In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. John Muir
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
"Watch"
Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes.
Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.
Watch your words; they lead to actions.
Watch your actions; they lead to habits.
Watch your habits; they form your character.
Watch your character; it forms your destiny.
Unknown Author
Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.
Watch your words; they lead to actions.
Watch your actions; they lead to habits.
Watch your habits; they form your character.
Watch your character; it forms your destiny.
Unknown Author
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
GREATER GOOD - SUMMER CHALLENGE!
My Personal Challenges
STEP 4 – Spring Cleaning and Summer Fun! July 1st, 2010
Category 1: Living like a minimalist
• I cleaned out my closet this past weekend and realized I had a few pairs of jeans I no longer wear. Continuing with my last challenge not to buy anything new, I took the jeans and gave them as hand-me-downs, or turned them into capri's, just in time for summer. So, every other weekend I would like to try to clean out, get rid of or donate stuff from an area in my home. For example, last week I cleaned out my closet and the next time I will sort through my storage room. The following week perhaps it would be a good idea to go through my desk and so on....lets see how far I can get!?!?
Category 2: Healthy Living
• July is the month where we can hopefully anticipate summer weather. But more than ever, summer time is smoothie time! A smoothie is the perfect way to cool off and get quick nutrition. A healthy guideline is to try to drink a nutritious smoothie every day in order to get your nutrients in a complete liquid form that is easy to digest. Smoothies are also easier and quicker to prepare than other complete meals.
Category 3: Pay it Forward
• I have been coaching kids camps during the week as my summer job while I am off school and although I have been doing it for years, I still find it fascinating to watch children interact. The younger ones have so much innocence and without a fleeting thought, seem to naturally help one another (for the most part!). One of the sunny days that we had last week, we allowed the kids to get smoothies at lunch. Low and behold one of the youngest girls ends up dropping her smoothie on the ground and as you can imagine, devastation set in immediately for this little girl. Without hesitation - and just before the tears start pouring down her face - another little girl about 7 years old interrupts and insists that she will share her smoothie with the little child who no longer had one. Not only was this the cutest thing to watch as it unfolded, but I thought to myself...... that 7 year old didn't hesitate to make the situation better. She didn't stop and wager what was in it for herself and didn't expect anything in return.
Sometimes I think as adults we all too often forget that an act of kindness should come without a price tag and without wager. I believe in karma and truly think that what you put out you will get in return. Perhaps we should all be a little more like six and seven year olds?!?
‘Greater Good’ Tid Bits
For your health: Summer Time Meatless Grilling! (compliments of the food network).
Grilled pizzas topped with avocado, fresh spinach, and goat cheese are a California dream come true.
Stretch the dough to whatever shape fits your grill most easily: round, oval, or even free form. Flipping a large round of dough on a hot grill can be tricky, so we made two smaller pieces and turned them over with tongs and a spatula -- no sweat.
Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Serves 4
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for shaping dough
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
• 1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Directions
1. Heat grill to medium. Brush a large rimless baking sheet (or an inverted rimmed sheet) with 1 tablespoon oil. On a lightly floured work surface, roll and stretch dough to two 8-inch ovals or rounds. Transfer to prepared sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Transfer dough to grill. Cook, without turning over, until undersides are firm and begin to char, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs and a large spatula, place crusts on baking sheet, grilled side up.
3. Scatter crusts with tomatoes, scallion whites, and cheese; season with salt and pepper, and slide back onto grill. Cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and cheese begins to melt, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, avocado, scallion greens, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Pile mixture onto pizzas; halve, and serve.
STEP 4 – Spring Cleaning and Summer Fun! July 1st, 2010
Category 1: Living like a minimalist
• I cleaned out my closet this past weekend and realized I had a few pairs of jeans I no longer wear. Continuing with my last challenge not to buy anything new, I took the jeans and gave them as hand-me-downs, or turned them into capri's, just in time for summer. So, every other weekend I would like to try to clean out, get rid of or donate stuff from an area in my home. For example, last week I cleaned out my closet and the next time I will sort through my storage room. The following week perhaps it would be a good idea to go through my desk and so on....lets see how far I can get!?!?
