The Little Things
March 21, 2013

It’s Thursday again, and it’s time to get thankful! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I really have enjoyed adding this practice to my week. I’m wondering how many of you regularly practice gratitude as well. There are mental and physical benefits, so it’s definitely something that’s easy and beneficial! Here’s what I’m feeling thankful for right now:

I’m thankful for another great weekend run! Every time I head out for a run I feel a little nervous about how my IT bands are going to feel. I try to not get down, but I just really want to be able to run without pain! Last week’s run was good, so I was feeling ok about Saturday’s run when I headed out. I’m so thankful for a fun run this past Saturday with almost no pain! YAY!!

I’m thankful for the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Oh yes, we’re going there. Not only do I have great memories of watching Buffy in college, but I still think the show is fun! I’ve had hours and hours of outside of work “work” to do these past two weeks, and it’s been so much fun to get to watch the show again. It’s hardly seemed like I actually had work to do.

I’m thankful for my work schedule right now. I don’t have a perfectly stable job; my hours change a good amount throughout the year. Things are busy right now- really, really busy. I’ve had extra hours at work on top of extra, outside projects, and while it makes for very long days with little breaks, it is also fun and gets me some extra money! I’m so thankful that I have the opportunities I do right now!

I’m thankful for a very encouraging mom. I was talking to my mom on the phone while driving from one job responsibility to the next, and I was telling her about my crazy work schedule. I swung by Starbucks and ordered a little pick me up, and as I drove to the window, she told me to let her pay for it! It was so unexpected and nice of her, and I was truly appreciative. It’s the little things…

I’m thankful for the insights that my clients gain. I absolutely love getting to be a witness to the big “ah ha” moments of life in my office. I love when I’ve been working with a client for awhile and all of a sudden they just get it! I want to jump up and down and high five them, but of course I don’t do that. I’m so thankful I get to be there on so many people’s journeys. It’s a true joy.

It’s tempting to focus on how busy and stressful things can get right now with everything, but it definitely makes life more enjoyable to think of all the positives instead.

Now it’s your turn to share! What does it mean to you to live a life out of gratitude? What are you feeling thankful for today?

March 20, 2013

I’m a big fan of turkey burgers, so I was delighted when they went on sale at the grocery store last week. I have no problem buying my own ground turkey and forming my own patties, but when patties are cheap, I’m all about that too. I’m not a huge fan of plain burgers, so I like to spice it up a bit! Of course, if you don’t like turkey burgers, you can always make this with beef!

Ingredients

Spicy Turkey Burger Collage

I cooked a turkey patty for about 17 minutes on medium heat. Immediately when I put it into the pan I sprinkled garlic powder and cayenne powder into the pan and let it cook. I flip the patty over every five minutes to keep it from burning and to keep it cooking evenly. With 1 minute left on the clock, I put a few thin pieces of cheese on the burger, with spinach and onion on top. While this was heating up I toasted the bread. Put the patty on the bread and BBQ on top, and viola! A delicious spicy burger!

Now it’s your turn to share! Do you prefer beef or turkey burgers? What are your favorite toppings for burgers (no matter what I want onions on mine!)? 

March 19, 2013

A 10k! This is my first race recap for a 10k, so that’s somewhat exciting! Of course it was a virtual race, so this really felt like a normal long run (I tacked on another 1.3 miles onto the end for a 7.5 mile run). However, it was really great to be out running with so many other people who were also in St. Patrick’s Day gear, so there was definitely a race day feel in the air! This race was put on by Jill at Fitness, Health, and Happiness as part of the 13 in 2013 Virtual Race Challenge, and you still have a few days to run if you’d like to participate!

I headed out at about 8:40 and the air was thick with fog- I could see about .15 of a mile in front of me but that was it. It was also humid, so despite it only being 35 I only wore a thin long sleeve shirt and my running skirt. I just found a new loop to run that adds about 1.5 miles to the loop I already long, so I don’t have to keep running in circles for my long runs anymore!

There was a track meet going on, and I do part of my run around a track, so there was crowds of people. This also mimicked race day conditions as I had to weave around people who were strolling along. I ate 2 shot blocks at mile 4 (they’re a fun little motivator part way through), and popped into a building to grab a drink from a drinking fountain!

The air was definitely very thick and heavy to breathe, and this is the first run in a long time that I’ve dealt with such high humidity. This “race” was perfect for prepping for race day! Once I hit the 10k mark, I snapped this picture and kept running:

photo

10k done! Because I’ve run the Indy Mini before, I’m able to visualize where I would be on the race course, and I do this on my long runs. I knew that the 10k mark was on the dreaded speedway, and that alone was enough to keep me pushing forward since it’s one of the least fun places to run!

photo

I finished my run at 7.5 miles with only a slight twinge of pain on the outside of my right knee. My pace is definitely slower then it was in the fall, but since I’ve cut out speed work to try and not aggravate my IT bands that’s to be expected. I’m having fun and enjoying my runs, and that’s what matters.

I ended the run with a good stretching session followed by an ice bath. These ice baths are really not fun when I already come in from runs feeling a bit cold, but it definitely helps.

