Baker Brain

Do you know how when you are first learning something interesting, you keep trying it and reading about it and you may love doing it but you can't really think through and problem solve with the new information?

That's how I've been for a long time with baking. I've been experimenting with different flavor combinations and learning to make many different basic recipes. I've always had to follow a recipe and generally followed a recipe that I Googled and at the most cobbled together some recipes that I'd Googled.

And then, I caught myself. I was sitting in the car before, eating my scone for breakfast, and calculating ratios and different ways to make the scones I'd baked taste better!

Y'all. I think I have a baker's brain.

And that's wonderful news because owning a bakery is one of my dreams!

Book Review/Sage Advice: Be You. Do Good by Jonathan David Golden

This book came at the perfect time in in my family's life. My husband and I are experiencing different life stages and situations and this book spoke perfectly to each one!

Be You. Do Good. tells the story of Golden's entrepreneurial life. He talks about how he slowly moved from one area of business (life coach) to another (owning a coffee business). He uses his life as an example of how God leads us and inspires us to do His work. Through this book, Golden is able to use the wisdom he has learned through experience to teach us to recognize and act upon God's leading.

At the end of each section, Golden asks leading questions to get you thinking about your own life and dreams. I found these questions to be really valuable and thought provoking. I love his concept of “little by little” or “one step at a time”. We should always ask ourselves what can I do next to help achieve my dreams.

I think this book is a must-read for anyone struggling to either define their dream/ life mission or act on their dream.

*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Creating a Manageable Morning Routine

For me,  having a  good morning routine keeps me from falling into a productivity rut and ensures I complete my goals. Creating a morning routine will help keep you feeling healthy, energized and focused all day long. A good morning routine should include elements of each of the following:

11.  Exercise. Going for a jog or engaging in another activity that gets my heart pumping starts my day on the right track. Personally, I am the most motivated in the mornings, and exercising helps keep my energy levels up throughout the day. Also, if I start my day with a healthy mindset, I am less likely to devour a mid-afternoon calorie bomb. Passion4Profession, Tone it Up and Leslie Sansone offer great workouts that can be accessed through Youtube.  

22. Food. Eating a healthy breakfast is essential to keeping away the mid-morning munchies. Often, keeping it healthy and fast is the way to go. A quick Google search yields inspiration with sites such as 100 Days of Real Food, Life Simply and The Better Mom.

33. Inspirational time. Exercise energizes our bodies, but we need to make time to nurture our hearts and minds, too. Take 10-20 minutes each morning to meditate, journal or read a devotional. Doing so will energize and refresh your mind.

44.   Ritual. Rituals help us stay calm and centered. Many people make a ritual out of drinking a beverage like hot water with lemon, tea, coffee, or Choffy. Making a ritual out of consuming one of these drinks during your inspirational or breakfast time can help you remain calm, focused and receive health benefits. Other rituals include lighting candles during prayer or playing music during a bubble bath.

      

      You should make sure your morning routine reflect your priorities and responsibilities. Use the categories above as a template for filling in activities that help you feel energized and focused. Then, make a plan. Get a notebook or planner and divide your day into manageable chunks of time. Make sure to carve out time for your new morning routine. Having a scheduled plan helps your brain remember and focus on your goals. 

     If you find yourself struggling to stick to a routine, apps like The Fabulous and Runtastic, or personal fitness trackers, can help you stay focused and motivated. In addition, implementing a calendar and sticker system can help you visualize your progress. It’s important to remember that the purpose of a morning routine is to help you stay focused and energized. If your routine feels draining or too regimented it is time to change things up. 

Building a Healthy Lifestyle

Embarking on any new thing requires knowledge. I want to know more about healthy eating, cooking and preparing healthy and delicious meals so I spent my birthday money on a few cookbooks that focus on those things.

I received the first of them yesterday afternoon. I purchased the cookbook published by Lisa Leake, at 100 Days of Real Food. The books is divided into two main sections, information and recipes. I've learned a lot by pouring through this real food textbook and I can't wait to try out the recipes.

I've also ordered Kitchen Ecosystem by Eugenia Bone, Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze by Jessica Fisher and Milk by Anne Mendelson, to help me sort out what I want to focus on making and create my own healthy eating plan which I hope to have in place more or less by February. And, I'm still utilizing The Homemade Kitchen.  My original goal was to start January 1st but with moving and everything that didn't give me the time I needed to learn how to shop and stock real food. Also, I'm adjusting to cooking for mainly one person as my husband gets to eat and is intending to eat the majority of his meals on campus. This will give me more flexibility with cooking  the "yucky things"  that I love like tomatoes and mushrooms and cut down on my time in the kitchen cooking as I will only need to make 2-3 dinners a week. This should give me more time to create and freeze staples like chicken stock, soups, granola bars, muffins and snacks for my hubby like pizza bites.

I'd really like to focus on eating 80% real food because when I want a treat, I want the real thing. Also, when I do eat dinner in the cafeteria or in a restaurant I just want to be able to order something and enjoy the night out.

As for exercise, I plan on doing harder workouts (3+ mile run and a combo of weights/squats/booty/ab workout) three days a week, paired with two lighter days of  walking and abs and two days off.

What are your health and fitness goals for this year? What keeps you motivated?

Building My Brain

This year, my word of the year is "Build". In that spirit, I've constructed (haha!) a reading list of books that I would like to read this year.

Inspirational and Instructional

Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman 

I've wanted to read this for sometime now. This Bible based book is supposed to teach women how to say what they want to and how to curb their tongue when things need to go unsaid. I really could benefit from this as I have a very quick tongue when I'm angry yet other times I struggle to speak up for myself. 

Made to Crave by Lisa TerKeurst

This book deals with food but it is also inspirational so I've listed it here. I want to read this book so I can better understand why I relate to food the way I do and to re-frame my life so that I relate to both food and God in the way He intended us to. 

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth Bailey

Before I left for Korea, I worked at a place that held weekly Bible study and prayer meetings. We read a similar series of books in that study. I'd like to learn more about culture and times of people in the Bible. 

Fly a Little Higher by Laura Sobeich  

This memoir is the story of Laura and her son Zach, who died of cancer. After receiving his diagnosis, Laura prayed that if Zach must die that it be for something big. This is that story. 

The Fringe Hours Making Time For You by Jessica N. Turner

This book has been recommended by several blogs I follow. I think it will be a good read to get organized. 

Women of the Bible One Year Devotional by Ann Spangler

I really enjoyed reading Spangler's Wicked Women of the Bible and hope to learn even more from this devotional.  

Food Related

Year of No Sugar  by Eve Schaub

In her memoir, Schaub recounts how she quit her sugar addiction. I'm reading this because I want to follow in her footsteps.

Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver 

This is the story of a family who moves to a farm and vows to eat locally for a year. 

+ I bought a few "real food" cookbooks that I hope to read through and test out in the coming months. 

Just for Fun

The following were recommended to me by friends and family last year and I didn't get a chance to read or finish them:

• Silent Tears by Kay Bratt
• Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
• The Husband's Secret  by Liane Moriart
• The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
• House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
• All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

These books I have read before and hope to enjoy again this year:

• Sword of Truth Series
• Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

What books are you hoping to tackle this year?