Category 2: Healthy Living
• July is the month where we can hopefully anticipate summer weather. But more than ever, summer time is smoothie time! A smoothie is the perfect way to cool off and get quick nutrition. A healthy guideline is to try to drink a nutritious smoothie every day in order to get your nutrients in a complete liquid form that is easy to digest. Smoothies are also easier and quicker to prepare than other complete meals.
Category 3: Pay it Forward
• I have been coaching kids camps during the week as my summer job while I am off school and although I have been doing it for years, I still find it fascinating to watch children interact. The younger ones have so much innocence and without a fleeting thought, seem to naturally help one another (for the most part!). One of the sunny days that we had last week, we allowed the kids to get smoothies at lunch. Low and behold one of the youngest girls ends up dropping her smoothie on the ground and as you can imagine, devastation set in immediately for this little girl. Without hesitation - and just before the tears start pouring down her face - another little girl about 7 years old interrupts and insists that she will share her smoothie with the little child who no longer had one. Not only was this the cutest thing to watch as it unfolded, but I thought to myself...... that 7 year old didn't hesitate to make the situation better. She didn't stop and wager what was in it for herself and didn't expect anything in return.
Sometimes I think as adults we all too often forget that an act of kindness should come without a price tag and without wager. I believe in karma and truly think that what you put out you will get in return. Perhaps we should all be a little more like six and seven year olds?!?
‘Greater Good’ Tid Bits
For your health: Summer Time Meatless Grilling! (compliments of the food network).
Grilled pizzas topped with avocado, fresh spinach, and goat cheese are a California dream come true.
Stretch the dough to whatever shape fits your grill most easily: round, oval, or even free form. Flipping a large round of dough on a hot grill can be tricky, so we made two smaller pieces and turned them over with tongs and a spatula -- no sweat.
Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Serves 4
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for shaping dough
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
• 1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Directions
1. Heat grill to medium. Brush a large rimless baking sheet (or an inverted rimmed sheet) with 1 tablespoon oil. On a lightly floured work surface, roll and stretch dough to two 8-inch ovals or rounds. Transfer to prepared sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Transfer dough to grill. Cook, without turning over, until undersides are firm and begin to char, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs and a large spatula, place crusts on baking sheet, grilled side up.
3. Scatter crusts with tomatoes, scallion whites, and cheese; season with salt and pepper, and slide back onto grill. Cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and cheese begins to melt, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
4. In a medium bowl, combine spinach, avocado, scallion greens, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Pile mixture onto pizzas; halve, and serve.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A Mother's Day Gift Solution
Procrastinating causes stress, but we have the answer.
You have less than a week to do right by Mom. She doesn't need to know that you've never really overcome your last-minute tendencies.
An Online Gift Certificate for relaxation is sure to make her feel great, and you look like you planned well. It's a solution that works for everyone!
After all, no harm, no foul.
Happy Mother’s Day.
You have less than a week to do right by Mom. She doesn't need to know that you've never really overcome your last-minute tendencies.
An Online Gift Certificate for relaxation is sure to make her feel great, and you look like you planned well. It's a solution that works for everyone!
After all, no harm, no foul.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
A Little Update For Spring
What an amazing time of year it is, to see the winds of change weaving through our surroundings yielding new beginnings and blossoming growth. March turned out to be a month of workshops and learning learning learning, I can't wait to see you in the clinic for a Thai massage! I'd also like to thank all of the beautiful moms-to-be for participating in my maternal massage practicum, it was a great experience.
Monday, April 5, 2010
THE GREATER GOOD CHALLENGE! Refocus
STEP 3 – Refocus: April 5th, 2010 – April 26th, 2010
Category 1: Living like a minimalist
A Calgary couple didn’t buy anything new for a year and so I am willing to try my best at this challenge for the next 21 days and see if it is doable in my life. If something breaks that is non-essential I can either a) fix it b) buy it used/on sale or c) barter to get a new one.
