It’s the middle of the week and you’ve finished a long day at work. You get into the car and start the long journey home. It’s not very long but since you live in the middle of a busy city, driving 13 miles takes about an hour due to traffic. You turn on the radio, hear commercials and one song you like may come on. You try to drown out the noise from the day you’ve just had but now comes the added stress of getting home, making dinner and feeding children (if you have them). Taking care of pets, checking emails, packing lunches and workout clothes for the next day and catering to your partner so that when they arrive home, they feel comforted too.
By the time the day has ended and everyone is put to bed, you’re exhausted. With little time to spare for yourself, you sit on the couch and fall apart crying. For just five minutes, you sit and cry and relieve the stress of the day and your life because as you wipe the tears from your eyes and look up, the dog needs to go outside. And you ask yourself a simple question, is this really life?
It’s no secret that as we go through this journey, there are many things that get in the way. School, work, kids, relationships and even family issues. Let’s also add social status, stigmas and the bombardment of damaging self images that plague us day in and day out.
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and noise of each day. By the end, we feel overwhelmed, unsettled and at times on the brink of a breakdown.
There are plenty of magazines out there with articles about being mindful, taking a break, relaxing and taking a moment to breathe. However, reading all of the articles that tell you to take trips, go to the spa or reading a self help book doesn’t truly help with the day to day of your life. Plus, not everyone has $300 to spare on a luxury spa day that only offers a mani, pedi and 15 minute massage at best.
This article is not to tell you what to do. We get that enough throughout our days by our employer, children, friends and family. The only thing we need to do is take time for ourselves every so often. Breakups are bullshit, kids get annoying, work sucks sometimes and family issues are overwhelming. So, hide away in a dark room with a glass of wine and breathe.
Whatever it is that makes us happy each day, even if its watching a terrible reality TV series to get away from our own troubles, the advice is to do it. The kids can wait, the dog can be put in the backyard, the report your boss needs can be sent in the morning (but don’t be a slacker either lol). The world will not end today and it certainly will not end by your hand.
Watch that terrible TV show, eat that bag of candy (don’t literaly eat a bag.. that’s really bad lol), grab a slice of cake, put on the biggest set of comfy sweats you own and tune every single thing out. We work hard enough, treat yourself.
And remember to always Give Yourself Time.
Oh and while you’re watching that terrible TV show, grab a cookie, you’ll feel better.
Ingredients
1/2 Cup of Dried Cranberries
3/4 Cups of Granulated Sugar (Divided)
2 1/2 Cups of all purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
1 Cup of Butter, cubed ( room temp if possible)
1 Teaspoon of almond extract
Zest of 1 Orange
2 Tablespoons of fresh orange juice
Method to the Madness
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine cranberries and 1/4 cup of sugar and mix until cranberries are broken into small pieces.
- In a separate bowl, combine remaining sugar and flour.
- Cut butter.
- Stir in extract, cranberries, sugar mixture and orange zest/juice.
- Use hands to knead dough until it comes together and forms a solid ball.
- Shape dough into a log 2 inches in diameter.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate between 2 – 72 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cut slices of cookie dough about 1/4 inch thick
- Sprinkle cookies cookies with extra sugar, if desired.
- Place cookies on baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are set. DO NOT OVER BAKE ( you won’t like hard crusty cookies)
- Let cookies cool to room temperature on baking sheet before removing.
- ENJOY!
Lotus & Love 