Carve out some time for yourself. Every day carve out some time for yourself and do something that brings you joy.

2. Give yourself recognition. Often, we’re quick to acknowledge the achievements of others, but slow to acknowledge our own. That has to stop. Become aware of your own achievements, and give yourself recognition.

3. Forgive yourself. We all mess up. If you’re angry at yourself, you need to show yourself kindness: stop blaming yourself, resolve to do better from now on, and forgive yourself.

4. Take good care of yourself. One of the best ways to show yourself kindness is to take good care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat fruits and vegetables, and get some form of exercise on a regular basis.

5. Respect yourself. Self-respect is valuing yourself for who you are, and not allowing others to dictate your value. It’s trusting yourself, thinking for yourself, forming your own opinions, and making your own decisions. In addition, it’s refusing to compare yourself to others.

Finally, self-respect is about keeping your promises to yourself and following through on what you tell yourself that you’re going to do. Be kind to yourself by deeply respecting yourself.

6. Remind yourself of your good qualities. Maybe you’re a little heavier than “the ideal body type”, but you have long, lustrous hair. Maybe you’re not great at sports, but you’re an ace at math. Always remind yourself of your good qualities.

7. Believe in yourself. Part of being kind to yourself is wanting the best for yourself. And in order to get the best, you have to believe in yourself. Have faith in your own abilities and in your own judgment. Think highly of yourself: believe in yourself.

There’s only one person in the world you’ll always have a relationship with, and that’s yourself. Therefore, you better start making sure that you’re a good companion to yourself. Live your best life by being kind to yourself.

1. Who most famously released “Lady Sings the Blues” and when?

2. The smash hit song ”I’m Still Standing” was released on which Elton John album?

3. Which song was the first to rank as No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100? When was that?

4. In 1953, Elvis Presley recorded a double-sided record with “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin.” Who was the record for?

5. Name the late 1970s song that contains these lyrics: “Too many long conversations and no one is hearin’ a word.”

1. Nicknamed “The Great Imposter,” this man’s stunts included posing as baseball and basketball players, umpires, officials, the San Diego Chicken and a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader during the 1970s and ‘80s. Who is he?

2. Brothers and businessmen Ozzie and Daniel Silna purchased what American Basketball Association franchise in 1974, then relocated the team and changed its name to Spirits of St. Louis?

3. What Florida State Seminoles defensive back was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2010 NFL Draft, but left football in 2012 to become a neurosurgeon?

Food

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients FOR COOKIES

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extraact

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. packed shredded carrots (from 2 medium carrots)

3/4 c. unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1/2 c. raisins

2 c. old-fashioned oats

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

1 c. powdered sugar

1 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tsp. milk

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture until wellcombined. Stir in carrots, coconut, raisins, and oats and mix until just combined.

Scoop 1” rounds of dough onto baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Make glaze: Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined. Drizzle glaze over each cookie and let harden before serving.

If you find that you have small scratches in your wood furniture, try this old trick: Rub a walnut over dings to cover them up. Or find a matching brown crayon, rub it lightly into the scratch, and finish with a hair dryer held 10 inches away for about 10-15 seconds. It melts the wax of the crayon, and then you can buff