Five-Minute Chocolate, Maple, Banana Cake for ONE!

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There's cake under there somewhere...

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If you LOVE quick and easy desserts…get excited.

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Because this recipe is going to BLOW YOUR MIND.

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Best part of all? It takes FIVE minutes to make.

Yup. NO. OVEN. REQUIRED.

Let me guess…NOW you’re excited :)

I came up with this little gem of an idea while rummaging through the cupboards last night desperately trying to find some recipe inspiration. Instead, all I found were a couple of sad-looking bananas, an almost empty container of almond milk,  a few spoonfuls of flour, and the depressing realization that I needed to do some serious grocery shopping this weekend.

But I was still in the mood for a healthy, yet totally DECADENT treat.

That’s when I had an epiphany.

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Single-serving microwave cake.

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This cake is SO good…even non-vegans will DEVOUR it. I promise.

Want proof?

As soon as I took this gooey, chocolaty dessert out of the microwave, I hardly had enough time to glaze it and take a picture before the boyfriend gobbled it up. He even went as far as to say it’s the BEST dessert he’s ever had–and this is coming from a guy who’s not crazy about dessert in general!

All I can say is, good thing I made two so I could keep one for myself ;)

So what are you waiting for? GET BAKING!

Cake Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup of spelt flour or other whole wheat flour (I like spelt flour because it has only moderate amounts of gluten and it can be tolerated by those who have wheat allergies and/or a wheat sensitivities. However, it is NOT gluten-free and NOT suitable for those with celiac disease)
  • a little under 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 2 packets of stevia (1/2 teaspoon) or 1 teaspoon of another natural sweetener
  • 3 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon of natural maple flavor
  • 1 teaspoon of Earth Balance (or any non-dairy buttery spread– I actually prefer to NOT use any butter and add a heaping teaspoon of natural, no sugar added applesauce instead, but my boyfriend–who isn’t a fan of low-fat desserts– LOVED the texture of the cake with the Earth Balance better. It’s totally up to you! One teaspoon isn’t that much anyway.)
  • 1/2 of a medium-sized and VERY ripe organic banana, chopped
  • About 2 teaspoons of mini chocolate chips (I like dairy free, nut, and soy free Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips)

Directions:

  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add in the wet ingredients–including the banana and chocolate chips.
  • Mix until blended but do not over-mix.
  • Spray a small bowl, or ramekin (anything roughly 1-cup in size) with an all-natural non-stick spray (I’m sure a coffee mug would work, but you may have to cook it few seconds  longer)
  • Pour batter in the small bowl and microwave on high for about 2 minutes (depending on your microwave’s strength, your cake may need to cook a little longer. The top of the cake should give a little when you press down on it and should not be overly sticky/gooey on top).
  • While your cake is cooking…you can whip up the glaze! (See below)

Creamy Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of organic, all-natural powdered sugar (natural maple sugar and coconut sugar will also do–  if you don’t have powdered sugar, just blend regular sugar in a blender for a minute or so until it turns to powder).
  • 3 teaspoons of all-natural cocoa powder (I use the Trader Joe’s brand)
  • 2 teaspoons of almond milk (or any other non-dairy milk)

Directions:

  • Mix all the glaze ingredients together until smooth.
  • Slip a knife down around the cake to loosen it from the bowl, turn it over and pop it out onto a plate.
  • Pour you glaze ALL OVER your Five-Minute Chocolate, Maple, Banana Cake.
  • EAT YOUR FACE OFF.

Healthfully yours,

Ashley Michelle

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P.S. Technically I categorized this as a dessert…but seeing as it’s the weekend and all…if you really want to eat it for breakfast, I won’t tell ;)

 

 

 

 


It’s Easy Being Green…If You’re a Smoothie!

Ashley's Green Smoothie!

No…this is NOT a science experiment…

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It’s my breakfast!

 

Okay, okay. I know what you’re thinking…this girl is CRAZY.

C-R-A-Z-Y.

And you’re right! Because this girl is absolutely crazy for GREEN SMOOTHIES!

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If you haven’t tried some variation of a green smoothie before…please allow me to change your life forever.

