Chasing a Dream? Or Just my tail?

Its easy to be "busy".  Its easy to feel so important that the world will cave in if I personally don't hold the sky above my shoulders.  Its easy to fill up a calendar.  Its easy to overlook the details because too much is demanding our attention.  Its easy to get distracted by mindnumbing activities (Facebook? Pinterest? TV? Anyone?) Its easy to snap at our loved ones because the world is begging for our time, our money, and our opinions.  But you know what is not easy?  Honestly answering why do we keep so busy?  Do we have to serve on four committees to impress our peers?  Do we have to keep an immaculate house just in case company stops by?  Do we have to squeeze in two extra hours of work to please our bosses?  Do we have to say yes to every person who calls in hopes of a favor? 

The answer: No.  But the reality - Usually we accept the responsibility on your shoulders with pride, determination, and pure stubbornness.  And crazy thing when you carry a ton of weight on your shoulders we get tired.  And what happens to people when they get tired?  They tend to get cranky!  So we accept these extra duties that we didn't have to accept.  We then our tired and cranky for those we love because of all the extra work we're doing.  And then they get cranky because they are getting less of our time, but all of our crabbiness and they too have accepted too much responsibility. 

Don't get me wrong.  There are favors we should grant.  And cleaning should absolutely happen in a household.  And there are times it would be a good idea to work those extra hours at our jobs.  But not every favor and not every day.  We need to evaluate how we should answer the requests.  By accomplishing this task am I chasing a dream?  or just my tail?

What's the difference?  Chasing a dream means you are working towards goals you have for yourself.  Perhaps you want to get healthier and build stronger friendships. So you join a gym and ask a good friend to work out with you. This is working towards a goal and therefore chasing a dream.  Grabbing fast food for the third time in a week because you couldn't possibly find time to stop at the grocery store.  You are not only avoiding your goal but moving away from your dream - but still moving in constant "busy" motion - means you are chasing your tail.  You are doing a lot of "work" but not really moving towards what you want to accomplish.  You're stuck in a horrible whirlwind of chasing your tail. 

We can chase several dreams at once but we need to know our dreams.  And once we establish what we truly desire.  And I say this again - once we understand what we truly crave can we figure out the best way to make our dreams come true.  Its easy to say we want more money.  Well does that mean you don't have enough money to purchase goods you desire (better car, house, more trips?)  Or you want to eliminate debt? Or you feel your time at work is worth more?  These problems could be addressed with more money in the household but each dilemma means there is a different desire at the true root of our craving.  We don't necessarily want more money - we crave freedom ( to purchase our wants on a whim), we crave peace (from the never-ending bills, stretched relationships,) or we crave recognition (for our hard work).  

Life is too short!  Don't waste your precious time chasing your tail in hopes to impress those that really don't matter and get busy chasing your dreams.

May your HealthFULL Journey reveal truth about what really matters to you so that you can avoid the trap of chasing your tail. 'Til we meet again . . .

And the highest bidder is . . .

I'll admit writing down 12 resolutions was fun to tie in with the year.  I like the roundness and completeness of lists and phrasings.  I like ideas to click.  It is a hard concept to describe unless you are borderline obsessive and compulsive with dreamer like tendencies.  But I'll try.

Have you ever been involved with an auction? Aren't they exciting?  The auctioneer is shouting and motivating the crowd.  If you have a dull auctioneer nothing is being sold or what is being sold goes with no fanfare and cheap and frankly is boring.  Oh but a true auctioneer with enthusiasm.  Well you find yourself bidding on items you don't want but you just want to be part of the fun.  You want to giggle about your purchase.  You want to share the story of buying that hideous statue.  But you will have enjoyed the moment.  And what might be a very ugly statue becomes a source of pride, a memory of having fun.   And all of a sudden it becomes a treasure.  Because in the right moment you were ready to give yourself over to the moment and "click".

I think in a way I have imaginary auctions and amp the bids quickly and often.  I am going to make a resolution this year. No, I'll make three. Oh, I do like the sound of five. . . but ten equals perfection. Wait its going to be 2012, I should come up with 12 resolutions! But isn't twenty a fun-sounding number and challenging.  However, fifty sounds golden.  Wait a hundred is .....Whoa a hundred is crazy. Stop the bidding moron! This is your life and you're the only one bidding.  Enthusiasm is good, but frenetic and hysteria equals not good. So pause, take a breath, let's use a little common sense, and reach for something attainable.  One and three resolutions and I'll trap myself into the world of generalities.  Five seems a little low if I want this to be a truly FULL/Whole health journey.   I like ten that seems possible but 12 sounds right it clicks.  Its just that bit extra challenge - Can I do this?  And if if I am going to commit to these 12 goals I'll need to get busy.

