Tag Archives: personal development

3 ingredient low calorie  bread

I’ve been bitten by the cooking from scratch bug in recent weeks. There have seen many recipes i have had a want to create over the years and have tried recipes from various regions of the country and a few overseas.  I have decided to take on a challenge in the kitchen of which I’ve never undertaken: making bread. This was a beginner friendly bread that I created using a few simple ingredients: bread flour, rapid rise yeast, and pink hymilayan sea salt.

To start, you will want to heat 1 and a half cups of water on the stove. Next, you will need 3 and a half cups of bread flower to go into a large bowl. Once this has been placed in the bowl, you will need to add a table spoon of rapid rise yeast and half of a tablespoon of pink Himalayan sea salt

Dry ingredients ready to rock and roll

Once the dry ingredients are done the water should be nice and hot. Pour the water into the bowl and mix around until the flour is fully incorporated into the mix and form it into a ball.

I’m having a great time.  A ball if you will

Once this is shaped into a ball, cover it and place it somewhere warm and let it sit for an hour to build up in size. Once that is done put it into a bread pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and form it into the pan and let it sit for another hour.

Two hours later

Once the hour has passed, put your oven on 450. Once the oven is heated bake the bread for 20 minutes to completion and remove to cool.

Bonus tip: I forgot that scoring the bread helps the bread expand more.

Once the bread has cooled, you will have a nice loaf of low calorie bread. I let a piece of this sit, but this bread lasted me about 5 days before it started to turn. I would recommend eating this right away while it is fresh.

Even without scoring the first time the bread looked great.

This was a wonderful first take on making a new dish. I realized this was rather small but I am looking to make it into larger loafs for the next time. This makes a very good peanut butter sandwich and with no preservatives, it was the most  guilt free pb&j that I have had in a while. Until the next time, dear readers, excelsior!

Realistically SMART goals

Going into the new year, I have quite a few goals to accomplish. This is normally the time when we would all set a New years resolution. We can set goals, but when we lack directon and consistency, we end up short. This issue is best tackled by SMART goals.

A SMART goal is one that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timley. Defining these parameters as they pertain to your goal helps ensure that your objectives are attainable within a certain time frame. An example of this would be: losing 20 pounds by the end of the year. To track progress, someone might do morning or weekly weigh-ins to gauge progression. Additionally, changes to ones diet and exercise regimine will aid in the process. As time goes on, one will be able to see how progress is going along to see if progress is being made in a timely fashion. If things are not being done in time, there are metrics that might need to be updated, like eating even more differently and lifting more weight and longer, more intense cardio sessions. These metrics will change as time and circumstances change.

No matter what your goal is, in order to obtain it, there must be purpose and direction as we as a way to monitor progress. A SMART goal is a specific way to measure out and make your goals more attainable in a realistic and timely fashion. Going into the new year, i encourage you to make SMART goals to have a successful new year. Until the next time, dear readers, excelsior and happy new year!

A quick update

I wanted to take a moment to share my latest project I’ve been working on that is very near to my heart. I have been working on a monthly budgeting tool with a few extra goodies to help highlight where money goes and helps track where one is compared to their projections. This is a great tool that can be reused easily and can even help you recognize where you are in terms of building your net worth. Click here to view my monthly budgeting tool.

A snippet of a chart from my planner detailing spending categories

I still have my latest entry aside from my update in store for later this month. Stay tuned dear readers for the next entry! Excelsior!

The F in fitness means fun

As someone who likes to exercise and also likes to travel, there are times where A) I might not have time to work out or B) I lack the proper equipment to do so. I’m moments like these it is good to come up with creative ways to get a good quality workout session in. One method I utilized during the pandemic, and sometimes just for fun, is the utilization of playground equipment. To add more difficulty for these workouts, you can also use a weighted training vest to add more variety to your training.

To start things off, I begin with a light jog to the playground to get the blood flowing as I live nearby to a park in my neighborhood. After warming up, I then assess the equipment for ideas to get things going.

Not my playground but think of the possibilities

For my particular exercise I recently used I did the following: chin ups 3 sets of 10 repetitions using the hanging bar, 3 sets of 10 repetitions of dips using the bars for the steps leading to the play structure (or the bars making the bridge works too), I utilized the stepping platform (or rock climbing wall of the angle is good enough ) for a challenging plank for 3 sets of 45 seconds, and to finish up I used a picnic table for box jumps for 3 sets of 10 repititions. (Alternatively any high platform on the play structure will work fine so long as you have clearance to do it without bumping into anything).

Fitness is an important investment, and despite circumstances, it pays to be creative to get those reps in. Given that it is now summertime, this can be a fun edition to a workout program. Challenge your mind and body with this exercise I did or make your own up. Remember, the F in fitness stands for fun. Excelsior!

As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Iroh workout

Greetings dear readers, it has been a while but after a brief sabbatical I have returned. Speaking of returns, the warm weather is looking to make a return to prevalence after a moderate winter. After all these months of hibernation it is time for summer sports and activities. The best way to get ready for the more active time of year is preparing our physical health for outdoor projects and other activities.

