Saying Goodbye to Stuff, Part 2: I'm Learning How To Cook!

Last week I talked about how I was on a mission to de-clutter, streamline, and make my home (in the words of Peter Walsh) "reflect the vision for the life [I] want."

Since that post, I've tossed my old makeup, found a new home for my hand mixer that doesn't require me to climb on our kitchen cabinet to reach it, ditched those insanely painful shoes I bought for HACC's Gay Gala, and finally hung those pictures that have been sitting on my floor since we moved in. Whew! It's been a busy week!

But there's more to it than sorting through my Elvis collection. My vision for the life I want includes living simply and sustainably. And to do that, I need to do more than get rid of "stuff." I need to reduce my consumption as well.

I found this thought-provoking video, "The Story of Stuff," that talks about the down side of the "stuff" we bring into our homes. Here are a few stats that caught my attention...

• The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but we’re consuming 30% of the world’s resources and creating 30% of the world’s waste.
• The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago.
• 99% of the stuff we harvest, mine, process, transport... is trashed within 6 months.

Ok, now that we're armed with this information, what do we do about it?

Chicken Corn Soup

One change we recently made to reduce our consumption (and help our bank account) was to start meal planning (yes, after eight years of marriage we are finally going to give it a go). For those that know me well, you know that I'm not exactly gifted in the kitchen (understatement)! Yet this meal-planning challenge has inspired me! This week I attempted two new recipes (and was so shocked by the fact that I actually made something edible that I took pics to share with you)! 

Baked French Toast

So far, so good! Here are some of the benefits: 

• Only one trip to the grocery store per week saves my time, gas, and patience.
• Less food left unused or spoiled at the end of the week saves $$$ and reduces waste.  
• Less pre-packaged meals means less paper waste and packaging in the trash and in our landfills.
• Planning ahead allows us to prepare healthier meals (well, maybe not the baked french toast, but you get the idea!).
• Plus, meal prep at home means I get to share dinner with my hubs!

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall

What kind of difference do you want to make? Remember, it's not all or nothing (I certainly have plenty of room to improve). But even small changes can make a big difference! Maybe we can make a few changes together?!

Want a few more ideas to green your food habits? Check out Time Magazines "33 Ways to Eat Environmentally Friendly."

How about tips to reduce your consumption overall? Check out these tips from the EPA on how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

#treehugger #bethechange #thestoryofstuff

Saying Goodbye to Stuff

We are a family of collectors. Longaberger Baskets, Elvis paraphernalia, Boyds Bears, Beanie Babies - you name it, we've collected it. At one point we pulled 50 (yes, 50) measuring cups out of my aunt's kitchen cabinet. Yep, we COLLECT.

But we're turning a corner. After years of collecting, we started to realize that our desire to gain stuff has enabled us to lose a few things along the way:

• We lost floor space, table space, countertops (they are under there somewhere!). That's prime real estate that we could have used for taco night, or game night, or anything else that allowed us to spend time together!
• We lost time. How many hours did we lose searching for lost items or moving things from room to room? (I'm guessing too many). 
• We lost money. Ever find a great deal on something only to get home and realize you already have 10 of them? We have! We've also bought way too much (because it was a great deal) and ended up throwing it away in the end. 
• We lost peace of mind. Remember the last time it was easy to find something to wear in the morning? How about when you could walk into your "junk room" without feeling stressed? Me neither!

"Clutter is often the outward expression of inner angst and struggle. It steals our attention, time, and money and stands between people and purpose." Courtney Carver

So what do we do about it? 

You guessed it - It's time to CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER! (We are getting ready for a fundraising yard sale for Team Perry this spring, so the timing is PERFECT)! But it isn't easy - we live in a society where more is often seen as better. And (I admit) I have obsessions with certain things like Zumbawear, and Coach bags, and anything that has a pug on it. But then I read this...

