My First E-Book! And It's Free for YOU!

There has never been any better advice than Joseph Campbells, “Follow your bliss.”

My coaching practice, Midwife for Your Life, is all about how we can learn to cultivate joy so that we can live happier and healthier lives. I decided to offer a free E-Book on this very topic as an introduction to what my practice has to offer.

And here's the introduction to my book - Rx Humor! Midwife for Your Life's Prescription for Health and Happiness

I work as a certified nurse-midwife and a life coach. As a nurse-midwife I work in a public health system that serves women who otherwise would not receive care. They often have very few resources available to them.

What I have seen from working with them, as well as my private coaching clients, is that encouraging one’s sense of humor confers huge benefits and – even better - doesn’t cost a thing.

Scientific research shows that happiness is linked to emotional resilience – the ability to keep afloat in even the most challenging circumstances –and improved health outcomes.

Interestingly, you can be happy or cheerful and not find humor or laugh a lot, but research also shows that satisfaction with one’s life increases exponentially with the ability to be laugh.
So this book is all about harnessing humor to live your very best life.

You see, humor is the ability to shift perspective away from the conventional view of a concept and that’s why it’s exactly the ability you want to hone when you want to improve your life.

Researchers at the University of Zurich found that one benefit of cheerfulness is a psychic robustness that emotionally buffers people against crises and enables them to see silver linings in major disappointments such as the loss of a job or a chronic illness.

So let’s make sure that we are focusing as much as we can on the things that are pleasing to us, the things that delight us and the things that make us laugh so hard our stomach cramps.

And when you get my book, as a special bonus, I include a link to what I think is the funniest video clip ever! I crack up just thinking about it!

So if you'd like to receive a copy of my book, please go to my website and download it!

This week I'm rejoicing in so many things - my sweet family after a lovely week spent together at a beautiful lake house, my husband, who on Father's Day and every day, is celebrated as the very best father I could ever imagine for my son, and laughter. All of them elevate my life to great heights! I am a very lucky woman.

Full Sun Farm 6th Week!

We were still out of town for the pick-up on Wednesday, but the good folks at Full Sun Farm held our box till I could pick it up this morning from the thriving North Asheville Market - quite a treat on this lovely, mild summer morning.

Here's what we got:

Lettuce Mix

Green Kale

Swiss Chard

Broccoli

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

Fennel

Parsley

Blueberries

Notes from the Farm (and a recipe!)

Broccoli is essentially a bouquet of flowers on one thick stem. Each of the small buds in a head of broccoli is a tiny undeveloped flower that would bloom yellow if left in the field. This is the part of the plant most of us gravitate toward, but don't overlook the stalk and any leaves--they're as fully edible as the florets, and possibly more nutritious. Enjoy the whole plant with a delicious asian-style dressing:

Broccoli

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp peanut oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/2 tsp hot chili oil (optional)

Separate florets from the stalk and break into smaller florets. Cut the stalk into 1-inch lengths and then into matchstick-size strips. Place broccoli (stalk and florets) in steamer basket and cover; steam over boiling water for 5 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir until combined. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and mix well.

Also: Think of fennel as an herb and vegetable in one package. Use the leafy fronds as an herb in salads or anything that can use the anise flavor it imparts. Chop their thin stalks just above the bulb--the bulb itself can be grilled or roasted, and it can be eaten raw. Try it in a salad, or brush raw slices with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

Small But Powerful

I have a small but powerful family. I didn’t grow up with a large extended family. My mom was an only child and my father only has one brother and he and his family always lived on the other side of the country and we almost never saw them.

As I grew up my family consisted of my two parents and my older-by-17-months brother. When I was 12, my parents had another son. We have always been a close knit family and we have always enjoyed each others' company immensely.

About 10 years ago I had the good fortune to spend time with a friend whom I hadn’t seen for almost 15 years. One of the questions he asked while catching up was whether my family and I still played games together.

It seems that one of his strongest memories of me was that I was always playing games with my family -– Pinocle, Spades, Scrabble, Monopoly, Parcheesi – we played them all, all the time. I laughed and said, yes indeed, we still loved to play games together.

My parents only live 40 minutes away, so weekly Scrabble games are still the norm, but I only get to spend time with my brothers a handful of times a year.

Holidays are generally spent together, but time seems to speed up with all the festivities and we usually only get in one game of cards and a board game at best.

One week every summer, though, we converge on a house by the water (ocean or lake) and the games begin in earnest.

As I write this, everyone is playing poker, even the children. (And my 7-year-old nephew is winning!)


We only just arrived on Friday night, but already time has altered and we are adapting to the new, slower rhythms of sleeping late, going to the water, making and eating meals together, and, of course, playing games.

I’m sure I will have more pictures to share next week – I only thought to pull out the camera this afternoon, but these photos provide a happy testament to a wonderful, happy family.









This week I am rejoicing in my small, but powerful family.

Full Sun Farm 5th Week!

Another very leafy week on the farm! Check out the gorgeous kale in the back! And then the big surprise: squash! It's early for squash in these parts - the farmers worked hard to get it in the ground so we could enjoy a splash of color with all the green.

