Acts of Kindness

I've been wanting to write about Acts of Kindness for a while now. The thing is, we are all so beautifully impacted by simple acts of kindness...when we are the receiver of them - the response is instantaneous.  You see or feel immediate lightness, openness, a smile, a feeling of love and warmth. The giver has equal satisfaction as do the observers.  There have been many studies that show how positively impacted we are, even by merely watching an action of love like 2 people hugging.  Similarly, an un-kind act can have the opposite affect where you almost see the smiles and energy of the person or people leave like the popping of a balloon.  It's all energy, folks...quantum physics at work.

Years ago, a friend sent me a hand-made wall flower garden, little throw pillows and matching placemats...all made by him...all given just because. These gifts lasted YEARS...and literally every time I looked at these gifts, I smiled...I felt loved and I remembered my friend Glen. In that remembering for that moment, I believe that in the quantum field and literally throughout the years of living across the nation from one another, it kept us positively connected and I believe the blessing I continuously felt transferred to him each time I saw or used the gifts. 

Recently, I was the witness of an act that was not so kind. I walked into a local coffee shop where a man was yelling at the lady behind the counter...counting pennies and dimes because the change that was given was incorrect. She had accidentally put in $5 and change instead of the $10 and change that was given to her and was attempting to make it right. This man made an enormous deal about it...and ultimately, holding it together, the lady said...let me buy your coffee...it's on me...I didn't mean to upset you. He was so taken aback by the generosity but nonetheless did not apologize and walked away. I stood in front of the 'deer in head lights' look on her face and watched the strength that she summoned after that intense interaction...wash away.  Her shoulders fell and tears began to stream.  I was so moved by the emotion, I, too, began to fight the tears...I told her to take a moment...and that I would be fine waiting (truth is, I needed a minute also...I thought...why am I crying...this feels crazy). It made what was to be a good even great day into one that left this woman and the people around her feel upset.  It was a simple mistake and one that in the big picture was really NOT a big deal.  In that experience, we were all impacted even the patrons who walked in after the incident as the type of care they would have gotten wasn't available while the lady continued to process her feelings...getting my order incorrect, giving away more free drinks and so on. (Not so great for the business either).

Our mood, how we feel, the things that affect us are projected out all the time.  Once aware, we can choose how and what we project out into the world.  In an act of being kind and compassionate for that simple mistake, that man could have actually shifted the energy completely in the whole coffee shop. Simple acts of kindness can make a huge impact.  We may not always be aware of it...but if this is just an example, I'd say it's well worth it.

This leads me to a whole other topic that I will cover another time...which is, How do you pull yourself back to the present moment even when something has 'side-lined' you? A little of anything can go a long way...much more empowering and joyful when it is kindness but how do you do it when you woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something else in your life is stressful? Stay tuned. 

...back to Acts of Kindness...

My sister has a friend who goes through the Starbucks drive thru almost daily and at least once a week...she pays for whoever is behind her...as a 'pay it forward' act of kindness. She never knows their response but has a satisfaction that she made somebody have a little bit better of a day! I LOVE this idea. It is so simple and how fun would that be to have a surprise gift just because.

How many times have you received a FB post, a text or an email with a little note that says, I'm thinking about you and/or I just want you to know that I love you.  Instantly, you have warm fuzzy feelings.  It makes you know that you are important enough to not only be thought of but to have someone take it a step further to express it.  It feels awesome! Recently, I've been desiring to take it one step further.

I often think of people from my past and my present who I love so much...I cherish who they are, the memories we have shared and wonder how they are. I even sometimes think about sending a little 'love' package just because. I used to do this for friends and family...send a little care package with a note.  It has been years...maybe even decades since I have done this on a regular basis. And while my intentions have been there...life gets busy (enter in your reason/excuse) and it just hasn't happened. What a bummer for these fabulous people not to know FULLY how much I think about and love them.