"Everything in your home should reflect your vision for the life you want." Peter Walsh

And when I envision the life I want, here's what I see:

• Floor space, table space, countertops. Empty space that allows me to welcome friends and family into my home at any time. Jenga, anyone?!
• Time to volunteer with Common Roads, to read a new book, to snuggle my furbabies, or to take a new Zumba instructor training!
• Money spent on things that truly add value to my life - great vacations with my husband (Punta Cana!), a half marathon in Wildwood with my sisters, or even my doctorate (someday!)
• Peace of mind. Getting dressed in the morning is a breeze and our junk room has a new name (a.k.a. guest room!). Home is a source of sanctuary, not stress. 

What do you envision for your life? Are you ready to take on a few super-fast anti-clutter challenges? Here are a few from Peter Walsh (It may even be fun if you make it a game!):

• 5-5-5 - In the next five minutes, find five items to giveaway, five to throw away, and five to put away. 
• Minute to Bin In - Set a timer for one minute. Dash madly around the house collecting old magazines, newspapers, catalogs, invitations, etc. Recycle or shred them. 
• The Reckoning - Walk into your hall closet. Identify five things that you know you'll never pull out again (old ski parkas, broken umbrellas, etc.). Donate or trash. 

Want some additional inspiration? Check out these great blogs!

• 365 Less Things - This started with one woman's resolution to give away, throw away, or sell one item everyday for an entire year. 
• Project 333  - A minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months.
• bemorewithless - Encourages you to focus on "the best things instead of all of the things."
• becomingminimalist - Designed to inspire others to pursue their greatest passions by owning fewer possessions. 

#livingsimply #minimalist #clutter 

Soaringwords + Zumba Fitness - We Did It!

On Tuesday, we saw a huge goal come into fruition: Soaringwords + Zumba Fitness at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital!

Tiff, Linda, Adrienne, Sarah, and Nancy
Our Soaringwords Selfie!

Soaringwords is a New York-based non-profit organization that has been collaborating with Zumba Fitness since 2012. It's mission? To embrace hospitalized children, families and staff, encouraging positive health and healing. 

ZIN Linda Woodin

Since the partnership began, free Zumba Fitness classes have been offered in children's hospitals across the country. At our annual Zumba Instructor Convention, we were asked to help them bring the program to even more locations.

ZIN Nancy Neuin

And this is where things get exciting! Licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor Linda Woodin and I met with hospital staffers Sarah Miller and Ashley Kane back in November (read about our initial meeting HERE). We worked out the logistics including location, number of instructors, class length, AND (the biggie) the date for our first class - Tuesday, January 13, 2015. 

Time flew, and before we knew it, we were ready to shake, wiggle, and giggle with the kiddos at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. 

Nancy Neuin completed our team of three, and we took turns leading songs and interacting with patients, and their families. Here are a few of my favorite songs from our playlist: 

Nancy, Sarah, and Adrienne

• I Like To Move It, Madagascar 5
• Walk the Dinosaur, Was (Not Was) 
• Rockin' Robin, Bobby Day
• Smiles For Life, Alex Boye (The Soaringwords theme song!) 

The class format was very flexible. Kids would join in as they felt comfortable. Some would dance, some would tap toes, and some would just watch and enjoy the music.

No one wants to be in a hospital (not even hospitals with super cool light shows in the elevator and wheelchairs that look like race cars).  But Zumba's collaboration with Soaringwords now gives us an amazing tool to bring JOY to kiddos and their families while they are healing.

My favorite part of the class? Seeing SMILES from kids, families, and even unsuspecting hospital staff! I'm already counting down the days until our next visit!

Want to start a Soaringwords + Zumba Fitness program in your area? If you are a licensed Zumba Fitness Instructor, you can learn more at www.soaringwords.org/zumba/. 

#zumba #soaringwords #hershey #bethechange #zumbalove

The opinions and views expressed by this ZCOM Volunteer on this website are solely those of the ZCOM Volunteer and do not reflect the opinions or views of Zumba Fitness, LLC, its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents.

An Invitation to Join the Women of CPAFE

In 2011 I attended a networking breakfast after some gentle nudging from a friend of mine, Rachel Strella. The group was CPAFE, Central Pennsylvania Association for Female Executives. It's mission? To advance women in the workplace through Education, Mentoring and Networking. 

