Re-framing Our Story

I was having lunch (side note fellow NYC vegans: Toad Style? AMAZING) with my friend Kate the other day, catching up. She explained to me how she’d been feeling a lot of self doubt over the past couple of months, especially with regards to her somewhat recent breakup and career change.

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I jumped ship on yet another relationship, and then I was my usual flighty self and and quit my super stable job to do freelance writing. Am I even an adult? I just feel like a hot mess.”

I was FLOORED.

See, for the past couple of months, I’d been in AWE of Kate. She seemed to be moving forward towards what she wanted so steadfastly. Instead of staying in a relationship that wasn’t working just for the sake of being in one, she ended it. Instead of staying at a job that was yes, stable, but also making her feel stagnant, she recognized her own strengths and followed them. A hot mess? I thought she was incredibly brave.

But when I told her that, she seemed surprised.

“I never thought of it like that,” she said. “I’ve just been getting stuck in this idea I’ve had of myself--that I’m flighty and I can’t commit to anything.”

The problem was that Kate had allowed herself to frame her life in a certain way... and she’s not alone. We ALL do it--and it’s usually based off fear of acknowledging our potential and worth in the Universe. In Kate case, she wouldn’t allow herself to see how fearless she was. If she didn’t acknowledge that bravery, she could convince herself that she was already a failure (“a hot mess”) and therefore anything that came of her attempts would be a welcome joy.

The thing is that the Universe is chock full of abundance and joy, and it does no one any good to play small. Operating from a place of love and joy--for those around you and yourself--only creates MORE ABUNDANCE!

So, how can we operate from that place of joy? By making sure we frame our stories in the positive. We do that a few ways:

Recognize our strengths and celebrate them.

In Kate’s case, her focus on self-care and bravery were things that needed to be celebrated. In both her relationship and employment, she was so in tune with herself that she knew something was wrong, and she was brave enough to change it.

Re-examine the events surrounding the story we're telling

When we find ourselves getting stuck in a loop, and saying the same things over and over again (“I can’t commit to anything,” or “I’m a hot mess”) we need to re-examine that within the context of the events we base it off.

All Kate needed was to be reminded that she’d ended her relationship after a YEAR of trying to work through issues. She’d been pursuing freelance writing bit by bit over the past three years I’d known her. Hot mess? She paid her rent on time, did taxes, had a savings AND retirement account, was always ther for her friends, and also managed to fit a daily yoga routine and political activism into her already busy life.

Get used to talking and thinking about ourselves in a way that reminds us that we are full of JOY and LOVE.

Pretend that the thoughts you’re thinking about yourself are things you’re hearing your best friend (or someone you love and cherish) say out loud. How far would you let them go? Catch yourself when you start talking out loud about the ways that you think you’re failing, and contain it with an affirmation.

“I am capable, abundant, love filled, and ready to take on anything that’s thrown my way.”

Add in some gratitude, and you’ll find yourself even more open.

“Thank you for my creativity, bravery, and friends who support and love that.”

Anytime you start thinking in a detrimental loop, replace it with one that reminds you of your own power and strength.

For example: "I'm so socially anxious I can't even be a functioning human being at this party."

Instead, replace it with:

"I am so in tune with how I operate best that I am able to gracefully remove myself from a situation that doesn't support that."

Remind yourself that you are learning, and growing. Sometimes, we make mistakes. In no way does that mean we ARE mistakes.

We are love, joy, potential and we have the ability to create a life full of abundance. Let’s tell our story that way, and watch it unfold.

Make coffee, work, dinner plans, pick up groceries, call my mom...we make a to do list thinking that it will help us to remember ALL the things we MUST do, but have you ever checked everything off? Instead of being a tool to help us get more done, our to-do lists become a weapon of time sucking destruction. Well my friends, the time sucking, not sure how I’m feeling about it, dragging me down to-do list ends now. Let’s create some to-do list magic.

Most of us fill our to-do list with tiny, monotonous tasks that take away from our greater purpose, and ultimately our joy. When was the last time you put “create more love, joy and peace” on the top of your to-do list? Be honest. In turn, the smaller and seemingly easier to-do tasks come first because they take less time and can be disguised as “decluttering,” so you can have greater clarity. This leaves LESS time for things on your list that matter most and can leave you feeling resentful of the list that was created to help you.