I was first introduced to this magical (yes, magical) drink after reading Kimberly Snyder’s book The Beauty Detox Solution. Her version of the green smoothie is called the “Glowing Green Smoothie,” or GGS for short, and pretty much has a cult following (just check out her Twitter and Facebook pages). Kimberly’s book and her signature drink have become SO popular, that her health and beauty expertise has been featured on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, EXTRA, E! Entertainment, Good Morning America, Good Day LA, FOX News, Access Hollywood, and The Today Show as well as in the publications Elle, Lucky, US Weekly, Nylon, OK! Magazine, Vogue, InStyle, USA Today, Marie Claire, Health, Shape, Redbook, Life & Style, The New York Times,  In Touch Magazine, Star Magazine, People Style Watch, and Whole Living.

To give you a little background on Kimberly, she’s a nutritionist and beauty expert with a holistic touch who is best known for whipping A-listers into red carpet shape while also working as an on-set nutritionist to the stars. Her goal is to help her clients reach their ideal weight, discover their optimal health potential, reveal their ultimate beauty, and slow down the aging process. Most recently, she worked  as a nutritionist on the set of The Avengers (and if you’ve seen the movie or the trailers…you know she has GOT to be doing something right because those actors and actresses look pretty darn GOOD). It’s no wonder then that Kimberly has gained popularity among many Hollywood celebrities, drawing praise from the likes of Dr. Mehmet Oz, Hilary Duff, LeAnn Rimes, Fergie, Drew Barrymore, Josh Duhamel, Owen Wilson, Olivia Wilde, Channing Tatum, Abigail Spencer, Teresa Palmer, Kevin James, Vince Vaughn, Jillian Barberie, Tom Hiddleston, and Chris Hemsworth (to name a few.)

Now, before you roll your eyes and think “Another celebrity nutritionist…blah, blah, BLAH…”  hear me out.

Yes, I DO think she kind of follows a “crazy-pants” diet plan, but I love it because it is VERY vegan friendly (although you DO NOT have to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet to follow her plan and make it work for you). Her program is based around a principle known as “Beauty Food Pairing,”  which is the idea that by pairing certain foods together, and avoiding pairing others together, you can improve digestion, free up energy, lose belly bloat, get back a radiant glow, and keep your body in an alkaline state.  According to Kimberly, when certain food groups that are not supposed to be paired together are eaten together, they actually slow down digestion and hinder our beauty and energy, but when the same food groups are re-combined and eaten in the proper order, energy typically need during digestion is freed up. This extra energy can then be used to rebuild our hair, skin, and nails, help us achieve a healthy weight, and give us more energy overall.

Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Well… it is, to some extent. I tried doing her whole “Beauty Pairing” thing for about two weeks before I realized it’s almost impossible (for me) to follow her guidelines 100% of the time. For example, according to her plan, protein and starches do NOT mix (they should be eaten separately) and peanut butter, soy, and beans should be eaten minimally (if not avoided altogether). I don’t know about you, but if I had to live a day without peanut butter on toast, edamame or hummus… I might DIE.

So, NO. I do not follow the Beauty Detox Solution to the “T”…but I do agree with some of her concepts.

For one, I believe in eating lots of alkaline forming foods (fruits and veggies!) full of  body-benefiting healthy enzymes and minerals and I do believe in eating light to heavy—which means starting off a meal with the most easily digested items (again, fruits or veggies!) and then eating heavier options last (starches or proteins).

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And OBVIOUSLY I believe in the Glowing Green Smoothie!

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The GGS is the building block of Kimberly’s entire plan, and it’s become a staple part of my day and the yummiest part of my morning.

Even better, what’s great about this smoothie is that you can tweak it to adjust the taste to your liking. I’ve finally found a variation I enjoy (recipe below)! As you can see from the photo, I make a whole bunch of individual batches of this green stuff (I typically do this on a Sunday afternoon so I’m prepared for the week)and freeze them in Ball Mason Jars so I can easily take one out of the freezer the night before work, let it defrost in the fridge, and bring it along with me for breakfast the next day. I have NO EXCUSES for skipping breakfast now! (And neither should you!)

