Climb Towards the Faith in Yourself

Much can be learned from Miley Cyrus.

Sure, she's a 16 year old child who is just figuring out the world, but she's doing it in the public eye and so far (fingers crossed) is doing so with more character and grace than most of her teenage superstar predecessors (ie: the Britster/Lohan/Ricci train wreck extravaganza).

In Miley's new song "Climb" she sings lyrics of wisdom, strength, a positive attitude towards learning from mistakes, and believing in oneself through the rough terrain of climbing life's mountain. Maybe she had no part in writing these lyrics, wise beyond her years, but the conviction and passion with which she belts out the crescendos makes me a believer. It makes me want to keep trying, keep my head held high. Because Miley is right on the money (the millions she holds in her pubescent bank account) - not all of our decisions will be in our own best interest, and sometimes when taking risks we're going to lose, but its about learning from those mistakes and climbing forward towards whatever life has to offer. Above all, "keep the faith baby, keep your faith."

Quality Friends Lead to a Quality Life - Kinda makes me want to say Duh!

While reading the NY Times today I came across an article that justified a statement that I've strongly believed in for years - your friends can save your life.

And not just in the 'when its 3 in the morning and my boyfriend cheated on me my best friend saved my life' type way. Apparently, having a close knit set of friends can help overall health to a significant degree, anywhere from fighting off the common cold to providing a much higher chance of surviving cancer. Studies have shown that a close social circle in one's life, regardless of how often they get together or proximity to one another, can help a person stave off disease and even live a longer life. Plus, while standing next to a close friend even a steep mountain doesn't seem as tall. Ain't that the truth.

So the next time you feel guilty for spending an hour of your day chatting with a close friend remind yourself that you're doing it for your own longevity. And drinks with the girls? Well that's your new health care regimen! For proof visit:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Sauv Blanc in the Sunshine

The air was breezy, smelling of meats cooking over flame - as nostalgic as the scent of the ocean or a warm apple pie cooling in the window. A dog, his nose perked and sniffing, tensely sat at attention waiting for a morsel to drop. Smack talk shouted from the badminton court amused those sitting with paper plates perched on their knees. It was the first BBQ of the season.

This pleasant afternoon of friends and warm weather generally provides the perfect excuse for two favored forms of gluttony - booze and food. Sure there were bottles of Captain and Bombay, pitchers of Sangria, reds, whites, and beers and everyone was looking forward to letting loose for an afternoon. There were burgers, ribs, and veggies from the grill, bags of processed snack foods coated in neon orange "cheese," salads of the potato and pasta varieties all waiting to be consumed in mass quantities. Rules were thrown out the window, it's an excuse to party right? Just as every Holiday cocktail party means a break from the norm, every birthday, anniversary, Labor, Memorial and Guy Fox Day, Friday happy hour, Monday happy hour, and hell - Wendnes "hump" day happy hour deserve a lax in the parameters and a break from commitments. It's a special occasion right?

Nobody enjoys the afternoon cocktail more than me; for some reason margaritas taste more 'rita-y in the daylight and Coronas were obviously made to be consumed with a lime in the bottle and sunglasses on the nose. So yesterday, with crisp, fruity Sauvignon Blanc calling my name, I said why not? It's a special occasion right? I had a glass. I enjoyed it and appreciated every sip. And then I switched to diet coke and water for the rest of the afternoon. I helped myself to some veggies and a meat-free burger, and subtly sat on the other side of the patio from the bags of never ending chips and Cheetos. I participated in the games, and laughed, and boogied to the music, and said goodbye without the curse of the afternoon cocktail - the evening hangover. I drove home with my wits about me, clear headed and pleasantly pooped instead of wishing that 7pm didn't seem like an appropriate bedtime.

Had I not had so much practice in the last 4 months building up my will power yesterday afternoon may have been filled with inner arguments about how many drinks is too many, and when to remove myself from coveted spot next to the snack table. But I enjoyed yesterday as someone who was comfortable in the decisions I'd made and didn't question them as if I had the option. I ate mindfully, out of hunger instead of nerves. I chose the one drink I truly wanted and had my treat for the afternoon, choosing to enjoy it instead of gulping one plastic cup down so I could go for another. And then I joined in the badminton game - truly perfecting the art of smack talk and breathing in the scents of summer, sober and satisfied.