Here are three tips to create a to do list that will give you MORE time and MORE happiness.

1: Look inward.

Before we create our get-’er-done list we want to make sure we’re in the purpose zone. The reason why we often start with the small things is because there is some fear around doing the life changing things! When we take a deep breath and look inward for our answer, we are more able to stand in our truth. From truth we are capable of anything. A great way to get into the zone is to take a few minutes to observe your breathing and re-calibrate. You can use an affirmation “I am capable, abundant, love filled, and ready to take on anything that’s thrown my way.” Or you can leave it up to the universe (my personal fave):

“Dear Universe, please use me for everything that I am capable of. I want to be a vessel for love and joy. Lead me in the direction where I can make the most impact.”

And then...listen. The things that will lead you towards more joy, abundance, love will become apparent.

2: Pick your top three purpose-driven to do’s.

After you’ve looked inward, think about the top three things you can do today that will make you feel truly accomplished and in your calling. These will go at the top of your list! They’re the first thing you’re going to knock out because they mean the most. Doing these purpose driven activities first will guarantee that you’ll end your day feeling aligned, accomplished and joyful and that guarantees that you’ll learn to love your list instead of dread it!

3: Have a separate technical “life list”.

There are probably some things that you have to write down in order to remember them. It’s because they’re not the most important or enjoyable. Good examples are: laundry, cleaning, taxes, paying bills, etc. They’ve got to get done, but they can also easily clutter up your list and make it feel never ending. Create a separate list of things that need to be done just because - that’s life. The things on this life list should be tended to only after your top three purpose driven to-do’s are finito. Otherwise, these things can easily be used as a procrastination tool for the good stuff.

Perfect! Make sure that the next time you jot down your get-’er-done’s you are in the zone, working from a place of purpose and saving the small stuff for later. To join our positivity community on FB and get your free morning planner click HERE! See you there goddesses!

If you’re looking for a fun way to get to your goals this year - you’re in luck - because I am about to help you create a vision board that not only inspires you daily, but actually works.

Vision boarding has become extremely popular. From Oprah to Gabby Bernstein celebs and spiritual gurus swear by them to get to your goals in a fun and efficient way. If your dreams seem right there on the horizon, but totally out of reach this vision board exercise is just what you need to draw them right to you. Are you ready? Here are my 5 steps for creating a vision board that actually works. 

Brian dump? Yes. You heard me. A brain dump is simply writing down free flow everything thought that comes to mind. No judgements! Just let it flow. This exercise is about vision so you need to be able to get everything out of your brain and onto paper. It will be easier to SEE there when it's all in front of you. 

Give yourself 10-20 minutes of free writing and once it's on paper read through the list. Look for trends, certain things that pop out as most important and star them. Let me remind you, YOU KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT. No second guessing here, just trust your gut.

Now that you have your thoughts down on paper it's time to make those thoughts into visuals. In order to make a mind-blowingly beautiful vision board that does its job, it’s all about finding the right images.

What you want to remember is that you want to capture the essence and core of each goal with an image that will remind you of it's importance. If the image means nothing to you, your vision board won't work. The images have got to motivate you, inspire you, and have the power to put your mind back on track when you feel like veering off course. Newspapers, magazines, and pinterest...all good places to find visual inspo. 

Now that you have your images it's time to put them down on paper. Let your heart guide you and trust your gut. Design your board with the most important thing or symbol in the center because your eyes will naturally go there first. From there let inspiration move you to design it in any way your heart desires. 
 

A good thing to point out is that this is an exercise in trusting yourself. Nothing is too big or too small to be on your vision board. Anything is possible and you are capable of making your wildest dreams come true - so stop judging yourself and just let. it. flow. 

After you've created your vision board give yourself a few minutes to sit in stillness and reflect on what you've created. A few questions that would be good to ask yourself are:

"Why are these things so important to me?"

"What are the greater themes at play here?" (ex. love, acceptance, trust, empowerment, financial freedom)

"What would it feel like to accomplish these goals?"

