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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

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September 28, 2023

Why You Can’t Stop Eating Junk Food

“Who ate all these chips?!” You look around and, alas, not even a dog to blame. Oops. It’s not your fault.  If you’ve had this experience—r

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Food, Health, Hope
September 21, 2023

Harvesting the Balance of Autumn

September 23rd ushers in the autumn equinox, a time when day and night are in perfect balance. It also opens the official season of cozy sweaters, pum

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Health
September 14, 2023

More Brain-Boosting Foods

Last week I shared a list of brain-boosting foods with the promise of more to come. Here are some additional foods that you may choose to include in y

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Food, Health
September 7, 2023

Ten Brain-Boosting Foods

Thank you for the many recommendations of farm stands with tasty corn on the cob. Mr. Non-Compliant happened to be in the vicinity of VanDerGriends Fa

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Blog, Food, Fun, Health
August 31, 2023

Mr. Non-Compliant’s Unwavering Passion for…Corn

Mr. Non-Compliant LOVES corn on the cob. Since the corn season is rather brief, I do my best to oblige him with this indulgence. And as my dear cousin

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Food, Health
August 24, 2023

Tips for a Sluggish Thyroid

Lately, I’ve been getting lots of questions about the little gland known as the thyroid. It seems to be underperforming for many of you. Hypothyroid

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Food, Health
August 17, 2023

Healthy Anytime Toast

Since my encounter with bar food last week, I’ve been focused on eating more plants. I came across this idea to enjoy “toast” and get more veggi

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Food, Health
August 10, 2023

Confessions from The Antler

What does one eat when in a bar? Bar food, of course. The bar options: The Brown Bear vs. The Antler: Horniest Bar Around (There were deer heads with

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Food, Fun, Health
August 3, 2023

6 Ways to Enjoy a Staycation at Home

August. Already. Is summer slipping by too quickly? Feel as though you’ve not experienced enough lazy days? Can’t manage to get away for one reaso

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Food, Fun, Health
July 26, 2023

The Wonder of Apricots

When I think about the abundant fruits of summer, apricots make the list. Although some of you may not be fans, I ask that you consider giving this da

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Food, Health

Slow Down to Speed Up

December 6, 2018
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Christmas, Health, Personal Development

This mantra seems counterintuitive, especially since there are only 19 days until Christmas. Yet, it hit me during a recent time of stillness.

It also reminded me of a book I’d read years ago, “Be Quick—But Don’t Hurry!” by Andrew Hill with John Wooden.

I can hear you now, gasping for air because there is SO MUCH TO DO. Relax. Breathe. Slow down. You’ll get more accomplished.

How many times have you been rushing and set the car keys down, only to forget where you put them? Or, you had your cell phone just a minute ago, where is it now?

In our haste to hurry or speed up, we waste precious time.  

 This also happens to me when I don’t do a simple task (taking 5 minutes or less) in the moment that it shows up. I’ll spend more time thinking about it than if I had just done it immediately. I’m practicing the “Do It Now” principle. (Fold the laundry, sort the mail, write the thank you, etc.)

I’ve also been distracted in the kitchen when measuring an ingredient, hurried, then wondered if I’d measured correctly. UGH!

Need I go on?

The more we hurry, the more stress and anxiety we experience. The result is poor sleep, hormone imbalances, a lack of energy, frustration, cold or flu, and sometimes—a few extra pounds.

Slow down. Spend a few moments in quiet solitude each day. You will be calmer; you will have more clarity about what is most important; you won’t appear crazy, even if you have doubts on occasion. (We all do.)

You will experience more joy and fulfillment because you are taking the time to enjoy each moment. This goes for the decorating, choosing that special gift for each person on your list, and even eating your favorite holiday treats.

The season of Advent, these four weeks leading up to Christmas, is a time of waiting. We wait with hope  for Christ’s coming. Children wait impatiently for Santa to deliver the goods. Adults can’t wait until it’s over. ‘Tis the season! 

Take a few extra minutes today and slow down. Be quick in knowing what it is you need to be attentive to, then methodically go about getting it done–But don’t hurry.

Make your plan. Work your plan. Have fun, doing the best you can.

“Keep calm and enjoy Christmas.”

 

Always Do Something

November 29, 2018
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Health
It’s time to embrace imperfection. Yes, you read that correctly. Today, we are going to consider doing some things imperfectly, rather than not doing them at all.

It is about now that the seasonal roller coaster ride begins. It lets up, oh, sometime in February—or July. What often accompanies this roller coaster ride (also known as “real life”) is what one of my mentors, Dr. John Berardi, refers to as “pause-button mentality.”

Examples of this phenomenon go something like this:

*”With all the parties in December, I may as well wait until January to start my health and fitness program. It will be one of my resolutions.”

*”I’ll go to the gym once my job settles down, the kids finish their __________ season, and I get my mom moved into her condo.”

*”It will be easier to eat better meals once the holidays are over. With all the baking, card writing, shopping and decorating, I have NO time.”

*”I was going to start eating more vegetables this week, until I remembered it’s my Birth Month. So many of my friends like to take me to lunch, I can’t possibly consider doing such a crazy thing until NEXT month!” (I’ve used this one before…can you believe it?)