Recently, I received a gift in the mail. A gratitude gift that was for me and Dr. Abby.  This woman gave us each a mug with $100 bill in it, a teavana loose tea cup/steamer and a delicious bag of loose leaf tea.  She wrote a note stating her tremendous gratitude for the work we do, the dedication we have to making people better and healthier and gave an explanation for each thing in the care package box. Everything was SO meaningful and the thought that went into the gift was tremendous.  Going beyond just an email or a card and sending such a thoughtful gift IGNITED me to want to do this for others. It made my heart open wider and sing a little louder. It made me feel full and blessed. It inspired me to want to take the one step further so I can make people I care about feel the way I was made to feel.  My plan: Make a list. Think about what they might like as a gift or what feels meaningful to me to give to that person or group. At least once per month, choose someone and make it happen!

How often to do you actually show up in kindness with purpose to make strangers or the people you love feel important and like they matter??? Try it! Let us all know how it goes...how it feels to be both the giver and the receiver of these small or large acts of kindness. 

Ignite Your Fire! Spread Your Love and Light!
Dr. Cari J.

Missing Sugar and Feeling Full!

It is so interesting the craving for feeling full that I'm having...are you having this too?

If you're rocking your paleo, whole30, cleansing whatever protocol...then you may feel like me at this moment...I am not craving sugars per say but damn, I miss eating them! I LOVE delicious tasty treats...even if it is in the form of a gluten free muffin or something...even just some rice with my protein and veggies.

It is amazing not to eat anything artificial and to totally give the body a reset/a break from it all...it is crazy how lost in unconscious eating we can get...so here is how I'm navigating these feelings...

I'm googling and brainstorming for ideas...the latest - Plantain chips with guacamole. Okay...yes...that sounds fabulous...haven't had this yet and really, how can you go wrong there?

Making sure I keep up with cooking and food prep. This way, I don't go hungry or left without a choice so...

MORE IDEAS:

1) Movie night (in or out) : sliced apples in a baggie with almond butter in a small tupperware or another baggie of mixed nuts

2) InstantPot: A roast with veggies and used 3 cups of broth and fresh herbs NO wine :( WAS DELICIOUS STILL! :)

3) Thanks to Jojo who suggested almond flour with herbs and spices mixed in...to make homemade chicken fingers...which I did TODAY! YUMMY!

4) coconut butter and ghee (like a 1/2 teaspoon of each) blended in my coffee with a bit of unsweetened vanilla almond milk...YES, Please.

5) Chicken or Pork Italian Sausage cooked up at once...sliced and pan fried with the roasted veggies I already have made. This is really great for breakfast...very yummy...add an egg and avocado too if you want.

6) Pederson's bacon. whole30 approved (no sugar) and really good.

7) dried apples rings for a quick nibble if needed.

Staying positive...Body Jamming at the gym helps! :) 

Until next time,
Dr. Cari J.

Braving a Restaurant + Activating Your Intentions!

Last night, I braved going to a restaurant for the first time since starting Whole30. Planning was key to reduce the anxiety...so we did pack an airtight container of salad dressing.  I was very hungry by the time we sat at the table and the bread basket (that the others at the table wanted) stared me in the face and said "I'm Delicious!" I was like, "I know you are, you sweet adorable bread..." I am in it to WIN it, people...no bread basket is worth starting back at Day 1...so there that was...but my patience was waning.  Where is our server?! Salad with veggies no croutons no dressing, steak (NO Butter! Almost forgot about that...and made sure it wasn't marinated in anything), steamed green beans, steamed broccoli with lemon no butter and a sweet potato to share...PSYCHED! It was delicious. I ate a lot. I left satisfied. Made it. You do really have to be conscious and sort of annoying to your server...but it IS doable and was really nice.

So, I just went through a bunch of old boxes from high school and college that I had no memory of storing in my folk's attic.  They are moving soon and so a large project was created for me.  I did a superior job of keeping really nicely organized photo albums.  Going through it all and reminiscing (mostly with myself) about all the fun adventures I had, the trips, events I created, musicals I sang in, friends I experienced this with, 7th grade love notes, I mean...I even had some tokens from Showbiz Pizza...hilarious!  I was really remembering ME again.  I think we forget sometimes when we get caught up in the day to day work and rhythm and sometimes we even lose a bit of ourselves.  It helped me remember who I am, the difference I made in people's lives and the adventures especially in nature that filled me up!  Even with intentions to do more...it just doesn't always happen...especially with regularity.  