Now, the reason this smoothie is so fabulous and healthy (and the reason why I love it so much, besides the fact that it tastes AMAZING) is because the vital nutrients and minerals encased in the cell walls of the plants are released immediately when blended, and thus are easily accessible to the body since they don’t need to be broken down during digestion first. Plus, you’re getting in all your healthy fruits and greens before you can even get through your inbox! An added bonus? The mixture of fruits and vegetables in the smoothie provides plenty of fiber that will keep your belly FULL and HAPPY until lunch, while the herbs (known for their cleansing properties) will help to cleanse your body of toxins and extract heavy metals.

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Ashley’s Green Superstar Smoothie:

(My take on Kim’s Glowing Green Smoothie)

Makes one 20 oz. serving

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of water (you can add more if you want the smoothie to be less thick)
  • Roughly 2 cups of spinach (I usually grab two big ol’ handfuls)
  • 1/2 organic apple,  skin on, chopped
  • 1/2 organic pear, skin on, chopped
  • 1/2 organic banana,
  • juice of 1 organic lemon
  • A small handful of fresh, organic parsley (optional–I know some people do not have a taste for parsley– I happen to adore the kick it gives the smoothie)
  • A small handful of fresh, organic cilantro (also optional– I know some people do not have a taste for cilantro– I also happen to adore the kick this gives the smoothie)
  • 3 ice cubes (optional, but I LOVE my smoothie icy cold!)
  • A decent blender!
Directions:
  • Toss it all in the blender and blend until VERY smooth!
  • DRINK IT UP!
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**PLEASE NOTE: I didn’t get TOO scientific in this post about Kim’s program, but if the ”Beauty Pairing” topic is something of interest to you, I’d encourage you to check out her program in its entirety by reading her book ‘The Beauty Detox Solution” yourself. While the program is not exactly 100% perfect for me, it may be perfect for you. I NEVER want to speak for someone else regarding their food choices (as long as you are healthy and happy keep doing what you’re doing!) so I strongly believe in testing things out on your own before forcing yourself to fully commit to something that doesn’t work for you.**

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Fabulously Yours,

Ashley Michelle

 


Chocolate Heaven Martini

Chocolate Heaven Martini!

As if you died and went to HEAVEN…

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A CHOCOLATE HEAVEN that is.

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What can I say? Monday’s are rough. But that’s nothing a martini glass and a little bit  (a lot a bit?) of chocolate can’t fix!

Don’t worry, you won’t be singing the hangover blues heading into work on Tuesday morning– there’s no alcohol in this sexy little number (unless you want there to be of course ;) …but I’ll leave that up to you)

And the best part of this recipe? It’s GUILT FREE and SUPER EASY.

 

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 1/2 of a ripe banana (NOTE: I like to use a frozen banana for recipes like this because it thickens up the shakes so nicely. I always keep frozen bananas in my freezer for this very reason, or just in case I happen to have a craving for my “healthy ice cream” which I’ll post a recipe for very soon!)
  • 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (depending upon how chocolaty you want your martini, I’d start with one tablespoon and add another if it’s not rich enough for you).
  • 2 packets of stevia (or your choice of sweetener–feel free to adjust to your taste)
  • 3 ice cubes
  • A generous dollop of Soyatoo Whipped Cream
  • Optional: A strawberry (for garnish), a small splash of vanilla, a dash of cinnamon, or some chocolate liqueur perhaps (I’m not lookin’!)

Directions:

Throw everything in a blender (I use my Nutribullet, but any blender or Magic Bullet will work just fine) and blend until smooth.
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Next, GET FANCY.
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Pour your chocolate heaven into a pretty little martini glass, garnish as you wish, and pretend like you don’t have to work tomorrow!
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Consider this your dessert version of  nightcap ;)
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Fabulously yours,
Ashley Michelle

 


Oh Baby, I LOVE BOSU.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Bosu+ball+pictures&start=111&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&biw=1637&bih=848&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=foqshLm3YR4LpM:&imgrefurl=http://www.livsstiloghelse.no/trening-fitness/baller/bosu-ball-both-sides-up/&docid=NYsgFWJUCYV_TM&imgurl=http://www.livsstiloghelse.no/wp-content/uploads/bosu-ball-original.jpg&w=500&h=400&ei=RPrJT8uPM4u66AHpgTU&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=359&sig=106564150008472462792&page=4&tbnh=154&tbnw=201&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:111,i:116&tx=79&ty=69

A few months ago…I started a new class at my gym called BOSU Challenge. It quickly became a favorite.