For this year’s preparation I will share my latest workout plan I have prescribed myself to during the last several weeks. This plan comes inspired from one of my favorite shows growing up: Avatar the last airbender. Mild spoilers for those that haven’t watched this masterpiece of a series: one of the main characters, general iroh, is imprisoned and during his time in prison he spent time planning and preparing his body for his eventual escape from his captors. I will highlight his training regimen during his time in prison: sit ups, clap push-ups, hand stand push-ups, one hand pull ups. Inverted sit ups at the top of his cell. Of course there are more workouts one could do to develop more strength but I will focus on exercises one can use with limited to no equipment.

General Iroh aka the dragon of the west

I will divide these exercises into specific levels to work up to as time progresses. I’ll also include alternatives to mix things up as needed. For an extra challenge, you can also increase the set totals or reps per set (I recommend increasing the reps by increments of five). I would recommend 30 second to 1 minute rest periods between sets as you progress.

Level one:
3×10 Pike Push Ups

3×15 Sit Ups/Crunches

3×20 Push Ups

3×25 Lying Leg Raises

Level Three:
3×10 Handstand Push Ups ( alternatively I used incline/decline Push Ups as I can not do a successful handstand…yet)

3×15 Pull Ups (regular or door trainer modified. Check out my paid link for a good starting door trainer)

3×20 Sit Ups

3×20 Clap Push Ups

3×25 Hanging Leg Raises (or lying leg raises with ankle weights if available)

Level Four:
3×5 One Arm Pull Ups (each arm) or do a door frame row to work your way up

3×15 Inverted Sit Ups

3×20 Handstand Push Ups (alternative incline/decline Push Ups)

3×20 Clap Push Ups

3×25 Sit Ups

I have tried this workout program for myself, and it has been a very good series that doesn’t require heavy weight. This is perfect in a limited to no equipment environment and for those who love callestenic workouts. Until the next time, dear readers. Excelsior!

As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases

Adding a little spice

This month I want to take a brief detour into another personal development skill: cooking. I enjoy it thoroughly and i find it therapeutic to be able to create new dishes in the kitchen. My latest culinary adventure has led me to a nutritious and flavorful low calorie meal: creole shrimp.

For this recipe you will need the following: 1/2 cup of chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped green pepper, 4 chopped mushrooms (I had chopped a good two handfuls of pre sliced mushrooms), 1 cup of canned tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, 1 pound of shrimp peeled and deveined. Outside of this original combination for the recipe I also added 1 teaspoon of old bay seasoning, 1 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash original blend seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika. 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder to spice things up. I also forgot to get bell pepper so I substituted this for asparagus.

To get things started, combine all of the vegetables and spices in a large saucepan. Cook the veggies and spices for 10 minites over medium heat. In the meantime, cook the shrimp over medium heat for the same time with the seasoning blend from above. Once the shrimp has been cooked and the vegetables are nice and tender combine all ingredients in the saucepan and stir. After 5 minites remove the saucepan from the heat and serve!

Soups on!

Cooking is a vital skill all need to keep in their repertoire. This meal is a quick, healthy and nutrient dense meal that is low calorie and it absolutely delicious. Until the next time dear readers, excelsior!

Personal Accountability

Today’s times allow for a lot of things to be given to us quickly and efficiently. The food we order is fast, the internet used for work or home is high speed, and text or email messages can be received in seconds. There is one thing that isn’t quick to be taken up in recent years: personal accountability.

Today there is constant finger pointing and blaming for various issues. While there are many catalysts for different events, there is still the ability to ensure that your own contributions to the world around you are positive. Being accountable for ones actions and words helps make the lives of everyone involved in your life better.

How often do we leave a matter unattended for the next person to attend to? How much do we defer trivial matters to others and complain when things are not done to our specifications? How often do shift the blame to others and not realize that when one finger points to a target that there three pointing back at ourselves.

I attended a class known as QBQ (the question behind the question) several years ago and this class helped me identify where I as an individual could help in improving my own situation. It helped shift my thinking from “what are you doing to help this situation?” To “how can I help better this situation?” The most important aspect that I took away from this class was a more heightened sense of personal accountability in my work and my professional life.

Today’s times have shown that we can’t always wait for a change to happen in our lives. Waiting for proper windows of opportunity is an important thing but true change also begins with you. Be the change in the world you wish to see. Find ways to make a situation better for yourself by asking questions such as “how can I take ownership of this issue and solve it?” “How can I improve my situation?” Oftentimes we tend to let our circumstances dictate our outlook but we must be able to shape our outlook to better our circumstances. Once we take ownership of the situation and make ourselves accountable and put forth our best efforts in whatever the situation might be, there will be more positive results and an expanded way of thinking for future problems.

Taking personal accountability and ownership in life is key to success in business, in life and it helps shape your mindset in terms of how to deal with issues that arise in life. When we put off or pass the buck of responsibility we merely defer a situation until it gets worse. From putting off a budget, neglecting a project that your group had been working for several months and no one is getting ahead, changing careers because of minor interpersonal drama. Personal accountability and ownership will help shape your mind to ask the deeper questions and get to a solution rather than letting it sit. Until the next time dear readers. Excelsior!