Been thinking about this lately...why is it that sometimes we set goals and intentions and get gung-ho and follow through with them but why most of the time we don't.  What is that REALLY about?  This morning, I was reading and stumbled upon a newsletter from the #daybreaker team.  They wrote an article that literally answered my question and I must share it with you! It is kind of science nerdy -which makes me even happier...it basically talks about living as if the goal is done...the details are seriously worth the full read!

Daybreaker, what is that/who are they, you ask???  Let me tell you! They are in the business of changing things up and inspiring...changing up the day-to-day same ole thang. How do they do that? They have pop up locations all over the world to start your day with groovy DJ tunes, yoga and then a total dance party (along with healthy snacks, coffee and kombucha) starting at 5:00am-8:30am. Yep, you read that right...AM...and it is truly PHENOMENAL! Talk about IGNITING! Hundreds of people go to it.  Daybreaker...Yes, please.  I just experienced it in December 2017 for the first time and my ass definitely wanted to stay in my warm bed on a cold winter morning but I had committed completely to going so I stumbled my way to the event. I left inspired, excited and content. I had the best time! It reminded me of that feeling again...the one I felt when going through my old memories...and I do believe it is what started me to REALLY change things up for my life. THANK YOU, Daybreaker!   

What breaks up your routine? Gets you feeling into 'Your Joy'?

Share!

With Love and Gratitude,
Dr. Cari J.

Challenged? Difficult? Here's Some Inspo!

...Read to the end...it's worth it! :)

I have been BUSY these last few days.  On Wednesday, I decided that to continue to eat healthfully, constant cooking is a necessity and therefore a Trader Joe's run was in store!  To make that happen, I needed to go prior to work. I rushed to the office, dropped off Charlie (my sweet healing dog), ran to TJ's, shopped for 4 huge bags of groceries (for $150 which for sure would have been doubled at Whole Foods), rushed back to the office and unloaded the groceries in the fridge, saw patients until 6ish, re-loaded groceries, drove home, fed Charlie and unloaded the groceries AGAIN and ran to the gym to BODY JAM!...my favorite...the class that allows me to pretend that I'm a professional dancer for a solid hour...then HOME by 8:30pm. THAT is dedication to health. Holy cow! 

I've been busy cooking like crazy...keeping it simple though b/c really, who has the time?...chicken and regular pork Italian sausages (whole30 approved, of course), grassfed ground beef with riced cauliflower and carrots (like a fried rice) with coconut aminos, scrambles, salads, butternut squash soup (See below for recipe) and a big pot of chicken soup (my specialty).  Roasted a ton of veggies...lasted like 5 days (recipe below).  I decided to make more which took me maybe 10 minutes to prep 2 more big pans of veggie to roast for another several days of making fuller meals easier.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS = Keep the food prepped! :)

Yesterday was the first time that Whole30 felt hard. Mom ordered food for me and my sister's family. She thought she ordered me something healthy by getting a chicken kabob with veggies but when I opened it, there was a soy/terryaki sauce all over it. Two things happened...first of all, when someone tries to do something nice for you even when they get it (whole30) wrong...you feel badly about it and often we just say to ourselves, "it's not THAT big of a deal, fuck it, I'll just eat it"...which I didn't but then I started to look around and realized I couldn't take a bite of anything...the cheeseburger on a bun, a few of those fries, nibble on the cookie, taste the terriyaki steak with fried onions...the only thing there as I looked around - blood sugar tanking + feeling starved - was iceberg lettuce...YUCK!  Fortunately, my husband saved the day with a rotisserie chicken and the butternut squash soup that I had made but without that, I felt screwed.  

