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Success - Amaranth

Lemon Sauce: 3 Helpful Tips to Turn Snags into Success

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Lemon Sauce: 3 Helpful Tips to Turn Snags into Success

Have you ever had an unexpected obstacle pop up just as you’re gaining momentum toward a goal? I know I have! And while it’s sooo frustrating, it doesn’t have to derail your progress.

Remember my GreenSmoothieGirl 26-day detox journey? Well, I’m on my 11th round (yes, really!) and something interesting happened.

Last year, while I was on this detox, I wanted to use Millet for one of the breakfast recipes. But, as luck would have it, I couldn’t find any at my local stores. That’s when I stumbled upon Amaranth – a grain I had never tried before and instantly fell in love with. Talk about a happy accident!

Fast forward to last week, there I was, back on the detox trail, ready to whip up a delightful orange-coconut milk sauce for my now-favorite Amaranth, and guess what? No oranges in sight, argh.

Did I let that dampen my culinary spirit? Nope! I got creative and substituted with a lemon instead. And here’s the thing – I ended up loving the lemon sauce even more than the orange sauce!

This got me thinking about how life’s little snags, much like my missing oranges, are often blessings in disguise. They can lead us to things we would have never tried if circumstances had worked out how we thought they should.

And even though my examples are minor inconveniences, the lesson holds true for big or small circumstances. Here are three tips to turn unexpected hiccups into opportunities:

  1. Get Curious: When plans go awry, instead of throwing in the towel, ask yourself, “How can this moment help me innovate?” It’s about turning a challenge into a chance for creativity.
  2. Find the Hidden Gift: Often, the best discoveries are hidden in the least expected places. What if the very obstacle you’re facing is hiding a potential breakthrough? I like to ask myself, “How is this situation awesome?”
  3. Uplevel Your Thinking: As Einstein wisely said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Each new challenge is an invitation to expand our thinking and explore new possibilities.

So, next time life decides to switch up your recipe, remember, it might just be leading you to your next best discovery.

Here’s to new flavors, new adventures, and embracing the unexpected!

Shine on,

Carolyn Cooper
Success - Amaranth

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No pressure, No diamonds: 5 reminders to help your brilliance shine through!

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No pressure, No diamonds: 5 reminders to help your brilliance shine through!

Today my friend, I have 5 thoughts I want to share with you that can help you embrace pressure and thrive in difficult situations. You may have heard the phrase before: No Pressure, No Diamonds. It’s a great little mantra to remember when you’re facing challenges. Think about this…

  • Diamonds are known for their brilliance and beauty, but do you know what it takes for them to shine? Pressure!
  • Just like diamonds, our own potential shines brightest when we face and conquer the challenges that come our way. Imagine a diamond that never experienced pressure – it would remain hidden, dull, and never reach its full potential.
  • Similarly, when we embrace the pressures and difficulties of life, we have an opportunity to grow, learn, and reveal our true brilliance.
  • Remember, it’s not about avoiding pressure; it’s about harnessing it as a driving force towards personal growth and success.
  • So, the next time you feel the weight of pressure, remember that within you lies a diamond waiting to shine. Embrace the challenges, rise to the occasion, and watch yourself sparkle in ways you never imagined! No pressure, no diamonds – is a reminder that pressure isn’t something to fear, but rather an essential ingredient in the process of becoming the best version of yourself.

“Using time, pressure and patience, the universe gradually changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls, and coal into diamonds. You’re being worked on too, so hang in there. Just because something isn’t apparent right now, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. It’s not until the end do you realize, sometimes your biggest blessings were disguised by pain and suffering. They were not placed there to break you, but to make you.”

— John Geiger, author

Start your summer off happy and LIGHTER with an energy balancing SimplyAlign session. This is the last week to use the 20% off Coupon: BIRTHDAY20

May time slots are all taken, but you can still use the coupon as long as you book on or before May 31st, even though your session will be later.

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Woop - Goal Setting - Generations

Transform Your Goal-Setting Process (We WOOPed it up!)

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Transform Your Goal-Setting Process (We WOOPed it up!)

A few weeks ago we celebrated my little mama’s big 9-0! birthday with a “small” gathering of her family (5 kids + spouses, 18 grandkids, 9 great-grandchildren, +2 more grand-babes on the way!) and… over 150 of mom’s closest friends. Yep, this woman knows a lot of people!

My youngest daughter River wanted a 3 generations photo, so here we are at mom’s birthday bash!

Woop - Goal Setting - Generations

As you can probably tell, we had a blast. In fact…we really WOOPED it up!

And, today I want to share with you a different kind of WOOP.

