Take Your Passion and Make it Happen!

I love staring my days with “morning mantras.”  My morning mental stiffness is quickly limbered by a positive affirmation that focuses my day. Often times we fall into a lull of monotony, playing by the “rules” along with everyone else.  When we break out and let our uniqueness shine through, we find real self-actualization, we become unstoppable. I have many passions, both professionally and personally.  I believe, wholeheartedly, in the power of sport.  I am pursuing a career that allows me to make that passion happen. 

I love to write, create new concoctions in the kitchen that are both delicious and whole health promoting, and exercise. So I found a way to cultivate those activities in a fulfilling way (if you’re wondering how…maybe I should rethink J ). I am in the process of refreshing my website and blog to be of better service so in the meantime I will do my best to drop a helpful spoonful whenever I can.

 Enter Smoothie in a bowl with homemade Kitchen Sink Muesli, Berries and TJ’s Almond Butter on top!  Breakfast is easily my favorite time of day. I love fueling up to tackle the day!  This breakfast is super fast, easy, delicious and filling. Even better, it is vegan, gluten free! 

Morning  Monster Smoothie in  a Bowl Recipe:

• 1 TBL Chai Seed
• 1TBL Ground Flax Seed
• 1/3 C raw oats
• 1 Scoop Vanilla Bean Plant Fusion Protein Powder
• ½ Cup Water
• ½ banana and several dashes of cinnamon (because I am obsessed)
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl or blend if you prefer then transfer ( I hate extra dirty dishes so I am a hand mixer)
• Top with berries, granola or muesli of choice and any nut butter you love! You can really go all out with whatever gets you excited to get out of bed!
• Finish it off with Almond Milk/Cashew Milk/Soy Milk...whatever tickles your fancy.
• Devour!

What passion are you going to make happen today?!

Happy Friday!  

Looks Aren't Everything, Or Anything…

Ever notice that your world seems to have themes?  A common thread that runs  through all the different spheres of your life?  I’m not a believer in coincidence.   I rest in the notion that the “patterns” of our days are nudges that push us in the “right” direction.  Over the past few days, the notion of breaking down the archaic definition of beauty and empowering a generation of women to love themselves and celebrate their uniqueness has been unavoidable. Not that I am complaining.  As someone who, at times, has struggled to enjoy the beat of my own drum, questions whether I should just in line with everyone else, this flood of inspiration was just what I needed to get back on the…wagon?  

Kitchen Sink Muesli with Berries Almond Butta 

When I woke up this morning, I ditched my original plan of a 5:30 am gym run and decided to power my day with some morning fuel in the form of Kitchen Sink Muesli (recipe to come) and some writing.  It may not be pretty, but it is pretty darn good!

Physical activity and good nutrition are two foundations for good health.  Mental and emotional wellness, however, are equally as important pillars that are often overlooked. One of incredibly bright roommates recently asked me, “But do you do anything just for you, for fun?” When I responded, “I really like to work out…” she said, “No, but something that is for you, not trying to achieve something?”  She had me there, simply because I could not come up with a quick answer. While I do LOVE working out, I love feeling fit and strong, there is a feeling of pressure to maintain my fitness for superficial reasons. I don’t think I am alone here right?

Me and my brother - good times 

So I took time this past weekend to do some thinking. Cooking, writing, yoga, and my family. The only thing I gain by spending time on any of these things is pure joy. Emotional and mental bliss that inspires my creativity and allows me to reach my health and fitness goals.   A state unattainable with exercise and nutrition alone.

So this morning I made myself a hearty and delicious breakfast– packed my bag for a gym session after work and sat down to write!  I have been asked so many questions lately about “how I do it?” From eating, to exercise, to cooking for one, to not eating a whole box of cereal in one sitting.  It may seem like a strange answer, but it all comes down to loving yourself. It’s that simple, in theory. But stay tuned as I dive into these topics and hopefully pass on a little inspiration to in-power you!

In the meantime…

Always #LikeAGirl

Get Puck Naked! 

What inspires you to love yourself!?

Wrong Turns in the Right Direction

It is so easy to fall into routines, habits, maybe you call them ruts. I happen to be a fan of routines. I like the comfort of consistency, to some extent.  For most of us, when transitions or major life changes occur we are forced to turn off cruise control and take the wheel.  Which means we may accidentally make a wrong turn, or blow a stop sign...or two (I swear it came out of nowhere).   But one thing is certain, the only way to find your stride and regain your composure is to get back on the bike and keep pedaling.  Enough metaphors yet?