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No. Scratch that.

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It’s become my OBSESSION!

(Seriously, my boyfriend bought me my own BOSU ball as a gift).

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For those of you unfamiliar with a BOSU, it is the funky looking piece of gym equipment that resembles half of a yoga ball you’ll find stacked in the corner of most fitness centers. If you haven’t heard of a BOSU (or just haven’t paid much attention to the stack of them at your gym), my suggestion is to fix this immediately.

Ask a trainer, take a class, YouTube some exercises. Do SOMETHING. You’ve GOT to try it!

I have started noticing my body was getting fitter and firmer in all the right places after only a few classes. And you know what…it’s made me feel so much more confident and strong inside and out!

Yesterday, I took a class at the Boston Center for Adult Education (a great non-profit adult education center where you can sign up to take a fun class on anything from cake decorating and cocktail making, to learning a language and designing a website). I’m a big nerd and LOVE school (I’m currently trying to find a way to go back for my Master’s– fingers crossed) so when I found out there was a one time, all-day writing class being taught by all the top Boston magazine editors…I was SO in (a full post about my whole day at the BCAE is coming soon!).

One of the classes I signed up for was ”Health and Beauty Writing.”

PERFECT, right?!

Anne Vickman (Associate Editor and Weddings Editor for Boston Magazine) taught the class and gave our group a bunch of fabulous tips on how to make it in the writing world. She then had us spend 45 minutes writing an article that could potentially be printed in Boston Magazine’s “This is Just a Test” section, which highlights new health, beauty, or lifestyle trend worth testing out that’s relevant to the Boston area. Immediately, I KNEW I had to talk about BOSU.

So, I thought I’d use this post to share the article I submitted at the end of my class. It recounts my first day of BOSU Challenge. I hope you like it! Also, please feel free to offer any feedback, I’d really appreciate it!

And seriously…go buy a BOSU ball or just join Healthworks. It’s SO worth it!

 

Healthfully yours,

Ashley Michelle

 

This is Just a Test: Get Bikini Body Ready with BOSU

A crowd of determined women of all ages begins squeezing into the main fitness studio at the Healthworks Fitness Center, Cambridge. Immediately, everyone starts scrambling to stake out the prime spots in the class, marking their territory with blue BOSU Balls, yoga mats, and various sized free-weights.

For those of you unfamiliar with a BOSU, it is the funky looking piece of gym equipment that resembles half of a yoga ball you’ll find stacked in the corner of most fitness centers. It is most fitting then that the hour-long class the women (including myself) are waiting for is called BOSU Challenge, a favorite among Healthworks members. This is quite evident given the fact that class is already filled past capacity and it hasn’t even begun yet.

Yeah, it’s just THAT good.

To give a little bit of background, the BOSU Balance Trainer was invented by David Weck in 2000, and since then, it has become an increasingly popular piece of gym equipment given its ability to intensify cardio, target multiple parts of the body at once, and more importantly, obtain GREAT results.

According to the official BOSU website, the word “BOSU” originally stood for “Both sides up,” since it can be used on either side, the platform or the dome. Over time its meaning has been altered to stand for “Both sides utilized” as a way to showcase its versatility compared to more traditional training.

Training with the BOSU ball facilitates functional balance training, which “encompasses an evolved performance approach that involves the whole body” and requires some degree of motion and stabilization the entire time. Bosu Challenge does just this, and incorporates a variety of high-intensity drills, cardio combinations, and strength training moves using the Bosu ball, free weights, and yoga mats. Each move requires you to engage your core and focus on balance, thus giving you the perfect all-over, summer-body workout.

While still waiting for class to start, each additional woman walking into the room is immediately hawk-eyed by the rest of the group. No doubt they are attempting to inconspicuously search her hands for the class’s coveted “golden ticket.” This ticket means she has signed up for the popular class well in advance, thus confirming her entrance. Even so, this doesn’t keep some people from trying sneak in to one of these already crowded classes sans-ticket. Class-goers and instructors alike frown upon this practice.

To secure a spot for BOSU Challenge, taught by the infamous “Sean” at Healthworks gyms across the Boston area, you had better sign up at least 24-hours in advance. To gain entry into this particular Saturday morning class, I was forced to set my alarm for 1:00 a.m. on Friday morning and sign up on the Healthworks website.