This WOOP can be a game-changer when moving from aspiration to action to accomplished. Let’s jump in:

In the book Rethinking Positive Thinking, author Gabriele Oettingen, world class researcher, tells us that it’s simply not enough to visualize our ideal life.

She’s spent her career studying the science of making your dreams come to life and says that although it’s very important to start with a vision of what we want to create, we then need to as she says: “rub it up against reality.”

Drawing from her expertise, she created WOOP, an easy to remember acronym, but more importantly, WOOP can significantly enhance your ability to achieve your goals by bridging the gap between your dreams and their manifestation.

If you’re not familiar with the WOOP here’s how it works:

W – Wish. Imagine your dream scenario, the goal that makes you giddy with excitement. Think big, my friend, but keep it within the realm of possibility.

O – Outcome. Close your eyes and envision the glorious moment when you achieve that goal. Picture yourself dancing in a victory parade, basking in the sweet taste of success. Feel the rush, the feeling of accomplishment, and the pure exhilaration that come with it. You’re a goal-getting superhero!

O – Obstacles. Oh no. These sneaky little weasels might try to rain on your parade. No worries, though. By thinking them through ahead of time, you can come up with ingenious strategies to overcome them.

P – Plans. Break down your grand adventure into manageable steps. Each step is a mini victory that takes you closer to your ultimate goal. It’s like building a puzzle, piece by piece, until you see the big picture coming together!

By combining positive visualization with a realistic assessment of potential challenges, WOOP helps you strike a balance between motivation and preparation.

So my friend, I hope you’ll give WOOP a try and see how it transforms your goal-setting process. Remember, clarity of purpose and a well-structured plan can work wonders in propelling you towards success.

Speaking of wooping it up for birthdays, it’s still my birth-month, so my 20% coupon code is good until May 31st.

If you’re in need of a 50-min or 25-min SimplyAlign session to start your summer off right, go here to book and be sure to apply this code for 20% off: BIRTHDAY20

(NOTE: if all the May time slots are taken, you can still use the coupon as long as you book before May 31st, even if your session is later).

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Affirmations - Berry Orchard

6 Truths (& Affirmations) from the Berry Orchard

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Today, I’m excited to share with you my insights from my first-time-ever blueberry and blackberry picking extravaganza! Have you ever picked berries? Ahh, so many good life lessons and reminders to be found in the berry patch! Scroll down to read all about it ~

Affirmations - Berry Orchard

Last week Dean the Dream and I drove about 30 minutes to Germantown, MD to a family farm called Butler’s Orchard. I had read the sweet family story online before we went so I had good vibes about this place and it didn’t disappoint.

George and Shirley Butler originally purchased a 37-acre farm. Over many years and through three generations, it has now expanded to 300-acres with a little market, a cafe, a petting zoo and other activities, but mainly many fields growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

We jumped on one of the farm trolleys for a short ride to the blueberry and blackberry fields. I love all types of berries but I actually had never seen an actual blueberry or blackberry bush so it was fun just to get an up-close look at how they grow.

Here are some insights that came to mind as we were picking:

1) Don’t stop at the first bushes. Although it’s convenient, they’ve also had more pickers. By putting in a little extra effort at the beginning to walk further we found tons of low hanging fruit. At the beginning of a project put in the extra effort needed for the best long-term success (or, “worst first / greater later”).

Affirmation: I do what’s needed now for success later

2) I found that by looking a little closer, or moving a branch slightly I could find many clusters of ripe berries perfectly ready to be picked. When we’re willing to look a little closer we find treasures right in front of us.

Affirmation: I see and value the treasures in front of me

3) The berries that were ripe and ready for harvest easily fell off right into our hands. The ones that weren’t quite ready required a gentle tug. Let it be easy, when things are ready, they’ll fall into your hands.

Affirmation: I let it be easy, I am patient with the flow of life

4) There were several other families nearby, speaking different languages, and although we didn’t understand their words, we did understand their laughter and enthusiasm about the berries. Even if we don’t completely understand others we can still share in their energy of happiness.

Affirmation: I share in the energy of joy with others

5) We focused on finding the berries that were at their peak, knowing that the not-quite-ripe berries that we left on the vines will be gathered in the coming days and weeks by later pickers. Also being grateful that those who came before us took what was ready at that time, and left plenty for us. Everything is in divine timing, the Universe is abundant and there is enough for you and anyone else who wants to gather.

Affirmation: I trust the abundance and timing of the Universe

6) When we got home I washed all my blue/blackberries in a tub of water with Veggie Wash – I put some in the fridge for snacking, cooked one small jar of sugar free jam, then put the rest in baggies and into the freezer so we can enjoy them in weeks to come! Delayed gratification is a good thing, it’s reassuring to know we have some sweetness for later.

