First things first… There’s another new page on the blog!
Thank you to PBF reader Megan for the idea to create a Recipe Roundups page.
The new page includes links to all of my past Recipe Roundup posts, which highlight some of my favorite recipes that may have gotten lost in the shuffle of blogging for the past two years.
You may find it at the very bottom of the “Recipes” tab at the top of the blog.
The page will be updated monthly as new Recipe Roundup posts are published. (I have one coming your way for the month of March soon!)
I hope you enjoy!
Lunch
Lunch today was super simple.
Leftover vegan chili from last night’s dinner!
I think I liked it even more reheated. Chili just seems to get better the longer it sits (but not too long). So flavorful!
I also had a plum and half a Thomas’ whole wheat bagel (BOGO at Publix this week!) that was leftover from part of my morning snack.
I spread the toasted bagel with a bit of butter and strawberry jelly. A classic combination that never gets old!
Taking Your Own Advice
Last week, at the end of my hot yoga class, the instructor took some time to throw a little knowledge our way as we were relaxing in savasana.
I love it when yoga instructors share introspective thoughts, peaceful words, quotes or words of wisdom at the end of a class. Their words often resonate with me and I will frequently find myself thinking about what they said days, weeks and even months later.
One of my all-time favorites is this little nugget:
“Every day is a new opportunity to make new decisions.”
BAM. So maybe you did something hurtful yesterday or ate ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Well, today you can apologize, be kind and eat ice cream only for dessert after dinner!
I say that particular quote to myself a lot when I feel like I’ve been taking my life in the wrong direction. Knowing that each day we get another chance to change our attitude, habits and the course of our life for better or for worse can help me approach a new day feeling more in control when I’ve found myself feeling upset or out of control. It can help me feel like I can make a day I’m dreading a good one.
Last Thursday, the instructor of the yoga class concluded the class by saying the following:
Try taking your own advice.
Nobody knows you better than you. Whatever you’re currently struggling with in your life – you already know what to do.
Gosh.
How true is that?
She then went on…
Picture yourself sitting across the table from yourself. Explain the challenge you’re facing to yourself. Picture what you’d say to yourself. What advice you’d give. What course of action you’d suggest. You already know what to do. You know the effort you need to make to impact the obstacles in front of you. You know right from wrong. Take your own advice. Trust yourself.
I started to think about the negative things in my life. The things I bring to others for advice on how I should manage them. When I pictured myself telling myself about these issues, I knew exactly what I should do. I know how to change or prevent many of the issues I struggle with every day.
Sometimes we just need to kick ourselves in the butt and suck it up and make the change we know we need to make. Whether it’s working out an issue with a family member or coworker, apologizing, putting forth more effort, exercising more patience… Very often we know what we have to do.
No one needs to tell us. We know.
So, how about that? 
I’m not sure whether this will resonate as much with you guys as it did with me, but it affected me and made me think about taking my own advice a little more seriously. Because who knows me better than me, after all?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
needed to hear that today!
Absolutely adore this post Julie. Thoughts shared during savasana are one of my favorite parts of yoga as well. Thanks for sharing!!
I know this has absolutely nothing to do with this post but I thought of you this morning (not in a creepy way, I swear). I was walking my dog and found a random dog wandering around the park (I live across the street from a park). Luckily, the dog had a collar and license and I was able to call the Animal Control emergency number and get the owners name and number and reunite them. As soon as I found the dog I thought of you and how you said you were a magnet for lost dogs.
Wow. Great advice! But sometimes I feel like I go to others for advice not to actually get their advice but to validate my choice. 99% of the time I know what I should do yet it is like I need the reassurance of someone else’s opinion. This says to me that I need to be more confident in my decision making skills and trust that the decisions I make don’t need the reassurance or validation from someone else.
At first glace I thought your plum was a chocolate covered orange! Which sounds pretty good… 🙂
I loved this post!
I’m pretty sure i’ll be attending a yoga class this week now 🙂
It’s so funny how the most difficult things can be so simple. A good example is the amount of ‘stuff’ I own. I find it a challenge to keep clutter OUT of my life.
Shouldn’t it be easy to only have and live with the essentials?
That’s SO true! We do already pretty much know what to do, but I guess sometimes its more the reassurance that we are looking for!
I love it! And it’s so true–when asking others for advice, I often leave the conversation feeling frustrated and more confused rather than reassured. I feel more confident in my decisions when I just make them for myself!
Great advice!
And I agree, chili and stews are always better the next day.
I really like that message! I’ve never really thought about dealing with problems that way, but it is so true. Thanks for sharing!
That is sooo true! The last thing that I EVER do is take my own advice 🙁 you are so right, we already know the answer…I think that is the scary part sometimes….but it’s also great!
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve never thought of imagining myself giving myself advice, but I think that’s just what I need to do. Thank you for an epiphany moment! 🙂
I love the concept of taking your own advice! As I get older, past 30, I’ve noticed I am more sure of myself and OK in my own skin. I used to always go to people for advice because I wanted to make sure I was “Christian” enough in my approach but lately, I just figure things on my own and this was a great reminder and an awesome visual for it. Thanks! 😉
Thank goodness for this post. I am often someone my friends seek advice from, and now I realize that I already know how to handle a difficulty with an in-law: make my husband do it–it’s his crazy family!!!
I loved this post, Julie! I’ve gotten so many post ideas from yoga classes, there’s so much wisdom to be gained from them. I feel like sometimes the teachers their should be my counselors, haha.
Wow. The thought of sitting across the table from yourself, listening to your own dilemmas, and giving yourself advice is really fascinating. I need to do that, a lot. Thanks for sharing Julie!
Thanks for sharing this Julie. This was just what I needed to hear today. You are a blessing!
Great advice Julie! I just LOVE your blog, you’re such an inspiration. 🙂 You have the best recipes too! I especially love your vegetarian ones (since I’m veg) and I tried out your eggplant lasagna one last night. I get a lot of my recipes from you, but where do you find them? Online?
Keep up the great bloggin!
Thanks for sharing that advice about envisioning yourself having a chat with yourself. I did just that and realized that the visual of myself is much more stern and powerful than when I simply think the thoughts. The vision of myself told me to relax and to stop being silly!
Oh and that chili looked delicious.
Julie, thank you for sharing that! I read this post yesterday and came back to it today. That is really sound advice that never occurred to me before. Thanks again : )
Julie,
I SWEAR I found your blog when I needed to. Your healthy lifestyle/eating is so motivational and I find myself reading along, thinking, “I JUST had that thought!!” Hits way close to home and it is something I needed at this time. Knowing that someone out there is attempting to live the same type of life I am, with working out,sneeking lunch time work outs, running half marathons, trying to stay positive, and balancing it all as best as possible. And I have a dog too! 🙂 Thanks for your motivation and support. You touch people all over the US ( I am located in CA, Bay area) and please know that your work is appreciated and much needed.