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?
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Those words from yoga are some of the most beneficial take-aways in my mind. The concepts are so simple yet often so difficult for me to grasp on my own. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂 your teacher’s message certainly does resonate with me.
i agree about their simplicity. they’re always so basic, yet so hard to apply to your life.
oh man, this totally resonated with me! thank you for sharing. i’m going through some tough stuff right now, so this is definitely a good reminder as i go about it. so simple yet so complicated at the same time. 😉
That quote from your yoga class is so true! I think so many people can relate to it on different levels. I realize that I need to start taking my own advice in many situations. I think it really could change my outlook on things. Another quote I like to think back on when times are tough is, “this too shall pass.” I say that all the time and it really does help.
So true- sometimes just hearing/saying it out loud is all the push we need!
I attended hot yoga yesterday as well. And my instructor ALSO gave us some wise sayings at the end…
About change… and then he sang to us. How nice of him huh?!
Loved the post and was exactly the right title… “take your own advice.” No one knows EVERYTHING, come on? We are human! We all have to learn to be confident and respect ourselves. Just live life right?! :p
<3 Lauren
This seems so simple but I’ve never thought about it that way!!!! Thank you!
That is great advice and such an interesting perspective. I never think to give myself my own advice. I should look at myself across the table from me more often!
i think that’s when it really resonated with me… when she said to picture yourself sitting across the table from yourself… genuinely listening and trying to help. the visualization got me!
I love the quote that every day is a new day to make decisions! Sometimes, I feel as though in the beginning of each month, or even worse, each year, is the perfect time to start over and make yourself better. In reality, every day is a chance to improve yourself. Gotta love yoga! P.S. that chilli looks delish.
That’s definitely something to think about! I always feel like I have great advice, but many times I don’t take my own advice!
I love this post!
On two levels..it is an incredible message, and it makes me want to go to yoga tonight. I have skipped out the last couple of weeks, and I WILL make it. 🙂
I love this because I can totally relate not only on a personal level, but also because I am currently studying to be a health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and that is the whole basis of the program a health coach offers. It’s really just helping the person to figure out themselves what they need to do. I think a lot of us wait around for an answer or hope that someone else is going to tell us what to do, but it’s just procrastination. We all need to take advantage of the opportunities we have every day and not take anything for granted!
This is so true! So I recently switched to CrossFit for my workouts instead of just lifting at the gym. I have had soooooo many people asking me WHY…. The truth is, I was getting bored with free weights day in and day out & I felt I needed a challenge. All my friends at the gym are either upset or confused, but I’m the one who knows that I need something different for at least a month or so!
A few girlfriends and I had girls night last night and we were talking about how we deal with negative thoughts, and how that sometimes means talking out loud to ourselves to just stop the negative thought train, and refocus on the reason behind them. Which ultimately leads to becoming more objective…and giving yourself advice. Pretty awesome to thinking about 🙂
This is soo true! Whenever I give my friends advice and realize I don’t do the things I am telling them, I always tell myself I need to practice what I preach.
I love that quote- and those that are similar! It’s so great when someone says something that just resonates with you. I definitely find that a lot in yoga.
And that makes me really think that I need to incorporate it much more in my life. My excuse is always that I don’t want to dump a cardio or strength training workout for yoga, and I don’t have time to do it all. But really, that’s ridiculous. I can certainly find time for it.
I’m really good at “talking the talk” but my follow through is generally only about 50%.
Wow Julie this post came at a perfect time for me. I have been making new decisions almost daily it seems and setting personal goals. I have been feeling guilty that its been all about me, but i just pictured talking to myself and honestly I know how to deal with this and my personal goals will actually benefit my whole family…very empowering 🙂
Amen to all of that!! I love when yoga instructors finish the class with some sort of inspirational wisdom. Thanks so much for sharing your experience Julie! Definitely going to do this myself. Sometimes self-pep talks are long overdue!
Yay for yoga wisdom!
Julie, I love this. I got goosebumps reading it because it is so true. It is so easy to forget that the only person who can truly take care of you is YOU. No one else knows exactly how we’re feeling and although others can be there for support and offer their advice, it is truly one’s own self who controls their own lives and their own happiness. Thanks for the reminder! I needed that!
Oh you have no idea how much I needed to read that today! I have been struggling with some things internally lately and your advice to take my own advice is so perfect.
On another note, I’m still getting my blog up and running but I followed your Blog Talk posts and was able to get switched over to wordpress. I’m still working on getting content up but I’m working on it! I’m still looking at getting Windows Live Writer. On my to-do list in my spare time 😉
you will LOVE live writer! it makes blogging SO much easier!
Wow. I love this. I actually just pictured myself sitting across from myself, working out a problem. I will DEFINITELY be doing this in the future. Thanks so much!
Chili does always get better with age! And I’ve never really thought about the idea of “Taking my own advice” but I like it!
Chili is definitely better the second day! That’s a Thomas mini bagel right?? I love those for snacks, they’re so small though I’m always left wanting more. Definitely good for weight management, though!
nope! it’s actually the regular-sized bagel. 🙂
Wow, very often people come for advices and I’m happy to help. But every now and then I think to my self that this person has to know deep down what to do, it’s pretty damn obvious. But then when I’m in the same situation I might find myself unable to direct my actions, not knowing how to proceed. And yet I do because I told some one else how to handle the situation. Next time I’ll picture my self sitting in front of me reminding myself that I do know the answer. Thanks for sharing your every day tips!