Affirmation: I’m thoughtfully preparing now for the future

7) And here’s a BONUS lesson about being open to extra blessings. As we were driving out of the orchards, there it was! A field of herbs – it was glorious! We parked the car, I jumped out, got a container from the girl working in that section, and breathed deeply as I walked into the rows of those sweet smelling herbs!

Dill, parsley, basil, and cilantro, yum, they all wanted to come home with us- I mean, the berries were amazing, but this was truly the “garnish” on top of a great day! I’ve been enjoying cilantro in my smoothies and fresh basil on my salads and avocado toast this week. Be open to additional, unexpected blessings. Allow and accept good surprises into your life.

Affirmation: I am open to receiving goodness in expected and unexpected ways.

All in all – it was a delightful evening at the farm and I’m looking forward to going again next month for the “Sunflower Spectacular” and in October for “Pumpkin Harvest Days”. (And yes I’ll share some photos if it’s as cool as it sounds).

I hope you enjoyed these lessons and affirmations, and that you have something FUN planned for this weekend ~

Truths - Berry Orchard
Berry Orchard Cilantro

Shine On,
Carolyn

P.S. Now I’m curious…Do you love cilantro like I do? It seems people either love it or think it tastes like soap (or a stinky armpit, eww!). According to the research, loving it or hating actually depends on your genes- wow! (I wonder if we can clear that, lol.)

I’m curious, which one are you – love it, or hate it?

Success

Things I Learned From A Pro-Triathlete

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One of my personal favorite things to do each May is to attend the IRONMAN held in beautiful St. George, Utah. My hubby, Dean-the-dream and I enjoy being volunteers and I also especially love to find a spot by the finish line and watch the triathletes run across it.

The dedication of the athletes is so motivating, as is the support of the crowd. Over 30,000 visitors flock here during the first week each May to cheer on friends and family who are racing. I love the excitement in the air, the weather, the music, all the sights and sounds, even the  smells—the whole energy of IRONMAN week is fantastic!

I think we all love to see people get rewarded for their hard work, no matter what arena it’s in. People who have paid their dues, put in the time and effort and sacrificed to complete a big goal are such an inspiration.

For the past three years we’ve had the honor of having a few of the professional athletes stay at our home the week of the race. This year “our guy” (as we refer to him), Jackson Laundry from Ontario, Canada and his girlfriend Montana stayed with us.

Two years ago Jackson and his dad Brian (also a triathlete) stayed with us, so we already had gotten to know Jackson. That was in 2017 and as only a 23 year old at that time he took 8th place, which was awesome. This year he came in 3rd place!

Being with Jackson for a few days taught me (or reminded me) of these things that are important for success in any area of life.

1) Internal discipline: Once you’ve made a commitment to yourself, keep it despite external forces. There are always challenges that crop up while moving toward a goal, so you need to remember your big WHY and make it a priority in your life. Direction and drive must come from within.

2) Schedules and Accountability: Have a great system and a plan and then stick to it for the long haul. I love that Jackson (& Brian, his dad) have their daily training schedules from their coach online, and their fancy wrist watches actually keep track of their workouts. I’ve learned from past experience if I set up a schedule with accountability (although mine isn’t this fancy), it makes staying on course for my goals so much easier.

3) Laser Focus: Later that evening after the race, Dean asked Jackson if he heard us cheering for him and shouting his name as he went past us at a few different places on the course. He said, “No, I was too focused. It’s as tough mentally as it is physically.” This helps me remember that determined, focused action will block out the “BSO” (bright, shiny objects) that try to get my attention while moving toward a bigger goal. Mindset plays such a big role in everything we want to accomplish in our lives.

4) Support System: Such intense training has ups and downs, and a pro-athlete needs coaches, friends, family they can depend on and who understand their drive, especially during tough times. In addition, there are so many volunteers along the race route to guide, hand out water, pick up pieces of clothing, park bikes, and so many other big and little things. In life, none of us get to the finish line alone. Watching those volunteers reminded me to pay attention and give gratitude for all those “helpers” in my own life.

5) Competition can be positive: I noticed anytime Jackson spoke of one of the other pros, it was always with respect and admiration. He honored their achievements in such an uplifting way. Even in competitive situations, or when tempted to compare to others, speaking well of others will always raise you up.

6) Pause to honor your achievement: After you’ve hit a goal, take time to celebrate before going right on to the next one. Both Jackson and Brian have their races planned out for the year, so they achieve one goal, have a few days to enjoy that (and learn from it), then keep moving onto the next goal. For sure, don’t miss the celebration, but also don’t rest on your laurels too long before moving on.

Have a SIMPLY great week ~
Shine On,
Carolyn