My first week in Bristol, Connecticut was certainly filled with a variety of missteps.  Adjusting to life in a dorm shared with 8 other women, a new job at espnW and trying to maintain my health with nutrition and exercise was no small feat.  But instead of easing into it and letting myself settle into everything, I tried to force fit the perfect schedule right off the bat.  Always swinging for the fences.  Well we know what they say about home run hitters, they either go long or whiff.  And let me tell you, I had certainly hit a slump!

Popping out of bed early on day one to get a nice run in before heading to work seemed like a great idea, until it started to pour half way through! But no biggie, right?  After a quick shower, tried to make a nice cup of morning coffee but instead of a little sprinkle of cinnamon, I threw in an onslaught of garlic powder! (I am used to the cinnamon being in the front!)  I don’t care what the magical powers of garlic are; it does NOT taste good in coffee!  But then it was off to day one at ESPN so nothing could bring me down.

 

Baseball Tonight Studio 

The next morning when I tried to start my day with an INPower breakfast, it took a few tries to get my egg into the pan and not on the floor. I never realized how much of my kitchen time was on autopilot! The last kitchen hiccup was, in fact, at work when I somehow missed the neon yellow paper that was directly at eye level noting, “anything left in the fridge overnight will be discarded due to cleaning.”  That made for a nice surprise Friday around 1:00pm. See ya lunch and favorite Built NYC bag. 

Then there were the few times I made wrong turns coming home from work. Mind you, there is only one turn to make and the office is less than a mile away. 

Some may throw this one up in the loss column as a rough first week. But I am rocking a huge W.  Nobody learns how to throw a new pitch over night; it is the process of learning and figuring out what will work for you, that’s the fun part. The only way to figure that out? Keep at it.

Weighted Boxing Gloves for Piloxing! 

Being in a new town it was really tempting to stay in this weekend and get “caught up”.  But I decided to go for it – keep pedaling. I mentioned last week that I found an incredible fitness studio here in CT, Bloom Yoga Health and Wellness.  I like to start my day early – so why not with some 7am fist pumping and jab and hook combinations?  Ever heard of Piloxing? Me either, but let me tell you, I am a fan! A mix of boxing and Pilates, it is a great work out.  I was very hesitant to walk into the packed class, with weighted boxing gloves, a complete newbie. But I am so glad I did. If I had not gone, I would have never met some of the great women there who gave me a bunch of suggestions for the rest of the day and insisted I join them at the fusion yoga class immediately after. It was the perfect combination for a Saturday morning!     

Crescent Lake, Southington, CT

I was inspired by the yoga class, where we focused on our half monkey pose (a split), which symbolizes the “greatest leap of faith” and easing into something new but simply going for it! I mean…quite the coincidence.  I spent the rest of the day exploring the area, only to find exactly what I was looking for.  At first glance, there does not seem to be much beyond a series of strip malls and Dunkin Donuts on Queen Street.  But if you just keep going, tucked away in sleepy Southington, CT was rolling hills, beautiful orchards and a lake that was the perfect cap to a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  It was a good lesson in being in the moment, open to whatever comes, and trusting that moving forward with the best intentions will get me to my final destination at the right time. And not a minute sooner – no matter how hard I push.

Looking forward to a new adventure today with the family! 

What new things have you tried lately?

Fresh Blooms

It has been a long while. My last post was several months ago, after I had returned from a edifying yoga retreat. Unfortunately, my tendency to over involve myself left me little time to do the writing that I would have liked.  SOO naturally, with starting a new job today, I thought it was a great time to “get back on the horse!” On Saturday I moved into a new dorm for the summer that will be my home during my internship at ESPN. It is a very exciting, energizing opportunity that is filled with uncertainty. As we all know, change or transition is difficult and throw some unknown variables into the mix and it is a recipe for anxiety! So having invested significant time in getting to know myself, I knew the best way to help maintain balance and peace of mind during this experience is to fall back into the old habits that energize my soul.  Enter, The Whole Peace…and Yoga! 

After getting next to no sleep on my first night back in a twin bed (holy achy back!), while my 8 roommates (yes you read that correctly) slept, I hoped onto the spotty wifi to find the closes yoga studio. To my pleasant surprise there was an 8:45 hot power class a mere 7 miles away. Bloom Yoga Studio was exactly what I was looking for. The universe’s way of reminding me that following my heart will bring me to the right place at the right time. 

