March 8 – International Women’s Day

 
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
~ Nora Ephron 

Sources:

• (and more inspirational quotes!) https://bookriot.com/strong-women-quotes/
• Image from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/49935

What Kind of Perfectionist Are You?

Greetings all!

Do you consider yourself a perfectionist? If so, which kind? 

Image from 

https://thexycode.com/2020/07/15/the-problems-with-perfectionism/

 
Psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler came up with five types. To find out yours, take a quick quiz HERE.
 
1. Intense perfectionist: Striving for success at all costs
 
Intense perfectionists are often direct, with unrelenting focus on achieving goals. They might lash out at others when things do not go their away. Does this remind you of kids throwing tantrums?!
 
Advice: Figure out the why behind your goals to ensure your goals are aligned with your values. This is actually a good suggestion in general!
 
2. Classic perfectionist: Highly organized and buttoned-up
 
Classic perfectionists are reliable, organized, and tidy but might lack spontaneity. A pen out of place might stress them out.
 
Advice: Be more spontaneous and less structured.
 
3. Parisian perfectionist: People pleasers to the max
 
Named after the effortless fashion sense of Parisian women, Parisian perfectionists strive to be liked and often defer to the opinions of others.
 
Advice: Assert yourself more so you do not lose your own sense of identity.
 
4. Procrastinator perfectionist: Always waiting for the right time
 
I think majority of us probably have some of this type in us: we wait for the circumstances to be right, we wait to be ready, we research and ponder – and then we are stuck in indecisiveness and do not do anything. Recognize yourself?
 
Advice: Accept “…that now is as good a time as any to start something!" LOVE this!
 
5. Messy perfectionist: Quick to start, slow to finish
 
Messy perfectionists are enthusiastic about the beginnings but are not strong with the follow-through, always finding themselves with half-finished projects.
 
Advice: Accept that you cannot do everything and break your goals into smaller chunks. I am a big fan of this advice!
 
What did you think? Drop me a line!

Source:
https://www.npr.org/2023/01/25/1151414475/the-five-kinds-of-perfectionists 

Thought of the week – Clouds Never Make Mistakes

Image from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/free-download.php?image=nacreous-clouds&id=10892

 
“Regard yourself as a cloud, in the flesh, because you see, clouds never make mistakes. Did you ever see a cloud that was misshapen? Did you ever see a badly designed wave? No, they always do the right thing. But, if you will, treat yourself for a while as a cloud or a wave and realize that you can’t make a mistake whatever you do. Because even if you do something that appears totally disastrous, it will all come out in the wash somehow or another. Then through this capacity you will develop a kind of confidence. And through confidence you will be able to trust your own intuition.”
 
~ Alan Watts
[as read on https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-23-2022]

7 Interesting Facts about Valentine’ Day

Greetings all!

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I collected 7 interesting facts about this holiday for you:

1)   The holiday is celebrated differently in many countries but celebrated it is with about 1 billion Valentine cards and 250 million roses annually!

Image from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/506874

2)   February 15 is an unofficial Valentine's Day alternative for singles, called Singles Awareness Day (or Singles Appreciation Day).

3)   At least three different martyred saints are associated with the holiday, and the legends go back to ancient Roman and Christian traditions.  

4)   Another origin story is the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, a Roman fertility festival, which definitely poses an interesting alternative to today’s dating apps:

“To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.” (https://www.history.com/)

5)   The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to officially brand the day as a day of romantic celebration in 1375 in one of his works.

6)   The oldest-known Valentine was sent in 1415 from prison by a 21-year-old Charles, Duke of Orleans. The story has a tragic end: the Duke spent more than 20 years in prison, and his wife died before they reunited. Here is his poem:

My very gentle Valentine,
Since for me you were born too soon,
And I for you was born too late.
God forgives him who has estranged
Me from you for the whole year.
I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine.