At exactly 11 a.m., and Sean comes strolling into the studio wearing a black warm-up suit and matching black sneakers with bright yellow bottoms.  He looks like a much larger, much more solid, much more intense version of Billy Blanks, but something about him is kind and sweet, in a “big-teddy-bear” kind of way.

Some of the women in the front row (who have already been warming up with squats and lunges) greet Sean with high-fives. I can tell just by looking at them that they’re the class regulars. They’re in great shape, and I wonder if they have Bosu Challenge to thank.

Sean pumps up the high-energy music (some of the best work-out remixes I’ve ever heard) and turns to smile at the class

“Okay guys! Get movin’!” he shouts as he demonstrates running on and off the Bosu.

After a quick warm-up, he gets right into the routine.  The next thing I know we’re doing mountain climbers, laterals, planks, leg-lifts, push-ups, burpees, squats, lunges, bicep curls, shoulder presses, and jumping jacks without stopping to rest in between.

Only 15 minutes have gone by and I’m already dripping with sweat.

The rest of the class is just as intense. During our last set of leg lifts on the Bosu, I am almost ready to give up as I desperately try to maintain my balance using my left knee while extending my right leg out to the side. I’m shaking uncontrollably when a smiling Sean comes up beside me, puts his hand on my shoulder, and says, “Great job, you’ve got this!”

I peak around the room and see all the other women in class shaking, grimacing in pain too. But none of them are giving up. I pull it together and make myself push through the pain threshold until I hear “3, 2, 1! You’re done! Great job guys!”

There is no doubt I’m more exhausted than I’ve ever been before after a fitness class, but it’s the BEST kind of exhaustion to feel. It’s the feeling you get when you know you’ve given everything, and not an ounce less.  I have no doubt in my mind that taking this class every week will make your muscles stronger, your body more fit, and your trouble spots firmer just in time for bikini season. After all, I feel like my backside has risen two inches already, and that’s just after completing one class!

No wonder those women in the front look so great. They keep coming back for more!


Playin’ Dress-Up in the Kitchen

http://www.flirtyaprons.com/full-aprons.html#FA:WO-10005

"Sassy Black" Flirty Apron

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"Frosted Cupcake" Flirty Apron

 

I’ve never the type of person to wear an apron when I cook. Heck, I usually I throw on a pair of yoga shorts and my favorite comfy top (a black off the shoulder sweatshirt because Yes, I’m OBSESSED with the 80′s) and get right to the good stuff. After all, flour stains and spilled almond milk never hurt anyone!

But recently, things changed.

I was going through some important e-mails before work one morning, and by “important” e-mails I really mean the 50+ e-mails I get from deal and coupon websites, (what can I say, I love saving $$$!) when I came across a 50% off Groupon for “Flirty Aprons.” For fifteen bucks I could get a super adorable (dare I say SEXY) little apron in some fabulous designs and colors. From sweet, pastel cupcake prints to styles reminiscent of a little black dress, one thing was for certain. I immediately loved and HAD to have them.

So, naturally, I decided to purchase TWO Groupons for two DIFFERENT aprons (I selected “Sassy Black” and “Frosted Cupcake”). I’m a girl after all, and can never make up my mind :) .

When the aprons finally arrived, I tore open the package, tried them on, and hurriedly stashed them away before the boyfriend could question me (“Two aprons Ashley…really?”). Okay, I will admit, the original plan was to buy two aprons, keep one for myself, and then give the other as a gift (best friend if you’re reading this… SORRY!), but the fashion-loving side to Ashley took over as soon as the aprons were delivered. And now, I am the proud owner of both delightfully stylish pieces of kitchen-ista apparel!

I couldn’t wait to get in the kitchen and unveil my renewed cooking skills once I whipped up a recipe with one of these babies on!  I felt so culinarily inspired! Still, I kept the aprons hanging in my closet until a Sunday afternoon when the boyfriend was busy watching baseball. Excited to unveil my inner Martha Stewart, Bree Van de Camp, or  Giada De Laurentiis, I selected my LBD-inspired apron, threw up my hair, and got cookin’.

