The Woman I Want to Be

“I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I 

always knew the woman I wanted to be.”

 -Diane Von Furstenberg

This quote brought me back to the young girl I once was, setting up miscellaneous groceries in our play room and forcing my siblings to purchase items from me. I specifically remember re-arranging the cans of chicken noodle soup to entice my sister into adding additional cans to her plastic shopping cart. 

While many other children (and parents) saw me as a bossy chubster, all I saw was the woman that I wanted to be: a strong business woman who lead others to finding success.

Many years later, I find myself with a degree in Food and Resource Economics and a career in management for a food delivery service. The best part- the journey is just beginning. 

Whenever I was unsure of myself, my mother would have me write down all the characteristics of who I was right now and all the characteristics of the woman I wanted to be. Images of a strong, powerful business woman would become so clear in my mind as I wrote down all the traits that I thought a strong business woman would have.

Funny story- when I began liking boys, my mom would have me write down a list of characteristics that I wanted in a man to guide me in my dating selections. I still have lists from 15-year-old Karli that include, "captain of the swim team, holds the door open for others, and swings with me". 

I still use this exercise today to understand who I am in this moment and who I want to become (yes, I also use it for dating). I encourage all of you to take a few moments to write a list of who you are now and who you want to be. Then use this to build your future resume. And don't limit yourself.

FDA's Proposed Sugar Label- A Win for Health

Many consumers are not aware of the amount of sugar they are eating. Yes, there are obvious foods that we know contain sugar, like ice cream and cake. The problem sugars are the ones that consumers are not as aware of. For example, did you know that a serving of yogurt can contain 20g of sugar? This is sometimes because of fruit that is added to the product, but they also add extra sugar to give your taste buds a whirl. 

All this added sugar is contributing to our nations obesity levels and is leaving consumers without enough information to make decisions. 

Fabulous news!

FDA has proposed a new label that shows how many added sugars are in the foods that we are eating. The label will also give the consumer an idea of how this food contributes to the recommended amount of sugar intake in a day. For example, if a food has 65g of sugar, it might show 135% of daily recommendation, which is obviously more than the consumer should be having. 

I am hoping this will allow for our consumers to have more knowledge and make better choices about the foods they are consuming. I am also hoping that it sparks concern in individuals to begin reading labels and understanding what they are putting into their body. Nonetheless, I am happy that the FDA is taking ownership in providing the consumers with enough information to make these decisions. 

Thoughts? 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/07/24/425908798/no-more-hidden-sugar-fda-proposes-new-label-rule

Another interesting article: 

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/slideshow.asp?show=61

What is Health?

A Kick-Start Breakfast

According to Webster's Dictionary, health is described as: 

• the condition of being well or free from disease
• the overall condition of someone's body or mind
• the condition or state of something

There is one word that is used in all three of those definitions: condition. Health is a condition. What is a condition? Webster's Dictionary describes  the state of being conditional as: 

• showing or used to show that something is true or happens only if something else is true or happens

This means that our health, or our state of wellness, happiness, etc..., is only existent if we contribute to it. Health is not only dependent on the 3-day juice cleanse that you did to rid your body of toxins or the diet that you performed for 2 weeks to weigh a few pounds less. It is something that you must contribute to every day. 

How do we contribute to our health? To be blunt, food is a large part of an individual's health. To say it simply, everything you put into your body will provide you with the energy (or feeling) that you have afterwards. Let's make it even simpler-- If you eat something unhealthy, you will feel unhealthy. 

When I first thought of this I had a small panic attack. I was worried that I had to give up chocolate and Thai food for the rest of my life if I wanted to be healthy. But friends, diets are not the answer. Moderation and life changes are the answer. 

My mom was adamant about a couple things while I was growing up. First, she wanted me to treat everyone with kindness. Second, she wanted me to take care of my body. She would say, "Karli, your health is the only thing you truly own in this world."

A few moments to enjoy a latte and journal after a yoga class. These moments make me smile. (yes, my background is a kick-ass picture of me shooting a gun)

Like most people, I've struggled with weight. Even now, I am not satisfied as I continue to push my health to new goals and achievements. But one thing is certain: I love my body and I do a very good job of contributing to it every day. For example, I haven't and never will give up Thai food, but I treat myself to my favorite lamb curry after a long day of hiking. 9.5 times out of 10 I will go home and make a healthy meal instead of eating food that isn't genuine. 

I believe that these are the lifestyle choices that we must make if we want to live life to the fullest. I encourage everyone to own their health. What does this mean? 

• Create a workout that you enjoy doing, and do it regularly
• Experiment new, genuine recipes that make you feel satisfied and alive
• Learn something new that you've wanted to apply to a resume
• Take a moment to be thankful for something in your life. Maybe even share it with someone.
• Live a life that makes you want to jump out of bed every morning! 

