14 Ways to Improve Your Self-Discipline

Greetings all!

I recently read a great article that said, “Self-discipline is not luck. It’s a matter of planning, taking action and asking for help." 

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jiposhy/12055602675

The author provides 14 doable tips to boost your willpower - and they are all backed by scientific research! Here they are:

PLAN FOR SUCCESS AND…

1. Start on a Monday - 

Setting a date or event to mark the start of a new regimen can make you more likely to follow through on your goals.

MY NOTE: I would also like for that Monday to fall on the first of the month - but that happens very rarely so do not wait till then!

2. Write down your reasons for self-discipline - 

Affirmations strengthen self-control by focusing on higher values rather than on immediate impulses.

3. Visualize how you will benefit from your efforts - 

Your willpower lasts longer if you motivate yourself with the positive effects of self-control.

4. Prepare a plan of what you’ll say and do if the temptation arises - 

This is a proven technique taken from self-regulation strategies. For example, “If someone offers me dessert, then I’ll ask for fruit.”
MY NOTE: Does it mean I should refuse a chocolate-covered strawberry? 

Image from https://brightdrops.com/funny-life-quotes

5. Combine something you want to do with something you need to do - 

This forms good habits by pairing a “should” behavior (walking the dog) with a “want” behavior (gossiping with a friend).

6. Hide temptations in hard to reach places - 

Hiding candy from view makes you more likely to resist in indulging.

MY NOTE: This does work!!

7. Set an alarm for bedtime to get a full eight-hours of sleep - 

Sleep deprivation can impair the way your prefrontal complex works, which is the part of your brain where self-regulation takes place.

MY NOTE: I am a big fan of this!!

8. Ask friends to keep an eye out for bad habits you fall easily into - 

You are better at self-control when given repeated reminders.

MY NOTE: Something to remember during the next get-together!

WHEN TEMPTATION ARISES…

9. Weigh all your options before making a decision - 

Making an instant decision can result in poorer choices.

10. Drink hot water, lemon, and a tablespoon of honey - 

A fall in willpower can be tied to lower glucose levels.

MY NOTE: This one surprised me!

11. Avoid drinking alcohol - 

Alcohol can compromise self-discipline by reducing your ability to reflect on the consequences of your actions.

12. Use visual reminders - 

Leaving meaningful cues around your home can remind you to stay strong.

MY NOTE: However, be careful about leaving your exercise equipment in the middle of the room where you can easily trip over it!

13. Surround yourself with self-disciplined people - 

Undisciplined people wishing to improve gravitate towards people with more self-control – these people can form an effective support group.

AND REMEMBER…

14. Make sure your self-discipline is for you and not someone else - 

Your willpower is depleted when you try to please others instead of focusing on your own goals and desires.

SOURCE:

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/14-ways-to-improve-your-self-discipline

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Fight Your Silent Killer

Greetings all!

Did you know that 85% of primary care doctor visits might be due to stress-related causes? Stress is often referred to as the silent killer, and it can manifest in actual physical symptoms.

Image and tips from https://www.bluezones.com/2012/03/maximize-health-and-longevity-using-these-stress-management-strategies/

Here are several tips from the BLUE ZONES^® that might help you fight the stress in your life:

Tip 1: Keep a Daily Stress Journal

This will help identify how much stress you are under, potential stress triggers, and ways to reduce stress in your life. Take 15 minutes a day to describe any event that caused you to become stressed and any resulting emotional or physical response. Over time, you will be able to identify patterns, which will help you develop healthy management strategies.

MY NOTE: This makes sense to me! If you can measure it, you can devise the ways to manage it!

Tip 2: Learn To Say ‘No’ When You Have Too Many Activities in Your Schedule

Saying no when you are reaching your limit can be very empowering! People will respect your boundaries and be more appreciative of your time when you do agree to take on a favor or additional responsibility. Be firm but polite. Practice saying “no” in the mirror to gain confidence!

MY NOTE: I agree! Often, we are reluctant to say ‘No' but if we are stressed and unhappy, can we really help others?

Tip 3: Drink Water

This may surprise you, but keeping your body hydrated will help you feel better, improve your mood and ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs. Your body produces the hormone cortisol in response to stress. Dehydration, even by levels as low as 17 oz (just over two glasses) increases cortisol levels in your body.

MY NOTE: This definitely surprised me! I was not aware of the link between dehydration and cortisol.

Tip 4: Eat Well

In addition to drinking water, pay attention to what you eat: Diets high in fiber and low in saturated fat have a positive effect on overall mood. B vitamins, especially folic acid (folate) and vitamin B12 are known to help prevent mood disorders, including depression.

I would also add Tip 5: Get Plenty of Sleep and Tip 6: Add Movement to Each Day!

