While I was travelling through Canada and the US this past summer, I stopped at a bookstore to grab a latte and check my email – while this is something I normally would do, on one particular day it really made a difference to two people.
I received an email from a friend in Victoria – she was inspired by Chicago‘s Cancer fundraising efforts which was to auction off to the highest bidder the chance to sing with them. She bid and was the highest bidder for the River Rock Casino concert and her intention was to find someone to take the tickets( preferrably a cancer survivor) When she called me she hoped that I knew someone that would be interested. She hoped to have someone who herself gave to the community and who would be willing to share on stage that she was a survivor.
Within moments I knew exactly who I needed to connect with my friend that I met in the early days of my son’s soccer playing days. This mom was at every game, always had a smile and kind word for everyone – she was also at the baseball park – she volunteered and so did her husband – she works and raised three boys while her husband also had his own business. She was also the first person who had really talked about her breast cancer in my presence – her initial diagnosis, what she was going through and her recovery process. We would go for walks while she was still off work and although we’d been meaning to go again, a lot had transpired in my life and I was disconnected not only from her, but from a few others as well. But, with no doubt that she would be the right person for the Chicago concert, I confidently shared her contact information and carried on with my trip.
It was in my mind, but I had put my thoughts back on my travels and my own journey I was taking and it was so amazing to receive a phone call several weeks later, thanking me for making the connection. My two friends had connected and she had gone to the concert. This is how she explained it to me “it was the best thing ever for me….when I found out that I had cancer it was like I took one huge inhale of breath and just held it there – not wanting to let it go – holding the fear of the cancer inside of me….standing on stage and singing with Chicago I let it all out – it was like I had been waiting to exhale”.
From yoga pants and flip flops to sweaters and boots with heals, from quiet (well, as quiet as Mexico can be) to all night partying (not me, everyone else) – two nights ago I was in yoga bliss in Mexico and now I’m in Vegas – both part of my world but so vastly different!
So, this morning I woke before the sunrise and contemplated this – others are sleeping in the room next door so I can’t do a full on yoga practice as the music or noise might wake them so I start my day with meditation.
You have to understand, meditation is something I’ve always wanted to do – or thought I should do – I bought a timer so that I could sit still for 10 minutes and it would tell me when the time was up – where is that timer now?
But this morning, I started with 9 Half Sun Salutations http://www.yogabasics.com/yoga-posture-sequences/half-sun-salutation.html and then sat myself down in front of an amazing view of Vegas, closed my eyes, and did 54 slow deep breaths – starting with an exhale you say to yourself, exhale 54 (5 counts), inhale 54 (5 counts), exhale 53, inhale 53 – the trick is that you are focusing on your breath and thereby it’s harder for random thoughts to come into your mind – and honestly, for someone who’s mind never stops – I have to say it works – if you lose track of your counting you have to start again at 54 – I didn’t though and I sat and breathed and counted and you’ll never guess what – that 10 minutes that felt so hard to sit through before – I was amazed that I sat and 15 minutes went by!
Try it – you might like it!
Skyline from penthouse at MGM Grand Signature Tower 3
18 minutes later – after sun salutations and meditation – how much brighter the day is!
p.s. am in Vegas for the Arbonne conference – we are launching new products tonight – and have some great training and celebrations in store for us over the next three days
In Adventure, Joy and Abundance,
Carolyne
1.18.11
(This was previously published on Jan 18/11 on Facebook – I am just attempting integration with my blog, Facebook and Twitter – ahh, technology)
Our perspective can change so much if we just move a few feet over! Since I arrived in Puerto Vallarta I have eaten at least six times at the vegetarian buffet restaurant (you can find the link over on the right hand side bar) and…every day I have taken the south set of stairs to get up or down to the entrance.
Today, however, after I left the restaurant, I walked into town to pick up a latte at Starbucks and I decided to come up the stairs on the north side. RIGHT in front of the entrance to the restaurant there is a peace pole – I’m sure it has been there the whole time but today, 10 days after I arrived here, I saw it for the first time. It reads “May Peace Prevail on Earth”.