Suddenly…I felt like a kitchen goddess! So sexy and glamorous in my Flirty Apron! A little bit of this, a little bit of that– look at me I’m such a polished chef!

Then, as I was on my tip-toes trying to reach my measuring cups in the far-too-tall-for my-5’2″-frame cabinets at my apartment, I had a revelation. I went into my closet, tossed off my slippers and  whipped on a pair of, what else, but black, sparkly stilettos that I had just purchased from Bakers (on sale!) earlier that day. Why had I never thought of this before!? Not only did I feel oh so sassy, lovely, and pretty… but I could finally reach all those high cabinets myself instead of calling for the boyfriend to help. Score.

Moral of the story? You’ve GOT to check out Flirty Aprons! I promise, you’ll fall in love with the whole fancy factor you’ll have going on in the kitchen, and all without looking like a crazy Stepford wife.

Oh, and before I forget. If you have a sports-crazed man in the house like me…even HE will take notice and appreciate the wardrobe upgrade no matter WHAT game is on. Promise ;) .

 

Fabulously yours,

Ashley Michelle

 

P.S– Since writing this post I have ordered a THIRD Flirty Apron that’s even trendier and spicier than the others! Since they are such a great price even without using a Groupon, I just couldn’t help myself. You can see a picture of it here. I find the name most fitting, Don’t you :) ? I will be ordering some more in the near future too, seeing as I have a whole bunch of summer birthdays to buy presents for. These aprons sure make a fantastically unique gift!


The Power is in Positivity!

Positive energy will bring balance to your life!

It’s 5:30 am and you wake up to your iPhone’s BLARING alarm.

As you jolt out of bed and scramble to silence the devilish sound, you try to remember the last time you had a restful night’s sleep.

You can’t recall. It’s been too long.

After struggling to open your eyes, you finally muster up some energy to trudge your way to the shower.  While stripping down, you happen to catch a glimpse of your naked body in the mirror and instinctively grab at your trouble spots. Your mind becomes swollen with negative and self-deprecating thoughts. You feel unworthy and unlovable unless you have a perfect figure like the models in the magazines. This moment has defined your attitude. For the rest of the day your mind will be bombarded with negative self-talk and “fat thoughts.”

As usual, you’re running late and now you don’t have time to make that healthy, nutritious lunch you were so looking forward too. As you hurry out the door, you see your bus go flying by. Looks like you’re going to be late.

When you finally do make it to the office, you are greeted by an inbox full of angry e-mails, demanding requests from your boss, and endless customer complaints. No one seems to be happy today.

By the time noon rolls around, you have too much work to catch up on, so you either skip your lunch altogether and down an extra-large coffee instead, or chow down on a couple of energy bars and energy drinks at your desk to keep things going. By 5:30 pm, when it’s finally time to head home, you race to the gym to get in a mediocre workout, but you are far too tired to over-exert yourself.  The lack of a nourishing lunch is wearing on you.

Once home from the gym, you scarf down a quick dinner while paying bills online and watching television. Your mind starts to race and panic sets in when you realize rent is due in a couple of days and you are behind on your credit card bills. That night, you fall asleep feeling stressed, anxious, and worried. Tomorrow, you’ll do the same routine over again. No wonder you wake up so tired every morning!

Not too long ago, this was a typical day for me, as I’m sure it is for many. But the important detail is, I’m not willing to allow negative energy define my life anymore and neither should you. Once you turn a blind eye to the negative, your life will immediately begin to improve and change in ways you can only imagine. Trust me!

But first, close your eyes and take a moment to ask yourself these questions:

 

  • Where do your days go?
  • What do you spend your time doing?
  • When do you take time just for YOU?
  • When are you happy?

 

Chances are, if you find yourself simply going through the motions of your daily routine, without putting much thought or love into anything that you do, you probably can’t find suitable answers to these questions. I’ll even go as far as to say that you’re probably not as happy as you’d like to be.

The good news, however, is that YOU alone have the power to attract happiness, love and satisfaction back into your life. You have the opportunity to turn your life around. I know this probably sounds crazy coming from a normal person like me, especially if everything in your life seems to be out of your control and going so wrong, but there is plenty of research that backs this up!

And it all starts with a little rule called the “Law of Attraction.”

