Positive Portions from the Farmer’s Market!

[blockquote]If you want to take charge of knowing where your food comes from, what better way than to meet the people who grew it?[/blockquote]

Two words: Farmer’s Market. Better yet, lets make it five words: Farmer’s Markets are rockin’ awesome!

If you want to [frame title=”Farmers-market” href=”” src=”https://cdn.powerofpositivity.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Farmers-Market-ingredients-recipe.jpg” width=”250″ height=”150″ type=”right” alt=”farmer-market”] take charge of knowing where your food comes from, what better way than to meet the people who grew it? Here in my town we have “Market Night” on Thursdays, with a complete produce and food section. On Saturdays there’s the local farmers market, which i really enjoy. I like to head down to the farmer’s market and pick up a few items then come up with a dish based on what I’ve just bought. This is a totally fun way to eat!

My latest farmer’s market creation: The Heirloom Tomato, Tofu, and Bacon Avocado Stack.

[frame title=”” href=”” src=”https://cdn.powerofpositivity.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Tofu-Chimchurri-avocado-heirloom-tomato-recipe.jpg” width=”400″ height=”250″ type=”center” alt=”farmer-market”]

Heirloom tomatoes are the quintessential apex of tomato flavor in my book. Each type has it’s own unique, delicious taste. The Bacon avocado is a type of avocado that is super soft and buttery, making the perfect start for a spread. I also added a chimchurri that I had made a few days prior to this, along with just a dollop of vegenaise, for a luscious spread to add to this plant-based Neapolitan.

Now the Tofu… What can one say about tofu? I like to eat tofu occasionally because it’s a high protein source and quite adaptable in my dishes. I used extra firm organic sprouted tofu in this recipe because it has a great texture and flavor.

Ingredients:

Heirloom Tomato
Bacon

Avocado
Sprouted extra firm Tofu
Chimichurri
Parsley
Garlic
Red Chile Flakes
ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) – I like it better than the red wine vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Veganaise – Original

So get down to your local farmer’s markets to meet the farmers and their families. Eat seasonal and eat hardy. Fresh food from the farm to your plate is definitely rockin’ awesome!

Do you like to create new meals with your fresh farmer’s market foods?  Share your favorite meal ideas and recipes below! Or, share them with us over on Facebook!

Welcome to the manifestation of a passionate vision–Power of Positivity. As we write this welcome message, strong feelings of love and warmth completely envelop our bodies. We can literally feel the energy in our heart that whispers, “Accept the love, accept the light. Allow your co-creative spirit to blossom.”

ABOUT POWER OF POSITIVITY

We’re filled to the brim with gratitude and joy, knowing that you’re here to read our very first message. Power of Positivity began in mid 2009 and has been full steam ahead ever since. We’ve been given a true gift to provide inspiration to so many through uplifting messages, notes, and co-creative conversations that we felt compelled to create a larger, more permanent community for you to visit and bring YOUR best life to fruition.

Our soul pours out to you in what we do – it always has and it always will. This is only the beginning; there is more in store including special events, member profiles, deeper inspiration, and SO much more! This is just the beginning and we’d love to hear what you think. Please leave us a comment below. We truly look forward to hearing from you.

In the meantime, browse around and get to know us. We are grateful that you found our website. Our goal is to help you enrich your life and make positive and impactful changes.

If you’d like to know more about who WE are, we’d love for you to learn more, so click here to meet us.

In closing, we ask you to let your light shine and grow as we travel with each other to bring pure positive energy into the hearts and minds of everyone who desires to improve their lives by improving their thoughts.

EVERY day is a day to shine. Shine On!

Rhonda Byrne’s books about “The Secret”, “The Power”, and “The Magic” are garnering world attention and sparking a global awakening.  Read this highlighted book review of Rhonda’s latest book, “The Magic.” Then, share what you’re grateful for in the conversation below!

What is “The Magic”?

Having read The Secret & The Power, I had extremely high hopes for The Magic. Let me just say that I was blown away by the transformation in my life. The Secret works on the premise that it is how you think that attracts to you certain energies. In other words, it’s the Law of Attraction. Think of yourself as a magnet and you will attract the things you focus on, into your life. The Magic takes us one step further and shows us that gratitude is the key to changing your life.

