Your Well Being Tip of the Day
Disengage electronically after 3 pm (or as soon as truly possible for
you). Dr. Andrew Weil has started doing this daily. He's concerned that our current information overload from media, the internet, phones and texting "is changing our brain function in bad ways". Disengagement may protect your precious brain!
Healthy & Delicious Food!
Sweet Potato Ginger Soup
In my books, there’s nothing like hot, nurturing soup to boost feelings of wellbeing through the winter; I eat soup almost every day and this is definitely one of my favorites. I’ve shared this recipe before and several of you let me know you made it and absolutely loved it... so, for those of you who are
new to the newsletter and may want to give it a go, here it is. Enjoy!
- 1 teaspoon ghee or olive oil
- 1 pinch red chili flakes
- 1 cup chopped leaks or onions
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp powdered ginger)
- 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari (most health food stores carry this)
- 5 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
From: The Chopra Center Cookbook (Deepak Chopra, David Simon and Leanne Backer).
Calming Chocolate Tonic
It’s been a while since I shared this one too and it’s such a delicious and healthy winter drink that it’s a must to share again. This precious little recipe comes from one of my treasured cookbooks chock full of delicious and healthy recipes. Here is what the author has to say about it...
"This rich, creamy, hot chocolate "tonic" pays homage to the Aztecs who first consumed cacao as a beverage. I love the idea of this warm delicious drink as a “therapeutic” beverage. Certainly it warms the heart as well as the body, especially if you sip it with someone you adore."
... Victoria Laine ... Health by Chocolate, 2008
Makes 2-4 servings
15 oz can (425 ml) coconut milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) cocoa powder
(organic, dark if you can get it)
1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup or pure honey
Pinch salt
Optional ingredients
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
4 slices fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Gratefulness Reflections
This morning, as I prepared to wrap up this edition of the newsletter, I asked the Universe to give me a good idea for something personal to share. And within seconds I got the idea to simply reflect on a few of the things I’m most grateful for. “Easy, fun and just perfect” I thought! So, here goes:
First, I’m most thankful for the voice inside of me that gives me answers to questions when I really need them! I have various names for that voice – my inner wisdom, the Universe, Intuition, God – they all feel right. And they work!
I find that the more I practice asking and trusting, the quicker I get the answer I feel I could use.
This year I’m particularly aware of being grateful for my wonderful Aunt Ruth! As I said to my teammates at Douglas College this fall, “she’s always seen me”. She’s always been there for me. For example, when I was very young (10-12) and felt invisible and un-important, she hired me to do housework. She not only paid me $10/hour (a lot of money to a 10 year old in 1971!) but she also ensured that we took a lot of breaks! We would sit and chat over tea and treats or my favorite salmon salad sandwiches that she knew I loved and would make for our lunch. She saw me and listened and heard. She treated me with respect and love. She taught me what that feels like and I feel sure that she succeeded in teaching me more about who I wanted to be. I could fill a few pages with stories of gratefulness for my Aunt Ruth – that’s how many there are. This year we discovered that she is ill and we don’t know how much longer we’ll have her around – and I’ve been deeply grateful to be able to help her in a variety of ways; ways that she tells me have been so valuable to her. That’s been truly awesome. Yes, I’m deeply grateful for my wonderful Aunt Ruth (and feel strongly that I’ll always feel her presence, thankfully).
With each passing year it seems I get more and more grateful for nature. Sometimes I feel like I could just eat it up, all of it! I just open my arms wide, lift up my face to the sky and say “Thank You!” Bring it on – bring nature on. How beautiful, how refreshing, how present, how lovely it is. Right now, I’m particularly fond of fresh air it seems. If I’m working inside I’m constantly opening doors and windows, even in the winter – and, although I limit myself due to energy conservation, I do think it’s a very healthy habit! I can just feel my cells saying “thank you Lee – we needed this”. Nature fuels me like gas fuels a fire.
And, thankfully, no list of mine would be complete without mentioning my dear mom, who continues to amaze me with her love for me and her desire to be the best person she can be. She’s a constant source of love and inspiration for me (I hope you read this edition of the newsletter mom because, even though I tell you this fairly often, I know it would be fun for you to read it here).
In fact I love and cherish each member of my family – they’ve all enhanced my life in beautiful and important ways, even when I couldn’t see it at the time … and I’ll always be grateful for that! PS: My precious nieces and nephews light up my life like sparkly showers falling from fireworks in the sky!
And if I were to rate my satisfaction level with my friendships, on a scale of 1-10, I’d have to give it a TEN, hand down! What a special, wonderful, intimate, fun, deep, quirky, smart, truthful, loyal, giving and wise group of friends I’ve been blessed with. Riches of riches – showers of blessings … really! Oh, I’m grateful for my dear friends.
And that leads me to each of you. I feel deeply grateful for you dear friends. I’m grateful for your loyal interest in my work and our shared passion for wellness, and so much more. It’s my life’s intention to serve others as best I can … and, because of you, I’m doing this! In the words of my dear mentor, Marianne Williamson, I hope you feel it’s an equal exchange – that I’m supporting you, you’re supporting me, and both of us are growing into better people because of it.
Most of all, I wish you love.
Happy holidays,
Lee
May you feel fully embraced
in
peace, love, and sufficiency,
not only through the holiday season,
but always...
Coaches Corner
There is nothing more wonderful than feeling grateful. And so, I love to experiment with all sorts of fun and interesting ways to build a sense of gratefulness in my life, and to help any of my clients that want more of the same.
If this sounds good to you, here are some powerful questions that are perfectly designed to help you to tune into that part of you that is grateful, even when you may not feel it consciously. If you’re able, I suggest that you write out your answer to the question that most attracts your attention (or to all of them!) – the writing process seems to cue us to sit with something and see what else pops up, instead of rushing onto the next question or task after one quick answer. Also, the writing will provide hard copy evidence of the good in your life – evidence that you can look back on anytime you need a dose of gratefulness. Post it on your fridge, armoire, bathroom mirror, etc … or keep it in a pocket so you can touch it, be reminded, and again feel grateful whenever you want.
What would you miss if you lost it?
Who would you miss? What qualities in them would you miss?
What are your wonderful qualities? Who would you be without those? Who do they allow you to be? What’s important about that?
If you feel inspired to take action on any of the ideas, tips or themes in this newsletter, a good way to begin is to ask yourself "What is one small step I could take today? Will I commit to this?"
Congratulations for asking! You're on your way.
Coach Lee
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