This was a SOLID reality check for me.  It is something I know already but there it was staring me in the face...so much sugar, wheat, corn, grains, dairy in some form...found in EVERYTHING - seemingly - and I had such an awareness of how easily we can fall into the trap of slowly but surely (or quickly) getting out of a healthy eating regimen. Just a little bit of this and that is all it takes to swirl and whirl down the rabbit hole of "who cares" and "Oh, we'll get a dessert and we can all share it or only have a couple bites"...Yeah...I know I'm not the only one.

If you fell off the wagon, get your ass back up!  Start Again and Stick to it! You've got this! 

To help you along...Here are a couple of Ideas/Recipes that are DOING IT for me!

~Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Burgers = DELICIOUS + Flavorful and sliced up on a salad...YUM!

~Roasted Veggies: dice up any veggie like sweet potato, onion, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, brussel sprouts (I throw all of them on a pan) massage in coconut oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Put in oven at 400-415 for 30-45 minutes (I like mine more well done and crispy) and let cool.
     ~This is great with dinner as a side dish, warmed up in a saute pan and throw in an egg or diced up sausage for breakfast or throw it on your salad to make the salad more filling + texture

~Butternut Squash Soup - I mentioned it above...steam a couple of bags of butternut squash (already diced for you thanks to TJs), Blend it with some Whole30 approved chicken stock (read labels), add unsweetened almond milk and seasonings...I was wanting sweeter so I went with salt, pepper and cinnamon. You can do basil, curry, rosemary, garlic, saute onions and blend it all in. You can even swirl a bit of pesto on top of it with a few walnuts to provide texture once in your bowl. It is REALLY easy.  Took me 20 minutes from start to finish. *Note* Careful not to add too much liquid if you like the soup it bit creamier in texture.

~Tessamae Salad Dressings = life is easier (found at Whole Foods) - loving the Zesty Ranch and Green Goddess

~A Special Treat by Dr. Cari J = Your Welcome! :)
I got really creative. I put 1 banana in a bowl and blended it with 1/2 cup of Justin's Almond Butter. I then added 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips, sliced almonds, and crushed walnuts. I hand mixed it in and divided it into small glass jars - added a few blueberries on top and placed in the fridge for quick easy treats or to support blood sugar balance on a busy day! IT IS DELICIOUS! 
     ~I admit - to part of the batch I added an egg and more nuts, baked it at 350 for 17 minutes and it made like a cookie...fuck'n amazing. I have to say...I am NOT a baker...so this experiment pleased me greatly that it was an actual success on the first try...feels like I'm cheating but I feel solid about it...as long as it isn't an everyday eat...

Until Next Time,
Cari J. 

    

Today Is The Day!

Despite the cravings for a warm baguette with butter (which isn't even something that I eat) and a huge chocolate chip cookie..."Today Is The Day"

...This is what my new calendar for the month of January says...and YES, today is the day for choosing something new and different! Whole30 has begun and Louise Hay in her daily calendar has affirmed my 2018 choices.  She stated:

"It is a new year; time to shine like the stars!  This is a wonderful time for reflection, inner growth, and illumination. Let's keep in mind that at any moment, we always have the opportunity to choose love or fear. In moments of fear, we must remember the sun--it is always shining, even when clouds may be obscuring it for a while...This year, may we continually choose to remember the light."

So there it is! 

I'd be lying...I guess we all would...if we said every moment was easy. I think Louise Hay is acknowledging the ups and downs...pointing out that it is in the hard moments that we are really faced with a choice. In my work and in my life, I've learned that it is the choice at these cross-roads, small or large, that make all the difference in how we get to move through life.  In this moment, I choose to eat clean even with cravings.

It's funny when I really think about a craving because even when the craving is 'honored,' it's like moments of satisfaction for long term feeding the cycle of the craving and ultimately leading us to a place of disempowerment.  Chocolate.  What? I mean...ugh...the next moment, we can forget! Addiction...Habits...whatever you want to call it...it's intense and takes that conscious choice...EVERY TIME...dang it! Can't it just be easier? My hope is that it can and does.  Time heals and habits shift. To shining Light even if it's cloudy!

Create the rules of your life! Ignite, baby! Ba Bam!