If you have not heard about the Law of Attraction until now, Google it! And if you haven’t read Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret or The Power, or Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s The Power of Intention (or any of his books)…I suggest you do. (Please note: there are many other wonderful books about the Law of Attraction out there, but these were the first books I ever read about it. They had such an amazing impact on my life I’d recommend them to anyone. They will also clarify my explanations further). These quick-to-read books will not only teach you how to benefit from the Law of Attraction, but they will open your eyes and help you understand how to achieve a happy, successful, and fulfilling life step by step.

The concept is simple– everything happening to you, whether it’s positive or negative, is being attracted into your life by YOU alone. This means you have the power to attract only good experiences and diffuse bad ones depending upon the direction of your thoughts.

In short, you can manifest what you desire with positive thoughts!

The easiest time to start employing the Law of Attraction is first thing in the morning. The moment you open your eyes, you have a choice to make. You can face the world with a positive, loving attitude of gratitude, or you can dwell on all the things you lack or wish you could change. When you think positively, you can be certain that positive, happy things will be attracted back into your life, but when you are consumed by negative thoughts about what you don’t have, you can be sure and abundance of negative experiences to match those bad thoughts will come your way.

According to the book The Secret, the proof is based upon the idea that “Thoughts are magnetic, and thoughts have a frequency. As you think, those thoughts are set out into the Universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to the source. And that source is You.”

Now, I’m sure you are thinking this is easier said than done, and I agree! It’s challenging to be happy all the time. Bad things happen and people get upset. The world isn’t perfect and neither are you, but that’s okay! You don’t have to be! You’re human! And because everyone IS human, you can bet you’ll be surrounded by some degree of negativity each and every day whether you like it or not.

You may not love your job, you may feel bad about your body, you may have friends who bring down your mood, you may be worried about money or you may be unhappy in your relationship, but you MUST know…dwelling on what is bad NOW isn’t going to change anything for the better LATER. As explained in The Secret, if you focus on the negative, you are sending out a frequency to the Universe that essentially is asking for more negative situations and feelings to enter you life. On the other hand, choosing to embrace the positive, love life, feel great, and reject the negative will draw more happy situations and events your way. You will know whether the law is working because if you think positively, your reality will reflect your positive thoughts.

You may not be able to control everyone else, but you CAN control how you choose to live your life and react to negative energy and difficult situations thrown in your path. Your thoughts, feelings, and actions will ultimately determine what manifests in your life.  Therefore, you just need to train your mind and make the conscious effort to direct your thoughts and reject your thoughts accordingly.

Something important to keep in mind is that the Law of Attraction doesn’t recognize whether you think of something as good or bad or whether you want it or don’t want it. Author and Law of Attraction Specialist Bob Doyle explains, “It’s [The Law of Attraction is] responding to your thoughts. So if you’re looking at a mountain of debt, feeling terrible about it, that’s the signal you are putting out into the Universe…You’re just affirming it to yourself. You feel it on every level of your being. That’s what you’re going to get more of.”

In the wise words of Buddha, “All that we are is a result of what we have thought.”  This couldn’t explain the Law of Attraction any more perfectly. When you focus on things like your dissatisfaction with your body, job, relationships and money…you are only going to draw more things your way that affirm these frustrations. You will unintentionally remain unhappy with your appearance, work, love life and financial status. Nothing will change. But, when you play a game with yourself and flip your thoughts, the opposite actually happens.

So what are you waiting for? I challenge you to try conquering your negative thoughts today…and then the next day, and the day after that! As soon as a negative thought creeps into you mind, acknowledge it (don’t beat yourself up over it!), and then turn it into something positive or change your train of thought completely and just focus on something you enjoy until you feel good inside. Dream big, dream often, imagine all the things you love and forget about the things you don’t.

Remember…positive thinking is accessible to everyone. It is the key to a happy life, and is the gateway to all of your wildest dreams!

 

If you’re hungry for a little more “Food for Thought,” check out the health benefits of positive thinking (see below) and more according to this Mayo Clinic article.

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may offer include:

  • Increased life span
  • Lower rates of depression
  • Lower levels of distress
  • Greater resistance to the common cold
  • Better psychological and physical well-being
  • Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

 

Healthfully yours,

Ashley Michelle