My deepest apologies for the delay in posting! I have spent the last few weeks starting some new things within my job, changing some major parts of my daily health routine, and... drum-roll, please... enrolling in a program to become a Health and Wellness Coach! Working hard to process it all - I beg your forgiveness in the meantime!
A few weeks ago, I asked my favorite readers (psst... that's YOU) for their favorite smoothie recipes! I have been in smoothie heaven lately, loving the summery feeling of all that fruit, getting some delicious and delightful nutrients, and growing in inspiration as I explore different combinations.
Here is our winning entry, by the lovely Mary! It's an incredible combination of nutrients.
Note: These measurements are just estimates! That's the beauty of smoothie-making, explore to make the smoothie fit your taste-buds!
1.5 c. Vanilla Coconut Milk (Mary suggests "SoDelicious" because it's seriously so delicious! I agree!)
1 c. frozen raspberries
1 handful of spinach
1 TBSP ground flax
1/2 to 1 banana
1-2 TBSP of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (depending on your love of peanut butter)
Toss 'em all into a blender and make it happen!
I love learning from YOU all, as readers -- out there fighting the fight, living lives of health! Come be a part of the toliveboldly experience! What inspires you to make healthy choices?! Do you have a favorite blog, movie, article, daily piece of inspiration?! I want to know!
If you're anything like me, with winter in full-gear, your workout habits are forced to change! Here in Flagstaff, the weather changes daily - a beautiful 50 degrees and sunny this past weekend and 6 inches of snow today!
How and where do you like to workout? Outdoors? Indoors? In the gym or on a trail?
Check out NY Times Well to gain some of the benefits for yourself!
This past Saturday, my sweetheart and I celebrated a belated Valentine's Day. True to the values of our relationship, we made it low key, chatting leisurely over a cup of coffee and settling in for pizza at a neighborhood hangout. While I have never been one for the classic romantic Valentine's Day celebration, I have always loved, well, LOVE. I am fascinated by relationship, captivated by deep vulnerability, and encouraged as I watch families, partners and friends walk through broken hearts, tension and intense challenge. I am enlivened by the joy found only in authentic relationship, deeply moved by displays of genuine affection, and grateful everyday for the great loves in my life.
Whether or not you celebrate Valentine's Day, whether it's with a partner, good friends, or on your own, and despite the red and white distractions perched on store shelves, for me, the day provides an opportunity to reflect on love in all its forms.
I have been ridiculously lucky in love. I'm not talking about romantic love, though my many years of singleness have certainly paid off with my very handsome honey.
For me, my great loves, my true loves... well, they're my family. Hilarious and warm, my story only makes sense in the context of their ridiculous humor and deep and unconditional love. I don't even know if there are words to express how true and deep and foundational my love is for them. From them, I inherited the most foundational parts of who I am: my humor, my compassion, my ability to be angry and love deeply simultaneously. From them I learned that I am wholly and unconditionally loved, priceless, worthy. In no way are we perfect, cursed by the same pain, separation and heartache that most families face, our story deepened by grief and loss, my parents' separation, and our individual challenges. But the love is deep, the forgiveness real, and the gratitude unending. In a month where sappy romantic love is idealized, the fairy tale ending - chock full of Bachelor-esque grandiosity - glorified, it is the simplicity of our family's love that leaves me speechless.
I am strikingly aware that what we have is rare, that family is chosen and not always born. And my deepest hope is that you too get to share your life and your love with your great loves, whoever they might be.
"The Constitution only guarantees the American people
the right to pursue happiness.
You have to catch it yourself."
.:Benjamin Franklin:.
Last month, as we rang in the new year, I wrote about the role of happiness in our lives and creating a small, manageable set of goals with the intention of making room for more happiness and joy. I began, just as Gretchen Rubin did in her book, The Happiness Project, setting goals that would enliven and energize my daily life. Working out, sleeping more, de-cluttering my home to make room for more joy (not to mention the clarity that comes with a de-cluttered space).
Honestly, while I was deeply enthused and excited about the possibilities of creating a "happiness practice," I had no idea that, with my new practice, I would be setting in motion a personal theme for 2013. Only one month into 2013, I can say that this year has already brought with it an intensity that has challenged my deepest intentions to think positively, make healthy and whole-hearted decisions, and be courageous in my daily life. And, I'm not alone. In a moment in history where Americans ages 18-33 are reporting significantly higher levels of stress than their older counterparts, the circumstances of everyday life have the power to wear a person down.
Last week, as I caught up with my brother in Boston, he said, "You know, every time I get caught up on somebody's life in our family, it seems like our circumstances are trying to one-up each other in terms of how hard they can be. At the moment, I'd say your life is in the lead." I laughed and reminded him that, in the scheme of things (or, as my mom raised us to think, on the scale of human tragedy), the circumstances of the moment have very little impact on how ridiculously joy-filled my (very blessed) life is. I mean... I get to live an adventure-filled, passion-igniting and gratitude-increasing life alongside my best friend in the world and with the overwhelming love and support of a freakishly amazing family. And the adversity of the moment can do little to change that.
This weekend, my sweetheart and I watched the film Happy, which chronicles the lives of individuals around the world and explores what makes us, as humans, truly happy (like I said, a completely unintentional continuation of this years' theme). Scientists have found that, while genetics determine, on average, 50% of our happiness levels, our life circumstances determine a mere 10% of our overall happiness. The remaining forty percent?! This is made up of our intentional behavior - the positive practices that we have put in place to increase our happiness. They identify six universal elements of happiness:
Play
Practicing gratitude
Compassion and altruism
Connection to community
Mindfulness (they call this a "flow state")
Exploring something new
Consider this a monthly check-in. What intentional practices have you put in place this year? Take stock of the goals you have set for yourself. Where are you in reaching these goals?
If you're like me, you struggle to find budget friendly ways to eat healthy. With reduced hours at work and an unforeseen (and massive) car repair, I am now, more than ever, working to find ways to fit in those healthy nutrients while keeping my all-too-thin pocketbook intact. While buying in bulk works for most families (and their bank statements), we struggle to build those fruits and veggies into our weekly meal plans before they spoil! And, without a weekly farmers market or affordable health-food store in sight, it takes a bit of creativity to eat healthy, environmentally-conscious and budget-friendly! Recently, we've been heading to the frozen food section to get in those all-too-necessary nutrients -- but, I worry, is eating fresh produce more healthy than going frozen? Check out what I found!
What about you?! What are your best tips for eating healthy on a budget?
What with working with a half-dozen families, spending hours upon hours in a muggy office with flu-ridden co-workers, and babysitting two very sick kids for the week, it's no wonder that, yet again, I have come down with a bug. I've felt my body fight valiantly over the past few days, but... alas... it's a weekend of rest and hydrating liquids for me. As my mind succumbs to the foggy power of my last dose of NyQuil, I thought that I would leave you with some weekend inspiration! May your weekend be blessed with warmth, love and health!
P.S. After months of wavering back and forth, we finally bought a blender! What's your favorite healthy smoothie recipe?! The best recipe will be featured in an upcoming post!
