Monday Meditation: It Takes Chaos

Hi there! Well the month of May was officially b-a-n-a-n-a-s. A fierce sprint through chaos and unexpected changes.

Have I been preoccupied? Yes. Have I questioned the future? Yes. Have I felt a zillion emotions but don't feel like spilling it out to everyone? Yes. Do I believe everything will work itself out? Yes. Do I love my life? Yes. Do I trust in the journey? Yes.

But here's the part I struggle with: the uncertainty that envelopes change and then sitting with that ambivalence. Whether it's the uncertainty of a job, a meeting, a move, a diagnosis, a phone call, a child, a loved one, an announcement, a nuptial, an outcome. Life presents so many opportunities to invoke that unsettling feeling of worry in NOT knowing what to expect, no matter how diligently we try to plan it. Everyone can relate to that exhaustion of trying to nail down jello.

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Can you blame a gal? It's tough to sit with the unsolved (hence the mega-hit show, Unsolved Mysteries). And well, I'm only (an event-planning, organized, worried, empathetic, control-freak) human. That's when it finally hit me........ I am ONLY human. As much as try to plan, research, organize, worry, empathize and control life... I can't! It's extraordinarily humbling and challenging to let go of control and embrace the chaos of changes that life throws you.

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Reread that. As I've turned inward the past few weeks, I've found comfort in the notion that there IS a bigger plan unfolding right before me. I am being taken care of and have so much to look forward to. I may not know exactly how things will go, but I've got to trust I am exactly where I am supposed to be on my journey. And wrap myself up in self-love. The chaos is leading to some beautiful change. Let the path reveal itself. And breathe.

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How do you let go of control? How do you cope with bad news? What do you do when you feel uncertain about change(s)? Do you believe in a "higher" or "greater" life plan? Are you a planner or fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person?

Lots of love, stay positive and keep JAMmin!

Easy Holiday Picnic & Cookout Recipes: Thai Bowtie Pasta Salad

Yes, you may have noticed my brief blogging hiatus. Ugh. The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride of busyness, unexpected changes and to be honest...I've needed some JAM time. Like the lil girl in that AT&T commercial says, "we want more, we want more!"

Anyway, over this past holiday weekend, I got to enjoy one of my FAVORITE insta-pick-me-ups...A  FAMILY COOKOUT! Typically, my Mom whips up the fave staples in the kitchen, my sister brings the creativity to dishes, and my Dad, well he masters the grill! I've become accustomed to being the "table-setter" but have dipped my toe into more recipes over the past years (what can I say, I'm very lucky to have a family of great cooks!!)

I pinned this recipe and made it once before. I wanted to test it out again and get my seeester's seal of approval before I made it for her BIG BIRTHDAY party this weekend :) It's super easy and simple for anyone, for realz, even me. Win!



Necessary ingredients!

Thai Bowtie Pasta Salad

Serves 6-8 (tweaked my recipe from original found on weekofmenus.com via pinterest) 1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta 1/3 cup canola, safflower or other mild tasting oil 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup sesame oil (optional) 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar Pretty peppers all prepped 2 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers 1 shallot, diced 1 bag of MorningStar soy chicken or 2-3 cups of rotisserie chicken, cut into bite sized pieces 3 tablespoons roasted sesame seed Salt & pepper to taste 3 cups washed baby spinach 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (optional) Boil and cook pasta according to directions. Make sure to salt the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside. Return the pasta pot back to the stove. (You don't need to wash it.) Add the canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and rice wine vinegar to another pot. Heat over low heat until the honey is dissolved. Remove from heat and toss in the pasta. Add the bell peppers, chicken, shallot, pepper, sesame seeds,  and red pepper flakes (optional). Toss well to coat all the ingredients. Before serving, toss the pasta with the spinach, to keep the vibrant green as much as possible. Total time: about 35 mins, including prep. Nom, nom, nom! This can be chilled or served warm at room temperature, making it a big hit at any summer cookout or holiday picnic! If that's not a sign of approval, I don't know what is!!!! Yeah, 'Merica!!!! Happy noshing, and keep on JAMmin!