This will help you to really lock in the significance of what you've created. The symbol only takes on the meaning and gravity given to it - so if you want this to work make sure to give it it's proper reflection. 

Let your freak flag fly! Put your vision board in a place where you will see it every single day. You don't want something this special that is holding all of your dreams tucked away. Your vision board will have maximum impact if you're reminded of the dreams and goals reflected on it daily. 

e can be conditioned to anything - our brains are so susceptible in that way, so give your brain the conditioning it needs and wants. The more you see your dreams hanging right there in front of you the more you will believe that they are headed right for you -- because they are.

Just open your heart and mind, put it into the universe, take some action and watch it happen. <3

Let’s be honest. We are all walking around each and every day playing that one game that will get us absolutely nowhere. The comparison game.

“Oh, I could never do that because I’m not as good as…”

“I’ll never be as ____ as ____”

At the core, true happiness and prosperity is all about confidence. Let’s be clear, confidence is not walking into a room with your nose in the air, thinking you are better than everyone else. Confidence is walking into a room and not comparing yourself to anyone else in the first place. We so naturally and automatically look at the celeb, or an old friend from high school, or a sorority sister and wish we were more like them, but what about how truly unique and awesome we are? How do we forget that one teensy (huge) fact? And how do we get out of this cycle of negativity with ourselves? These are our 4 steps to be more comfortable in your own skin, to stand sure and tall in your own uniqueness, to recognize your own talents and assets, and well, love that about yourself <3

STEP 1: Stop comparing your moment to moment with someone else’s highlight reel.

With the world of social media whizzing pictures of everyone’s most incredible moments of the day this is not an easy task. So the first thing we want to do is RECOGNIZE WE ARE EVEN DOING THIS AT ALL. Once you accept that you are playing this nasty hurtful game with yourself you can start to diagnose it and undo the damage. Be aware of these thought patterns, cause you’re gonna stomp them out. Start to catch yourself when you start comparing yourself to anyone else.

Helpful tactics: Put a reminder in your phone or label your alarm to say “today I compare myself to no one else but me.” Every time you catch yourself starting to compare say “Stop. I choose to think another way.”

STEP 2 : Debunk those nasty thoughts!

Hey, let me let you in on a secret - it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing if it is stopping you from doing what you are passionate about. So whatever you are telling yourself about your abilities, you need to challenge that. We have a tendency to glorify others and in turn, minimize ourselves. We are our own worst critics! Because of this, we see others as better or more glamorous than us. We are all special, we are all unique, we are all capable of doing great things. YOU ARE NO EXCEPTION. So stop telling yourself you can’t or you’ll never be as good as. Take time to see the truth. Debunk those limiting beliefs. They are an excellent form of procrastination from being your best you.

Helpful Tactics: Be on the lookout for anytime you doubt yourself and challenge it. When you catch yourself in those nasty though patterns say “Why can’t I?” or “Who am I NOT to be the expert?” and truly dig deep. The more layers of the onion that get peeled off the more you see your true self. You are capable of anything.
 

STEP 3: Replace those limiting beliefs with positivity!

Combat any negative comparison thoughts with self-love. Put pen to paper and write down what makes you shine, what excites you, what motivates you, what is unique about you that most people don’t know. You can promote more of these positive and empowering thoughts by creating an awesome morning routine that will set you up for naturally born successes throughout the day. Get our Motivated Morning Routine Guide Here.

Helpful Tactics: Make a vision board that makes you feel excited about your future and what you have to offer that you can look at on the reg.

STEP 4: Remind yourself DAILY how incredible and talented you are!

The comparison game habit is not an easy one to break, so you want to make it easy for yourself to create a new habit of self love and empowerment to take its place. If you’ve been at this game for a while and you’re a champ at it, which most people are, it’s going to take some time to get into these new thought patterns. Make it easy for yourself to remember!

Helpful Tactics: Say an affirmation that you say before your feet even hit the ground in the morning “I am powerful beyond belief. Nothing is out of the realm of possibilities.” Start a journaling practice in the morning. Put your vision board someplace you see it every day.