One of the yoga mantras written on the wall read “Bloom where you are planted.” Albeit simple, I found this line to be incredibly poignant.  Over the past few years I have been planted and re-planted several times in locations that are all very different. Each was an opportunity to learn, grow and flourish in a new environment. This simple line was a reminder that the challenges that lie ahead are nothing more than an opportunity to learn from those around me, grow, learn and flourish in new ways, that were perhaps previously undiscovered. The decision to “bloom where you are planted” is a commitment to being present, in the moment and dedicated to being the best version of myself in the face of every opportunity.

Come Monday, its time to take the field!  Day one is always the most exciting, new people, places and the endless possibilities!   Cant wait to see how this garden blossoms!

Have a great Monday…what is blooming in your garden?

How Healthy Are You?

This can be a tough question to answer. Mainly because at least once a week we are bombarded with news stories and social media posts about the hottest sure fire way to achieve “the best body ever!” But is health really all about looks? Well, not in my experience. Growing up as a strong athlete, I was certainly never thin, but it didn’t matter, I could play. I could play well. After an injury I became very nervous that without my sport my size was no longer “acceptable”, so when my college career was over I fought hard to keep thin so I would fit into the standard definition of “healthy.”  Well my drive to attain optimal fitness only led me to a depleted body, which while thin, was far from healthy.  I spent way too much time beating myself up for “ruining everything.” Luckily, I had the support I needed to kick my competitive side into gear, get back on track, and really get healthy. It has been about two years since that time and I am well on my way.  Ups and downs for sure, but it’s only the first inning! The most important step in reaching the level of health I was seeking was redefining what it means to be healthy.

            The answers were not in any magazine waiting to be purchased at the checkout counter. There was no magic food, pill, diet or fast that would bring real, lasting health.  The real key to health is becoming a good listener. The human body is an amazing machine telling you exactly what it needs; all we need to do is respond. While this sounds simple, it is one of the most difficult things to do. What our body needs is so often drowned out by emotions, distractions, and trying very hard to live by the “should do” rules.  Well all the “shoulds” can get hard to juggle, so I say lets drop those and start discovering authentic health. Approaching everything from a competitor’s mindset, being healthy, like any other goal, is easily achieved with the right team. Think of your mind, body and spirit as a health team.  All three must work together, communicate and contribute in order to reach the dream!   Unlike a diet plan, or recipe, this approach cannot be implemented instantaneously. It takes a bit of practice, patience and perseverance. Even though, my recipes are often food related, I thought I would provide a new type of health recipe to kick-start a real health plan!

MIND BODY SPIRIT HEALTH

1.     Take deep breaths several times a day to clear your head and check in- think microwave mediation (Mind)

2.     Prepare and eat real food on a daily basis - it can be as simple as oatmeal and granola in the morning or easy stir fry for dinner!  (Body) 

3.     Exercise daily, even short walks count! (Body/Spirit)

4.     Engage a personal passion every day – do something you love that is just for you! (Spirit)

It sounds simple, but getting all of these while trying to make deadlines, finish projects, make appointments, tackle to-do lists and make sure everyone else is taken care of if no easy feat.  But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, 

“I should love to satisfy all, if I possibly can;
but in trying to satisfy all, I may be able to satisfy none …”

In order to satisfy all that matter, we must first satisfy ourselves.  To be truly satisfied and able to live in our full expression, optimal health of mind, body and spirit are essential. Test the recipe above and see what kind of difference it makes in your Monday!

Old Habits Die Hard

Ever feel frustrated by the disconnect between what you know is good for you, what you know you should be doing or not doing and what you actually do? I experience this dissonance regularly and it can be exhausting! Even though my weekend yoga retreat led to a calmer start to the week, the everyday curveballs that make life interesting quickly cut though my Zen cloud and I found myself falling right back into old habits.  Rushing to my email immediately upon waking up, spending excessive amounts of time ‘planning’ my day to fit absolutely everything possible and accomplish all my to do’s.  Even though it was easy to revert back to my ‘overdrive’ default, something was different. I was aware. I was aware that I was up to my old tricks and that I preferred how I felt when my mind was clam.  I tried very hard to employ my microwave meditation practice to see if I could reign in the crazy, but the stillness from Monday was elusive.

So since that didn't work I decided to use my microwave to make some breakfast! Delicious oatmeal meal with almond butter, granola and banana! Perfect for a cold morning. I guess some old habits aren’t so bad!

