We rarely get a moment of space and quiet unless we make the effort to create it in our day. Taking time to quiet the brain, connect with nature and create space for your own self love and care can feel impossible but it’s absolutely necessary to implement for our health and happiness. We tend to rush through the day, running here, there and everywhere, and we end up exhausted. Our days are full of family duties, work obligations, and the general busyness of life. We often feel our productivity comes from crossing off the items on the to-do list, and we find ourselves doing things we really don’t care to do.

The truth is, life on Earth is a brief gift, and our time is too precious to be used like this. If we want our lives to be balanced and healthy, we need to lessen our load and increase our time for self-care. This means planning less in a day, and prioritizing those things that make our hearts sing. If we must accomplish many things each day, we can still change the quality with which we complete the tasks. Taking even brief moments in the day to relax and breathe, or stepping outside to take in the fresh air, can reduce stress and provide you a renewed outlook for the day.

Belly breathing is an easy, transportable, simple task that can turn your outward thoughts to a moment of inward thinking, increase your body awareness, and provide you the opportunity to get in touch with your inner voice. When we rush through our days, we are inundated with outside noise, emotion, tension, and situations that can cause anxiety, chaos, and stress in our body. This is the type of activity that leads to disease in the body followed by aches and pain, fatigue, and other symptomology.

Join me for this exercise:

• Find a quiet space for yourself. Sit and get comfortable. Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, roll your head in a relaxing circular motion to the right and then to the left.
• Envision your belly as a balloon. The goal is to fill up every space of that balloon with air.
• Place one hand on your heart and breathe deeply in through your nose then exhale through the mouth. Breathe in deeply and let your belly expand as a balloon would. When you get to the “fill” line, take one more deep breath and pause.
• Now release all the air from the belly, deflating every bit of the balloon. When you get to the final little space of air, blow out one extra breath.
• Repeat this cycle of breathing for one minute.
• While continuing this breathing pattern, recite a positive intention on the in-breath and release the negativity in your life with each exhale.
• Focus on what you need at this time for your positive affirmation; if you’re struggling with self-confidence you might say something like “I am enough,” if you’re worrying about something out of your control, you can recite “All is well in this life.” 
• Speak your affirmation clearly and confidently as if you already feel it and believe it. On the exhale, release the negativity that exists: “I release the need for control,” “I release all negativity,” or “I release all fear.” One affirmation with each inhale and one focused release with each exhale.
• Take in the positive energy of this moment and connect with yourself.

You should feel differently now than before you did the exercise. In one minute you can feel relaxed, calm the stress response in your body, connect with your inner voice and focus on positive thoughts and affirmation to carry you through the day.

Simple. Effective. Transportable. Necessary.

Every one of us can find one minute of time in the day, and if you’re lucky maybe one minute every hour. Do this for yourself. Make the time to belly breathe, and as you continue your practice, move your time up by one minute every week until you hit the five-minute mark. These five minutes will be one of your most treasured, refreshing moments of the day. This exercise is especially helpful in moments of anxiousness. You’ll enter your day with clarity and calm, and when you repeat this exercise before slumber it’ll support you in calm, sound sleep.

Many blessings to you as we all embark on new beginnings and welcome in 2020!

“Every ending is a new beginning.”

It’s a pleasure to serve you!  Feel free to email me with comments or questions: connect@AngelaGaffney.com. 

XO, 

RECIPE: 

Bacon Cheddar & Tomato Scramble

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter (olive oil or a combo of both)
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp chives minced
Pinch of chipotle ground salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked bacon diced
15 grape tomatoes cut in 1/2
1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated(extra for garnish)
8 whole eggs whisked in a bowl

Directions: 

In a sauté pan over medium to med high heat. melt butter, add garlic and chives, cook just long enough to smell it. add tomatoes and cook for about 2 min. add bacon,chipotle, salt & pepper toss around a bit. Add eggs. Cook about 1/2 way then add cheese and cook until eggs are firm and not runny (there might be some liquid from tomatoes), serve and enjoy!

