The Sun Will Come Out…..
In the holistic health world we often people talk about “living in the present” and “focusing on the now.” What about when the now doesn’t seem so great? What if the past is constantly scratching on the door trying to find it’s way in again? And isn’t it irresponsible to not plan for the future? These are the kinds of questions that keep me awake at night.
I don’t know if the frigid winter weather is to blame, or if that fact that my birthday is a month away provides an excuse to evaluate this past year and create expectations for the next, but I somehow got off of the “be here now” train.
Since the first day of rehearsals I have been on the hunt for the next gig. After all, this show only runs for three months and it’s taken me years to get this first Broadway job. And so far very little seems to be on the horizon.
And then it hit me. If “I’m this stressed and anxious now, what will I be like when I actually am unemployed”? So I had an honest discussion with myself: Yes I do need a job after this one. And yes I’ll do my best to find it. But that’s all I can do. And there’s still more than enough time to enjoy my days. I’ve finally started a regular yoga practice. I’m teaching myself French. When the weather doesn’t resemble Antarctica outside I can take my dog for long walks. Try out new recipes. Read books and plays and scripts. Not to mention that everyday I go to work I get to be surrounded by an incredible cast and crew.
So the next time I feel like life is passing me by, I can stop feeling sorry for myself and start writing down all the things I’m grateful for. If you find yourself in the same boat, I highly recommend keeping a gratitude journal by your bed and jotting down 5-10 things you are grateful for every night.
Tomorrow will be tomorrow and it’s our choice how we greet it.
Add comment February 7, 2010
New Coaching Website
For those of you who don’t know how incredibly non-computer-savvy I am, please read my previous blog on the topic here. This will help you appreciate my joy at announcing the B.E.E. Good Coaching website is now officially up and running! There are still some adjustments to be made, but overall I’m so grateful to have a place in cyber-space to direct potential clients.
So take a look! Consider this your invite to our B.E.E. Good Housewarming!
Add comment February 2, 2010
Beating The Winter Blues
So you made it through the holidays and you’re pumped it’s a new year… now what? It’s freezing, you’d rather stay in bed with a blanket over your head… but wait… what about those pesky New Years Resolutions? Don’t let dropping temperatures keep you down!
Here’s some simple tips for beating the winter blues:
1. As tempting as it is to keep refueling with hot coffee, try substituting green and/or white teas. High in antioxidants, these teas will perk you up AND help prevent cancer.
2. Eat foods that are in season. Not only will his help your bank account, it’s what your body knows how to digest easiest this time of year. Kale is an incredible dark leafy green that grows locally all year-round. Or try a butternut squash and lentil stew with some whole-grain baked bread.
3. Take your vitamin D! This time of year your body doesn’t get to bask in the sun’s glory, leaving you feeling lethargic and depressed. A daily dose of Vitamin D will at least make you feel like you spent the day in Key West.
4. Avoid dairy! Milk causes phlegm- something your body tends to over-produce in the winter. Substitute with organic soymilk, nutmilk, or hemp milk. Kiss Musinex goodbye!
5. The wind outside and the radiators inside can leave your skin feeling super dry. Add some moisture with all-natural lotions and/or oils after you shower. I just purchased the Suki Balancing Day Facial Lotion from Whole Foods and I LOVE it!
6. Let’s face it, you’ll be spending more time inside so embrace it! Now’s the time to watch those movies, read those books, and start those craft projects that have been on your To-Do List for years!
7. Get into a yoga class or invest in a few good yoga dvds. Not only will you get in your exercise, you’ll be stretching out those lymph nodes and helping to release those pesky toxins that would otherwise stay stagnant.
8. Have a strong support system of friends, room-mates, classmates, etc. When we want to hibernate it’s important to reach out to others so we don’t feel isolated.
9. Add a splash of color! Go crazy! Brighten up your wardrobe, your apartment, your dinner plate…. grey skies don’t have to ruin your day!
10. Winter is a great time to reflect and look within. Journal, meditate, seek out a therapist or support group. Plant the seeds now for the person you want to become!
2 comments January 17, 2010
Yummy Healthy Cookies
Life is a bit hectic here in understudy land! That doesn’t mean there’s not time for baking delicious desserts! I made these thumbprint cookies the other day and brought them to rehearsal. They were a huge hit- especially with Alicia. She even posted the recipe on her new website www.thekindlife.com. WARNING: You will want to eat the entire batch at once!
Add comment January 16, 2010
Happy New Year’s 2010!
Can you believe it’s the last day of 2009? Time seems to be disappearing before my very eyes!
I’ve always loved New Years Eve. Not for the parties or watching the countdown on television. No, I love New Years Eve for the optimism, hope, and determination I always feel going into the heading into a new beginning. I also love creating lists. So New Year Resolutions are right up my alley!