It's Hard To Be A Genius...But Somebody's Got To Do It

I wrote a post a few months back about ways to squeeze extra calorie burn into your days...and huzzah! I've been vindicated! Check out this article that basically gives the same advice as I so wisely imparted on my vast expanse of readers.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/5906-everyday-activities-that-can-burn/?utm_source=aprnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=090414

Dancing around, climbing some stairs, cleaning with vigor, even shopping with intent all make the list. So take a refresher course if you'd like on simple ways to squeeze a workout into your already packed day and feel as great as I do that I, once again, was right!

In This Scenario Fear Is A Conservative Nun...

For some people fear is a motivator. It can encourage risks, and excitement, and unrelenting exploration because some people simply don't like to be told no - and fear is often the conservative nun behind her desk rapping her ruler and saying "no, you can't do that." Now, nobody LIKES the conservative nun, but some people sit still and say "yes ma'am" while others jump up from their desks and stare the nun down in defiance.

I've never actually met a conservative nun, but I am reluctantly discovering more and more that I am of the former group. I have lived my life in the safe place, at home in the comfort zone. I have never particularly challenged myself to do anything I wasn't 80% sure I could conquer without embarrassment or failure. Sure, I moved across the country after college and many people have told me that was brave - but I wasn't afraid because I had more safety nets than a tightrope walker. Any situations I've approached were perhaps unfamiliar, but none of them terrified me. None fell into the 'only 50% sure I could manage' category, and if there were too many questions I simply gave up and sat still saying "yes ma'am."

Today, with my options completely open to me and the reservations about what I'm 'supposed' to do with my future fading, I'm recognizing that my life has been led with the assurance of those safety nets, and I'm really not as brave as I've led others to believe. When I read stories that inspire me they generally involve people who took the path that called to them, without failure as an option - those who created a future for themselves based solely on their own determination - not what was safe or would most likely work out. I admire these people because they have something that I do not - the ability to overcome fear.

It is only now, when I must convince myself multiple times daily "yes, I can be a writer" that I am trying to face my fears of failure. I'm not confident that I will someday make my living from my own words, just as I wasn't 80% sure that I could dance for a living and therefore gave up at the first rejection. I wish I had found the guts to stand up to my personal naysayer when dance was the only thing I could imagine fulfilling my life's intent. Perhaps I could have demanded a life of art instead of one filled with wanderlust and wasted dreams. But hey - what's stopping me now from chasing the hours of choreography out of my head and into bodies, or those characters onto paper? The conservative nun will always be there with her ruler and her 'No,' but it is up to me to stand up to her and defy. She's not going to stop me anymore.

Stupendous Strawberry Salad

This salad went over very well at my family’s Easter, plus it’s healthy and delicious so I thought I’d share:

Baby spinach (about 2 bags)
Sliced strawberries (1.5 quarts)
Diced yellow onions (3/4 onion)
Chopped almonds (2 cups)
Creamy goat cheese (1/4 cup)
Balsamic reduction vinaigrette (about 1/4 cup)

I added the goat cheese and dressing at the last minute and tossed the salad thoroughly so that the spinach was lightly coated with a touch of the flavorful cheese and dressing.

If you’d like to make your own balsamic reduction vinaigrette, simply heat up some balsamic vinegar in a shallow pan and let simmer while stirring in your ingredients. I used salt, pepper, garlic, a little olive oil (which needs to be whisked in order to bond with the vinegar) and a little touch of Annis for a liquorish flavor. This type of dressing has never tasted the same way twice for me, so playing around with ingredients is part of the fun! Reduce the dressing down until it tastes just right, but use sparingly as the flavors are usually quite strong. Enjoy!