Recipe compliments Angela Gaffney “The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection Breakfast”

This time of year is usually spent with family and friends, sharing food and drink and being merry. Holiday buffets will be filled with food galore, sugary treats and alcohol too. So how does one stick to healthy eating while still being merry this holiday season? These quick and easy tips will help you stay on track and have great fun while doing so:

1. Don’t head off to a holiday party or event hungry. Have a nourishing snack before you go. A generous handful of nuts and dried fruit, some vegetables dipped in hummus, or tortilla chips and guacamole will do. Each of these snacks will provide you a little fat, protein and fiber to keep you satiated.
2. Keep in mind that fat and fiber are your two good friends when digesting sugar. You can usually find salads, vegetables, guacamole, dips and cheese at a party. While the dips and cheese may not be the healthiest of all choices, they’ll provide the body a dose of fat alongside the fiber of the greens and vegetables to help balance the sugar of any dessert you choose to enjoy. 
3. Fill up on connection more than food. Food tends to be the center of every party, we come together to dine, and most often all of the guests will congregate around the kitchen to visit and munch. Food fills you up, but it doesn’t provide fulfillment. We get fulfillment from the joy we feel in life, and the joy comes from our connection with all the people at the party. Make a commitment before going to an event to focus on these connections, to fill up on conversation and laughter more than the items on your plate. I think you’ll be amazed at how wonderful you feel when you do so. 
4.  If you’re going to drink alcohol at the party, be sure to have food before and during your consumption. Select drinks that are low in sugar and be mindful of your threshold. If you’re going for a mixer, use club soda instead of tonic water to cut sugar. If you need to sweeten a drink, add a splash of a fruit juice. Please do not reach for diet tonic water, as this is full of artificial sweeteners that are harmful to the body. 
5. If you’re baking holiday treats to share at the party, feel free to substitute regular sugar with coconut palm sugar, agave nectar or maple syrup. Each of these all-natural sugar options are a healthy alternative to sugar and won’t compromise the flavor of your baked good. 
6. Feel free to break tradition if it means a healthier holiday for everyone. Clean up your recipes to include healthier ingredients, make fewer baked goods so you’re not snacking on them for weeks on end, and find ways to enjoy time with each other over a family game night. 

Many blessings to you this holiday and all year through!

It’s a pleasure to serve you!  Feel free to email me with comments or questions: connect@AngelaGaffney.com. 

XO, 

RECIPE: 

White Bean and Kale Soup 

Ingredients:

1 large ham hock or other type of ham bone
4 quarts of water
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans organic white beans, rinsed
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks with leaves, diced
1 onion, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced
1 bunch of kale, thinly sliced

Directions: 

In a stock pot, cook ham hock in four quarts of water. Bring to a boil and keep at a boil for 45 minutes. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Continue to cook until carrots start to soften, approximately 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook until sweet potatoes and carrots are fully cooked. Spoon into bowls, serve and enjoy!

Recipe compliments Angela Gaffney: “The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection-Lunch”

The word perfect means “entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings”. The perfect gift would then mean that you provide someone a gift that is ideally suited, without any flaws, defects or shortcomings. I imagine the recipient of the perfect gift would be bowled over with excitement, enthusiasm and gratitude for the effort put into the purchasing of such a gift. This act of kindness of purchasing the perfect gift, albeit heart-felt, can be stressful and sometimes breed disappointment. But why and how could there be disappointment and grief attached to such a beautiful gesture?

The answer is one word; Expectations. The holiday season brings with it many expectations; purchasing the perfect gift, decorating just so, cooking up a grand meal, making sure everyone is happy during a family gathering, baking hundreds of cookies, attending social events, staying on track with healthy eating and exercise, prepping the guest room for incoming visitors, and making sure your elf on the shelf has a happy guest house for the month of December! Whew!!

Have you ever considered how you serve your own expectations, as well as the expectations of others through the holidays? You may realize that there’s some room for peace and fulfillment once you take inventory and change things up a bit. I want you to complete this exercise to take inventory of your holiday to-do’s and see how you can make change to increase your overall happiness and joy this holiday season. Healthy Holidays Exercise:

1. Create Four Columns on a sheet of paper.
2. In column 1, list out all the things you’re expected to do this holiday season (it doesn’t matter if it’s your own expectation or that of another person).
3. In column 2, write out the reason for carrying out each item (is it family tradition, will someone make you feel guilty if you don’t do it, is it a necessary chore, are you trying to please another person, or is it another reason).
4. In column 3, rate the level of stress associated with this task (0 = no stress and 10 = incredibly stressful).
5. In column 4, identify one thing you can do to alleviate stress for the specific task (tone down the level of the task, plan to accomplish it earlier in the season so you’re not under a tight timeframe, delegate the task to another person, or maybe even delete it from the list all together).