So, there’s my Saturday long run/ 10k St. Patrick’s Day race recap!

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you run a 10 k before? I wish there were more around because I love the distance! What is your ideal race distance? 

March 18, 2013

I’ve been talking about boundaries (Introducing Boundaries and Influence vs. Ownership) a bit lately, and today’s post falls under that general category as well. To summarize, with boundaries we are to be responsible for our own property (our thoughts, feelings, and actions), and we cannot be responsible for those things in others.

When we respect others, we respect that they own their own property and that we do not own or control their property. That means that we cannot try to control someone else’s “no”. Let’s apply the golden rule: “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you”. That means if I want my “no” to be respected by others, I also need to respect the “no” of others (even if I don’t agree with it!).

Have you ever said no to doing something with a friend and they can’t seem to hear your no? They keep nagging you and trying to get you to feel guilty for saying “no”. They demand answers, and don’t seem to give you the freedom to choose. It’s really frustrating, isn’t it? The reason it feels so frustrating is that, fundamentally, we aren’t being respected.

However, if you want someone to respect you in this situation, you must also respect someone else’s no, even if you really want them to do something or spend time with you. It’s two sides of the same coin.

People who are healthy individuals can hear our no and respect our no, even if it doesn’t align with what they want in the moment. Of course compromise does need to occur in situations, so discussions can of course be had. But, when push comes to shove, our NO MEANS NO and we need to have that respected. Healthy relationships will allow us the freedom to say no (without trying to induce guilt, remove their love or acceptance, etc…).

Here’s my challenge to you this week: Own your no! Evaluate your relationships to see which ones are healthy, and which people will respect your no. Evaluate yourself as well to see if you accept someone else’s no or if you try to violate their right to a “no” in their life.

Now it’s your turn to share! I’m sure we’ve all had someone try to take our right to say “no” away- what does that feel like? What is so tempting about not respecting someone else’s no?

March 17, 2013

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Did anyone else struggle to get up on time this week? I definitely felt like I was still dragging when my normal alarm went off in the morning; it took until Thursday for me to get in a morning work out again! I’m trying to add in push ups to my work out because my brother has been convincing me over the last few weeks that pushing ourselves up is a skill we need for the rest of our lives. I could only took 6 in a row at Christmas, so this is improvement!

Now official weight training session, but I got in pilates, and the planks and push ups also counted towards that! This was truly a crazy week working time and a half, and the entire week I felt like I wasn’t really working out at all. Seeing it all written out like this, though, I realize that I actually did a lot more then I thought I did. I’m pretty sure this accounts for my fairly low stress despite how much work I’ve had to do. Phew!

We’re just under two months away from the race, and my runs have been feeling great. I actually wish the race was in 2 weeks, because I’m a little worried that I’ll end up getting injured between now and then. But, overall, my runs have been great fun recently.

Now it’s your turn to share! How was your St. Patrick’s day? Do you celebrate? 

March 15, 2013

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a link up for the week (or weeks!). Sometimes I just think it’s a great way to share one another’s posts and pass along great information. Some of these have been stock piled in my reader for awhile, so there’s a few older posts here. Enjoy!

Facebook Stalkers, Beware! Clear Your Searches! Katy shares a great tip to help clear your searches on facebook. You don’t want the rest of the world to know who you’re stalking, right? 🙂

Cocoa Date Cashew Bites. Katie shares this delicious and healthy recipe for an easy treat! Check it out!

BREAKING NEWS! Google Reader to Shut Down (Here’s My Favorite Alternative): I’m so sad that google reader is shutting down, but I’m happy to hear that there’s a convenient alternative. Check it out!

That’s A Wrap: Tina shares a recipe for a delicious sounding mushroom wrap. I can’t wait to try it!

Aromatherapy Muscle Soak: Erica shares a favorite way to relax and care for herself. It sounds relaxing!

On Acceptance

Hunting The Good Stuff: Just wonderful… really. Check it out and enjoy hunting the good things in life.

Now it’s your turn to share! Do you have anything exciting planned for the weekend? Please share your own favorite post as well! 

March 14, 2013

While last week was cold and we had the biggest snow storm of the year, spring seems to be ushering itself in slowly and surely.  Here’s what I”m feeling thankful for right now:

I’m thankful for delicious chocolate covered fruits. I stumbled across these chocolates (pictured below) a few years ago while visiting a friend, and then my aunt and uncle got me a bag of chocolate covered pomegranates for Christmas in 2011. I’ve been hooked since. They make a great little snack and have antioxidants to boot!

Thankful Collage

I’m thankful that my favorite spring and summer candle is back in the store! I really love this Tahitian coconut candle. It smells like a beach and makes my entire living room smell delicious (even after I blow the candle out), without being disgustingly overpowering. I was so happy to see it back on the shelves, and I stocked up a bit!!

I’m thankful for the extra hour of sunlight in the evening. It’s been getting dark after 8 pm this week, and I’m really loving it! It’s a little tough to adjust to the darkness in the morning, but the extra hour of daylight after work definitely makes up for it!