Monday Meditation: Laughter & Lightness



Do you ever one of those days/weeks/years where it seems to be one challenge after the next? Yep, we've all experienced that feeling! I had a few instances recently of gravity punctured by lightness. What a difference it makes to pause and bask during the moments of lightness.

 

I was having a deep conversation with someone about eating and nutrition habits for IBD. I suggested "to avoid all dairy products, including eggs." ....Where is that food pyramid from grade school again? ... Well, evidently eggs are categorized as dairy in my book. My silly slip up prompted a belly laugh for both of us and an ongoing joke that helps break up the challenges of combating stomach issues. Hey...

 

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What I'm saying is, don't take yourself so seriously. Life is full of serious challenges, so relish in the moments you can laugh at yourself, at mistakes, at fear, at frustration, at adulthood.

 



Lighting up the laughter with some glow in the dark/neon glasses :)

 

Get a good laugh in when you're physically exhausted too. Like this weekend, when I spent 3 hours cursing that stubborn pachysandra I tore out from the garden and cathartic relief as I beat the crap out of the shoveled mounds to shake the dirt from the roots. Pyaw! Take that!

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So whether it's a heavy situation with health, work, family, life, or even gardening--be sure to counter it with some laughter and lightness!

 

Monday Meditation: The Seasons of Adversity and Prosperity

 

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This quote carries so much weight with all the events that have been going on in the news and in my own personal life this past week. The contrast in this quote sharply draws parallels between the seasons of change within the peaks and valleys of life.

 

 

photo by JAMinCLE

Would we appreciate the glory of a blossoming tree without enduring a seemingly endless winter? Would the yellow of the daffodils and the spring green of the grass be as vibrant without the slate gray that has painted our city this winter? Would we know the pleasant feeling of prosperity without having the sour taste of adversity? Would we count our blessings without experiencing loss or grief?

As we emerge with resilience in the face of a harsh winter or tragedy, adversity, exhaustion, etc. let's take a brief moment to acknowledge a new season of heroism, prosperity, and rejuvenation. A simple welcoming song of hope.

Photo by JAMinCLE

Monday Meditation: Welcome Spring, Savor the Sunshine

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This Wednesday, we will usher in a new season...SPRING! The weather always proves to be unpredictable in CLE but I love this quote for Monday Meditation. Spring will finally pop its head here shortly and soon we will be trading snow squalls for thunderstorms and digging out weeds from the garden rather than digging out of snow. But we all know CLE weather is just as tempermental as the lake effect in our lives. Where will the storm hit, here, there, when, how long, how hard, how much? And on and on. It's easy to be sucked into impending storms or potential gloomy days. Well I say...

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The trials and tribulations in life are inevitable and will often catch us off guard; so how do we prepare? How do we shake the winter blues and renew our hope for spring? We store up the sunshine! Focus and invest in the people and events and love in life that brighten up the seasons of your life. The real question is, when you reflect, will you be counting your rainbows or your thunderstorms?

Will you let the figurative rain of life wash away your good days? Or will you store up some sunshine to cherish on the gray days?


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Do you feel an internal shift when the seasons change? How do you handle bad weather? Share your thoughts!

Monday Meditation: Start Before You're Ready!

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I love this quote and philosophy. It scares the crap out of me, but I love it. I think that's the exact point... we build up these fears, hurdles, or timelines in our head about the way life is supposed to unfold. "As soon as I start saving money then I can do this, or once my schedule lightens up I can commit to working out, as soon as I hit this milestone in my bank account/relationship/career/education/fitness plan, etc. I will be able to start my journey towards XYZ goal." Sound familiar? Ahhh, I totally admit I am guilty of this! Why? Because we love to think we have control over everything. It's very intimidating to let go, put ourselves out there and take risks without a guarantee of success. But...
 

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Now, I am not encouraging you to push yourself to your maximum capacity or disregard the consequences of your actions or start a plan to please someone else's expectations--but what I am encouraging you to reflect on is how and where you can step outside your comfort zone in your life to take one step closer toward your life goals? What actions can you begin to take "before you're ready" or how can you have faith in yourself and the world that everything will work out when you decide to take the leap?