Do any of these stories sound familiar? Okay, perhaps they aren’t exact—you get the picture. For the record: I am guilty of playing the pause-button game. Also for the record: It doesn’t work very well.

We all like to start over, begin again, and erase the slate clean. So do I. The problem: Hitting the pause button delays us living our life and playing full out.

Say your “ideal” routine includes nicely balanced meals every evening, your favorite workouts 5 days a week, quiet prayer/meditative time daily, 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and a good dose of family and social time mixed in with work. Perfect!

We all know that what we plan in life and what happens are usually not the same. We have to take the good stuff along with the not-so-good stuff.

Short term, we can stick with a regimented plan, which is why there are lots of 30-day programs. Life may allow us to get away with a fairly “perfect” 30 days. Then what?

Here’s an alternative to hoping for perfect. Always do something. Pausing the button on various aspects of our life when things get out of whack only leads to regret, and sometimes a more difficult road in the future.

If you are unable to get in your typical workouts, take a 10-minute walk at some point in your day. It will bring mental and physical benefits. Can you get to the gym at least twice a week instead of five? Stay for thirty minutes instead of an hour?

So you can’t get in your wonderfully balanced meals every evening, eat a salad once a day and do the best you can. If you must resort to drive-thru, skip the soda and fries. Practice doing just a little bit better. A little bit better is awesome!

And all those holiday parties? Choose a few of the “healthier” options, drink lots of water, and go for those decadent treats only when they are AMAZING!

Living your best life is not about having lots of willpower, or constantly denying yourself the fun of parties, friends and great food. This game is about developing the skills to hang in there and do what you can, even when you really want to pause. It’s knowing that life is always going to happen, no matter how well you plan.

Embrace the imperfection of doing something. Always.

“Fitness in the context of real human life is just like the rest of life. We’re all just doing the best we can in challenging, complicated circumstances. We are all living messy, imperfect lives. We are all human. If we can just keep moving forward, no matter what happens, no pause buttons, no do-overs, we win the game.”—Dr. John Berardi

We Fry a Turkey

November 14, 2018
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Family, Food, Health

Yes, you read that correctly. The Slager family fries a turkey (or two) each year to celebrate Thanksgiving.

I know. Fried food is not a healthy option. My boys come home to celebrate and it’s their favorite. We fry the turkey, and it’s AMAZING!

We enjoy this delicacy once a year. I advise you to do the same with whatever your favorites are. Thoroughly enjoy them. Our health walk is not one of deprivation. It is one of abundance and choice.     

So many times we eat because it’s time. We eat because it’s there. We eat because we’re bored, stressed, sad, lonely, just because. We eat too much, and it’s not even that good. 

This Thanksgiving, how about we eat because we are enjoying every delicious bite with gratitude. How about we eat slowly, stop BEFORE we are bursting at our seams, and focus on our relationships.

That being said, here are a few safety tips in case you’d like to attempt frying a turkey this year.

  • Place your fryer away from any buildings to avoid a fire.
  • Keep children and pets a safe distance from the frying area.
  • Have your turkey at room temperature and dry off any moisture.
  • Make sure your oil is the correct temperature to fry the turkey.
  • SLOWLY lower the bird into the hot oil, and wear gloves. My husband spends several minutes lowering the turkey into the oil, so it doesn’t spatter or cause the oil to overflow.
  • Check your time. Frying a turkey is a very quick way to cook it.
  • Allow the turkey to rest once it’s cooked. By doing this, you don’t loose the juices.

Whatever foods you enjoy this Thanksgiving, I wish you the best. In case you’re wondering, we eat pumpkin pie too!

Thanks for reading and following my blog.

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” –Meister Eckhart

A Fun Day of Celebrations

November 1, 2018
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Fun, Health, Personal Development

I find it quite curious that the day after many folks around the world celebrate Halloween, we find ourselves with more than we bargained for on November 1.

Christians, celebrate All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, in honor of all saints known and unknown.

I recently learned that November 1 is also World Vegan Day, and November is World Vegan Month. In case you’re not up on the specifics, Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients.  

And if that’s not enough, today is Give Up Your Shoulds Day, a day to give up thinking about something you “should” do. For example, perhaps you are thinking, I SHOULD go to the gym. Whether you go to the gym or not, the idea behind this holiday is to let go of the thought that is burdening you. In this case, the “should” of going to the gym. The point is to lessen our stress and ease our minds by practicing the art of not “shoulding” ourselves to death.

There’s more–National Author’s Day. Celebrate this day by writing your favorite author, if he/she is still living, and flying the American flag. Another fun thing to do is ask your friends their favorite author, and what books those authors have written. You may find your way to the library later to check out one of them.

Ladies, this one will be a big hit with you: because it’s the first Thursday of November, today
is National Men Make Dinner Day. (Guys, please don’t hate me. I’m merely the blogger.) Better warn him early, or you’ll be making reservations later. I think most men are pretty good at grilling a steak, however that will not work if they’re celebrating World Vegan Day. 

Today holds so much possibility. Whatever you do, make today great. And if your special guy needs help planning dinner, I’m here to help. Just don’t make him feel as though it’s something he “should” do.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”― Maya Angelou

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