I’m thankful for a day in the 60s! On Sunday it hit 62 degrees, and I enjoyed every minute of that day! It’s funny that this day hit 5 days after getting an almost 8 inch snow storm, but I’ll take it! I took a long walk in the evening, did pilates in the afternoon in the sunshine, and enjoyed the sunlight pouring into my living room!

I’m thankful for a really great run. I went out on Saturday morning not expecting anything great, but after a few miles I knew it was going to be a great run. I hit 6.2 miles, had no real IT band pain, and had a smile on my face the entire time. I really wish all runs could be that great.

Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today? What’s your favorite candle scent? 

March 13, 2013

Today felt like a great day for a Friends reference!

I’ve never made a quiche before. In fact, until I recently stumbled across lactose free cheese (Cabot Cheddar Cheese and Kraft Sharp Cheddar Cheese), I wouldn’t have ever considered making one. One day last weekend, my friend  (the one I walk with) stated that she was in the mood for a quiche, and we set out to make one on Monday evening.  With a few easy substitutions, we created a delicious lactose free quiche!

Ingredients

Here’s what I did:

Layer the cheese, mushrooms, olives, and onions in the crust. Feel free to add other ingredients if you’d like! In a separate bowl, whisk 3 eggs together and then add in the container of plain greek yogurt. Dump the mixture on top of the cheese and veggies and spread evenly. Top with black pepper (or other spices you might want). Cook at 425 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (somewhere between 25 and 35 minutes). Check that it is cooked through before removing from the oven.

Quiche Collage

Once removing from the oven, top with pico de gallo and enjoy!

Quiche

This quiche was amazing and held up really well when it was reheated the next day! The pico on top added some other flavors to the quiche, and I loved the two paired together!

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you ever made quiche before? What are your favorite foods to pair with eggs? 

March 12, 2013

About two years ago, I finally realized that trying to cook every dinner right before I ate it and making lunches the night before (or morning of) was just not working for me. I was not eating well at all, and I really wasn’t excited about meal times. The fact is, it’s really difficult for me to work all day, then work out, and, by about 8 pm, I’m ravenous and not in the mood to cook. Most of the time it ended up being scrambled eggs or oatmeal for dinners, and a can of soup I would heat up in a mug at work for lunch. So, after a year of doing that, I realized that I needed to come up with a new plan! I decided that on Sunday afternoon or evening I would cook meals, or at least cut up everything in preparation, so that the time cooking during the week would be minimal. Another bonus: there are far fewer dishes when you cut things up at once!

Meal Prep 2 Collage

One of the things I decided up front was that I didn’t need to have a different food for each lunch and dinner throughout the week. While I like variety, convenience and less time definitely won out for me. I tend to eat the same think for lunch each work day, and make maybe 2 or 3 things each week for dinner.

I also cook in bulk and then freeze things for later so that it I can pull something from the freezer that makes an easy 2 meals. My freezer is stacked with various meal options so that in a time crunch, all I need to do is reheat and go! Of course I have my food staples on hand, and this makes things easier as well.

Every sunday, I make a lunch meal that will last for 5 days, I make a dinner meal or two, I cut up fresh vegetables for snacks the coming week, and I prepare fruit as best as I can and put them in containers to grab for easy lunches.

Here are some examples of common meals I make on Sundays:

LUNCH:

DINNERS:

Of course these are not the only meals I make, but give you an idea of meals that are easy to make and that are easy to prepare ahead of time.

Now it’s your turn to share! Do you do any meal prep on the weekends? What are some of your go to meals that are easy to freeze?

March 11, 2013

*This post is a continuation from last week’s discussion on boundaries.

In talking about boundaries, one of the important things that we must understand is that while I can care about the feelings of another, I must not try to control the feelings of another. After all, we can’t make someone feel something. As I was reading a few weeks ago, I came across this quote and immediately highlighted it:

If a primary concern in your relationship is an authentic responsiveness to how you impact each other, you will have a pretty good life. Note that I don’t mean responsiveness in the sense of an overly responsible codependent: “Am I making everyone happy? Everyone’s happiness is my responsibility, and when someone is unhappy, I caused that.” That is not what we’re going for. There is a big difference between caring about how you impact someone and taking full responsibility for the other person’s feelings and happiness in life. You are an influence, and those in your life influence you. Influence doesn’t connote ownership. -Beyond Boundaries, p. 164

When we engage in people pleasing behaviors or don’t allow the person to express their feelings (even if we don’t like them), we move into trying to own someone’s feelings. One question I like to ask clients is “How does it feel when someone tries to control your feelings or doesn’t let you feel what you are feeling”? It feels gross, is frustrating, and it starts to mess with our relationship with that person. We do not own someone else’s feelings, but, in our relationships, we do have an impact on one another.

Moving forward, be responsible for the impact you make (your words and behavior), but don’t try to be responsible for someone else’s feelings. We are influences, we do not own…

Now it’s your turn to share: What’s difficult about letting go of the ownership we feel over another’s feelings? What makes it difficult to own our own feelings?