What would you see if you took a different set of stairs, or took an alternate route when you walked to your car or bus stop?
Today we rode a bus Boca de Tomatlan beach where we walked along the sea trail to Las Animas beach. Along the way we stopped at a beautiful cove and had a swim and a snack – the trail goes through the forest and winds down to the beach and back up again, passing an abandoned resort and many sites.
We had our lunch at the beach restaurant and I enjoyed a shrimp burrito – so delicious, and then I went out on the ocean as a passenger on the banana boat – we then took a short boat ride back to Boca – 1.5 hours of walking and less than 10 minutes in a boat and back on the bus to Centro! Overall a day of adventure, joy and abundance that I shared with my new friends and yoga buddies doing the training with me, Geeta, Marianna and Yumi. Back at yoga teacher training tomorrow at 7:30 am.
I will be honoured if you follow along with me on my journey through 2011 – 365 Days of Adventure, Joy and Abundance – I am ‘bliss’ed to have opportunities in my life to meet amazing people, travel to cool places and find really interesting stuff along the way – sometimes my travels will take me right to my own city of Victoria but my 365 days starts here, in Puerto Vallarta – this is me, enjoying some sun at the beach and finalizing my goals for the coming year – it’s going to be great!
The inspiration for my photo and story blog comes from “365 Days of Happiness and Gratitude” on Facebook, created by Megan Castran who is a very successful and creative business woman in Australia. She recently entertained Oprah at her home – she was checking out Megan’s vision board which included meeting her while she was in Australia – check out Megan’s YouTube clip of the two of them – proves that dreams do come true – and also reinforces the use of vision boards.
I have heard many people, including myself, say that 2010 has been a year full of change and transition. I’ve been thinking a lot about this, having embarked on a journey this Christmas that I probably wouldn’t have made, if not for the changes that occured in my life this past year – this year has gifted me with loss but also with new beginnings, and the chance to really dig deep inside and ask myself how I want to show up in the world. I’ve hosted some fantastic events with 24 Carrot Learning and BC HRMA, including yoUnlimited, shared time with amazing people, travelled, supported some hugely worthwhile not-for-profit groups, continued with my Arbonne business and plan to have 2011 be more of the same – and looking forward to 2012 for some really exiciting stuff! For each of you that has been part of my 2010, I thank you and have been ‘blissed’ by your presence.
Everywhere I look there is information on how to set your goals or intentions and I will be setting mine tomorrow (from the beach). For now I invite you to read the following words:
What if we’re all meant to do what we secretly dream
What would you ask if you knew you could have anything
Like the mighty oak sleeps in the heart of a seed
Are there miracles in you and me?
This is part of a song “If I Were Brave” written and sung by Jana Stanfield who I was introduced to by a close friend of mine, Terrie Klotz Conway – did it catch your interest? I invite you to listen to the full song and spend the time to read and watch – you will be completely inspired.
It takes courage to live your dreams – but there are miracles in each of us – please email me to carolyne_at_24carrotlearning.com and tell me what you would do if you were brave – I’d like to know and share them in a future post.
”The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – Eden Ahbez
I’ve been looking at Sarah McLachlan’s collection of recipes “Plenty” for a while now – and then on Saturday I was trying to decide what to make for dessert to take to the November Birthday Party (what a cool idea that my friend Sue Kern came up with to celebrate all us gals who had a November birthday together with a potluck supper – can I just say that the roast, chicken, brocoli casserole, rolls from Cobs, roasted veggies and garlic mashed potatoes, paired with caesar and green salad, and of course a few bottles of merlot made for this amazing meal – conversation was great and a collection of ages from Stephen, aged 4, sporting his ‘first’ hockey injury to another gentleman who, six weeks after suffering from a stroke is recovering remarkably well but stopped eating red meat after the stroke – interesting!
I plan to try some of the other recipes in the book, including Curried Corn Chowder, Cocolate Chip Cookies with some special ingredients, and the Tequila Salsa, but for this special occasion I made the “Love Cake”! Everyone loved it and the last piece I delivered to my “I’m not really a cake eater” friend on my way home and guess what, he loved it too!