To Seizing the Day!
Dr. Cari J.

P.S.  Thanks to my best friend, MiKel Bell, for rooting me on, checking in on me and hooking me up with great Whole30 recipes! Psyched to try them. I'm very touched with the outreach of support by many! Thank you to all! Makes all the difference. XO

A New Day...A New Year - 2018!

1/1/2018

Working up to the New Year, stress increased, ideas came in and conscious eating seemed to go out the window…especially with Christmas in Jamaica’s all-inclusive resort.  As a holistic healthcare practitioner, I know all that it takes to be and stay healthy…but knowing it and actually being in the practice of it are two very different things.

While away, I took out a book that I started but hadn’t finished (as often happens) that had been given to me by a patient.  In that moment, as I looked at the title and re-read the title “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are” by Brene Brown, I thought, “Is this a hint?”…”Am I a poser?” Did the patient that gave this to me think that or was it just a kind gesture? Maybe a bit of both…either way, I don’t care…in this moment, it inspired me and woke me up to my life: What am I doing? Who am I hiding from? Why am I not allowing my fullest self to be seen?

I began reading it again putting extra focus on the parts I had underlined on the first go-around and came upon a part where she said we all know a lot of things…we know what is healthy and not healthy and yet we have the sickest and most obese nation…and there it was…exactly what I feel.

Fast forward (passed the chocolate chip cookies, bread & pasta eating, a bloated belly and sinus congestion) to our road trip to Dayton, Ohio on December 30^th to visit my in-laws where I read a post from an inspired college friend of mine, Carlyn who posted that on January 1, she was going to start the Whole30.  I thought to myself…I need that too!

I have to admit, my first response after knowing that I need to do Whole30 was to pretend like I didn’t see the post and pretend like I don’t know what I know…so I can just go on eating whatever I want whenever I want with nothing/nobody dictating what I should do.  Isn’t it funny how our brain messes with us! WTF is that?!!  I am so far from feeling my best and why would I NOT want to feel that sooner than later!?!  I am SO READY for my physical body to match all the work I’ve done spiritually and emotionally. I am ready to truly step into the KNOWING of my self worth…

My mantra for 2018 – I AM EMPOWERED FEELING IGNITED!

I decided I would claim it right there and then…I was going to do Whole30.  Then I thought, I think I know what Whole30 is but I better see what I just got myself into…so I googled the cliff notes version of it and quickly decided that it was a NEED at this point not even a WANT.  I posted to claim it on Carlyn’s page…invited my office and husband to join me. 

I am clear that now is the time to stand in my power, get vulnerable and just let myself be seen…that at the very least it will hold me accountable to ME…maybe for the first time in my life…and maybe along the way inspire a few folks.

To affirm this further…on the way home from Ohio, Darrell (my husband) and I listened to Howard Stern’s Best of 2017 interviews.  We had a fortunate opportunity to hear U2’s Bono & The Edge interviewed. The history of the band, their humble nature and story of their success grabbed my attention. They began discussing their new album inspired by Bono having a health scare.  He felt that he was facing the end of his life and began writing the songs for their album to all the people he loves. He said, The album isn’t dreadful and about death but actually it turned out to be quite joyful and inspiring (he hopes). I like to think of it as choosing to live more fully and in the moment when in the face of death. He said, I think we preach and teach what we, ourselves need to hear the most...Yes. This was followed by him singing this song:

“Get out of your own way.”  

…Get out of your own way,

Get out of your own way

I could sing it to you all night, all night

If I could I’d make it alright, alright

Nothing’s stopping you except what’s inside

I can help you, but it’s your fight, your fight

Fight back

Don’t take it lyin’ down, you got to bite back…

…Get out of your own way…

So I leave you with that. What will you do in 2018 to get out of your own way? To honor yourself just a little bit more? I…will start Whole30 tomorrow. Here is a link to the cliff notes version I found on Whole30…see if it is for you and if so, share your progress, ideas, recipes and challenges. I will be.

https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/

Until next time…

Dr. Cari J.

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