Here's the breakdown of the Box:

Red Leaf Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Green Kale
Collards
Red Beets
Summer Squash, 1 lb.
Onions, 2 lbs.
Garlic Scapes

My farmers once again shared some fascinating information about about one of my favorite vegetables - beets! I was slow to love beets but now I love, love, love them - but only in roasted form. I had no idea that they are actually related to swiss chard, but they are grown with emphasis on the the bulbous root that forms below ground, whereas chard has been cultivated to forgo formation of such a root in favor of the greens.

I also love the greens and I prepare them like any other cooking green or I add them to my morning juice.

A very simple and lovely way to eat both of them is from Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini:

1 or 2 bunches beets, with greens
1 tsp anise or fennel seeds
1 tbsp butter
lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Trim greens from beets and set aside; place each beet on a square of foil large enough to enclose it, and season with anise or fennel. Crimp each package tightly shut. Set beets in roasting pan and bake until tender (40-60 minutes; test by piercing with knife tip). Meanwhile, rinse greens and steam over boiling water, about 5 minutes. Remove beets from oven; keep them wrapped and pinch them back and forth to remove skin. Halve the skinned beets, and heat in pan with butter. Toss steamed greens in lemon juice and arrange in a ring on serving dish with beets nested in the center.

I hope you enjoy it!

What's Cooking 6.8-6-11

This is going to be a short week because on Friday we leave for a lovely lake vacation with my family! Hooray! Everyday last week my son asked if we are going to the "fishing place" and now he understands that it is only a few days away!

Again, only time for one shopping trip this week. We spent $63.97 at Earth Fare.



Here's what we're eating this week:

Monday: (I work in clinic so I made this dish Sunday so it would be easy to heat up.)
Southwestern Shredded Potato Crust Quiche
Green Salad

Tuesday: (I'm in the hospital for a 24-hour shift.)
Monastery Style Lentils
Corn Scones
(I also made this Sunday - I included this recipe in a past menu. It's a great way to incorporate tons of greens.)

Wednesday: (Late night at the pool!)
Chopped Black Bean and Avocado Salad
Tortilla Chips and Salsa
Watermelon

Thursday:
Pizza with homemade whole wheat crust and sauce
Pepperoni and Roasted Peppers
Green Salad

I'm planning to make quite a few tasty meals for my family, but I don't have time to post them now. I'll try to post them when I have a moment after a swim in the lake!

No Such Thing As Bad Weather, Part 2

When I wrote a post on this subject over a year ago, I was talking literally about what folks call bad weather.

When I hear people talking about the “current economic climate” like it’s bad weather I want to share one of my favorite life lessons that I learned from my sweet friend and Zen master, my dog Zoe, who died last year.

From Zoe I learned that there is no such thing as bad weather. Just inappropriate clothing.

If you are “experiencing some weather," remember: you can put on more appropriate attire simply by changing your thoughts.

I told my husband about the idea for this post and he looked at me skeptically and said that he didn't think the weather analogy was apt considering when weather is bad you can always go inside your house. But in the current economy people are losing their homes and have nowhere to go.

Let me be clear: Yes, challenging events will happen to everyone. And when they happen to others I have enormous compassion for their suffering.

When they happen to me, I want to focus as quickly as I can on the things that are going well in my life. I want to create more positive things. (For scientific evidence that backs up my approach to happiness you can read another recent post.)

So, to return to my (I think, very apt) analogy: the fastest and simplest way to change the weather is to create conditions that are favorable: Do something fun.

For me, one of the fastest ways to feel better is to listen to positive, uplifting songs. If they have a driving bass line, all the better.

One of my favorite songs is Mary J. Blige’s Just Fine and here are some of the lyrics:

Having a real good time, I'm not complaining
And I'ma still wear a smile if it's raining
I gotta enjoy myself regardless
I appreciate life, I'm so glad that it's mine.

This week I'm rejoicing in my ability to enjoy myself regardless. I'm rejoicing in my ability to appreciate life. I am so glad that it's mine.

And if you'd like to create the conditions for your own happiness, please consider my one-month E-Seminar.

You receive daily emails from me for a month: They include extensive lessons, tools and tips developed from the latest research in positive psychology. You are encouraged to submit your work from the exercises and you receive personal and in-depth feedback and support.

I had a blast developing it and it will be so much fun to share it with you!

Full Sun Farm 4th Week!

Even though the farmers have been challenged by the rainiest May on record, we keep getting amazing boxes! Here's what we got this week. (I also stopped by the Spinning Spider Creamery booth. They are a local goat dairy farm and their Rosemary Fig Chevre is incredible. At $8 for 8 ounces, it's a very special treat.)

Spring lettuce mix
Green Leaf Lettuce

Green Kale

Swiss Chard

Chioggia Beets

Kohlrabi

Bok Choy

Peas

Parsely

Garlic Scapes

Have you tried crispy kale yet? If not and you know any kale-skeptics (Angela!), make this tonight! And make it with good-quality salt and you will have found a new obsession.

Crispy Kale

1 bunch kale, chopped, hard stems removed

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 and place a rack on the lowest shelf. Spread kale evenly on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes, stir, and bake for 8-12 more minutes, until kale is browned and crispy to the touch. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt.