DESSERT is happy food, but it often is the most banned part of the meal. Isn't desserts spelled "stressed" backwards after all? Truth is you can have dessert. Why fight a happy (if not THE happiest) part of your meal? Here are ten reasons why you should get dessert:
1. The more you resist, the more you'll end up crashing into it. Go ahead and eat a small amout. Depriving yourself of that craving could build up your desire for it, and if not managed well, you might end up gorging on dessert. So why not give a small portion a go? And be a good girl or boy by keeping it in moderation.
2. You end the meal on a satisified note. After having a great or not-so-great main course, dessert can help wipe away all traces of that main meal (the "umay" factor) and make you feel more satisfied too.
3. The right choice of dessert can make for the right kind of mood. Chocolate and strawberries can be aphrodisiacs. Ice cream makes anyone happy and comforted. What do you plan to do after your meal?
4. Desserts make a meal more memorable. It's the last impression you and your guests have of the meal. "The steak was terrible, but the banana split was awesome... I can see myself coming back to this restaurant again." Desserts sure can make or break a dining experience. This is a shoutout to all those who manage restaurants too.
5. Not all desserts are bad. A lot of restaurants are helping their health-conscious customers enjoy their meals to the max by offering no-sugar, low-fat desserts. Fresh fruits, sorbets and sherbets also give you sweetness without the sinfulness. Do consider these if you choose to avoid the excessively creamy ones.
6. You don't have dessert everyday. Or do you? Examine your eating habits and see how often you get dessert. If you hardly get dessert, perhaps you could get two to three forkfuls of that cheesecake. If you're a dessert maniac, you can always opt to go lighter on your choice for the day.
7. If you know you are going to have dessert, chances are you'll go light on your main courses. It's all about the planning, baby. Forego second servings on that lechon. You could end up having an overall healthier meal experience too.
8. They make a meal more special, especially if you made them yourself. My Mom made fruit granitas once, and they made our typical fried chicken and rice lunch extra special. It was one of my favorite meals as a kid because my Mom hardly made desserts. It was an extra special day.
9. It's a mini-celebration. Who doesn't rejoice for dessert? Put in a little more happy in your meals with a good dessert. No matter how terrible your day can get, there's always a reason to celebrate.
10. Fill it in! -- What do you think is another reason why you should get dessert? ;)
February 2008 Archives
DESSERT is happy food, but it often is the most banned part of the meal. Isn't desserts spelled "stressed" backwards after all? Truth is you can have dessert. Why fight a happy (if not THE happiest) part of your meal? Here are ten reasons why you should get dessert:
1. The more you resist, the more you'll end up crashing into it. Go ahead and eat a small amout. Depriving yourself of that craving could build up your desire for it, and if not managed well, you might end up gorging on dessert. So why not give a small portion a go? And be a good girl or boy by keeping it in moderation.
2. You end the meal on a satisified note. After having a great or not-so-great main course, dessert can help wipe away all traces of that main meal (the "umay" factor) and make you feel more satisfied too.
3. The right choice of dessert can make for the right kind of mood. Chocolate and strawberries can be aphrodisiacs. Ice cream makes anyone happy and comforted. What do you plan to do after your meal?
4. Desserts make a meal more memorable. It's the last impression you and your guests have of the meal. "The steak was terrible, but the banana split was awesome... I can see myself coming back to this restaurant again." Desserts sure can make or break a dining experience. This is a shoutout to all those who manage restaurants too.
5. Not all desserts are bad. A lot of restaurants are helping their health-conscious customers enjoy their meals to the max by offering no-sugar, low-fat desserts. Fresh fruits, sorbets and sherbets also give you sweetness without the sinfulness. Do consider these if you choose to avoid the excessively creamy ones.
6. You don't have dessert everyday. Or do you? Examine your eating habits and see how often you get dessert. If you hardly get dessert, perhaps you could get two to three forkfuls of that cheesecake. If you're a dessert maniac, you can always opt to go lighter on your choice for the day.
7. If you know you are going to have dessert, chances are you'll go light on your main courses. It's all about the planning, baby. Forego second servings on that lechon. You could end up having an overall healthier meal experience too.
8. They make a meal more special, especially if you made them yourself. My Mom made fruit granitas once, and they made our typical fried chicken and rice lunch extra special. It was one of my favorite meals as a kid because my Mom hardly made desserts. It was an extra special day.
9. It's a mini-celebration. Who doesn't rejoice for dessert? Put in a little more happy in your meals with a good dessert. No matter how terrible your day can get, there's always a reason to celebrate.
10. Fill it in! -- What do you think is another reason why you should get dessert? ;)
WHEN was the last time you sat back and did nothing? A little mindless indulgence, a daydream or two can help make you a little bit happier.
Block out your morning schedule. Sit on your couch. Put your feet up. Gaze into the ceiling and let your mind wander. Do nothing.
