Top O' The Morning To Ya!

That's right ~ those little Leprechauns are all around us....preparing to visit you on St. Patrick's Day!

The Leprechauns always stop at our house, so my kids leave their shoes by the front door for a little candy (green, of course).  Then when they wake up and see green water in the bathroom, it truly kicks off our day with the Irish humor!
 'So "Go Green" this year
and enjoy a little bit of your own tradition -- whether it be a Killian's Irish beer, some good ol' corned beef and cabbage (careful there:)) and/or just throw a little Bailey's Irish Cream in your coffee this weekend.  The Irish were born with the gift of gab, so meet an old friend and have a laugh.:)  But beware: the Irish say that in every bit of humor there is a serious side to it.  That's what my Irish lass, Eileen O'Holleran told me.:)  Do you agree?  I am not so sure....

What I am absolutely sure of however, is the 2 recipes I have shared in the Weekly Tips section.  I did not grow up on corned beef, believe it or not (alot of potatoes, though) but many years ago I had a St. Patrick's Day party and my good friend, Jackie Martin offered to bring the corned beef.   It went like hotcakes!!  You cannot believe how good this is.  So try it out but if not, I have also attached a marinade for grilled salmon.  Salmon is quite popular in Ireland, you know.:)

I leave you with an Irish wish:


May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the May the rains fall soft on your fields
And until we meet again ~
May the little leprechauns watch over you.

Cheers,
Moira Clancy Riccio

Is the Destination Better than the Journey?

That's truly the biggest question in life, isn't it?  I've always loved James Taylor's version of it, in his song, "The Secret of Life."  The melody is, "The Secret of Life is enjoying the passage of time.  Any fool can do it.  There 'aint nothing to it.  Nobody knows how you got to the top of the hill...."  So, does it matter that we got to the top of the hill?

Then there's the sports version of this same idea:  "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."  We love to tell this to our children, but then the first question we ask when they return home from a practice scrimmage or game is, "Did you win?"

We all have goals ~ fitness or otherwise ~ and we strive to attain those goals....  What's more gratifying however: actually attaining the goals or the work or enjoyment we have while reaching the goals?

Alas, I was asking myself the same question the other day when packing up my family for a ski trip.
 The packing list looks something like this:  2 pairs of pants, shirts, socks, underwear, long johns, (i.e.: "Under Armour" in my kids' minds):) pajamas, jeans, hat, mittens, ski helmet, skis, boots, neck warmer, goggles.  Each child followed the list but then added a few extras!  When I returned home from the studio, I found all of this plus stuffed animals, a few books, a couple of iPods, magic markers and a big bathrobe.  The pile of stuff was literally four feet high!  I was not sure how we were to fit this, plus ourselves, into our minivan.....  I warned them, "We need to pack our food as well, in between the car seats, so I am not sure we can fit all of the animals!  And a bathrobe??  Can't you live without that for a few days?"  You can imagine my heart rate was escalating as we started the negotiations.

Let's just say that my little "F. Scott Fitzgerald" won out with his bathrobe and we did bring about 6 stuffed animals.  I figure, if my kids are still playing make-believe, then I gotta run with it!  So, while I was building a pyramid (gallon of milk first, frozen veggies on top to keep cool, bread and cereal over that), and was not necessarily feeling fulfilled in this chore, I had to take a moment and smile at Nicholas wearing his bathrobe, under his snow coat, and carrying "Fluffy" on his way to the car.

Whatever you do at work or at play during the day, may you always stop and enjoy the moment a little bit...like we say, "Smell the roses, and blow out the birthday candles."  In between folding laundry or preparing for the next business meeting, remember that the journey is often more rewarding than the destination.  After all, if we place too much emphasis on the destination, we are sure to be disappointed.  If you spend all of your time worrying about the future then you will miss all the exciting things happening right now!  Throughout our life journey.there are lessons learned, characters developed, and passion fueled along the way!

May all of you have an "aha" moment today, even if it's not wearing a bathrobe!

Keep the Peace,
Moira

9 Daily Habits for Healthier Living....Make the 10th EXERCISE!

From Inc. Magazine:  Food For Thought.....

1. Start each day with expectation.

If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what? You're probably right.

