The Astonishing Power of Gratitude

You may have noticed I’ve been sharing something I’m grateful for each day this month on Facebook and Twitter, and it’s been such a powerful exercise that I think I may just have to continue it! (I promise I’ll move that offline so you can get a break from my updates).

I warmly invite you to do the same – to express your own gratitude in your own way. I cannot even begin to tell you how my life has OPENED UP with this practice. It is astonishing.

I’m a little embarrassed to share these examples from my own life with you, but I really want you to experience the amazing power of gratitude for yourself, and sharing my experience is my best proof to convince you to do so! So here goes.

This month:

– Nourish was named a finalist for Best New Service of the Year by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce

– I was quoted (twice!) in a Forbes.com article on Tips from Top Entrepreneurs

– Our Nourish@Home Cooking Service business is up 50%

– We’ve welcomed several new amazingly wonderful private coaching clients

– I’ve been invited to speak to four more terrific groups between now and the end of January

– I’ve gotten delightful, warm notes from sweet friends, family, clients, and colleagues near and far out of the blue

– We received an incredibly gracious invitation to attend a black tie event (have I mentioned that I LOVE to dress up?)

– And my sweet husband surprised me with a simply gorgeous watch as a 12th anniversary gift, delivered by our waitress when he invited me to join him for a pre- anniversary drink last Friday evening. I love that man.

I’ve never been more humbled nor convinced that gratitude is one of the most powerful forces available to us.

PLEASE try it for yourself.

You’re not too late. Today is the perfect day to start. Comment on my daily Facebook thread with your own gratitude list, or start your own thread, or simply note your blessings quietly… however you want! But do it! You’ll be amazed by what happens and I want that for you. Nothing so simple has ever proven more powerful.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Whole Wheat Couscous

I think we’re all entering Thanksgiving planning mode…and if you’re like me you’ll want to test out a few ideas before the big day! This one is a contender…especially if you’ll have some vegetarians around your table who are looking for a heartier dish or two. You could easily substitute sweet potatoes for the squash (or quinoa for the cous cous if you want to make it gluten free). And even if it doesn’t make it to your Thanksgiving table, I can assure you this is a keeper for a special fall side dish or vegetarian meal! Enjoy.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Whole Wheat Couscous

 

serves 6-8

 

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel squash, cut in half, and remove seeds. Dice into 1/2-inch cubes and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to coat the squash. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft.

2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the couscous according to the package directions.

3. Combine roasted squash, cinnamon, dried cranberries, walnuts, and couscous. Toss well to combine and serve warm.

 

 

Hello, Beautiful

On Friday night, I spent the evening in our basement playing with my three kiddos while my husband celebrated a friend’s 40th. My two-year-old is in 24 hour “Beauty Shop” mode lately so I spent a fair amount of time perched atop a 12-inch-high plastic stool having my hair done or eyelashes curled or plastic lipstick applied. There are very specific rules to this game and one of them is that I must be looking in the plastic mirror so that SHE can see my reflection in there. Not so fun for the five-year-old who wants me to be simultaneously playing Wii or the almost-eight-year-old who wants me to be reading the latest American Girl chapter, but whatever. In our house, the littlest one usually wins. So there I sat for my lengthy makeover.

There was an upside, though. This mirror is no ordinary mirror. It actually talks to you. And it’s voice is quite different from the mirror you may be looking in. Every time you pick up a brush or lipstick it actually coos at you, “Well, hello there! You look beautiful!” or “Such a pretty face!

It does NOT critique, poke, prod, or berate. No ridiculing, mocking, or taunting. No reminders of you of the way you used to look or the way you could look if you pulled this, tucked that, or faded thus and such. It’s like a mirror from an alternate universe.

So what would happen if you entered that universe for a while? The one two-year-old girls apparently inhabit all the time?  One where you always look beautiful and the mirror tells you so? Try it on for size. See what happens when you trade out the voices you’re hearing  for the lilting voice of an encouraging fairy godmother.

I’ll give you a hint. It’s magic.