January 26, 2016
The true place of happiness resides inside of us. It is a choice we make each and every moment of each and every day. When it’s cold, dark, cloudy, and miserable outside, there is a place inside of you that is warm, light, and enjoyable. Sometimes we forget that. So, I thought I’d share with you my favorite happiness reminders that helped me through January.
First up,
Chocolate! Yum! But even better, I found a new bar of chocolate that makes me so happy! The simple things. It’s Endangered Species Chocolate (which I love because it not only tastes great and is on the healthier side when it comes to chocolate, but it’s for a good cause). They have a big selection of flavors, but my favorite new one is
Dark Chocolate with Blackberry Sage – What? Seriously it’s amazing!
Try it here. Or pick one up at Whole Foods.
Next,
Chili to warm you up! This is the only chili I ever make – Thank you Martha Stewart! It’s fairly quick and easy, so super delicious, and will feed a house full.
- 3-5 slices of bacon (cut each slice into 4 or 5 pieces)
- 2 lbs of grass-fed ground beef
- 3.5 c of onion
- 1/4 c. of minced garlic (this is the most time consuming part if you use fresh garlic – from the jar tastes just as good)
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 – 15 oz can of diced tomatoes (I use fire roasted tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp of unsulfured molasses
- 1 can/box of pinto beans, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
Using a 5 qt pot, on medium high heat, cook the bacon until crispy and brown. Add the ground beef and cook through. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft (5-7 minutes). Stir in chili powder, cocoa powder and cumin (1 min.) Add tomatoes, molasses, 1 c. of water, and 4 tsp salt – Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes partially covered. Stir in beans and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, and cornbread.
Enjoy!
Next is my favorite product,
Pangea Organics Balancing Oil, and for the past 4 weeks I’ve had one bottle on the counter in the kitchen and one bottle upstairs on the hall table. That’s how much we use it!
This product is a go to all year round, but is a must during the dry winter months. It’s primary use is for your face (2x/day) and its purpose is to bring balance to the skin. It balances the skin by regulating oil production in the pores. If you have oily skin, dry, mature, normal or combination skin, Balancing Oil will hydrate and reduce breakouts. In the winter, I use it more often (whenever I feel dry) and it definitely does the trick. It immediately takes that leathery, inelastic feeling away.
What’s more to love, is that I use it on my kids all the time. My daughter gets dry, bright red hands every winter from constant hand washing. My son gets dry chapped lips which spreads to the above and below areas around his lips (from a distance it looks like he has those big red wax lips on) and my other daughter gets dry cracked skin in her ear (from wearing a hearing aid). The Balancing Oil heals all of this. It is Liquid Gold.
One of the ingredients is Helichrysum Oil which is suggested to have anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties. It’s also suggested to stop bleeding and may have skin rejuvenating qualities. I put it on cuts, scrapes, and burns and the skin heals very quickly. To order
Pangea Organics Balancing Oil click here.
Finally,
Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown, is one of the most amazing books I’ve read. I’m not done just yet, but I get so excited about getting back to it. This book has opened up a conversation about shame in my life. It’s something we all deal with and never talk about. But, most importantly for me, it’s made me recognize shame and how it’s infiltrated our culture. With this newfound awareness and a better understanding of how shame works, I feel like this information will change my relationships, how I parent, SHIT! – It’s gonna change my life!
Click here to order.
What are some of your favorite happiness helpers? Please comment below!
In health and healing,