This exercise can be about simple physical tasks that need to be accomplished, as well as deeper personal expectations. For example:

Especially when it comes to pleasing others by meeting their expectations, one can experience a great deal of grief and anxiety. I’ve learned through the years that it’s healthy to let people experience their own emotions, create their own happiness, and learn from their personal journey rather than try to control how things take place. My wish is for you to allow this to take place in your life too.

A client once shared that the holidays can be very difficult because they’ve experienced loss this time of year. Her husband seems to disconnect and feels sad during the holiday season and she doesn’t know what to do. This is the truth for many families and the holiday season can be a difficult time of year for various reasons. It is our expectation that everyone will be happy and full of cheer but it is not always the case.

The greatest gift you could provide someone is to offer them unconditional love; provide hugs, give space when needed, be patient and kind, communicate, tell them you love them and want them to be happy and that you’ll respectfully give them the space they need. You may even find a beautiful way to celebrate the memory of your loved one through the holiday season.

Happiness is something that resides in each of us and in our own special way we find it and exude it in this life. As a result others experience it too. While we cannot control the emotions/actions of others, we can be in control of our own choices. Find gratitude in all things and happiness will find you.

I wish you joy and peace this holiday season; release expectations while caring for yourself and your family in the healthiest, most loving manner possible.

It’s a pleasure to serve you!  Feel free to email me with comments or questions: connect@AngelaGaffney.com. 

XO, 

RECIPE: 

 Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

Ingredients: 

1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 cup EVOO
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1⁄4 inch thick slices
1 summer squash, sliced lengthwise 1⁄4 inch thick slices 1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise 1⁄4 inch thick slices
4 roma tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 red onion sliced into 1⁄4 inch thick slices
2 medium size whole portabella

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Clean portobello mushrooms, remove stem and spoon out the gills. In a large bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Place all vegetables into the large bowl and stir with hands to coat the vegetables with oil/vinegar dressing. Brush a baking sheet pan with olive oil, and lay vegetables out flat in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, and then turn the squash and eggplant over. Roast for an additional 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use and enjoy!

Recipe compliments Angela Gaffney: “The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection-Lunch”

Planes, trains and automobiles transport you to and fro for work, holiday travel and play; while you care for all the details of the day.  It always seems to happen; no matter how well you plan ahead of time, the dreaded delay occurs.  After the mechanical difficulties your tummy is rumbling and the only choice you have for lunch is fast food or the vending machine.  You decide the peanut butter cups are a better option than the somewhat-meat-like-patty meal and head off to your shuttle.  This is an all-too familiar scene for the business traveler; as much as we’d like for things to go as planned there always seems to be a hiccup along the way.   

In order to keep your health, and sanity, while traveling follow these three easy travel tips: 

1. Carry the Container:  Travel with a reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle.  This allows you to fill up and hydrate anytime, anywhere.  Just make sure the bottle is empty as you travel through security.  Stop at a coffee shop or restaurant when you’re on the walk to your terminal and ask them to fill it up; they’ll gladly do so for free.  Traveling can cause dehydration; be sure to drink a minimum of 80 oz of water; every process in your body depends on it!  If you want to add a little flavor to your container of water, travel with green tea bags, or add Nuun “natural hydration” or “all day” Tabs to avoid dehydration.  The “all day” tabs provide you vitamins as well. PLEASE NOTE: if you select another type of nuun product, please be sure it does not contain artificial sweeteners 
2. Proactively Pack:  Be sure your carry-on is filled with nourishing snack foods to keep you satiated during travel.  It’s Murphy’s Law; you show up 90 minutes before your flight so you can grab a bite, but by the time you get through the mile-long security line, and make your way to the terminal, they’re calling you to board.  Anything and everything can happen, so be prepared!  Here are a few items you can easily pack: 
   • Organic cup of oats, banana, and snack bag of walnuts.  Ask the stewardess for boiling water and you’ll have a hearty breakfast on the go. Homemade trail mix with various nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, dried fruit, and dark chocolate   
   • Snack bars with 5 or less whole-food ingredients 
   • Green tea bags to enjoy with the cup of hot water you order on the plane 
   • Almond butter packets with a piece of fruit Crudités and hummus 
   • Bag of organic, homemade popcorn (avoid microwave popcorn options) 
3. Manage the Menu:  The menu should be used as a guide for dining.  Find the foods on the menu that will serve your needs best, and create a meal of your choice.  For instance, you may see they have wild caught salmon on one entrée, roasted asparagus on another and sautéed spinach as a side dish.  You could create a meal of all three of these items to best suit your needs and honor your health goals.  There’s never been a time when a restaurant has said no to my request; they may upcharge you to do so, but you’ll be receiving what you need and in the end be healthier for it.   