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It begins by traveling in the direction of our fears, not away from them! Completely counter-intuitive and entirely necessary! In order to challenge ourselves and grow, we have to step outside our comfort zone to make space to grow. We have to take the risk and start before we're ready, without knowing the definitive outcome, but TRUSTING in it and our own strength. Realize this:

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So what areas of your life can you "start before you're ready?" How can you make space for expansion by stepping out of your comfort zone and into the face of fear and achieve your dreams? What small step can you take TODAY, even if you think you're not quite ready?

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Get your JAM on today :)

Monday Meditation: Give Your Soul Some Love and Be Your Self!

"Who you naturally are is FAR more inspiring than who you pretend to be. This is the fact. And what ELSE is cool is when we stop pretending to be someone and just start being ourselves, we are no longer BSing ourselves and so we actually take our power back, instead of giving it away by pretending to be perfect. And as we start to respect ourselves more, we take more action and as we take more action grounded in self-respect, really cool things start to happen and a positive cycle of momentum is created." -Mastin Kipp via The Daily Love

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I love this quote AND this visual. It really helps show the parallels and implications of choosing to listen to our EGO or our SOUL. When we are struggling or going through a period of growth it can be easy to listen to the ego: I'm not strong enough, brave enough, cool enough, beautiful enough. STOP. You ARE enough! The ego is that dark side buried in your sub-conscious that tries to convince you of negativity or self-doubt. 

I had a conversation with a girlfriend this weekend about the importance of  loving ALL aspects of yourself--the good, the bad, and the ugly...whole-heartedly...in order to give any part of yourself to another. Ah-ha!

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I struggled with this a few years ago as I suffered with severe anxiety. (I know, the social butterfly, wow!) I was going through a period of tremendous loss, change, and growth and was trying to manage my silly ego:

• I can handle this on my own, chin up, keep smiling
• People will think I am nuts if I explain what's going on
• I wish I could change what happened in the past
•  I am misunderstood/alone
•  Ego, ego, ego! 

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Everyone has their own battles, fears, or issues. It may not be anxiety or grief, but certainly everyone can relate to trying to silence a nagging ego, or trying to fit in, or denying some facet of ourselves that we wish wasn't there. But the more you resist, the more it persists!!!

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When I finally began to listen to my soul/inner JAM/true Self, my whole world began to open up!

The experience and challenge significantly changed me... for the better! It's all about what you choose to make of it, yes, make something of it! I hope by me sharing my experience will help some readers be themselves and give their souls some love and embrace the challenges they are facing!

Am I more forgiving of others now? Yes, everyone's facing a battle you may not know about! Did I learn to be grateful for each moment and appreciate my support system? Certainly, I am incredibly blessed! Do I still hear my ego? Sure, but it doesn't win when I simply listen to my authentic Self and stay present and positive!

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But most importantly I learned:

• Build on the positive and be productive
• Be true to my Self and not judge my Self so critically
• Be open and vulnerable around those I love and trust; I don't have to give everyone an explanation
• Surround my Self with those who lift me higher
• My family loves me unconditionally
• Everyone deals with loss and grief differently
• Getting help shows strength and humility!
• Be passionate about life...YOLO! I can only live in the Now
• Don't just talk about it, BE about it!
• I love ALL aspects of my Self!

So.......

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• How can you let go of your past?
• How can you be more gentle to your Self?
• Are you trying to impress others or are you being honest with your Self?
• How can you respect your body more?
• Are you listening to your ego or your authentic soul?
• Are you surrounding your Self with people who love, accept, and encourage you to be your Self?
• Are you being proactive and growing?
• Did you tell your Self today that you're awesome!

I say, give your soul some love and meditate on being your Self!

Monday Meditation: What Drives Your Future?