  

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Are You Out of Your Mind?

Image from https://www.instagram.com/p/B4X8QAGHd0s/

The Sea Organ [Visiting Croatia]

Greetings all!

What happens if you combine human ideas and skills and the energy of the sea, waves, tide and flood? You get the Sea Organ in Croatia!

Listen HERE (doesn’t it sound eerie but also meditative?):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n86pF-wQKrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myV3E9uREuI

Image and description from https://morske-orgulje.business.site/

This is how the website for this unique attraction describes it:

“The organ looks like a series of broad steps leading down into the water, but there's actually very clever engineering hiding under the surface. The lower steps allow water and air to flow in. That water and air is then funneled into resonant chambers under the steps, and pushed out through the channels on the upper stairs, seen here. These cause the undulating, chime-like notes to be produced. Because the sea is always shifting and changing, the sea organ never sounds exactly the same twice. Each sound you hear is completely unique."

Amazing, isn’t it? I would love to listen in person! What did you think? Drop me a line!!

Zuppa Toscana

Greetings all!

As the weather is slowly turning cooler, I am leafing through my soup recipes. One of my favorites is Zuppa Toscana.

Here is my lazy 5-ingredient 5-step version (full recipe below):

1. 1 lb Italian sausage: Chop and brown over medium heat. 
2. [OPTIONAL] Onion and spices (salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, etc.): Add to the sausage and cook for 3 minutes.
3. 2 large russet baking potatoes (or you can do half potatoes and half cauliflower): Dice, add to the pot, and pour water (or broth) to cover potatoes. Cook until potatoes are ready.
4. 2 cups of chopped kale: Add to the pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. 1 cup heavy whipping cream: Add to the pot, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Image and recipe from 

https://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298

Food.com Recipe Ingredients:

1. 1 lb Italian sausage 
2. 2 large russet baking potatoes, wash, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices
3. 1 large vidalia onion, chopped
4. 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
5. 1 teaspoon Accent seasoning (optional)
6. 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
7. 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
8. 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
9. 2 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tablespoon of minced garlic from jar
10. 2 cups packed in measuring cup kale or 2 cups swiss chard, chopped
11. 2 (8 ounce) cans chicken broth, add 1 envelope of chicken bouillon for extra flavor
12. 1 quart water
13. 2 teaspoons flour or 2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with enough water to make a paste
14. 1 cup heavy whipping cream (tempered)

Food.com Recipe Instructions:

1. Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces and cook until browned and meat is ground in bottom of your soup pan over med-high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to Sausage and cook until onions are clear and aromatics of the seasonings blend together.
3. Reduce heat back to medium and place, potatoes, in the pot. and slowly add the Chicken Stock and water and stir. (use Chicken Bouillon envelope for extra flavor if Chicken Stock is weak).
4. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done and stir occasionally. Once Potatoes are done, Add flour or cornstarch and simmer for another 15 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to lowest setting and sprinkle in your kale and cooked bacon and slowly pour cream while stirring.
6. Check for taste and then serve.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

10 Signs You’re Doing WELL IN LIFE

Sometimes we just need a reminder… Oleg Vishnepolsky has a great list:

1. You have a roof over your head

2. You have loyal friends

3. You have food to eat

4. You treat everyone with respect, not just those you need to impress

5. You have running water at home

6. You care about others

7. You strive to do be better

8. You have a dream

9. You are breathing

10. No matter what, you get up, show up, give it all you got – and NEVER give up

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vishnepolsky_10-signs-youre-doing-well-in-life-1-you-activity-6543885606584373248-lzxY/

P.S. Oleg's posts are fantastic! 

Guinea Pig Ice Cream, Anyone?

Greetings all!

Some of you might remember my “Row, row, row your boat” post in which I talked about grilled guinea pig being a savory delicacy in some countries.

Well, I just read an article that takes the guinea pig cooking to the next gastronomical level – guinea pig ice cream! How about that?! Would you like a scoop?

Images (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) and story from

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/guinea-pig-ice-cream 

María del Carmen Pilapaña, an ice cream vendor in Ecuador, decided to make a new flavor by cooking down the guinea pig’s meat and making a pate before blending it with milk or cream. She says it is a hit with her customers.

She also offers beetle- and mushroom-flavored ice creams, along with more traditional flavors.

When it comes to food, we all have our likes and dislikes. I often wonder about our food preferences and how preconceived they might be, driven by both personal tastes and cultural norms. But could we really just focus on the taste alone? Delicious is delicious, right? 

So if someone offered you an ice cream and it was amazing and then you learned it was made of a guinea pig, what would your reaction be?

What did you think? Drop me a line!