The only catch is I often make resolutions that don’t come to fruition. For example, last year I wanted to learn French, practice guitar, and go on vacation outside the country, (among other things). I did none of the above. Not because I’m lazy or lack will power. I simply forgot to take into consideration the bigger picture.
In yoga we often begin our practice by setting an intention for ourselves. That could be anything from “remembering to breathe” to “being in the moment” to “radiating peace and joy to the world.” This year I plan to set an intention for 2010. Yes, I’ll still make a list of resolutions, but they will only remain on my list if they reflect my deepest hunger for happiness, fulfillment, and purpose.
What’s your intention for 2010? Write it down on a piece of paper and put it somewhere you can see everyday. Who knows… what manifests may be even greater than any resolution you imagine.
Happy New Years and here’s to an incredible journey!
Add comment December 31, 2009
It’s The Thought That Counts
I have been super horrific at blogging lately– tis the season to be crazed!! In NYC especially, it feels like the city shuts down while everyone leaves to go home from whence they came (conversely the city fills to the brim with tourists!). My boyfriend and I are staying in town since I begin rehearsals next week for Time Stands Still. We are also on a tight budget and tickets home were astronimical this year.
Part of being on a tight budget means getting creative when it comes to gift giving. Last year I bought my theatrical agents bottles of fancy champaign…. only to discover one of them doesn’t drink and my bank account got hit with a hangover. This year I decided to think about what people really need right now. Agents receive more baked goods, candy, and liquer than they know what to do with. Then it hit me…. everyone in this town has colds! I’m constantly bombarded with people sneezing and coughing in my face during the winter months, and this year it’s reached epic proportions. Soooo, I gave my agents a wellness package…
I bought an adorable Christmas tin-bucket for 15 cents from the Housingworks around the corner and filled it with little oranges. Then I filled another tin (that I bought last year and never used), tied a holiday ribbon around it, and filled it with Emergen-C packets, and a variety of organic teas (Throat Coat, Green Roiboos, Yogi Breathe Deep, and Cold Care) that I had on hand.
My agent thought it was not only brilliant, but thoughtful, and gave me a tour of all the baked goods that were going to be re-gifted or thrown away. I guess it just goes to show that it really can be the thought that counts.
Add comment December 22, 2009
Thank You 2009
I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I can’t believe it’s already time to start trimming the tree! I swear, every year goes by faster and faster. So before I start looking ahead to 2010, I just want to take some time to savor some of my favorites of 2009. We all have so much to be grateful for, even in times of economic and global strife. Here’s my gratitude list this far for 2009. (In no particular order) What’s yours?
- Becoming vegan: championing an important cause, amazing food, wonderful community.
- My boyfriend Andreas. He rocks.
- Adopting our dog Kenya. She is amazing and brings so much unconditional love to our home.
- Om Wellness. I am part of the first graduating class of Holistic Health Counselors in this program. I’ve learned so much and absolutely adore our leader, Tatiana.
- Inauguration Day 2009. I’m not a hugely “political” person and I wish we could get past our two-party mentality and focus instead on issues instead of finger-pointing. However, I believe President Obama came at a time when Americans needed hope and change.
- “Time Stands Still”- I understudied Alicia Silverstone and Anna Gunn in the Los Angeles run at the beginning of this year. I begin rehearsals for the Broadway run (understudying Alicia Silverstone and Laura Linney) on December 29th- what a wonderful way to begin and end 2009!
- This blog. I’m still working on transitioning this into a more “official” site, but I’m grateful for having begun this year. Baby steps….
- Amazing close circle of friends. Weddings. Babies-on-the-way.
- Our neighborhood. I love the UWS. This year we went for walks and/or runs almost everyday in Central Park and Riverside park. Getting out into nature has been a saving grace for this city couple!
- 2009 has really been about learning who I really am. Not who I wish I was or who others think I am. Just being comfortable in my own skin and accepting that as enough.
Add comment December 7, 2009
Monica’s Top Ten Reasons To Skip The Turkey
My new friend and I at the Woodstock Animal Farm Sanctuary
Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching…. here’s my plea to not eat turkey this year:
- Over 46 MILLION turkeys are cruelly raised and slaughtered for this one day.
- Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, peace, and joy. Having a dead carcass as the center piece doesn’t quite go hand in hand with those ideals.
