📚 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

 

Winter is the perfect excuse to get cozy! There’s almost nothing better than snuggling up with a great book, enjoying simple every day moments, & finding joy in the natural quiet of the season. Hope you discover some special treats along the way.  At this stop, the prize is the print book 'Seven Women & the Secret of Their Greatness' by Eric Metaxas, along with a small canvas tote bag.

Book Summary ~ Reviews

Entry-Form

✨ Curate & Unlock Your Inner Spark

In our lives we are a lot of things to other people, with many roles that come to define us to a large degree. These connections & experiences help us grow, etching the grooves into our surface that makes us completely unique. Ultimately we should try to remember that the journey is about change & discovery. This is simply a reminder that this discovery is about how to truly make now the best time of our lives. 

Humans are wired with an innate, neurological potential for happiness, but whether this potential eventually becomes reality depends on how we choose to live our lives.

Happiness is a personal state of physical, emotional, & spiritual well-being that we can experience anywhere, at any time. It can be something as simple as breathing in the scents of our gardens or spending a few happy moments playing with our pets.

Feeling Sublime In Your Prime

Many people may believe that young people have the advantage in the happiness department, but you might be surprised to learn that age seems to increase a person's overall likelihood of being happy & that we are much more likely to experience happiness the older we get. The reasons why are quite simple really & if you're like myself, you may be lacking in some areas. But it's definitely something anyone can work to improve. Because as we age:

• We are more likely to become confident about what we like & don't like in life.
• We amass a wealth of life experiences & wisdom that help us to deal with life's ups & downs.
• We develop strong relationships with friends, family, & our communities that serve to support us in our endeavors. 

Benefits of Positive Emotions

We should strive to protect our health with the power of positive thinking. It not only feeds our brain but the benefits include everything from an improved immune system to enhanced creativity. Yet it goes even deeper because positive emotions undo the effects of stress, which protect our overall health in the long run. As more attention is brought to this it's been found that something as simple as a light touch on our hand from a compassionate friend can lower our blood pressure.

Expand Your Mind & Broaden Your Focus

Wonder, curiosity, love, excitement, contentment, joy - all these positive emotions expand our focus of attention. When we become frustrated or angry, our focus narrows. Think about when we get excited about something - our mind opens up, & there's a free flow of ideas & intellectual possibilities. Our brains work best when it's high on happiness, so try to let past worries or resentments go & embrace the days ahead. 

Laugh at Our Problems

When we are frustrated & having trouble solving some problem that confronts us, what we really need is a good laugh. Laughter unfreezes our stuck brains. Humor is the perfect lubricant that allows the wheels of our thought process to move towards a solution.

 

The mechanism that underlies effective problem solving is creativity, which is your brain's ability to come up with unique answers to life's many challenges. Broaden your focus.

Stockpiling Resources Over Time

Although we may slow down physically & mentally, as well as narrow our social circles to those people we have the most in common with, it's important to make a conscious effort to demonstrate positive emotions. For this can enrich our lives & cultivate these resources:

• Social: Human beings naturally gravitate towards positive people. Think about how you would want to be treated. More often than not, we get the same in return. When we greet people with cheer & influence their lives in some way, even briefly, we give them a smile to take home. That positive memory will linger & be mirrored outwards like a ripple effect into the universe. Smiles boosts our spirits & helps put us into a positive frame of mind.
• Intellectual: By having a positive frame of mind, we get more out of new activities & learn better. Remember that teacher who always made learning fun? Their excitement sparked wonder & caused excitement. Laughter makes kids pay attention & attention is the key to learning. 
• Physical: People are more playful when they're happy & more inquisitive about activities. Happy people are also more likely to exercise on a regular basis, which helps create stronger muscles, increase flexibility, & improves heart-lung function. 

Managing Our Feelings

Positive & negative emotions can rarely exist at the same moment in time. Embracing one often negates the other. Humor defuses a desire for vengeance, happiness is one antidote to rage, & it's nearly impossible to be angry if you have a grateful heart.

The next time you're feeling angry, sad, or upset, see what happens when you try replacing that negative feeling with a positive one. Think about something that excites you or someone who makes you laugh. Doing so may provide just the escape you need from your dark moods. But preventative care is also the wisest course of action.