 

Happy Monday, MLK Day, and Presidential Inauguration! I absolutely LOVE this MLK quote and could not agree more. At times, when I struggle to focus my energy towards positivity, this quote serves as a great reminder for me. Dwelling in the negative, accepting the status quo, or remaining in a rut will not promote productivity, passion, or peace. Period. When we grieve from loss in our personal life, or mourn as a nation from violence in our schools, we must seek the light from within to drive out darkness. Otherwise, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Sharpen your focus-- on healing, love, light, compassion, and progress. Move forward, with light and love. So with this Monday Meditation, what drives your future? Lead wisely.

A JAM Blog-a-versary!!!!

Last December 15, I started my blogging venture and, whew--I could have never imagined what a wonderful journey it would be!

Make the ride bright!
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My very first post, I promised to spread that CLE JAM love all over the interwebs!

Spread that JAM!

My love and curiosity for my homeland of Cleveland has grown and evolved tremendously over 95 posts and countless escapades and new friends along the way. I finally kicked the post-grad 'brain drain' I had been experiencing and picked up the keyboard, drawing me back to my two favorite loves--writing and Cleveland!

CLE LOVE! Skyline via Lakewood Park
Photo by JAMinCLE

It took me awhile to find my "voice" on my blog and I think once I began to get the rhythm (we are JAMmin here right?!)...it became more authentic and open...and you, my CLE Believers, stuck by me every step of the way!

Big or small, step by step! via Edgewater Park
Photo by JAMinCLE

The first time I had a single post of mine hit 100 "views" was back in August, 8 months of working on my craft to get a rewarding response. And that's what I've learned--that blogging is truly a craft, commitment, and calculated art. The more I opened up my world, view, heart and adventures in CLE, the more the world and my readers opened up to me.

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Monday Meditations have proven to be an important weekly post for both my own personal growth and for the CLE Believers. It became such a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and begin the week on a positive note. And that's just it--we can either focus on the negative or the positive. And my take is--life is too short not to be positive!

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Along the way I've heard all sorts of feedback, encouragement and criticism. Some of my favorite hater lines and questions over the past year were:

-Why would anyone read a blog about Cleveland?
-What if nobody reads or cares what you have to say?
-Where does your blog live? (one of my personal favorites)
-Cleveland sucks
-Oh, you're a blogger (eye roll)

All valid questions and concerns I've faced and struggled with. So what did I do? I kept on writing! Yes, yes, I  AM a blogger! People may not always agree with my outlook, or love my positive take on life, or heck, they may not love Cleveland...but I do. And I just keep on writing. One post at a time. The positive experiences, people, stories, and  encouragement have far outweighed any of the criticisms! I've had the pleasure of making new friends who follow my blog and meet in real life, bringing talented young people and their products and films to the community, and stepping outside my comfort zone by attending events by myself, trying new places and having fun along the way. It's been real.

LOVE my city! Wo0o0

I choose to build and focus on the POSITIVE--events, restaurants, people, entrepreneurs, and hidden gems in life and in CLEVELAND. So thank you, thank you my CLE Believers...for venturing with me over the course of the year and for many posts to come. And remember, keep JAMmin!!!!

Wordless Wednesday: Stand For Something!

 

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Cleveland Foodbank: YP Pantry! Fight against hunger!
Photo by JAMinCLE



Get out there and make it happen, CLE! Stand up for what you believe in!

Monday Meditation: Remember Your Roots!



How beautiful has the weather been in CLE the past few days? I had the pleasure of taking full advantage of these final Indian Summer Days and got outdoors as much as possible. As I was hiking solo in the valley yesterday, surrounded by the most spectacularly painted trees, I noticed how often I am drawn to the roots of the trees. Sure the colored leaves are beautiful, but the gnarly, twisted, and resilient exposed roots are a masterpiece too. Which led me to thinking--when we look back--strong storms helped us take deeper roots (to paraphrase Dolly Parton's original quote). The parts that unearthed our vulnerable roots turned out to help us grow even stronger! We weathered the storm..and we just keep on growing! Enjoy your roots, and don't forget them, they will help you stay grounded no matter what storm blows your way!

Photo by JAMinCLE

Photo by JAMinCLE

 

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Photo by JAMinCLE