~ As read at https://www.lanternghosttours.com/post/history-s-oldest-known-valentine-was-written-in-prison

7)   People buy gifts for their loved ones, kids, friends, co-workers, teachers, pets, and themselves. The most popular gift categories are candy, flowers, cards, jewelry, and dining out. In the US, the 2023 jewelry spending was $6.2 billion! 

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Sources (and more facts!):

• https://www.boredpanda.com/valentines-day-facts/
• https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2#section_2
• https://share.america.gov/valentines-day-in-u-s-and-around-world
• https://www.lanternghosttours.com/post/history-s-oldest-known-valentine-was-written-in-prison
• https://safnow.org/aboutflowers/holidays-occasions/valentines-day/valentines-day-floral-statistics
• https://fitsmallbusiness.com/valentines-day-spending-statistics

Top New Year Resolutions

Greetings all!

Now that we are in the second month of this year, how are you progressing with your New Year’s resolutions? 

I confess this particular resolution does not appeal to me on any level!

Image from https://www.pexels.com/photo/message-new-years-resolution-paper-balls-running-72011/

Here are some of the most popular resolutions for 2024:

• Improve physical health / Exercise more / Lose weight
• Improve diet / Eat healthier
• Improve mental health (to this, I add “Worry less” and “Be grateful more”)
• Improve finances / Save more money / Reduce spending
• Improve work-life balance
• Reduce stress on the job
• Travel more
• Learn something new / Learn a new skill
• Read more
• Meditate regularly
• Spend more time with loved ones
• Make more time for hobbies
• Spend less time on social media
• Volunteer more
• Stop smoking
• Drink less alcohol

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Sources:

• https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/
• https://lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/whats-your-resolution-2024
• https://www.statista.com/chart/29019/most-common-new-years-resolutions-us/

What Was Your Rose?

Greetings all!

I recently came across an unusual way to incorporate gratitude into your life - “Rose, Bud, Thorn.” As I went through this little exercise, I also thought it might be a thoughtful alternative to the usual "How are you?" question, which oftentimes is not a question at all but just a perfunctory hello.  

Image from https://www.instagram.com/p/CeVPm8Cr1Fi/?hl=en

- ROSE is something positive that sparked joy, something you are grateful for: any highlight, win, achievement, small (or big) pleasure from the day. Your rose can be any shape, size, or form! I believe the important focus here is on “ANY.” 

- THORN is a challenge, a pain point: something that hurt or did not go well, maybe something requiring additional support. Too often, we focus only on thorns, and it takes a conscious effort to find a rose and a bud!

- BUD is a new development: something you are looking forward to and excited about. 

Image from https://www.imagethink.net/for-important-decisions-think-visually/

As a side note, doesn’t this remind you – quite serendipitously?! – of my very first blog post ““Step back (and smell the roses)”?!

So what is your rose today? Drop me a line! Hope your week is filled with roses and buds! 

Sources:

• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/20/phrases-genuinely-happy-people-say-every-day-according-to-psychology-experts.html
• https://www.imagethink.net/for-important-decisions-think-visually/
• https://www.mindfulschools.org/inspiration/mindful-reflection/

Shakshuka

Greetings all!

Do you have days when you open your full refrigerator and have no idea what to cook? During one of those moments, I recalled an easy, delicious, and very satisfying dish – Shakshuka! – popular in the Middle East and some parts of North Africa. 

Image and recipe idea from 

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/shakshuka-recipe/

You really need just 2 ingredients: a chunky tomato sauce and eggs but, of course, different spices and other veggies will only enhance the dish! 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• Canned or fresh chopped tomatoes 
• Optional veggies: chopped onion, green bell peppers, and minced garlic cloves 
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Optional spices: coriander, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• Parsley (or mint) for garnish
• Feta cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions:

• Saute tomatoes in oil for 10 min. If using other veggies, add tomatoes last
• Make holes in the sauce with spatula or spoon
• Add eggs and simmer
• Garnish with parsley and feta cheese

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!