When on vacation, resist the urge to pack your days with wall-to-wall itineraries. Checking those must-see sites is indeed an experience, but so will hanging out idly by the beach, watching the waves.
Go to a café, order your favorite drink. Resist the urge to hook up to wi-fi. Take in the scenery, people-watch. Enjoy the sensuality of doing nothing.
“What a waste of time!,” one may think. I think otherwise. After all, you’re spending time with yourself, aren’t you? Making time for yourself is hardly wasted time. By doing nothing, you connect with yourself quietly, meaningfully.
Do you find it hard to do nothing? Perhaps you are feeling too restless? Take baby steps. Here are some doing-nothing ideas. If you have:
1 minute: Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on your breathing and let your stress melt away with each exhale.
10 minutes: Take a slow-motion bath. Rushing off to work allows us no time for smooth carefree movements in the shower or tub, so use these 10 minutes for some slow-motion shampooing and body pampering.
30 minutes: Go for a coffee break. Sip your drink and enjoy its sweetness, its bitterness. Gaze absent-mindedly into your cup or at the scenery. If you have a garden at home, take a chair and sit back with a glass of lemonade. Take in the fresh air and good sun, just be quiet.
1 hour: Take a walk. Walk aimlessly. See where your feet take you. If you’d rather not walk, grab a light comedy film and pop it in your DVD. Throw in some popcorn for some absent-minded but enjoyable chewing.
1 day: Do not plan anything. See where your day takes you. If you find yourself staying home painting your nails or listening to music all day, well and good.
During any of these moments, do not think of anything else! Indulge in the nothing-ness of the moment. You’ll feel lighter, calmer, more connected with yourself. And doesn’t that make you happier? There IS happiness in doing nothing at all.
I KNOW that you know that every cloud has a silver lining, and that there is no day but today. That while the grass is greener on the other side, you'll never know what's missing till it's gone. I'm sure you also know that a smile is a frown turned upside down, and that when you smile, the world smiles with you. You've tried and tried until you've achieved success, because you thought that if others can't, why couldn't you?
You have to admit that one can find solace in classic lines. Quotable quotes may sound absolutely cliche, but I've come to discover thirteen quotes that never fail to pull me out of the gutter. Perhaps they can help you when you need some picker-uppers too.
1. The quote for when you need to bring back focus on the blessings you have now or for thanksgiving. In other words, when you feel like the world is depriving you of goodness, you can center yourself with the quote below.
"I live in a space of thankfulness, and I have been rewarded a million times over for it. I started giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That's because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it."
-- Oprah Winfrey
2. The quote for when you feel the world is pulling you in all directions and you feel like you need to choose just one.
"No other success can compensate for failure in the home."
-- David McKay
3. The quote for when you feel you're stuck with the chores again.
"Thank god for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell. While others may go hungry, we're eating very well."
-- Anonymous
4. The quote for when you're too lazy to fix the house. Also see #3.
"Wash the plate not because it's dirty nor because you're told to wash it, but because you love the person who'll use it next."
-- Mother Teresa
5. The quote for when you are beginning to get sick of routine.
"You must always be intoxicated. That sums it all up; it’s the only question. In order not to feel the horrible burden of Time which breaks your back and bends you down to earth, you must be unremittingly intoxicated..."
-- Charles Baudelaire
6. The quote for when you are getting a mental block or when you wonder whether all this writing will lead somewhere or when you need to feel the rush of creating something.
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
-– Dead Poets Society
7. The quote for when you are doubting your talents.
“Each of us has the opportunity to change and grow until our very last breath. Happy creating.”
–- M.J. Ryan
8. The quote for when you are feeling indecisive or when you're feeling taken for granted or when you feel like you're one big doormat.
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
-– Invictus by William Ernest Henley
9. The quote for when you are going scaredy cat on something you've never done before.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
— William Shedd
10. The quote for when you want to be reminded what it's like to be outside your comfort zone.
"I feel infinite."
-- Charlie, from The Perks of Being A Wallflower
11. The quote for when you're going soft on an opportunity that has opened up for you out of sheer fear or laziness.
"You can't accomplish anything worthwhile if you inhibit yourself. If life teaches you nothing else, know this for sure: When you get the chance, go for it."
-- Oprah Winfrey
12. The quote for when you start comparing yourself to others and feel bad because you just don't measure up (you think).
"People talk about the meaning of life; there is no meaning of life -- there are lots of meanings of different lives, and you must decide what you want your own to be."
-- Joseph Campbell
13. The quote for when there is backbiting or impatience is coming or you feel like shouting or there are emotional vampires around you.
"No to negativity."
-- My friend and I
So here are 13 quotes that I hope help pull you out of any situation that makes you want to bop your head on the table or just hole up in your room. Classic lines like these can help us feel a little bit better. I hope they work for you!