The Locker Room and the Visual Landmines That Await

I hate using the bathroom in my gym. This is due partly in response to my utter disgust at public restrooms in general, but the uncomfortable feeling I get walking into the locker room at my local Bally's is amplified by the amount of naked old people I see.

Why is it that walking around naked is acceptable in a locker room, especially when the subjects are far from their prime age? I have always wondered this, and silently wished these people would hold on to their towels and muster up some modesty, all while I fix my gaze on the floor with unrelenting intensity.

However, there is something to be said for those people who are unashamed of their own bodies. Why is it that the human body, in its natural phase of aging through no fault of the human itself, disgusts us? Why shouldn't we walk around in the buff, free from shame? If our body is our temple, shouldn't we praise ourselves and others who wish to strut their stuff? Why should I project my own insecurities at my not-so-six-pack stomach onto those who don't give a crap that their skin sags? It is almost admirable, the complete lack of modesty, because this is the lack of body consciousness, something I believe we should all strive towards. Learning to love ourselves, imperfections and all, could start with accepting others in their own skin, sagging or otherwise.

I'm not sure how much practice I will get out of this preaching, but I do think it is a good concept overall. Judging others by their looks or their weight is really a judgment on ourselves - projecting negative thoughts about ourselves onto others to make ourselves feel better. Acceptance of others, their jiggling thighs, cellulite, and baggy arms can help us accept our own versions of these bodies, especially as we grow older and inevitably endure these changes ourselves.

Well, its a thought anyway...Hi floor - glad to see you again.

The Stairway to a Heavenly Body

When I was in college I lived on the fifth floor of my dorm. That's five flights of stairs that I climbed at least twice a day, causing some huffing and puffing, but otherwise simply inserting a few minutes of cardio into my day without much effort. Sure, I could have taken the elevator, but I wouldn't have gotten the heart pumping, calorie burning benefits from just standing there, avoiding eye contact with others.

So, you think you can't fit in gym time? Go find some stairs! Are you going to the mall? Park a few floors above or below where you need to be and jog the stairs towards your destination. Take the solid steps instead of the escalator. Seek out and learn to enjoy those stairs because each one is leading you closer to your healthier self! (Plus your claves will look just smashing.)

Strawberry (Ice) Fields Forever

Need a special treat? Make any drink a little bit more exotic by plopping in a frozen strawberry instead of ice. My favorite: tonic water with pomegranate juice; a low calorie, little bit sweet, fizzy and fun drink that feels a little fancy, especially when I add a frozen strawberry. Not only does it give a little bit of extra flavor, when all the liquid is gone there is a delicious strawberry to eat and top off the experience! It's the perfect, end of summer stress relief that feels a little special after a hard day.

Pamper Yourself Towards The Sun

This post is for girls only. (Although I'm not deluding myself into thinking that I have scores of male readers).

Sometimes, I get a little down. I feel a bit like an ugly duckling, my mind works by itself and tells me I'm a giant clunker of a girl with sausage fingers and man feet, and all I want to do is put on a giant sweatshirt and eat some cookies.

It may seem silly, but a little pampering can go a long way to drawing us out of internal funks. We're girls - of course we're going to feel insecure sometimes. But putting a little extra effort into our looks can sometimes help draw us out of the rain clouds and bring back the sunshine of self esteem. Sometimes I paint my nails which always makes me feel feminine and a little girly, or I'll spend a little extra time on my hair and makeup, or I'll shave my legs (because when there's no date on the horizon really, what's the point?) and use a nice moisturizer so that my skin feels nice and soft.

I understand that these are things most girls do all the time, but they are the things that don't cost a lot and can make me feel a little extra special. What are you secrets to sunshine?

Breakfast of Tired People

Protein is power! I always notice that when I'm not getting enough protein in my diet I start to feel ultra tired, like I have cement in my shoes and I can't stop yawning. A great meal to get a little protein is breakfast - it'll jump start your whole day!

My favorite protein packed breakfast is a single egg with a piece of whole wheat toast. Low in calories, tons of protein, a little fat and a little fiber. It will start your day out right, hopefully kicking the yawns to the curb and making way for bright eyed and bushy tailed productivity!