Most importantly, be your best advocate while at home and on the road; it’ll do your body good! 

May you feel joy, love and peace throughout this December and holiday season. 

It’s a pleasure to serve you!  Feel free to email me with comments or questions: connect@AngelaGaffney.com. 

XO, 

RECIPE: 

Quick Italian Sausage & Pasta 

Ingredients: 

4 servings of Gluten Free Tinkyada pasta, cooked 

1, 14 oz pkg organic ground Italian sausage (Boulder brand) 

1 medium onion, chopped 

6-8 medium sized button or baby portabella mushrooms, chopped 

4 cups spinach 

1 cup cherry tomatoes 

2 tbsp Italian seasoning 

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil 

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil to pan and wait 30 seconds.  Once oil is heated, add onion, sausage and seasonings.  When the onion is translucent and sausage is almost cooked through, add mushrooms and tomatoes and cook until mushrooms begin to soften.  Add spinach and stir to incorporate.  Once spinach is wilted, remove the meat and vegetable mixture from the burner.  Place one serving of cooked pasta into each bowl, and top with meat and vegetables, freshly grated cheese and basil.   Enjoy!   

Recipe compliments Angela Gaffney

Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the United States since 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in the New World.  It wasn’t until President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens” in 1863 that it became a Federal Holiday.  It’s since been a major holiday in the United States, alongside Christmas and New Year; it marks the beginning of the “holiday season.” 

For many, this time of year feels chaotic with increased responsibilities, travel, and stress resulting in fatigue and feelings of overwhelm.  If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few things you can do to experience more joy, love and fulfillment in your life.   

Giving thanks allows you to tune into your life, and celebrate all the blessings in it.  It doesn’t take a lot of time, but it does take effort and consistency.  One place you can begin is to be present in your daily life, and see the good in all things.  Especially during times of chaos when feeling overwhelmed, you can change your mindset and movement in life and enter into a place of calm and grace.   

Let me give you an example; let’s say you have more projects on your plate than seems possible to take care of.  You’re stressed, the deadline is quickly approaching and it’s keeping you awake at night.  On top of it all, your in-laws are arriving in two days and your house isn’t quite in the shape you’d like it to be.  First, take a deep breath.  There’s good in all things, and life consistently provides us opportunities to learn and grow.  By being present with the chaos, you can pause, breathe it all in, acknowledge that it’s there, give thanks for working in an environment where business is growing, providing you stability in your job and in life.  Know that your in-laws are there to spend time with you and will enjoy doing so even if the house isn’t in perfect condition.   

After acknowledging all this, you prioritize, create your task list, delegate if necessary and know in the end that it’ll all work out.  Life is not consistently in balance and never will be.  It’s most important to feel fulfilled and function in a manner that serves you; when you work from this place, life feels good and things seem a bit easier to handle.  

Even in times of stress, hardship and chaos it is much healthier to come at life from a place of calm, grace and gratitude than feeling and functioning like a complete spaz.  Here are a few steps to follow so your Thanksgiving holiday may be filled with calm, grace and gratitude: 

1. Enter each morning by giving thanks for 5 things in your life. 
2. Challenge yourself to find 10 “gifts” in your day.  These “gifts” are things that may otherwise go unseen if you weren’t paying attention.  The yummy flavors in the salad you packed for lunch, the smile of a co-worker, your child’s laughter, even the pile of dishes waiting for you in the sink.  Yes, those dirty dishes…how grateful you are to have been able to eat a home-cooked meal in your warm home.  There is good in all things. 
3. When feeling stressed, take a moment to pause, breathe, speak words of gratitude for the situation and connect with what it’s teaching you.  Speaking words of gratitude means you acknowledge the situation.  For instance, if you wake up with a massive headache you can acknowledge it by saying, “Thank you body, I hear you speaking to me and I’ll do well to care for you today.” As a result of the headache, you may increase hydration or even take a supplement to help it out, but the acknowledgement of the situation will allow you to move forward with your day in a positive way and not dwell on it anymore.  Your mindset and movement in life will be positive.   
4. Close the day by writing down 10 things you’re grateful for in your gratitude journal.  You’ll fall asleep feeling incredibly blessed and wake in a positive state.   