Be Wise With Our Time

Ignoring as a form of wisdom...highlights how strategic silence & ignoring certain people or situations is sometimes the best choice to conserve our energy & maintain inner peace. It draws a parallel between different levels of character & intelligence. Ignoring someone can be a sign of strength & intelligence, especially in a situation where engaging would be futile. Arguing with wise individuals is unnecessary because they can offer valuable perspectives. While engaging with fools is counterproductive, especially when it only leads to frustration & no positive outcome. 

"The art of being WISE is knowing WHO to ignore, WHAT to overlook, WHERE to leave things, WHEN to move on, & WHY it's all necessary." ~ William James

🦆 Being Positively Contagious

Some daily experiences are significant, while others are less so. But they're all part of what can make most of our days positive. Highlighted below are typical obligations that fill daily life - & generate satisfaction for having accomplished them, as well as the liberties that bring an enhanced level of satisfaction. We should seek to achieve a good mix of both, to get the most out of every day.

Obligations That Generate Satisfaction

You have to do this; you have to do that. You have to go here; you have to go there. These demands, the things many consider essential to our social & economic survival. They likely include some combination of the following:

• Shop for groceries
• Straighten up the house
• Pay the bills
• Get the car serviced 
• Mow the lawn
• Get your health check-up
• Availability for family & friends 

The more things we check off the list, the better we feel at the end of the day. We have met the basic necessities of every day life. You're surviving, but are you thriving? Not unless your days also include some things you do simply because you want to do them.

Look over your list of obligations & check those that are on your list today...& add any others that you have to do but aren't listed there. Getting stuff done makes most everyone feel better,  even if that stuff is errands & small chores. To feel even better about your every day life, build in some of the liberties that balance things out noted in the section below.

Liberties That Add Sweetness to Satisfaction

This is your happiness agenda. You want to do something, you want to go somewhere, you want to see someone. These are basically the icing on the cake: You can live life without them, but they sure make life a lot sweeter! Consider the following examples of classic options:

• Take a leisurely walk in the park
• Learn a new hobby
• Chat with a neighbor 
• Check out a favorite blog
• Read a few chapters of a book
• Watch a funny video
• Browse your favorite store
• Meet a friend for lunch

These activities are the little things that brighten up our days. Use them to fill in the cracks between your obligations, such as meeting a friend for lunch in between errands.

How many wants did you do this week? What recurring errands or routes can be combined with a bit of adventure? Sometimes I visit  thrift  stores when traveling & will check out nearby places as well. I always ask about any local favorites.

If you're like most people, chances are you have plenty of things to do but also a bit burned out. If your life is full of to-do stuff & short on things that make you glow, try restructuring your weeks to include a better balance of choices from both lists & watch your overall satisfaction rise.

One of the most encouraging things we can do for ourselves is to make future plans. It gives us something to look forward to, a little ray of hope. An obligation to show up.. Invite some company & make someone's day.  🌺

🍳 Savor the Fundamentals

If your cooking skills are limited but you have always dreamed of whipping up something more interesting, it's never too late to improve your cooking skills. I have always been big on improvising & experimenting, so I typically throw together items I already have on hand. My learning curve has always been in techniques & adding spices. Because meals were often 'not by the book' things didn't always turn out as expected. I always asked my family for feedback of how it could have been better. Most times it became an often requested favorite.

Feeding ourselves is necessary but it needn't be stressful or something we dread. Let's quickly review basic cooking techniques & meal planning pointers. Go over some easy tips to get anyone slicing & dicing with ease.

Mastering Basic Cooking Techniques 

Recipes are often full of terminology that may be unfamiliar to some, yet at the heart of most recipes are some basic cooking methods. When one becomes familiar with & practices them, they realize many recipes aren't as complicated as they might appear. The key is to start smaller/easier & keep practicing. 

Boiling is heating water until it bubbles vigorously. 

Poaching is often for cooking eggs, fish or vegetables in gently simmering water (beginning to bubble but not yet boil). 

Steaming is for cooking food over, but not in, boiling or simmering water.

Sauteing refers to cooking food in a skillet or saute pan quickly over high or medium high heat, usually in heated oil or butter.

Braising is cooking food in a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth, for a long period of time. This results in particularly succulent meat.