Rhonda Byrne tells us that this ‘life-changing knowledge was hidden within a sacred text. For twenty centuries, this knowledge has mystified, confused and been misunderstood by almost all who read it..’ (from the book’s back cover.)

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What is this text she is talking about and how have we misunderstood it? Rhonda tells us it is from the Gospel of Matthew. The secret that lies behind the text is missing words which revolve around having gratitude for what you already have.

In short

In short, this states that if you live in a state of gratitude, your life will be filled with abundance. If you are grateful and express gratitude in your life, The Universe will provide for you. If you are not grateful, but rather negative about what you have, then you create for yourself energy that brings forth what you DON’T want.

The Magic takes you on a life-changing 28-day journey and follows each chapter with special exercises in gratitude. I have found these will not only assist with changing the way you think but it will also put your dreams and desires in motion.

The secret of The Magic is a simple one, disciplining one’s self to follow the advice may be a little harder, but certainly, the effort is worth the results. For those of you who love “The Secret” and believe in the Law of attraction… The Magic will definitely be an amazing addition to your life. I thoroughly recommend it to you. It has most definitely changed my life and I hope it changes yours too.

How Can We Use “The Magic”?

Gratitude is something that our material-obsessed culture doesn’t emphasize practicing. Byrne’s book can help remind us of the responsibility we have to be thankful for the blessings that have already come into our lives. Whether saying “thank you” will create events to take place magically is debatable, although Byrne and her followers seem to believe it. However, The Magic has some interesting ideas that will help anyone incorporate the practice of gratitude daily in their lives.

Don’t Know About “The Secret”?  Learn more about The Law of Attraction, “The Secret”, “The Power”, Rhonda Byrne, and additional information here:

(www.thesecret.tv/themagic)

Many people grow up hearing that positivity is key. Unfortunately, as we grow up, it can be harder and harder to be positive. Life has many snags and issues that we all must learn to deal with. Work can be an especially stressful place, with deadlines and clients and co-workers.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
– Confucius

15 tips to Add Positive Energy to Your Workplace:

Are you ready to spread some positivity throughout your office? Here is how!

1 – Stay Organized

Much work stress comes from deadlines that you miss and disorganization. Keep a color-coded calendar of all work events, deadlines, meetings, and client updates. If you find paperwork challenging, use your smartphone or online apps to keep on-task. Being able to consult the schedule of all daily events will make work less stressful.

2 – Practice Effective Communication

Most people negatively communicate with one another because the conversation is not productive. Send emails updating colleagues on the things that each person must be aware of and, while speaking in person, genuinely listen to one another rather than being abrupt. Better communication produces positive communication and positive feelings.

3 – Smile

Many people do not make a habit of smiling and looking cheerful at work, but looking approachable will get you many different results than looking standoffish. Practicing smiling and having a more upbeat attitude makes it likely that other workers will approach you with the same view. Clients also prefer working with someone professional yet friendly.

4 – Make Small Goals

Most of the time, people don’t feel accomplished at work, which leads to feelings of negativity. Setting small goals that lead to more substantial accomplishments will help keep you focused will help keep your attitude positive and upbeat.

5 – Leave work at the office

If you have a stressful job or a job that can be brought home, it can become easy for your life to be overwhelmed with work. If you vow to leave work at home and spend your personal time with family, friends, and your hobbies, work will appear much less like an albatross and must more like a part of life.

6 – Personalize your desk

Your desk is where you spend many hours of your day. Therefore, it is essential to personalize your area, to make it your own. You can adjust the height of your desk, set a plant, a photo of your dog, or a cute motivational sign on your desk for a little personalized touch. Having personal items on your desk makes your area feel more comfortable and gives you some positive motivation when you’re feeling distracted.

7 – Reduce your stress

Work stress is real. Hours on end at your computer, intense meetings, and long Skype calls raise stress levels. You can add some positive energy at work with a walk during your lunch break or squeeze a squishy stress ball that you keep on your desk. Try doing some breathing exercises.

First, take a big, deep breath, hold your breath, and then let your it out slowly. After work, be sure to get some energizing exercise. Whether you walk your dog, head to your gym, or ride a stationary bike at home. Training is the best way to reduce pent-up stress.