Love spoons that talk :) 

But I was not ready to give up on finding a way to maintain my peace of mind. I decided to take a different approach. Breaking old habits can be hard. In fact, it can be one of the most difficult things to do! So instead of trying to break old habits, I am going to make new ones. I have always been better at addition that subtraction anyway! I wanted a new habit that would foster the notion of leading with heart instead of head or ego.   Like learning any new skill, I needed to consult some experts or coaches to help! I was inspired last weekend at our Cape May Yoga retreat and so deiced to employ one of the presenter's techniques.   This morning, after a few deep breaths, focusing on making space for today, I flipped through the pages of book that offers mini mantras for living a life with heart - to see what the ‘universe’ had to tell me.  The page that opened simply read:

“I am willing to release the need for this condition.”  

Now if that is not universal alignment, what is!? Sure some may say it is mere coincidence, but what fun is that?!  So I took another deep breath and released my negative patterns and habits, and let go of my resistance to doing so. The idea of 'resistance to doing so' was an interesting concept. Why is it that I resist being more protective of free time or down time? What is it about having time to relax that makes me so uncomfortable? What is it that makes us hold on so tightly to patterns or habits that interfere with our health?

Well, instead of wasting energy figuring it out, I let it go, let it pass like a cloud.  So with a little help from the words of Louise Hay, I was able to make space for today, by letting go of my resistance.  As always, it is all about self talk, what we tell ourselves about ourselves (right Dad?).  I am done trying to break old habits. Instead, I am excited to make new ones! A new habit that cultivates positive thoughts. When you think good things good things will happen. It’s science!

What negative thoughts or patterns can you let go of?

Making Space For Today

It has been a while. Several months since I have written and I am so thankful to have had an experience that brought me back, that helped me rediscover my voice…in more ways than one! Last weekend I attended a yoga retreat in Cape May with my grandmother, aunt and mom.  The experience is only a few days old and I don’t think I have fully processed it yet. So many things were shared and discussed and brought to light. I am still sorting and waiting for the dust to settle. But the experience as a whole was nothing short of transformative.  The retreat was not fancy or plush or or tucked away in an idyllic mountain range. The simplicity and relevance of the people, the practice and environment was incredibly humbling. 

Cape May Yoga Retreat Sunset

Buffalo "Chicken"

While there were many ideas that the different meditations and workshops cultivated and surfaced, it is a unique mantra that continues to resonate.  After returning to a busy city on Super Bowl Sunday, with a to do list a mile long that had piled up from the weekend and a jam-packed week ahead, I had concerns that my natural tendency to shift into overdrive would rob the peace and contentment I had obtained.   And then, all of the sudden, I simply decided it wouldn’t. It was like the first time you realize that you actually have learned how to ride your bike and you’re not going to fall off. That moment when you have finally figured it out. When I returned home Sunday, I had no sense of panic or urgency. I slowly unpacked and invited a friend over to make some delicious buffalo “chicken” bites and YUUMM (heart center) cookies. Both of those recipes are outrageously good so certainly more to come on those later J But the feeling that was swelling inside was not one of urgency but of love and I wanted to share it. My emails could wait until tomorrow. I wanted to enjoy the now, the moment, before it was over.

YUMM..Heart Center Cookies ;) Thanks Mom!

The current focal point of the weekend that is lucid is the ability to remain and live in the moment and allow for the possibility of now. Yoga is now. When I woke up on Monday morning, I felt not need to jump back into my old routine of flipping on the news to see what I had “missed.” Instead, I stayed the course of the retreat and practiced ”microwave” mediation. Our retreat meditation leader used this term and it just seemed so relevant:  quick, easy and effective.  I took several deep breaths, stretched and allowed my breath to offer a direction for the day. As I took deep breaths I felt as though I was creating space in my body, space for today. Creating space for today and the opportunities and blessings it could bring and how I could be an actor of love and light. Letting yesterday and tomorrow flow out with every exhale.

Just another day in Rittenhouse Park!

Every deep inhale was more space and energy for today, just today. Yesterday, despite a pretty unruly snow storm I was able to live my life with ease and with an open heart. It was a great day. So this morning I did the same. I made space with several deep inhales and let go with every exhale.  Which led me back to a real passion, writing. So happy I made space.  I cannot predict what today will hold, but I do know I will live with ease and with an open heart. 

What can you make space for today?