Preheat oven to 350.
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup carrot juice (the original recipe called for beet juice, which if I think if you had a juicer would make an amazing cake, because the red would be swirled throughout the cake, however, I didn’t and the carrot juice worked just great!)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cup sifted flour
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
Grease 2 x 8″ round cake tins.
Cream shortening and sugar together til light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat 1 minute. In a separate bowl; mix cocoa powder, carrot juice and salt together. Add to the shortening mixture and stir until well blended. Mix vanilla and buttermilk together and add alternately to the shortening mixture with the flour, about a third at a time.
Mix vinegar and baking soda together in a cup and add to the batter. Gently stir just until blended. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and continue cooling on racks.
Icing
I wasn’t sure what this would be like because of the first two ingredients and the instructions but honestly, so good, that I licked off the beaters!
1 cup milk
7 tablespoons flour
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix milk and flour together and cook over medium heat til thick. Refridgerate until completely cool.
Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Stir in vanilla. Add cooled milk mixture a little at a time and blend.
Add birthday candles, sing your heart out and enjoy!
In early November I travelled to Vancouver for some meetings and I went early to be able to spend some time with my dear friend Lynn – we had a gathering of a few women, one of which I hadn’t met before, but whom I knew was vegetarian, but didn’t know if she was vegan. I had asked Lynn what her favourite soup was so I could prepare that and bring it to share that evening and her answer was “potato cheddar”. I found a recipe online and started making some adjustments. The results were terrific and here’s the final recipe!
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
6 medium sized potatoes, peeled & chopped in 1″ cubes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups of water
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt, thyme, rosemary
1 litre unsweetened, original almond milk
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar (optional)
In a soup pot or dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and garlic in the olive oil for about five minutes.
Put all the rest of the ingredients, up to the almond milk and cheese into the pot with the onions etc.
Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and using a potato masher, mash the veggies up.
Add the milk and heat through – if you are serving vegans take part of the soup out of the pot and add the cheese to the rest – let the cheese melt thoroughly and serve.
Served with homestyle bread (that’s another day’s recipe – to follow), this made an amazing meal to share with friends, new and old.
I was inspired to write this weekend, by Cheryl Richardson’s take action challenge http://bit.ly/8Xgbun to list 10 things to say yes to, 10 things to say no to, and 10 things that contribute to a great life. I challenge you to make your own list – read her full article first and then just do it – off the top of your head – don’t think about it too much!
10 Things to Say Yes To
An opportunity to help someone less fortunate
A walk on the beach
A book recommended from a friend
Invitation to dinner
Yoga Class
Healthy Food
Time with children
coffee with a friend
a ride in a convertible
changing an entire dinner menu so that someone could have turkey
10 Things to Say No To
Things that take me away from my dreams and goals
Focusing on things from the past that don’t serve me for the future
99% of the time – deserts and high fat foods
Mean people who spend a lot of time talking about other people
Living a small life
prcrastination and distractions
having expecations of others
things that make your stomach wiggle around (in a bad way)
people who living in a state of scarcity or limits
smoking
10 Things that Contribute to a GREAT life!
Spending time with my 22 year old son, and both of us enjoying the time we have together!
People who believe in you, no matter what!
The freedom we have in our lives to walk beaches, lie on the lawn and look at the stars and know we are safe.
Spending time doing nothing – NOTHING – not even reading, knitting, NOTHING and letting thoughts come and go
Knowing that there is always SOMEONE you can rely on
A wide spectrum of amazing people in my life
Books, books and more books!
Sunny thanksgiving weekends with no internet – playing games and eating (a lot of deserts)
Being thankful – so much to be thankful for.
Relationships that have come and gone to help us learn what we need to move us forward.
Disclaimer: The information contained here is presented solely for general informational purposes so you may learn more about this subject. Nothing contained here is intended to constitute, nor should it be considered, medical advice or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provided. Always consult your Doctor or Physician before you begin any diet or weight loss program. Blog posts are based on my own personal knowledge, experience, and opinions.