A matter of the mind

In life you will come across different points of view on an argument, contrasting worldviews, and limiting beliefs that hold people back. What does this have to do with personal development you might ask? Simply put, looking at things from a different perspective and adapting a different mindset can help shape your way of thinking and how you adapt to changes or challenges presented in life

A prime example of how a mind set can help with priming you for success would be this video i came across in regards to one’s “inner game” and their ability to power through obstacles and get things done. Often times i hear things such as “i can’t” or ” i don’t know if i can” and my response is typically “yes you can” and “what makes you think you cant?” to challenge this limiting belief someone may have presented.

Limiting beliefs are things that can hold up back from where we need to be in life. Beliefs such as “I’m too young/old” i have an article that challenges that. “I don’t have the skill set or know how” there are hundreds of resources out there to educate yourself on different subject matters such as workshops, seminars and free classes for those who might pursue something without going for a degree. There are even websites like khan academy that are available for free for people to learn things such as coding, grammar, history etc. I am a firm believer of finding like minded people to collaborate ideas with to come up with innovative new ideas. Finding mentors to help you get to where you need to get to the next level of life and i strongly encourage finding one to help you push yourself to that level. Above all else, try and fail. You cannot learn without trial and error because when you have an error you can treat it as a learning experience to use for the next challenge. Do not be afraid to try for fear of failure but embrace it and treat mistakes and failures as something to use in obtaining wisdom for yourself those who follow after you.

The world is vastly changing in the digital age. There are more resources on the web, in person and even courses one could take to better a skill set or give people the starting tools for a new chapter in life. But it starts with having a mind to be open and willing to absorb the material required to get to the next level of success in your adventure of life. In my own experience I’ve trained with some of the best people in my position, took on some self study in my own time and above all took time and developed a system that works for me through trial and error to help me become a top producer in my position at work during my first few months. I had to challenge things i knew and didn’t know and learn from the best and find a way to take my game to the next level. Beforehand i had limiting beliefs that held me back on my overall workflow and production and once i obtained the training, self study, experience and getting a mentor I haven’t looked back since. Anyone can do it and so can you!

Challenging and changing one’s inner game is imperative to reaching the next level of success for whatever you are seeking to obtain in life. If you can change your mindset into what it needs to be to reach new heights you’ll find that those limiting beliefs are merely lead shoes that weigh you down. Remember change your mindset from limited to limit breaking and you will see results. Don’t wait what better time to start than right now. Excelsior!

A year in review

Goodbye 2020 Funny Illustration - Vector Download
Photo credit Vexels

As this year comes to a close let’s look back at the past year. Look at the world around us and the current circumstances. Look at your situation. Look at the road ahead. We live in an uncertain time with a plethora of things that can happen. Life comes hard and fast, but we cannot let things that are important to slip by in the rapidly accelerating stream of time. Things such as family and friends, your goals and dreams, your finances and future.

This year I made several posts on personal finance, taking a departure from personal development topics, in an attempt to raise awareness and education on financial topics that are often not taught and/or oftentimes neglected. Personal finance is an important topic that is not meant to be taken lightly. It is something that has been in our past, working in our present and shaping our future. This year I have shared my expertise and knowledge of finance from my education and expertise working in the finance sector for the past few years now.

I encourage you, dear reader, to read my past posts on personal finance if you have not already. These are very insightful topics that will help with gaining more understanding on this topic. It has been a delight to bring such material to a wider audience and gain more readers. I will be uploading more regular content in the upcoming year for personal finance as well as bringing back more personal development content for your reading pleasure.

Before this year draws to a close, I will share one last lesson for the year. And that is the importance of the emergency fund. In a previous post of mine, I mentioned the importance of establishing emergency savings. This year is the prime example of why everyone can benefit from an emergency fund. If one would not believe me look at the current state that we are in as a country and as a civilization worldwide. We live in an uncertain time and we must make decisions and investments and goals to help us out when we need it the most. From your insurance to your warranty, to your very own shoebox under the mattress if need be. Everyone needs their ace in hand at the ready because you will never know when it is time to use it. Stay healthy and safe dear reader. Happy holidays and I wish you a happy new year. Here is to a better year and a better road ahead through taking control of one’s financial future. Excelsior!

Happy New Year!

Image result for happy new year 2020"

As this year draws to a close, we also draw close to the end of the decade. A common trend around this time of year is a plethora of “new year, new me”  posts as well as new years resolutions (that a decent percentage of us will fail within a few weeks or so statistically speaking) This time I do not wish to talk about the clichés of the new years goals, this time I would like to discuss commitments for life.

When I started this blog, I had the idea to talk about investments of the financial sort (IRA, CDs, retirement, etc.), but there is more to the investments that you can make with your time and resources. Going forward I will also be discussing more topics in not just finance but also health and wellness (because your health is a serious investment), style, and professional etiquette. I will also throw a few more surprises your way, dear reader.

As you prepare for this new year keep in mind that we are embarking on a new chapter in time, let this new chapter in your book start with making more of an investment in yourself and your wellbeing for yourself and those around you. I look forward to sharing more topics and hope that you have a successful start to the new year. Stay tuned!