When you do strenuous exercise, your body discharges endorphins, hormones that make you feel happier. Plus, endorphins improve your self-esteem. All in all,  your work stress needs to be dealt with. Find what stress buster works best for you, then add a little positivity to your workday.

8 – Stay upbeat

Studies have found that people with an upbeat, positive mentality typically have better health, less risk of heart disease, and lowered blood pressure. Having a positive outlook doesn’t mean you never feel down or anxious, but you can bounce back and adapt to your circumstances.

So, find ways to keep your mental outlook at work positive. Step back from situations at work that feels overwhelming. Set aside time during the workday, even if it’s just five or ten minutes to let your mind wander in a daydream. Daydreaming is a healthy way for your brain to detach from your work problems.

Plus, sometimes, answers pop into your head while you’re daydreaming. Staying upbeat gives you a chance to get your positive outlook back on track.

9 – Be a good listener

Another way to add positive energy at work is to be a great listener. Good listening takes practice and determination to focus. Here are some tips to enhance those all-important communications and listening skills.

• Be attentive: Look thoroughly at the person’s face while they’re speaking to you-This lets them know they have your full attention.
• Don’t move around: Shifting your legs or moving your hands is a sign you’re impatient to speak or get away from the conversation. Quiet yourself and simply listen.
• Rephrase what they say, and turn it into a question: For example, “You mentioned that your division wouldn’t fund the new site. Where do you think that start-up funding should come from?”
• Be curious: What can you learn about this person? Are they nervous? How do they approach problems?
• Find joy in conversing: All discussions are unique. Enjoy the back and forth of talking and listening.

10 – Be a learner

When work becomes predictable and rote, you get dull in the brain. Being a learner keeps you mentally fresh. It instills creativity and enhances your mental flexibility.  Researchers say that people who keep learning are less apt to underperform or get stagnant at work. Stir up your desire to learn anything you can about your job.

Connect with people at work who understand aspects of the job that you do not. Or interact with younger people who may have a fresh perspective on the work.  Ask them questions, ask for feedback, and try new ways to do aspects of your job. You will be surprised and delighted at the positive energy you get from taking a few steps towards learning something new.

11 – Say thank you

Adding positive energy at work is as easy as a simple thank you. Being grateful is a small action that reaps big rewards. Saying thank you at work helps others feel appreciated and valued. It takes just a minute to say it, but you’ll feel positive about yourself, too.

Gratefulness is contagious. Once you express your gratitude to a co-worker, you won’t be surprised if they express gratefulness to another co-worker.

12 – Don’t multitask

You heard, right? Contrary to popular belief, your brain isn’t made for multitasking. One study found that people tend to overestimate their ability to do two or things at once. When you try to multitask, you’re putting undue stress on one part of your brain and aren’t using your mind to its full potential. It may sound boring, but you’re more productive when you do one task at a time entirely before you move onto the next job. Try it.

13 – Have a bowl of healthy snacks on your desk

Set a little bowl of wrapped granola bars, tiny boxes of nuts, or raisins on your desk for a quick energy boost. Of course, your co-workers will drop by to say hello and gaze longingly at your snacks, so be ready to share. Sharing a little treat and chatting with your co-workers can lighten your day and add a bit of positive energy to others’ day as well.

14 – Practice calming mindfulness

Because work can be stressful, mindfulness can help you reduce your mental stress. Here are some ways to incorporate the art of mindfulness into your day.

Focus on your senses:

What do you hear? How do your toes feel inside your shoes? Listen to surrounding sounds. Listen to your heartbeat. All these little mindfulness activities help you relax and feel calmer.

Let your mind wander:

Give your mind a little break. Let it wander a bit. Think about tonight’s dinner plans, hanging out with friends or family. These little brain breaks release your stress and refresh your thinking.

Deal with your feelings:

Did you have an upsetting conversation this morning? Are you feeling irritated or anxious? Picture those feelings as stones. Toss each feeling one by one into a deep lake and watch them sink to the bottom out of sight. Imaging can help you let go of burdensome thoughts and feelings, so they don’t weigh you down.

Mindfulness not only relaxes you but can add positive energy to your workplace. Here are some other benefits of mindfulness in the workplace.