- Factory Farmed turkeys are filled with yucky hormones and toxins! The Center for Science in the Public Interest found that a whopping 78% of fresh turkeys were contaminated by bacteria, primarily with campylobacter. And no suprise here; the USDA does not even require testing. Plus as quoted at goveg.com: Turkeys are bred, drugged, and genetically manipulated to grow as large as possible as quickly as possible to increase profits. According to one industry publication, modern turkeys grow so quickly that if a 7 pound human baby grew at the same rate, the infant would weigh 1,500 pounds at just 18 weeks of age. Turkeys are now so obese that they cannot reproduce naturally; instead, all the turkeys who are born in the United States today are conceived through artificial insemination.
- Don’t let the term “lean meat” fool you. Turkey flesh is actually loaded with fat. One homemade patty of cooked ground turkey meat contains 244mg of cholesterol (who wants a heart attack for the holidays?) and half the calories come from fat.
- “Free-Range” is also pretty bogus. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the single condition for the term ‘free-range’ is that birds have access to the outdoors. All other facets of a free-range turkey’s life can be indistinguishable from the living conditions of a conventional-raised bird. Get the facts and take a tour here: http://www.free-range-turkey.com/
- Turkey can still be part of the holiday tradition… How about sponsoring one for $25 instead of eating it? Check out http://www.adoptaturkey.org/
- There are a bazillion amazing cruelty-free Thanksgiving recipes! Here’s a few sites to check out:
http://www.vegcooking.com/f-thanks05.asp
http://vegweb.com/thanksgiving/
http://www.adoptaturkey.org/aat/recipes/
8. Animals don’t like to be eaten. Remember this one?
Thanksgiving dinner’s sad and thankless
Christmas dinner’s dark and blue
When you stop and try to see it
From the turkey’s point of view.
Sunday dinner isn’t sunny
Easter feasts are just bad luck
When you see it from the viewpoint
Of a chicken or a duck.
Oh how I once loved tuna salad
Pork and lobsters, lamb chops too
Till I stopped and looked at dinner
From the dinner’s point of view.’
From Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
9. Contrary to popular belief turkeys are quite intelligent: Oregon State University poultry scientist Tom Savage says, “I’ve always viewed turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings. The ‘dumb’ tag simply doesn’t fit.” Turkeys also see in full color, can remember people’s faces, and enjoy grooving to music.
10. If you still aren’t convinced, check out this video with actress Ginnifer Goodwin and a few of her friends here.
4 comments November 20, 2009
Feeling Bookish
I love books. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved them. When I go to people’s homes I’m always fascinated by what’s on their bookshelves. I usually like reading one book at a time and allowing myself to get lost in the world the author has created. Right now however, I am simultaneously in the middle of five books and it’s driving me a bit batty. But they do show some insight into what I’m involved in right now:
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- The fabulous monthly bookclub I belong to (Books and Cooks) chose this memoir for our November meeting… which is Monday… and I just bought the book today… I have some catching up to do!
- The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad- This is part of my assigned reading for my Holistic Health Certification. I’ve studied Ayurveda in the past and find much of the teachings helpful (I’ll write another post about Ayurveda soon!) but I have to admit this book isn’t my favorite literature on the subject. I definitely prefer Deepak Chopra’s Perfect Health for anyone interested in a great introduction to Ayurveda.
- The Power Of Giving: How Giving Back Enriches Us All by Azim Jamal & Harvey McKinnon- I found this little book this week while browsing the Self-Improvement section at Barnes & Noble (which could be a whole separate post- there are so many books in this genre these days!) and I decided to give it a whirl. I’ve been particularly interested in the topic of giving this holiday season and I also love discussing with my coaching clients ways to give even in times of need.
- Respect For Acting by Uta Hagen- This actor’s bible has been with me since college, where I never read it. Which is a shame because Im absolutely loving it… especially how she ties in the art of acting with holistic health: ”In Summation, let me state the opinion that a correctly functioning actor should, ideally, be the healthiest, least neurotic creature on earth, since he is putting his emotional and sensory life to use by expressing it for an artistic purpose.” Exactly.
- Isn’t It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein- My next scene partner in acting class recommended this play since we were looking for something comedic and a little quirky. On average I read at least a play a week. More depending on auditions. I find them so satisfying because they don’t take long to finish, and yet still transport the me in a magical way.
What do the books you’re reading say about you right now?
P.S. If you’re a book worm like me, I recommend you join a site called goodreads.com. It’s totally free and it’s a great way to get feedback about books from people with similar tastes to your own, keep track of what you’ve read and what you want to read, and enables you to easily form online book-clubs if you’re interested.
1 comment November 19, 2009
How Ve(ee)gan Be(ee)gan
November is National Vegan Month so it’s fitting that my good friend (and vegan guru) Michael Parrish DuDell wrote a brilliant article on the founder of veganism as we know it today:
The Man with the Plan: A Vegan Awareness Month Tribute
Donald Watson, Our Founding Father
Add comment November 18, 2009
