Finding Balance and Joy

Monday, September 13, 2021

Cake Quiz [But Mostly Pictures!]

Greetings all!

Do you like cake? I came across a cake quiz – and although the quiz does not tell you anything you already do not know, I LOVED the pictures of the cakes – drool, drool!

Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/lizmrichardson/how-many-cakes-have-you-eaten-quiz

Which one is your favorite?

Monday, September 6, 2021

2022 Bucket List Trips

Greetings all!

A friend recently lamented to me that it has been almost 2 years of no travel! Even though we do not know when things will get better and when we can explore the world safely again, I try to stay positive.

For me, thinking about destinations, looking at pictures, reading itineraries and dreaming about traveling again soon - all that sparks joy!

Here are 2022 Bucket List Trips, according to SmarTours:

Alaska

Eastern Europe

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

Egypt

Iceland

Mediterranean Cruise

Peru

Rhine River Cruise

South Africa

Vietnam and Angkor Wat

Source: https://smartours.com/best-bucket-list-trips

What did you think? Drop me a line!

P.S. I am not advertising these tours or the company – I just like the pictures and the travel ideas!

Monday, August 30, 2021

Thought of the week - Breathing

Greetings all!

As I was shuffling through the meditation cards, I came across this one – and it really surprised me! You know how you can see or read or hear the same thing again - and perceive the information completely differently? Our internal moods shift, even throughout the same day, and we might experience same things in new ways!

from http://www.deeshan.com

I have seen this card before but this time I got a different message - that “You can then change your moods by changing your breathing”!

So if you observe and remember your breathing when you feel at peace, you can try to recreate that feeling of peace by recreating your breath. I love the idea that your breathing can change your mood!

What did you think? Drop me a line and have a great week!

Monday, August 23, 2021

Cute Animal Video: Lazy Cat With a Toy

Greetings all!

As you might recall from my earlier post, watching videos of cute animals is good for you! You can revisit this post here:

https://findingbalanceandjoy.blogspot.com/2021/07/cute-animal-video-cat-william-and-his.html

Well, some of the videos are not only cute but also educational. Take Hosico cat for example! Not only he is adorable but he can teach us a thing or two! He definitely knows how to conserve energy in this hot weather!

He also knows how to enjoy doing nothing, even when distractions are present.

Watch this highly instructional video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtZCXsD7pFE

Hope you find time to do nothing in the upcoming days! Have a great week and drop me a line!

Monday, August 16, 2021

Roasted Figs Stuffed with Feta Cheese

Greetings all!

Is the fig season upon us? I noticed many grocery stores are carrying them. So healthy and delicious when fresh (or dried or in a jam)!

I recently also tried them roasted and stuffed with feta – easy, tasty and pretty! Yum!

Image and recipe from

https://www.olivetomato.com/roasted-figs-stuffed-with-feta-cheese/

Ingredients

Fresh ripe figs about 1 pound not too soft (I made 4 figs only)
3 ounces feta cheese
1 teaspoon Greek yogurt
1 ½ teaspoon fresh mint chopped (I only had loose mint tea and it worked great!)
Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 Celsius)
In a bowl mash the feta with the yogurt and the mint
Wipe the outside of the figs with a damp towel (I washed the figs)
Cut off stem and make two cuts to form a cross, slightly opening the fig
With a small teaspoon tuck in some of the feta mixture
Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes
Add some pepper
Let them cool a bit, and serve warm (mine were very hot right out of the oven!)

I only made 4 figs and just scaled down the other ingredients – had I made 10, I would have eaten them all in one sitting, they were so delicious!

The yogurt-feta-mint mix was very tasty on bread. Next time, I will try it with crackers and with other herbs.

Also, since it is so hot out and you are using the oven, how about roasting other vegetables at the same time? I roasted red bell peppers and added them to my plate with figs, with some mozzarella cheese and olives for a very satisfying summer lunch!

For more recipes, visit https://www.olivetomato.com/

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Monday, August 9, 2021

The Four Tendencies Quiz

Greetings all!

I think most of us at one time or another had felt frustrated or annoyed by others. But do you ever feel that way about yourself? And if so, have you wondered why?

According to Gretchen Rubin's book "The Four Tendencies", our Tendencies help shape our worldview and explain how we respond to outer (e.g., work deadlines) and inner (e.g., New Year’s resolutions) expectations.

The Four Tendencies are (from https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/):

Upholders want to know what should be done.
Questioners want justifications.
Obligers need accountability.
Rebels want freedom to do something their own way.

Gretchen believes that once we know our Tendency, "We can make better decisions, meet deadlines, meet our promises to ourselves, suffer less stress, and engage more deeply with others."

TAKE THE QUIZ HERE to discover your dominant Tendency: https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/four-tendencies-quiz/

The quiz is very short and you only have to provide your email address. Once done, you receive a several-page report - mine was interesting and accurate!

Here is one of the quiz questions:

My constant need for more information exhausts me.
As soon as someone expects me to do something, I don’t want to do it.
I can take time for other people, but I can’t take time for myself.
I can’t take a break from my usual habits, or violate the rules, even when I want to.