This certainly pertains to communicating / networking as adults. When networking, I find giving examples of what I do for people, best explains what my business is about. People want to know what interested me in the field in the first place, this creates a personal connection. This is the core of a business. People recognize if you are being authentic, they are attracted to genuine people. When you are honestly excited about what you do, it shows.

If you make people laugh, they’ll remember you.

I am a curious person and love to hear people’s story. I ask them questions, I want to know if they are happy with what they are doing and if it is their “dream job.” Those are the people who are going to do the best job in their field. That’s who I want to hire or refer to others.

When we have a conversation with people, we loosen up, get out of our head and speak more from the heart. Allow our true self to be present. (They won’t remember you if “you’re” not there!)

This soup sounds delicious, I’m going to incorporate these ideas into a cooking class I’m doing this week.

I use sea vegetables instead of salt, and it adds more minerals. (It doesn’t add a fishy flavor.) Using kelp or kombu (same plant), helps break down the beans and you are able to digest them without experiencing gas. I know many people avoid beans for this reason, so I thought a tip like this may help them enjoy all the wonderful legumes available. They are a great form of protein and fiber.

I also use brown rice to thicken soup – take a few tablespoons of cooked brown rice and 1/2 cup of water, place it in the blender and add it to the soup and simmer.

Be creative, these suggestions work with many foods, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Sometime early in the day, I start with 2 quarts of an organic vegetable broth either store bought or home made, in my soup stock pot. Then I wash my vegetables & peel some that need to be peeled. If they are organic, many times they don’t need to be peeled and can be washed well before consumption. Chop into polite size peices.

The stages at which I add in the vegetables is also important, as some are harder take longer to cook (ie: carrots, celery root, ginger root, burdock root, parsnips, turnips, orange or yellow beets), then I add in the intermediate folks, like onion, garlic, broccoli (yeah, I know it’s not a root vegetable, but I add it to everything!), sweet potato and maybe some corn for color. The last few edibles I add are a precooked bean of choice (usually azduki or black bean) and some seasonings like black pepper, sea salt, and some of the fresh basil I have growing. While this is simmering on the stove top you’ll have plenty of time for other things.

Do you want your soup base thicker? Simple! When the soup is fully cooked, take about 2 cups out (veggies & all), and puree it. Add this puree back in to the soup to thicken the base.

It’s easy! Just get your soup pot out and start adding ingredients. It’s even better left over. Create & Enjoy!

As for outdoor exercise, my mind and body and spirit all need it, crave it, it’s not a chore, it’s a NEED! Nature truly inspires us and heals us, the colors, the fresh air, the sound of the leaves rustling, the birds singing, to me it’s the best medicine.

The fresh air and activity changes your breathing, When you breathe with all the lobes of your lungs, it really has a cleansing affect, move your arms over your head and breathe deeply. Creative thinking flows more freely with new ideas. It changes the body’s chemistry and raises the endorphins, brings more joy. We don’t need drugs when we’re depressed or tired, we need movement!

Eileen got us laughing alright, she gets your body moving as well, and before I knew it, I had “Laugh Face” I couldn’t stop! This felt soooo gooood! The holidays can be so hectic, it was the perfect time to insert “a little” – “a lot” – of laughter! It truly is the best medicine. Plus the guided visualization at the end was great, I was in another world!