Hope

Everyone on this planet has gone through something hard.  Everyone has a story and everyone has experienced pain.  For some, hope is the driving force that motivates them to continue on.

Hope is defined as an optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large.

Did you know that hope can positively impact all aspects of life?  You can become a more hopeful person by being mindful of the things that make up hopeful thinking.  According to the Hope Theory, three things make up hopeful thinking:

• Goals: Approaching life in a goal-oriented way.
• Pathways:  Finding different pathways to achieve your goals.
• Agency:  Believing that you can instigate change and achieve these goals.

Hopeful thinkers are able to establish clear goals, imagine multiple workable pathways towards these goals, and persevere, even when obstacles get in their way.  Hope is a state of mind that helps you navigate life's twists and turns and keeps you moving forward when times are tough.  Hope is a human survival mechanism, and we couldn't thrive without it.  

If you are suffering from hopelessness and despair, we can help you get on track to rediscovering the truth within your circumstances and living life to the fullest.  Contact Marie K. Russo at mkr@mariekrusso.com for a free consultation.  

Playing to Strengths

People who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged on the job.  Current research has established a compelling connection between strengths and employee engagement in the workplace -- a connection that has the power to accelerate performance when companies work on enhancing both simultaneously.

The best way for people to grow and develop is to identify how they most naturally think, feel, and behave -- their talents -- then build on those talents to create strengths, or the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance.  Extensive research has found that building employees' strengths is a far more effective approach to improving performance than trying to improve weaknesses.  When employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged, perform better, and are less likely to leave their company.

Marie K. Russo can cultivate a culture in your business in which strengths thrive.  Gallup's StrengthsFinder is a tool she uses in her coaching practice to identify employee strengths.  Once employee strengths have been identified, Marie will be able to work with you to co-create a business plan that will foster strategic change with a clear focus on your company's core competence and desired outcomes.  

To learn more about the importance of playing to employee strengths, see the full article HERE.  

If you are interested in learning more about what Marie K. Russo can do for your business, email mkr@mariekrusso.com to schedule a consultation.  

Having Trouble Sticking to Your Diet or Exercise Plan?

How often do we hear the words "lifestyle change" when talking about diet and exercise?  They come up quite often... but do we really know how to embark on a true lifestyle change?

Most of us can go to the gym, work out and lose some weight... But then it slowly creeps back on, and we cycle through periods of exercise and diet and then periods of slow weight gain.  Why is it so hard to keep the weight off?

To keep weight off you have to really change your habits and that is no small feat.  When you make a true lifestyle change, keeping the weight off will no longer be so hard.  Studies show that having a coach or support group makes a huge impact on maintaining a new diet or exercise routine, leading to successful lifestyle changes and lasting weight loss.

Marie K. Russo is here to help.  If you are interested in embarking on a healthier lifestyle, contact Marie at mkr@mariekrusso.com to schedule a free consultation!

Going Gluten Free?

Caution…good nutrition choices run very deep. With modifications and engineered foods, we need to be careful about choices which may seem to be "healthy," and going gluten free can work for some very well, even without a celiac disease diagnosis (I have seen this firsthand in my practice).  Furthermore, as one who has an official diagnosis of CD (through an intestinal biopsy) there are many unhealthy gluten free foods available.  Working with a health coach can help you to make healthy lifestyle changes and nutrition choices for your body's specific needs.

Unfortunately, there are risks to going gluten free if you don't have celiac's.  The Huffington Post published an article stating "Gluten-free foods, especially refined foods processed to make them gluten-free (many made with potato starch or rice starch), cheat the consumer out of the many health benefits of whole grains — such as wheat, barley and rye — and can be seriously lacking in critical nutrients such as fiber, iron, zinc, folate, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin B12 and phosphorus." View the full article HERE.  

If you or a friend is interested in going gluten free without a CD diagnosis, contact Marie at mkr@mariekrusso.com to schedule a complimentary consultation. 

Tips on Combating Worry and Anxiety

In this day and age, we all experience worry or anxiety at times.  There are so many stressors we come across in our daily lives that it can sometimes be hard to focus on being mindful and positive.  We get caught up in the "what if's" and we overthink things, imagining the worst case scenarios.

But there are ways that you can begin to train your brain to break away from the cycle of worry, stay calm and to look at to life from a more positive perspective.  

Learn to postpone worrying:

• Create a "worry period" that takes place at the same time and in the same place every day.  This is the time where you allow yourself to worry about whatever is on your mind.  The rest of the day however, is a worry-free zone.  
• Postpone your worry.  If you feel a negative thought or worry enter your head, make a brief note of it and remind yourself that you will have time to think about that later, so there is no need to worry about it now.  
• Go over your "worry list" during the worry period.  If the thoughts you wrote down are still bothering you, allow yourself to worry about them, but only for the amount of time you've specified for your worry period.  If they don't seem important anymore, cut your worry period short and enjoy the rest of your day.  