Stewing is cooking food (usually meat & vegetables) in liquid flavored with herbs, broth & sometimes wine until it's absorbed, creating a delectable thicker than soup concoction.

Roasting involves cooking food in an uncovered pan in the oven for a long period of time. Usually used to describe cooking vegetables or large pieces of meat, such as a pot roast or turkey.

Grilling is cooking on a grate over hot charcoal, gas or electric.

 

Stock Up On These Pantry Staples

The payoff of keeping items stocked, with only enough perishables one can eat in a week, is that you can whip up satisfying meals on short notice. Below are checklists of pantry basics that can be incorporated into your meal plans.

Assorted breads or buns, assorted oils & vinegars, canned or dried beans, cold & hot cereals, garlic & onions, various pastas, potatoes, roasted peppers, spices, canned tomatoes,  dried grains, wines (dry white or red are good for adding to sauces).

Condiments: Dijon mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing, salsa, soy sauce, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce.

Refrigerator & freezer goods: Cream cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, chicken breasts, tilapia filets, hard & semi-hard cheeses, milk, pizza dough, produce, sour cream, sweet unsalted butter.

Planning Your Menu

Having a shopping list ensures that everything needed for your meals before you start cooking. It needn't be time consuming or burdensome, especially when trying out new recipes or cooking techniques. Simply make sure you have all the necessary ingredients & equipment to finish the process. Practice mastering a Dagwood sandwich for fun maybe.. 

But choose something less complicated like a soup, appetizer or dessert. Look for copycat recipes you enjoy from well-known chain restaurants. Make something you normally eat from a box. Consider serving the proteins your family enjoys but try experimenting with different cooking techniques. 

Thinking Like a Chef

Professionals provide the best advice & they say it's not that complicated. These look like common sense & things you would actually acquire over time anyway out of habit.

Get to know herbs - both fresh & dried - so you can season without relying on a recipe.

Plan your menus in advance. Think about contrasting flavors, textures & colors. Keep courses balanced. If you serve a complex appetizer, serve a simple entree or one that only needs reheating.

Be thrifty. Avoid wasting anything usable for soups, stocks, salads, etc. Almost everything can be frozen for later use.

Know the basic techniques. Cooking is so much more fun & successful when you approach it with confidence.

Use the freshest ingredients possible & buy only in season fresh vegetables & fruit. Seasonal produce offers the highest quality & supply, at the lowest price. Let what's fresh & available at the market help you decide what to make.

Prepare ingredients before you start cooking. Get the chopping, deboning & washing chores out of the way in order to create an even, efficient flow of cooking steps.

Don't be a slave to recipes. Use a good, basic recipe that you like as a starting point, but don't consider it written in stone. With experience & good technique, & by discovering how ingredients work together, you can simply glance at a recipe & make adjustments to suit your taste.

Most importantly, have fun! Take a cooking course, buy yourself a cookbook, or make a new dish that you have always wanted to try. It's a great time to get creative, especially with friends or family helping with simple tasks.

I 💕 to play with my food. Variety is necessary. Simple is best. 

This site is now a favorite of mine. No allergies but check out the meal posts. It's so easy to pin these terrific recipes. I like to be inspired & nurtured by food. Colors, scents, tastes, & ideas.

Do you have a favorite, perhaps your own? If so, drop your 📌 Pinterest handle below for others to visit.

🏅 Steps to Beat Emotional Baggage

7 Simple Steps To Beat Emotional Baggage: How To Become Whole, Healed, Healthy & Happy 

This book states it will show the reader how to resolve their emotional baggage for good. To feel free to live true to one's own personality, spirit, & character.

Liked that it was a short read & the language used was like chatting with a friend. It addresses multiple issues most books leave out.  Encouragement feels personal because the author speaks of her own experiences. 

Amazon currently offers a read & audio sample preview.

Remove from the book any mention of the free resources included or ensure that the link to them still works. The book doesn't appear to tie in to these resources very well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book takes the reader's hand & leads them through every vital step. It addresses all the pain points, including emotional management, mental clarity, physical fitness, & fiscal fitness, to finally shake off the things that often hold us back. Packs a punch in 60 pages.

Found as a free book download on Amazon. 

* Not sponsored content. All opinions are my own.

 

"There’s nothing sweeter than internal peace." - Anita Washington