• Reduce stress
• Lowers anxiety
• Encourages focus
• Improves relationships between co-workers

15 – Make friends

You’re with your co-workers for many hours each day. There are probably several people at work who you will get to know as good friends. Good friends at work make your job more fun. Having a good friend at work makes sense since you both have a common bond through work. You can relate to one another, emphasize with each other’s struggles, and encourage one another when feeling discouraged since you both understand. Make efforts to make good friends at work to enhance your positive energy and the positive energy of those around you.

Final Thoughts on These Fifteen Easy Ways to Bring Positive Thinking Into the Workplace

Did you know that you will spend approximately 90,000 hours at work in your lifetime?  That number represents a lot of your life spent on the clock. All the more reason for you to find creative ways to add positive energy to your long work hours. Hopefully, these suggestions help enhance your quest to add positive energy to your work experience, plus give you a real sense of joy in your accomplishments.

If you’d like to add positivity to your parenting toolbox, you will do an excellent service to yourself, your family, and your stress level. Implementing these 20 positive parenting tips is a solid method to bring more happiness into your home and will significantly expand your child’s and family’s emotional well-being.

20 Positive Parenting Tips

Read on to find twenty positive parenting tips (plus a bonus hint).

1 – Give Positive Attention While Spending Time With Your Child

When you’re hanging out with your kids, give them your undivided attention. Turn off the computer and cellphone so that you won’t be distracted. Focus on what they say. Ask them questions. What are they excited about? Is there anything they’re worried about? When you’re spending alone time with your child will make them feel like they’re the most crucial person in the world.

• Spend time alone with your child, giving them your undivided attention
• Plan fun activities that the entire family can participate in and enjoy
• Take them to places outside your neighborhood to expand their horizons, such as museums, parks, beaches, camping trips, mountains, etc.
• Encourage your child daily which will help them to prosper in their daily lives
• Share a real interest in the things that matters to your child

2 – Encourage Positive Communication

• Talk “with” your child instead of talking “at” them
• Take the time to listen to what your child has to say and value the shared information
• Urge your child to open up about discussing large and small problems with you
• Don’t put your child down while they address any concerns or issues they are dealing with
• Plan some time each day to have a conversation with your child to discuss how their day went, and any possible difficulties they may have encountered.

3 – Schedule fun things for your family

Find activities that your entire family can do together.  Take your kids to places that are family-friendly. Do activities that build your family and create memories such as the following:

• Museums
• Parks
• Camping trips
• Hiking
• Fishing
• Beach trips

When you do these activities together, it creates a unique family bond.

4 – Build family traditions

Unique family traditions are a positive way to enhance your relationship with your kids. Whether it’s special holiday foods, or summer vacation traditions, or just a weekend tradition of watching a movie every Friday night, your kids will love looking forward to your family’s particular activity.

5 – Show Your Love Through Daily Action (maybe one of the easiest positive parenting tips to implement)

Show your child your love and support every day. Make them feel loved and cared for by your words and actions. Like everyone, kids have bad days when they feel grumpy or irritable. Give them some space on those days, but hug them, too. Even if they aren’t pleasant to be around, find a way to share encouragement or show love to them. Make their favorite cookies or leave them a little love note on their pillow to show your love through your actions.

• Show your love and support for your child daily as this will let your child know that you love and care for them
• Frequently give them hugs on good and bad days
• Continuous show your interest in your child’s life

6 – Build Healthy Confidence And Self-Esteem

Help your child feel good about themselves. Show them respect and empathy. Accept them as they are: their strengths and weaknesses. Don’t see your child as an extension of yourself but as a unique individual growing and changing daily. They need encouragement to be themselves rather than what you want them to be.

• Teach your child that it’s good to feel positive about themselves
• Take out the time to speak and show your child that you know they are special
• Recognize and find positive confidence in them

7 – Continuously Promote Positive Values And Attitudes

Kids learn a lot from their parents. Positive parenting involves teaching your kids good attitudes and values in life. Teaching them values such as these:

• Honesty
• Kindness
• Empathy
• Courage
• Compassion
• Independence
• Respect
• Patience

It’s essential that you model these qualities for your kids. They will learn to be patient if you are patient with them. They’ll learn to be kind when they see you being helpful to them.

