One of my mentors gave me this pearl of wisdom as I planned out my 2016:
“Fantastic years don’t happen by chance”
The idea of being able to cultivate a fantastic year for myself excites me! Before the ball dropped for 2016, I spent a fair amount of time reflecting on the past year and really, I mean really thinking about what I wanted to get out of 2016. I envisioned myself on December 31, 2016 and how my life, my body, and my surroundings would look.
If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to do the same! Sit for 5 minutes (right now!), close your eyes and allow yourself to imagine what you will feel, think, and be in 2016. I have a lot going on this year (planning a wedding, building my business, coordinating another geographic move) and I also have some personal development to focus on (maintaining an organized home, keeping my body healthy, and sticking with EVERYTHING I commit to)!
I have a few “Laws to Live By” when it comes to preparing for my year ahead:
- stay inspired. After the hoopla of the holidays has worn off, it’s important to stay connected and inspired to exactly what you want. Keep that visual in your head (or better yet, create a vision board) and make sure you can tap into it during the times you need some extra motivation.
- know your goal. If I plan to stick with every single thing I commit to, that is my goal, and I will only agree to things that I know I can complete. If I make it this year’s non-negotiable, I know my goal and I can align my actions with it!
- be prepared. Being prepared for the unknown is a surefire way to feel like you can handle anything. For me, this comes in the form of keeping myself in the best working condition and, you guessed it, I do this with food. I feel my best when I have a fridge full of healthy snacks + a freezer full of homemade meals. No fuss, no stress…I have it mastered! Need some help in this area? Here’s one of my Grab-N-Go favorites:
Ingredients:
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
1½ cups protein powder (vanilla, chocolate & peanut butter flavors work really well)
¼ cup ground flaxseed
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch sea salt
½ cup sunflower seed butter (or nut butter of your choice)
½-2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1½ ounces 70% cacao, broken up into small pieces
Directions:
- Line 8×8 pan (or baking tray) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the oats, protein powder, flaxseed, cinnamon and salt, and combine with a fork.
- In a glass measuring cup (or other small glass container) combine the sunflower seed butter, ½ cup of the almond milk and the cacao.
- Microwave for 20 seconds, stir well and repeat. Cacao should be melted and you should have a smooth paste.
- Spoon the wet mix into the dry and combine with a fork until starting to clump. Use your hands to finish mixing thoroughly. Batter will be slightly dry but should hold together well when pinched. (May need to add additional almond milk)
- Use a tablespoon to scoop dough into hands. Roll into balls and transfer to pan or tray. Chill for 20 minutes in the freezer to set. Can eat the popables frozen or transfer to fridge for a softer consistency.
These popables can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
So don’t leave 2016 up to chance- take control, and commit to making it a fantastic year!
Cheers to you!
Much love,
Shannon