So on January 2nd I bought  a calendar (for fifty percent off - see patience and not being choosy can have its advantages).  A little weekly pocket calendar that  allows me a chance to record my accomplishments and with a glance let me know if I need to have a heart to heart with myself.  A resolution won't be left behind because of sheer forgetfulness.  This HealthFULL Journey is teaching me to be aware of my choices.  If I choose to skip exercise.  That's okay (beware of making that choice a habit though).  But to be aware it was a choice.  It is so important to be active in one's journey so that we can FULLY UNDERSTAND LIFE by LIVING.  That means choices.  An informed choices tends to yield the best results.

I am excited to share with my handy calendar and New Year Enthusiasm I am feeling good about the progress I already have made on my twelve resolutions.  This bid of twelve goals was a winner.

May you find yourself in situations full of fun and moments when you feel that click of satisfaction of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude. ' Til we meet again. . .  

We need a little Christmas

I love Christmas.   It holds so many precious memories for me.  Obviously the Reason for the season is most important.  (Thank you God for your most precious gift!!!)  But call me cheesy, but the Christmas magic is so uplifting.  I have had some rotten Christmases (mono, post-concussion, horrible flu, strep throat so extreme I can' close my mouth and the list continues.) But that's not what I remember.  I remember family traditions of marching to Silent Night.  I think of hot dogs and German potato salad on Christmas plastic plates that belong on Christmas place mats easily reaching their second decade. I can taste the sweet coolness of egg nog as we unwrap gifts one by one and laughing as a family for hours.  Usually with/at my brother's reaction (but in our defense, he truly is the hardest person in the world to shop for!)  I love Christmas so much I was determined to have a Christmas themed wedding.  Which usually means a December date.  However, my husband and I lived in North Dakota/Minnesota.  (literally fifteen minutes apart).  Blizzards are a normal occurrence during the winter and as our bridal party and close family were traveling from eight states we really couldn't predict if everyone would be able to make it.  Also we got engaged in October and wanted to be married within a year.  So we got our Christmas theme but celebrate our anniversary in July.  (Get it? Christmas in July :)  (First before you judge we got awesome deals on all decorations :) 

But second?  No one else can choose what matters to you or understand to what depth you care.  We choose our attitude, we feel what we feel, and we control our actions .  So in the end we have to fight for what we want.  In a healthFULL Journey.  Not every choice is perfect.  Not every decision is "right".  But hopefully most of the actions and choices will lead us each to our "true" goals.

This thought is on my heart as we are days away from Christmas.  The hustling and bustling is all around.  And it is easy to get caught up in the chaos.  But hopefully we don't all get swallowed up.   Today my hubby and I had a rare day off together and packed up our son and hit the shops.  We had a long to do list - presents and then our daily house needs.  We accomplished a lot.  But when your list is a mile long it is hard to feel completely finished.  And after a long day (with a ton of walking) there was a wonderful Christmas moment.  My son was in his pjs.  Enjoying his last milk for the day and we cuddled together on our recliner (Which happened to be bought exactly a year ago in anticipation of our son's arrival home from his 44 day stint in the NICU).  Dinner was in the oven for the adults (chicken with creamed spinach and a mushroom risotto).  (LOVE Freezer veggies in steamer packs - easy way to get some veggies in a hurry).  Hubby was sitting next to us.  Few lights on with the Christmas tree and Charlie Brown's Christmas on.  The moment was quiet, comforting, and love-filled.  So yes Christmas can be crazy.  But in those quiet moments exist a beautiful breath of the Christmas spirit.  Those moments are worth fighting for. 

May your HealthFULL Journey get you closer to your goals and highlight the moments that are too precious to lose.  Don't forget we all need a little Christmas!  'Til we meet again. . .  

The Art of the Salad

Ahhh! Salad can be the tastiest meal and fairly easy to make.  Now if you are thinking of plain old lettuce as salad, no that's lettuce.  A salad is a wonderful conglomerate of whatever you want to combine.  If I was to title the salads my husband and I make it would have to be along the lines "The Kitchen Sink - Fridge - Pantry Salad".  Start grabbing supplies and mix it all together.  And what is great about individual salads.  Do you like raspberries?  No, leave them off and I'll add extra because I do like them.  I would say to fix a truly satisfying meal salad our household follows an adaptable formula.  Greens + veggie + fruit + filler/protein + crunchy and then topped with dressing.  Sounds like a lot doesn't it?  Its your whole meal make it tasty and filling.  It does no good to eat a plate of lettuce without dressing and call it supper but before going to bed you are starving and down a triple scoop ice cream sundae with extra hot fudge.  You would have saved a lot of calories and a ton of empty calories if you had a more filling supper. 