Distinguish between solvable and unsolvable worries:

• Is the problem something you're currently facing?  Or is it an imaginary "what if"?
• If it is a "what if," how likely is it that your concerns will become reality?
• Can you do something about the problem to prepare for it?  Or is it out of your control?

Stop worrying by questioning the anxious thought:

• What is the evidence that the thought is true?  That it's not true?
• Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation?
• What is the probability of what I am worrying about will actually happen?
• If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes?
• Is the thought helpful?  How will worrying about it help me?  How will it hurt me?
• What would I say to a friend who had this worry?

Challenge the intolerance of uncertainty:

• Is it possible to be certain about everything in life?
• How is needing certainty in life helpful?  How is it unhelpful?
• Is it reasonable to predict bad things will happen just because they are uncertain? 
• Is it possible to live with the small chance that something negative may happen, given its likelihood is very low? 

Be aware of how others affect you:

• Keep a worry diary.  Over time, you'll begin to see patterns of the situations and people that affect you.  
• Spend less time with people who make you anxious.  If that is not possible, be mindful of conversation topics with that person and establish healthier relationship boundaries.  
• Choose your confidants carefully.  Some people will help you gain perspective while others will feed into your worries and doubts.  

Practice mindfulness:

• Acknowledge and observe your anxious thoughts and feelings.  Try to use an objective perspective without judging or reacting.  
• Let your worries go.  Try not to control the thoughts as they pop up; let them pass once you acknowledge their presence.  Breathe.  
• Pay attention to the present.  If you find yourself following an anxious thought, focus back on your breath and your surroundings.  Continue to bring yourself back to the present moment.  

To learn more about how to combat worry and anxiety, view the full article HERE.  

If you are struggling with anxiety in your life or if you are having a hard time dealing with a particular situation, email mkr@mariekrusso.com to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Tips on Managing Your Money

I don't know about you, but I am guilty of spending more money than I should on things that I don't really need.  In today's consumerist society, it is so easy to spend more money than we should.  

Here are some tips on how to manage your personal finances:

• Set Up a Budget:  Work out how much you spend on bills, gas, food, etc. each month and weigh that against how much money you have coming in.  You will then have a clear picture of how much extra you have for saving and spending.  When you set up a budget, you'll be less likely to end up in debt or get stuck in a situation where you need to borrow money.  
• Set a Savings Goal:  It is really important to have some money saved up in case of emergencies.  When you set aside a little bit of money every month, it will add up!  If you have a savings goal and are mindful about sticking to it, your savings will continue to grow.  
• Pay Off Loans and Credit Cards:  Loans and credit cards charge you interest when you don't pay the bill in full every month.  Store cards usually charge a higher interest rate.  If you are struggling with debt and are missing important bill payments it is really important to get help!  

Learn more HERE.

If you are having trouble finding balance in managing your financials, contact Marie K. Russo to set up a complimentary consultation.  Email mkr@mariekrusso.com today!

Fitness and Exercise

The main reason people exercise is to lose weight and stay fit... We don't always think about exercise as a way to improve our mental and emotional health.  

Being fit means that you are able to perform physical activity while having the energy and strength to feel as good as possible.  Getting more fit can benefit your health in many ways.  Exercise is more than just keeping in shape, it can also greatly improve your emotional and mental health.

Exercise can help boost self esteem and keep the mind focused, making you feel more in control.  Research suggests that people who are fit have less anxiety, stress and depression than people who don't exercise.  Studies also show that exercise helps improve certain mental disorders and can even prevent depression relapse.

  

Click HERE to view the full article.

If you need help discovering an exercise plan that will work for you, email mkr@mariekrusso.com to set up a free consultation.  

Ancient Recipes: Italian Gnocchi

This recipe was created over 900 years ago by the first ever recorded naturopath, Hildegard of Bingen, who believed in a simple eating regiment to good health. 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups milk
• 7 tbsps butter
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• ¼  cup nutmeg
• 1  ¼  cups spelt flour
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1  ¼  cups Gruyere cheese, grates
• ¼ tsp cumin
• Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to a boil.  Add the flour, all at once to the boiling seasoned milk, stirring vigorously to form a thick mixture.  Remove from the heat.  Add the eggs, Gruyere cheese, and cumin.  Spread dough onto a buttered cookie sheet and cut into small circles, using a cookie cutter or small glass.  Coat both sides with parmesan cheese.  Arrange and overlap gnocchi in a buttered baking dish.  Dot with butter and bake in a 425º F oven for 10 minutes.  

For more information on this recipe and other ancient recipes, check out this resource!