Satisfying Plant Based Lunch

Where's the beef?  Where's the cheese? Well, it's not on my plate.  Yet, my meals are so satisfying.  Today I tossed some leftover brown rice and roasted cauliflower with elephant garlic into leftover black bean soup.  That is a lot of leftovers!

But the combination was both creamy (I blend my bean soup) and chunky, and so filling.  Eating in a low fat plant based style is not as challenging as some would think. 

How to be a Happy Parent

Fill your own cup.
Rather than wait for appreciation and acknowledgement from your children or mate, step in and give yourself praise and acknowledgment.  You can even reach around and give yourself a hug! 
When you are filled up with gratitude for yourself, you will spill over with love and appreciation for those around you.
Try it!

Tend Your Inner Garden for Success

How would your day be different if you started with an “intention?”

In-Tend.

Tune In.  Tend to your thoughts.

Today I intend to listen exquisitely and zip my lips.  I guarantee I will have an experience that opens up a new opportunity!

What do you in-tend?

Paying It Forward

One day last week I stopped into a local grocery store for a few items.  I had to wait a moment for the cashier.  Another customer was giving her a gift.  As it turned out, the cashier had at one time admired the customer's sweatshirt.  She found out where she bought it, and bought herself one.
Over time, the cashier misplaced her sweatshirt and had no idea as to how or where she did so. She shared this story with her customer.
The day I got on line, the customer had brought a brand new replacement sweatshirt as a gift to the cashier.  The cashier was truly speechless and stunned at this act of kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity.

 
This was an such an inspiring moment to witness.  It was my gift for the day and a reminder for me to pay a kindness forward.  When you feel good, and witness others feeling good (and loved!) your level of stress will plummet!

To-Do-List Success Tip

Do you live by your to-do list? Do you feel great when you cross off an item, and go to bed feeling you failed as you remember all the items that didn't get done?
Here's your success tip for today.  Move your to-do list into your planner.  

Re-do it!

Select each item and schedule both a beginning and ending time for it.  When you have to-do's on a list, they drain your energy by looming over you.
When they are scheduled, they become a manageable part of your day or week.  (They don't all have to get done today!)
The secret is to honor your appointments that you have now made with yourself.  Treat your scheduled to-do as an appointment with a trusted advisor - don't just no show.  Acknowledge and re-schedule a better time.

I am...

"I am calm"

Just for today, choose to say, "I am..." and finish the sentence with a word that describes you at your best, or how you want to be.
So, make a shift from:
I am late
I am fat
I am lazy
I am swamped
I am stupid
Try, "I am strong." or "I am LoVe!"  Choose something that resonates within you.
Today, I chose "I am strong" while doing pushups at the gym.  Let me tell you, choosing "I am strong" over "I can't do this!!" made a huge difference.  Try it!

11...12...13

Counting up to your tremendous success!  What a cool date.  11/12/13