Let's start with the greens, I am going to be completely honest.  We usually start with a bagged salad.  They are so easy to pour, split in half and build a great foundation.  Some packages come with a mix of greens, some assorted veggies, or beautiful rinsed baby spinach.  Now some of these packages you should re-rinse your greens and I know a lot of people say you should always wash your lettuce/greens yourself.  Again I confess sometimes/most times, the salad mix comes straight out of the bag and on to the plate.  Great start.  If iceberg is the only lettuce you will eat because it has little flavor , so be it.  But I so strongly encourage a deeper green especially as you are going to top it with so many goodies.  Baby spinach is a great foundation and packed with tons of vitamins (folate powerhouse for those who are upping your folic acid intake and iron).  Be like pop-eye :)  Also there are tons of other great choices and if the change is too scary.  Half of a darker green with the comfort and safety of your iceberg.  You might realize how your light lettuce carries no extra flavor and is boring like ice.  (No wonder you don't like salads.)  But moving on.  The theory of nutrition, the darker the color the more vitamins and minerals it holds.  (Iceberg borderline white, light green compared to the deep green of spinach.) 

Next up what kind of veggies.  So many choices. Big favorites in our house: our colored bell peppers (we included an orange one tonight).  I just slice them or dice them, slices give you a little more crunch, the diced makes the salad look festive with confetti.  Sliced mushrooms give you that meaty texture you might crave. Tomatoes tend to be a favorite.  I prefer cherry or grape for convenience and flavor.  Grape tomatoes I just wash them and throw them on the plate.  And cherry I tend to wash and slice into halves. Carrots shredded and cucumber slices (I know cucumber is a fruit but then so is a tomato, they just fit better into this section) and a mellow flavor with great texture.  If you like sweeter tastes add beet slices; they do stain whatever they touch so make sure you cut them into bite size pieces before adding them to the salad masterpiece.

Let's discuss fruit.  Ohhhhhhh have I mentioned how much I love summer produce?  Melons, berries galore, thank you!!! I love every kind of berry.  And all berries mix well into a salad.  We added strawberries to ours tonight and some cherries.  Usually we have blueberries on hand and I finished our raspberries last night for my bedtime snack or they would have been on my plate tonight.  Pomegranate seeds can be fun on a salad crunchy while still a tad juicy, tart, and sweet.  This was how I tried kumquats on a spinach salad.  Orange sections can be quite good in a simple salad.  I am very picky with my citrus mixes as I tend to not like that sour bite that's almost bitter.  So very few flavors do I mix with oranges.  Grapes especially seedless and half add a good juicy bite to your salad.  And apples can add a bit of sweet crunch.  But hands down we tend to use berries the most.   

Filler/Protein - Choices, lots and lots of choices.  My hubby and I really like hard-boiled egg in our salad. We also like chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (we used canned after we rinse them thoroughly and then just plop a handful on your salad - so good!) which is filling and gives a unique bite; not quite a crunchy texture but that makes you bite down.  We also have tried grilled chicken and grilled shrimp.  Grilling the meat gives it that perfect flavor for a salad.  It's simple but retains its moistness.  We had grilled chicken tonight.  And then numerous cheese choices depending on what other ingredients you have.  I went shopping at my favorite store today and picked through the Bit O' Cheese basket.  My own little special pick-me-up.  And the winner was Manchego gently grated over the chicken.  *humming* Yes quite tasty. 

Crunchy - Absolutely the key component in our household.  What little ingredient will make our salad sing?  We use a variety of nuts for this component.  Obviously if you have a nut allergy steer clear but if not, options upon options.  Also wasabi peas are a good bet.  They add sweetness with a kick.  Just don't ever add them early on and then let your salad sit and then take a bite.  They become mushy and no longer that crunch one craves in a salad.  Always a crowd pleaser = croutons.  Some other items that may be hanging out in your cabinets that would work, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax), pretzels (if you really like that saltiness),and  sesame sticks. 

Then top with your favorite dressing.  We usually stick with ranch, creamy with a bit of spice.  I also tend to mix it up with a variety of different vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar and olive oil the most popular as we tend to have big bottles of both on hand at all times.)  Now again the beauty of a salad is it can totally echo your favorites.  Perhaps I gave you a helpful suggestion but by all means you are the one biting down.  Make it what you like.  Let your ingredients play off each other, let the colors splatter the plate, for this is your chance to create art.  Forget mom's scolding and play with your fruits and veggies. Because after a couple of choices you have a tasty and somewhat healthy (depending on those choices) satisfying meal full of beautiful colors.  Bravo on your masterpiece.

May your HealthFULL Journey guide you to your preferences and inspire you to choose in a way that both delights you and creates a healthier you.  'Til we meet again. . .