This all-female group included members from a wide variety of fields and at varying levels of experience. Bankers, project managers, CEOs, financial planners, event planners, non-profit gurus, artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and more. And each month I learned something new to help me to be a better professional! 

Here are a just few of the topics we've covered: 

• Social Media Rules of Engagement (Rachel Strella)
• Business Archetypes: Communicating at the Speed and Power of Symbols (Patty Bear)
• How to stay Positive in a less-than Positive World (Rickie Freedman)
• Running Across America: 50 States of Leadership (Jeff Fazio) 
• Achieve and Believe, Goal Setting for Go-Getters (Catharene Garula)

Now, four years after my initial visit, I'm fully committed to this group of gals! In 2013 I served on their Board of Directors under the leadership of Cathy Jennings. And in 2015, I agreed to serve as their President for 2015 (Crazy, right?!). But the mission of this group and the friendships I've developed make it all worthwhile!

The 2014 Board of Directors!

We held our first general meeting of the year this past week - Conversations that Connect. It was a spin off of speed networking, and we jumped from table to table sharing our successes from 2014 and goals for 2015. What a great way to move beyond those 30-second elevator speeches and start to truly get to know each other!

Me and my VP, Lindsay Owens, with Vera Cornish

So what else does CPAFE have in store for 2015?

• Later this month, we'll have our January Happy Hour at Ted's in Midtown Harrisburg (a new initiative spearheaded by fellow board member Jessica Lacklin). 
• The programming committee (led by Carol Fastrich-Aranos) will be bringing us some great speakers at our general meetings each month.
• The spring mixer will bring out our creative sides at Paint & Create.
• And we may even have a few fun service opportunities as well! 

Want to learn more about CPAFE or attend an event? We would love to welcome you to our next happy hour or general meeting! Post your questions below or visit our website, www.cpafe.org. 

#cpafe #networking #leadership #girlpower

Happy New Year 2015! Making My Mantra

Welcome to 2015! Earlier this week I was able to ring in the new year with a great group of family and friends. We rocked togas and completed good luck traditions from around the world. Throughout the night we ate lentils, made sure every single light in the house was turned on, and exploded pomegranates in the street. We wanted to make sure all of our guests started the new year with tons of positivity and luck!

But although I still fully believe these traditions have set us up for success :), I know that ultimately WE are the ones that will determine what kind of year 2015 will be.

Last year I decided to pick a mantra - a slogan or motto to embrace for 2014. Seeing Perry deal with the reality of ALS made me realize the importance of taking nothing for granted. So, I wanted to make sure that I was appreciating all of the gifts that life had given to me. My mantra was CARPE DIEM.

2014 was a crazy year with lots of challenges AND lots of new adventures. I ran three half marathons: Nike Half, Harrisburg Half, and Wild Half. I joined Team Perry at the ALS Walk and made a few crazy bets along the way. I attended the Zumba Instructor Convention for the third year, and taught Zumba at two resorts in Punta Cana. I accepted a new job (and another one). And as I look back, I believe that I did SEIZE THE DAY!

Now at the start of 2015, I question where I want to go next. What should this coming year be about, and what do I want to accomplish? And then I saw this picture...

I don't know this kid. But I love him. Because he reminds me of ME.

I'm not fast. I'm not in perfect shape. I'm not competitive. I show up at the starting line ready to chat along the course (yes, I'm one of those runners). But I never say, "Hey, let's win this thing." Somewhere along the line I decided to stop at GOOD. And I made myself believe that GREATNESS was not an option.

BUT... what if I was wrong? What if greatness is something within ALL of us? Take a minute to watch this video...

Somehow we come to believe that greatness is a gift reserved for a chosen few for prodigies, for superstars, and the rest of us can only stand by watching. You can forget that. Greatness is not some rare DNA strand. It’s not some precious thing. Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing. We are all capable of it, all of us.

And so comes my mantra for 2015. This year I will not "stand by watching." This year I'm on a quest to FIND MY GREATNESS. Will you join me?

#findyourgreatness #NYE #mantra #resolutions