Giving thanks and living a life of gratitude doesn’t mean everything is going to go your way, it means that you’ll be able to be present, connect with the good in all things, and in turn experience greater love, joy and fulfillment in life.  These being some of the best gifts you could grant yourself. 

Start your day of Thanksgiving with family outdoor fun, a hike, a Turkey Trot, or even some snowshoeing if weather allows.  Notice all the small gifts you’re granted throughout the day, be present in your life, enjoy the people in your life, and give thanks and gratitude for these blessings. 

May you feel joy, love and be incredibly fulfilled as you enter into the holiday season. 

It’s a pleasure to serve you!  Feel free to email me with comments or questions: connect@AngelaGaffney.com. 

XO, 

RECIPE: 

Loaded Sweet Potato 

Ingredients: 

1 organic sweet potato 

1 tsp EVOO 

2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (select only nitrite-free and nitrate-free bacon) 

1 tbsp butter 

¼ cup spinach, chopped 

2 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled 

2 tsp pepitas 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Carefully puncture the potato with a sharp knife tip in 6-8 places.  Rub sweet potato with olive oil and place into a glass baking dish.  Bake until liquid oozes from the puncture spots and potato is cooked through, approximately 25-35 minutes.  While potato is baking, cook bacon strips, and cool.   

Cut potato in half, cut a pocket lengthwise down the center of the potato.  Place ½ tbsp of butter into the pocket.  Top with spinach, goat cheese, bacon crumbles and pepitas.  Enjoy! 

Recipe compliments of The Daily Essentials Cookbook Collection: Lunch by Angela Gaffney and Janielle Hultberg 

The holiday season brings with it many expectations – purchasing the perfect gift, decorating just so, cooking up a grand meal, making sure everyone is happy during a family gathering, baking hundreds of cookies, attending social events, staying on track with healthy eating and exercise, prepping the guest room for incoming visitors, and making sure your elf on the shelf has a happy guest house for the month of December!  Whew!! But taking inventory of your holiday to-do’s and reflecting on your priorities will allow you to see how you can make change to increase your overall happiness and joy this holiday season.

Especially when it comes to pleasing others by meeting their expectations, one can experience a great deal of grief and anxiety. I’ve learned through the years that it’s healthy to let people experience their own emotions, create their own happiness, and learn from their personal journey rather than try to control how things take place. The truth is that the holiday season can be a difficult time of year for many people. Although our society’s expectation for the holidays is that everyone will be happy and full of cheer, it is not always the case. The greatest gift you could provide someone is to offer them unconditional love: provide hugs, give space when needed, be patient and kind, communicate, tell them you love them and want them to be happy and that you’ll respectfully give them the space they need.

Healthy Holidays Exercise:

Complete this exercise to take inventory of your holiday to-do’s and see how you can make change to increase your overall happiness and joy this holiday season.

1. Create Four Columns on a sheet of paper.
2. In column 1, list out all the things you’re expected to do this holiday season (It doesn’t matter if it’s your own expectation or that of another person). Some examples might be baking Christmas cookies, attending a particular gathering, putting up Christmas lights, or buying a gift for a particularly difficult family member.
3. In column 2, write out the reason for carrying out each item (is it family tradition, will someone make you feel guilty if you don’t do it, is it a necessary chore, are you trying to please another person, or is it another reason)
4. In column 3, rate the level of stress associated with this task (0 = no stress and 10 = incredibly stressful).
5. In column 4, identify one thing you can do to alleviate stress for the specific task.  (tone down the level of the task, plan to accomplish it earlier in the season so you’re not under a tight timeframe, delegate the task to another person, or maybe even delete it from the list all together).

This exercise can be about simple physical tasks that need to be accomplished, as well as deeper personal expectations.

Happiness is something that resides in each of us and in our own special way we find it and exude it in this life. As a result, others experience it too.  While we cannot control the emotions/actions of others, we can be in control of our own choices.  Find gratitude in all things and happiness will find you.

Wishing you joy and health as we enter this holiday season!