Here are some skills you should model for them:

• Teach your children at an early age how to care for and respect themselves along with others around them
• Instruct them on the right and wrong things
• Try to minimize negative comments and give more positive comments
• Encourage good work habits in their academia and employment

8 – Encourage positive communication

Talk “with” your child instead of talking “at” them. Like you, your kids don’t like it when you aren’t fully engaged. Take the time necessary to listen–and really hear–what they’re saying and value what they share. Set aside some time daily to find out how their day went.

Demonstrate excellent communication by being a good listener and asking the right questions. Stay positive during communication, even if they share things you don’t like. Don’t minimize their problems, respect the fact that it’s important to them.

9 – Provide positive correction

Don’t be afraid to correct your child. A child who is never corrected is a selfish individual. Correction isn’t punishment. Studies show that having a favorable discipline structure at home helps your child fit well into the real world as a happy and healthy person.

Be sure your child feels your support and love even amid your correction. When you do this, your child will learn that correction is necessary but not scary. You don’t need to make corrections a big deal; a simple word or look can help. Correct your child privately so they don’t feel embarrassed. Never demean your child. Teach them that everybody messes up once in a while and needs help to get back on track.

10 – Teach your child to be unselfish

If you’ve ever heard a little child yell, “Mine” you know kids aren’t born unselfish. Positive parenting involves teaching your kids to be selfless. You can begin preparing your kids to be charitable at an early age. Here are age-appropriate areas to help your kids learn to be unselfish.

Young kids:

• Share their toys
• Learn to wait their turn
• Not screaming when they don’t get their way

Older kids:

• Be responsible even when it’s not convenient
• Serving others first
• Give instead of always taking
• Taking care of their books and toys

Of course, you need to model unselfishness to your child. They learn a lot by watching you relate to others and to them. So, be sure you’re learning unselfishness along with your kids.

11 –  Model good eating habits for your kids

Many parents don’t stop to consider their menu as “parenting tips.” But, eating well for a lifetime begins as home!

Kids can learn good eating habits from you. Instill a love for veggies, fruits, and other healthy snacks. Encourage your kids to help with the family’s food prep. Kids can cut salads and make sandwiches. Let them help you with menu planning for family meals. These positive experiences will encourage a healthy view of eating and food.

12 – Emphasize being physically active

Studies found that small changes in your home help your kids stay more physically active. A home gym, exercise bike, or sports equipment near the front door promotes activity. Model physical activity for your kids. Do fun games with your kids that require being active like jump rope, hopscotch, or a pick game of basketball.

13 – How to trust their gut instinct

Your children need to learn how to trust their gut instincts, or some call it intuition. It will keep them safe and happier. Explain what gut instincts are and give them some examples in your life where you trusted or didn’t trust your gut instinct. When they do this, tell them you’re impressed by how they listened to their intuition in the situation.

14 – Self-control

This parenting tip is essential.

Your child can’t control many things in life, but they have control of themselves. Kids can feel like they don’t get to get many choices but can make choices about their attitudes and behavior. If they’re losing a card game, they can throw their cards up in the air and stamp out of the room or express their disappointment in a self-controlled way.

Parents model self-control or the lack of it all the time. When you’re in traffic, and another motorist cuts you off, your child will learn it’s okay to lose control while driving if you scream obscenities at the driver. Modeling self-control will help your child the most.

15 – Don’t give up

It’s human nature to want to quit when stuff is tricky. Without nagging your kids, encourage them not to give up even when things get hard. Kids need to learn to press on whether it’s a difficult chore at home or finishing their school project. Never belittle their efforts even though small; simply encourage them; they’re doing a great job. Walk with them through the process, one step at a time, until they’re finished. They’ll feel relieved but also proud. Over time, your child will grow more determined to keep going when things are hard.

16 – Encourage your kids to keep learning

Learning is a lifelong skill. Encourage your kids to learn everything they can about life. Encourage your kids’ curiosity. Find answers to their questions. Learn together as a family. Play games that emphasize knowing information. Instill a love for learning and exploring the world by being a role model for your children.