2. Take time to plan and prioritize.

The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. 
Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.

3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.

I'm not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod. And never pass beggars without leaving them something. Peace of mind is worth the spare change.

4. Deflect partisan conversations.

Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out by saying something like: "Thinking about that stuff makes my head hurt."

5. Assume people have good intentions.

Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.

6. Eat high quality food slowly.

Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.

7. Let go of your results.

The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.

8. Turn off "background" TV.

Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer?

9. End each day with gratitude.

Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

Make the 10th exercise!!

Moira:)

New Year's Eve!

Seasons Greetings.....It's not over yet ~ the holiday season, that is! New Year's Eve is right around the corner! And while you wait for the ball to drop, take the time to reflect on 2012 and remember your accomplishments ~write them down and feel good about it!
> 
> Many of you have received a music CD with "Inspiring Music for the New Year" ~ inside the envelope there is a small piece of paper where you can write down all the good things that have happened throughout the year.:) And don't forget about your exercise schedule.... "Kudos" to you for sticking with the Reformer routine!! And, if you want to change your routine or need some help refocusing, give me a call and we can discuss.
No sweat ~ well, actually...it does take a little sweat (ha) but it will certainly help you to feel good and stay confident for a healthier you!
> 
> They always say that successful people assess their goals, both personally and professionally, label them "short-term" or "long-term" and then write them down. In fact, saying them out loud and/or sharing them with friends is a terrific way to get started. As you may have guessed, after relaxing a little bit with the family this week (honestly, JustDance on the Wii is a blast!), I have a few goals myself:
> 
> 1. I signed up for a program called "Pilates Anytime" which allows you to view new moves on the Reformer each month ~ so get ready...:) This will help to keep me current and fresh as an Instructor for all of you!
> 2. Use social media to enhance my blog: I am now on Twitter, but what do I Tweet?
> 3. Organize my house ~ I may need a trip into The Container Store for this one....and that's the fun part, let me tell ya.
> 4. Start painting again, to use the other side of my brain.:) This falls in with organizing my house because of course, I want to create a home art studio for my daughter and me. (this is long term)
> 5. Take a break from the Chex snack mix. (hopefully this is short term!)
> 
> There you have it. So if you are also thinking of resolutions or setting goals for 2013, remember "SMART" = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed. That way the goals will make you feel confident and strong rather than bring you down, if you don't achieve them right away, you know?
> 
> We begin the Reformer schedule this Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 6:30pm with Barb, Andrea, Leigh, Pam, Susan...and Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 6am with Sara, Ellen, Jennifer, Kate and Vanessa. The Mondays 6:30pm crew is Kim, Melissa, Barb, Pam, Ellen. Saturdays will stay the same.
> 
> Enjoy your New Year's Eve celebration,
> Moira Riccio
> 

Attitude is Everything

"Ho Ho Ho" or "Bah Humbug?"   I know, I know, it's that crazy time of the year when, even if you are not shopping for presents, things just take a little longer.  Finding a parking space, buying groceries, waiting for the green light ~ just use your Pilates breathing my friends to muddle your way through the time.  Knowledge is power, after all, and you all know that "smelling the roses" and "blowing out the birthday candles" with help to relax your shoulders and reduce the tension....:)  
Try to maintain a positive attitude and it will reflect back to you as a reward.

When I hear alot of complaining around my house, I ask my kids at dinner time to say out loud the 3 best things that happened to them today.  Even before you go to sleep, write down those 3 "key" happy moments and you will sleep better and feel healthier ~ like you've got it under control.  It doesn't matter what it is, because perception is reality, right?    Only a few more weeks left in 2012 ~ "You can do it!"  "Put your 'gameface' on!"  Whoops ~ sorry I am getting a little carried away!:)

Anyway, just be positive and keep your holiday spirits up!!  And of course, stick with your routine of workout out!  Research shows that planning out your workout schedule and sticking with the gameplan will help you to stay motivated.  Plan it out each week and write it down on your calendar.  New Years Resolutions are right around the corner.

But for now, just breathe deeply at that red light ~ hey..."red" and "green" lights!  See?  The holiday spirit is all around us!:)

Keep the Peace,
Moira the elf