If life has got you frazzled try out making a vision board or creating a morning routine with us and you’ll be back to calm, zen and focused in no time.

This egg sandwich started out as an adventure to try to recreate our favorite "egg sandwich " from a restaurant we love that stopped carrying tempeh bacon  (whaaatt??)  I know.  I embarked on this journey knowing full well that I could fail, but instead a beautiful miracle sandwich was born.  :) 

And now I'm going to share it with you...you lucky ducks you. 

STORE BOUGHT:

FREE BREAD - MOXY

Daiya Cheese Shreds

Lightlife Tempeh Bacon

House Foods Organic Soft Tofu

SPICES:

1 tsp Nutritional Yeast

1/8 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1/8 Pepper

1/8 Garlic Powder

1 tbs Water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Set oven to 350 degrees.  We don't have a toaster so we toast our bread in the oven.  Toast bread for 5 minutes on each side.  Then add cheese--Broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted. 

While your oven is preheating mix SPICES and WATER in a small bowl.  Spray a medium size non stick pan with Vegetable Oil and add 1/2 package of Tofu-Well Drained.  With a spatula break up the tofu to look like scrambled eggs.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add spice mixture and cook (stirring regularly) for 3-5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

In another pan:  Spray lightly with Vegtable Oil and heat on medium heat until oil has heated.  Add tempeh bacon and cook for 4 minutes on each side -- or longer if you like it CRISPY. 

ASSEMBLE SANDWICH AND ENJOY THE AMAZING GOODNESS THAT IT IS. <3 <3 <3

Cookie Base:

2 cups walnuts

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup raw honey

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t sea salt

"Caramel" Layer

1 1/2 cups dates, soaked for about 10 minutes in hot water

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 t vanilla

1/8 t salt

1 1/2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut

Chocolate Topping

2 cups dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Process all COOKIE BASE Ingredients in Food Processor until they make a CRUMB LIKE TEXTURE. Don't over process. Spread out in a parchment lined spring form pan!

Toast your coconut at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes while soaking your dates in hot water for about 10 minutes.

Drain dates and process them until they make a smooth caramel like paste. Then add the coconut milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add toasted coconut and process just until mixed. Spread another layer of caramel on top of the cookie base.

PUT IN FREEZER UNTIL SET.

Melt 1/12 cups chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave and pour over frozen "caramel" layer. Spread evenly. 

PUT IN FREEZER UNTIL SET.

Melt remaining chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave and transfer into a plastic bag. 

Take out of the freezer and undo the spring form pan. Flip the frozen samoa onto the cutting board. 

Cut the corner of your chocolate bag and drizzle the melted chocolate onto the top of your cookie bar! 

PUT IN FREEZER UNTIL SET.

Enjoy!! <3

I would never normally make a fried donut but today was National Donut Day, so I guess I had no choice. Nope, no choice at all. hehe. It's been quite a while since I've had a fried donut that was vegan + gf. They are not easy to find even in the good ole NYC where you can basically find anything your little heart desires. 

So Andrew, my non vegan boyfriend, and I decided to venture into the land of frying balls of dough and cinnamon sugar heaven. Boy oh boy, we were not disappointed. These donuts are fluffy, light, crispy, sweet but just enough and mouth watering good. There will be none left behind, I guarantee you <3 Try em for youself with this recipe and enjoy your donut day!! 

donut holes

1 cup gf baking flour blend

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup coconut or almond milk

2 tablespoons shortening, melted

coconut oil for frying

COATING

1/4 cup cane sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

In heavy pot or saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350 degrees.

Mix together sugar and cinnamon in brown paper lunch bag. Set aside.

While the oil is heating mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. Add coconut milk and melted shortening. Stir just until dough comes together.

Using one heaping tbs, make balls of dough and gently drop 2-3 into heated oil. Cook on each side 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove donut holes from oil using tongs and allow to drain on paper towel lined plate.

Immediately place donut holes into brown paper bag with cinnamon sugar mixture. Fold over top to secure and shake to coat.

Repeat with remaining dough until donut holes are complete. Best served warm.

Recipe derived from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free

ENJOY