I have so much fun taking care of my health. My passion for exercise and healthy eating is what propels me towards many of my adventures. For example, my passion for hiking takes me to different places all over the world. My passion for music straps me  to my piano each weekend, practicing new songs and singing out loud with myself. It is in these moments that I find myself and love the life I am living. 

Here is my challenge to you- choose one thing the rest of July that will contribute to your health. I am training for a race, so my one thing is to run every other day day, even if I only run 100 steps.  

Yoga: What It Means To Me

Hello friends,

I had a compelling conversation about yoga the other day with Jade. It left me feeling on top of the world, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you all. I feel shy about admitting my yoga practice to you all, but it is something that contributes to my every day and I want others to explore this concept. 

I first experienced yoga when I was 15 years old. My first impression was that yoga was full of many self involved individuals who wanted to impress others by performing a headstand while chanting Hindi phrases. Ironically, my second impression of yoga was in college, exploring Italy with a couple students who took pictures of themselves performing headstands at every incredible viewpoint we came across. Again, not a very personal experience.

Not too long afterwards, I began taking the occasional yoga class, but I wasn't completely sold on the idea of the practice. I found myself getting bored and frustrated in the lack of sweat that I was used to in regular workouts. I was also skeptical of the way people would feel so connected to a culture that they didn't really have an understanding of. For example, why was someone calling me a "yogi"? I didn't even know what that meant.

I fell in love with yoga after moving to Seattle. The difference: The Grinning Yogi. I found myself through my practice as I was encouraged by an incredible instructor to use the poses to connect to my body as it was in that exact moment. The Grinning Yogi instructors also play kick-ass music that really allowed me to connect to myself, while the traditional "getting stuck in a rainstorm music" did not. 

These days, my body craves the practice. I practice in a studio a couple times a week, but my real practice comes when I am home alone in front of a mirror. I create my own mix of poses and usually dance to the beat in between. Maybe someday I'll feel compelled to open up about the moments I share with myself, but for now I will just tell you that there is a version of myself that comes alive when I pose in front of my bedroom mirror while my favorite beats guide me to the next motion. (You can find a playlist of some of my favorite yoga songs above the text. I've organized them in an order to begin with intention, provide some warmth and then end with reflection.)

For me, yoga is NOT about relating to another culture or demonstrating my body to another person. I currently do NOT use yoga as my workout for the day. To me, yoga is time dedicated to connecting to myself and finding happiness in my body (which I believe is the actual intent of yoga). Every time I practice yoga, I find myself falling in love with my body over and over again. I feel so proud to look down at my juicy thighs as they support my graceful stance.

At the end of every practice when the instructor guides the class through shavasana, whether I am in a studio or in my home, I close my eyes and pray to God. I thank Him for my body and anything else I feel gratitude towards. I then ask Him to keep my friends and family safe and in good health. Finally, I let my thoughts go and picture myself with flowing hair, running through a field of flowers. I don't know why I always come to this, but this moment allows me to feel happiness about who I am, regardless of anyone else.

If I ever become a yoga teacher, I will offer a class that enables others to lose themselves in music to find their inner confidence and see beauty in their body's ability.I encourage you all to practice something that allows you to connect to your body and your mind. Allow for a few moments during the day that contribute to your physical and mental health.

Side note: Ladies, if you read this post and feel compelled to play your favorite tunes and connect to your body, I highly suggest applying a shade of lip stick or a simple braid to your hair to add a touch of confidence. And don't be afraid to shake those hips in between poses or sing out loud! 

Blog Plans

Blog Planning At A Park

Hello!

A few friends have approached me about earning money for blogging. While that is not the direction I wish to go as of now, I have decided to do a few things to give intention to my little bit of cyber space. One of my goals this year is to spread knowledge about food and the effects it has on a person's health.

Starting this coming week, my posts will focus more on my passion for the food industry and the effects of food on health. I will also feature my adventure, hiking, motivation, travel and my lessons in management. The intention is to reach a bigger audience, so please feel free to share posts that you feel connected to.

I am also searching for a new name. If you have any suggestions please let me know. Thanks!

Stay tuned. Things might look a little different next time you visit.

Have a great weekend!

The Journey Continues: Goodbye, Seattle

I'm sitting on the balcony of my now-empty Bellevue apartment enjoying the sunrise and sipping warm coffee. I can't help but be so happy that this is how I am spending my last moments in Seattle. I begin to think of things that I'll miss most about this rainy city.