17 – Positive parenting means that children can trust you

It’s essential that you win your child’s trust. If you always break your promises, your child will learn that your word isn’t trustworthy. Not showing up for your child’s school play or missing their swim is a big deal to a kid; it means they can’t trust what you say. Try to keep your promises. All parents miss an event once in a while, but if it’s a constant habit, you will erode your kid’s trust.

18  – Teach them to do work

It sounds strange, but working doesn’t come naturally to kids. Teaching them how to do small chores around the house builds their confidence and sense of contribution to the household. Even small children can learn how to help. Older kids may need motivation and encouragement. You can give them certain privileges once they’ve cleaned their room or mowed the grass. It may feel like a battle, but long term it’s worth it.  A teacher shared that the kids in her classroom who had to do chores at home were the more mature kids in or her class.

Chores for young kids:

• Put their toys away
• Make their bed with some help
• Carry their plate to the sink

For older kids:

• Mow the grass
• Clean up their room
• Put their clean clothes away
• Unload the dishwasher

For teens:

• Wash their own clothes
• Take out the trash
• Feed and walk the dog
• Clean and vacuum their bedroom

19 –  Learn how to say no

This is hard even for some adults, but kids can learn how to disagree in a positive way. Model the correct way to disagree or how to refuse food politely. They’ll learn how to speak kindly but firmly about their preferences as they watch you.

Teach them to disagree by saying, “I know what you mean, but I don’t agree with you” or to refuse food by saying, “No, thank you, I don’t want any spinach.”

Give them opportunities to practice at home. Of course, your child may say, “No thanks, mom, I don’t agree with you that I need to clean my room.” You may need to teach them that chores aren’t optional. Learning how to disagree and say no politely builds confidence in your child.

20 –  Learning how to express their emotions properly

Kids have a lot of emotions. You can teach them how to properly express emotions like anger, fear, or disappointment. Modeling your own feelings is crucial, but you can also give them tools to help like profound breathing experiences to let go of anger or going for a walk when they feel disappointed.

Older kids can be taught journaling as a way to express their feelings. Emphasize the need to express their feelings privately instead of venting on social media. They may regret it later. A journal allows them the chance to vent without repercussions.

BONUS POSITIVE PARENTING TIP: Teach children how to spend time alone

Learning how to spend time alone is a helpful skill for kids. Teach them to enjoy the peace and calm of being by themselves. They can draw, look at books, read, write, or play quietly with their toys.

Final Thoughts on Practicing These Positive Parenting Tips

Positive parenting involves time, energy, and commitment. It’s the hardest job you’ll ever have, but the most rewarding one. They’ll learn from you as you model good listening, communication, and positive values to your kids. Your investment in your kids’ life is invaluable. Your positive parenting will help them grow up to be happier adults.

Think salads must be boring? Don’t settle for boring. Spice them up with these salad recipe ideas.

“I think so many times when people think of vegan food,or plant based food they think, ‘rabbit food.’ Well its true there is a certain amount of sticks,trees and twigs, but there are so many options and with just a little extra time you can put together a salad like this.”

Get Creative with Salad Recipes

I always try and start out with a green like kale, swiss chard, or collard in my salad. If you start a salad with a base of iceberg you have made a serious plant-powered half step. I would say there’s no real use for that type of lettuce in a meal, and you will get “the look” from me. Go the extra mile and be creative with the ingredients for any salad that’s a meal and you won’t be disappointed.

I think so many times when people think of vegan food or plant-based food they think,”rabbit food”. Well it’s true there is a certain amount of sticks, trees, and twigs, but there are so many options and with just a little extra time you can put together salad recipes like this:

Ingredients:

GREENS

Start by layering in some delicious greens as the base of your salad. Here are a few of my favorites.

Kale
Mixed greens
Spinach

ADD VEGAN PROTEIN

Vegan or vegetarian? You don’t  need to add meats to bulk up the protein. Instead, try:

Quinoa
Black beans

BRING ON THE FLAVOR

Once you’ve made a base of healthy greens and amped up that protein, it’s time to have fun with flavor!

Sweet corn
Roma tomatoes
Red onion
Green onion
Jalapeno
Zucchini
Cucumber
Baby bella’s
Cilantro lime
and those sexy, no SCHEXY California figs!

Top it all off with extra virgin and guacamole dressing and spicy corn tortilla chips – THAT is TC style! Keep being rockinawesome!!!