Great word, Julie. Just when blogging can seem so cliche, I’d like to remind you that there’s not many readily-available sources for loving advice…like so many of your readers find write here. So, thank you, Julie for the suggestions and encouragement! You’ve described an exercise to which I could give a try!
Might want to switch to a safer reheating technique. Microwaving plastic isn’t the best idea!
ah! you’re so right! usually i’m better about this but i totally forgot today. thanks for the reminder!
I love this post!! I always find myself giving advice to others but often find myself questioning my own actions. I believe that I sometimes lack confidence when it comes to listening to my thoughts and following my heart.
This is a great reminder that I should always believe in myself.
That is some really great advice. Thanks for passing it on!
I’ve had a lot of decisions to make in my life recently, and I definitely ask for advice all the time. But even if in my heart I know the right answer and what is best for me, it always helps to talk it outloud with a friend. Sometimes the talking about it makes your decisions more clear!
I love this!! Motivation and a kick in the butt is always a GOOD thing 🙂
True story. I often find myself giving great advice to friends…and then not taking any of the advice myself. I always seem to know the right thing to do, I just need to DO it.
I needed to read this at this very moment. Thank you!
Love this!! Thank you.
This is such a great post, thank you for sharing! I really needed to hear this today. I love the quote about seeing each day as an opportunity to make new decisions – I think that’s so empowering! And I think it’s very true that we should be giving ourselves advice – typically I think I know what to do, but ask other people as kind of a cop-out, hoping for a different answer. Thanks again – this was so thoughtful and well-written.
I love that part of yoga class!! I teach pilates and I’ve been having my students lie is savasana afterwards. I always get so nervous about sharing any ‘cliche’ quotes but I feel like when you hear them in that setting, when you’re so relaxed, they resonate so much more.
SO true!! Awesome post, girl! I think that we could all use that reminder every once in a while to “take our own advice”. Thanks for the positive outlook! It always makes me feel at peace and in control knowinog that no matter how bad one day goes I can ALWAYS wake up the next day, be in control and start anew 🙂
I follow your blog every day and I must say I feel you wrote that for me lol I’m currently struggling with something in my life right now and find myself turning to my friends/boyfriend when you’re right I need to take my own advice for once because deep down I know what has to be done. That really was an eye opener for me 🙂
A lot of people who read blogs are the same people who write their own blogs, and for me, I get so caught up in thinking about what I am going to write the next day that I forget to sit back, and like your instructor said, sit across the table from myself and listen to my own advice. I write it but do I actually read it and answer my own questions? A lot of times the answer is no. Thank you for the reminder to think through my own posts as well as others’ posts, and the reminder to take the time to think through and face my own hurdles!
Very inspirational. Needed that today, thanks!
I had the same experience at yoga last night as well! She usually concludes with thoughts and challenges for the week and last night she told us we already know what we needed to confront, what challenges we needed to face instead of being cowardly. I’ve been thinking about it all day! Hope you continue to enjoy yoga. I’m a newbie too but have quickly grown to love it.
I love this! Thanks so much for sharing! Yoga is good for the body and soul 🙂
I totally get this! I think I did a post once on how my main problem is not that I don’t know what to do but that I’m not taking my own advice and following my instincts to do what I need to do. Sometimes we can be our own biggest blocks! But like you said, there is always time to make a new decision and remedy the situation! Recently, I’m trying to do just that and fix all the things I’ve been putting off. 🙂
Loved this post. Thanks, Julie!!! It’s definitely resonating with me!
This was awesome! I went to a company event this weekend and the ending “remarks” were along this line of thought. The speaker, the co founder of the company went about it a different way though.
He passed out a white balloon and had us write what was holding us back from our success on it. Whether it was a lack of focus, a third grade teacher who told us we would never amount to anything etc.
Then he told us to blow it up and proceeded on that we are the only ones that are blowing up our “issues” with hot air. They don’t need to be there if we just trust that we know what we need to do.
We already know what we need to do to be successful with our ventures. So he had us pop our balloons and we were all a balling mess because of course he did a better job that what I just said lol.
But it’s true, we already know what we need to do, and we just need to put our big girl panties on and DO IT.
Awesome post!! What a cool idea 😀
A helpful reflection from my counseling class last night was to step back and view yourself as though you were outside of yourself: What are you doing, right now, to accomplish your goals? What could you be doing instead? (You do this awhile, writing down a list of different things you could try in order to accomplish your goals)
This is exactly what I needed to read at this very minute. Thank you!
I absolutely loved this post. I really needed this right now, I’ve been on the fence for a long time about quitting my job ,between feeling awful and wanting to get my weekends back I didn’t know the right decision, but deep down I knew what I wanted, I just didn’t know if I possessed the courage to do it.
That’s PERFECT Julie. What wonderful, sound advice. What a perfect day for you to write this. I know every day I have the power to make decisions to get me where I want to go, and if I only listened to my own advice, I’d be more content with the direction I’m going in. I love this post!!! Definitely will be a bookmark in my online library 😀