• Americanos are ordered more than regular coffee
• Everyone says "gal" when they're referring to a lady
• No one uses an umbrella
• All the people unravel from their homes during the summer and spend their days outside
• Coffee is not a beverage, it is a lifestyle
• The sky's lovely overcast shades of grey
• "Hella" and "no worries"
• Ellenos yogurt
• Randomly seeing Mt. Rainier

My mom always told me that she never worried about me finding my way. She said that as a child I would take charge and learn by doing, not by observing. Her favorite story is when I burnt my hand on the stove because I wanted to find out why it was turning a beautiful, bright red color. Now I am in my mid-20's, still placing my hands on beautifully lit stoves. As the years go by, my hands become tougher and more interesting with all the scars from previous burns.

I take this next step by choice, so that I can grow and become more than I am. As the years go by, I realize that my mom was right. I am not someone who will ever be observing. My heart is happiest when I am exploring the unknown and meeting all different kinds of people along the way.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” 

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

So friends, stay with me in this journey and let's share wonderful food along the way.

As for The Question of Destiny...

Last night my good friend and I had a meaningful conversation about chasing dreams. I wanted to share my thoughts with you all. Thankfully, this blog allows me to converse with many of my friends about this. I hope that at the end of many of these posts about me chasing my dreams, you find yourself inspired to take a step towards something that makes you glow. 

Recently, someone that we know decided to leave what is considered a very good job to pursue being surrounded by people that inspire him. He explained that he wants a job where he can put in his time during the week to support his family, but allows him to leave work at work to enjoy the things that matter most. 

I don't necessarily agree with this perception of work, as I am still striving towards a career that allows me to live my passion, but it got me thinking. How many of us are going through motions each week that make us miserable? Is it possible to change this and take a step towards our passions? If not, is this just a temporary feeling of misery that will guide you towards a greater goal? 

I think it is very hard for the millennial generation to be patient in careers, and why would we. We are such an efficient generation! For example, if we want to know about a topic we don't go to a library to do research. We simply pick up our phone and type the topic into Google, which provides us with plenty of information on the subject. This is why I think it is hard for us to realize that it might take 5-10 years to achieve our dream career or lifestyle. 

Which brings me to my perspective- if you want something, you have to have a plan towards it and continue to take steps towards your dream. I think that it is okay to have a miserable career if you know that it is what you need to bring you closer to your dream life. I also think that if you have a dream, you should be re-evaluating your plan often enough to grow from the experiences and refocus your direction. 

One of my favorite movies talks about this. In the movie, the main character chases love. While this is not currently my own personal dream, I can't help but relate it to my dream of being a successful and powerful woman in the food industry. One of my favorite quotes is as follows,

"As for the question of destiny... all I know is that even when destiny really wants to accomplish something, it can't do it alone. You still have to go to that restaurant. You still have to show up. You still have to build a bridge... to the one you love."

I translate this quote to say that if you want something, you have to go out and take steps towards it. For example, if I am interested in being a top executive of a food company, then I need to find someone who is currently in this role and build my resume to resemble theirs. If I want to go back to grad school, I need to do something each day to get me closer and closer to that dream. If I want to learn how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, then I need to practice every day! Well, maybe not every day, but you get the point, right?

I am re-evaluating my goals as I transition my professional role. I am also not wasting any time. I will meet with my manager, show him my personal development plan and ask for his support and guidance to achieve these goals.  I am showing up and building a bridge to what I love.

One More Week In Seattle

I took this picture at Kerry Park, Seattle

I am in my last week living in Seattle. All the loose ends are coming together and I find myself taking baby steps towards being ready to move and begin a new chapter in San Francisco. An all too familiar mindset consumes me as I  begin to lose my feeling of comfort and stability. I experienced this when I first moved away from home to Seattle. It took me a while to find a routine that felt like home.

I now move with more experience than before and understand what I need to do to create my own comfort.

First things on my list to explore:

• A reliable grocery store
• A park to run/read at 
• A quaint coffee shop to study at on my off days
• A yoga studio
• A place that sells delicious beer and burgers for my splurge days

I am also excited to explore hiking trails, Napa Valley and experiencing these fine restaurants that everyone keeps talking about.

Park City, Utah

Park City, Utah

A couple weeks ago my friend invited me to join her back home in Utah for the Fourth of July. I had never been there before, so I jumped at the opportunity to see a new place. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty that resides in the state of Utah. I believe we only ate one meal inside, otherwise we were on her relaxing dock, enjoying a lovely meal with her family and watching the light shine through the clouds onto the mountains. 

Being at home with another family made me miss mine incredibly. I feel so lucky that my siblings and I get along so well. I constantly brag about them and their accomplishments to the people I meet in Seattle. Thankfully, this family was so kind and I got to feel close to home for a weekend. 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. Now, back to work! 

So glad we didn't fall off

Skull Candy

Local Parade

Family Hiking

Those clouds! 

The BEST Night

4th party in the mountains