Category 2: Healthy Living
I drink a lot of coffee and I want to see if I can minimize my caffeine consumption and have switched my coffee from regular to decaf and will only allow myself to consume a maximum of 2 coffees a day....this is my intervention!
Category 3: Pay it ForwardI was coming out of the grocery store following a woman who was walking with her lunch in her hand that she had just purchased. A homeless man standing outside the store asked if the lady had any change. Without any hesitation, she instead handed him her lunch and continued on her way. I don’t know what she ate for lunch that day, but I thought what she had done was admirable.
‘Greater Good’ Tid BitsFor your health: Straighten up your posture
Sitting and standing up tall helps you look lighter, leaner, and more confident — and it’s much healthier for your neck, back, and shoulders. Keeping an upright, aligned posture also forces you to continuously use your stomach muscles, which will strengthen your core and tighten your tummy!
Category 1: Living like a minimalist
A Calgary couple didn’t buy anything new for a year and so I am willing to try my best at this challenge for the next 21 days and see if it is doable in my life. If something breaks that is non-essential I can either a) fix it b) buy it used/on sale or c) barter to get a new one.
Category 2: Healthy Living
I drink a lot of coffee and I want to see if I can minimize my caffeine consumption and have switched my coffee from regular to decaf and will only allow myself to consume a maximum of 2 coffees a day....this is my intervention!
Category 3: Pay it ForwardI was coming out of the grocery store following a woman who was walking with her lunch in her hand that she had just purchased. A homeless man standing outside the store asked if the lady had any change. Without any hesitation, she instead handed him her lunch and continued on her way. I don’t know what she ate for lunch that day, but I thought what she had done was admirable.
‘Greater Good’ Tid BitsFor your health: Straighten up your posture
Sitting and standing up tall helps you look lighter, leaner, and more confident — and it’s much healthier for your neck, back, and shoulders. Keeping an upright, aligned posture also forces you to continuously use your stomach muscles, which will strengthen your core and tighten your tummy!
Life Happens
Well, it has been a bit since I last wrote. Life happens and when it gets busy its hard to accomplish all the little tasks that I have set out for myself because as we all know sometimes it feels like there are just not enough hours in a day. So when it feels as though I am not able to accomplish the goals that I have set for myself, I still maintain a few basics:
a) exercise - even when I don't feel like I have the time, a quick work out at least a few days a week allows me to be more productive throughout the day with my studies. A walk at lunch or a quick 20 minute workout is better than nothing at all.
b) i still try to pack my lunch as often as possible from home so I avoid spending money and have complete control of what I am consuming.
c) rest - not only do I try and get a good night sleep, but I take one evening off a week where I don't open my books to study, go on my computer, or work. This is actually hard for me to do as a full time student and working part time.
d) be thankful. when stress kicks in, it is hard to focus on how fortunate I am. Regardless, of how chaotic some months get, my life is still pretty darn good!
Most importantly, re-grouping and re-focusing are all part of the journey. Embrace it and learn from it and make necessary adjustments to help you accomplish your goals!
Erin
a) exercise - even when I don't feel like I have the time, a quick work out at least a few days a week allows me to be more productive throughout the day with my studies. A walk at lunch or a quick 20 minute workout is better than nothing at all.
b) i still try to pack my lunch as often as possible from home so I avoid spending money and have complete control of what I am consuming.
c) rest - not only do I try and get a good night sleep, but I take one evening off a week where I don't open my books to study, go on my computer, or work. This is actually hard for me to do as a full time student and working part time.
d) be thankful. when stress kicks in, it is hard to focus on how fortunate I am. Regardless, of how chaotic some months get, my life is still pretty darn good!
Most importantly, re-grouping and re-focusing are all part of the journey. Embrace it and learn from it and make necessary adjustments to help you accomplish your goals!
Erin
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