Good early morning. It's 5:00 am and I wouldn't normally be up this early. I am trying to drag my half conscious self to a 6:00 am yoga class. It's painful to get up this early. Wouldn't it be amazing to pop out of bed like a magical morning unicorn and fly off into the day with sparkles trailing behind? At my age, I am 100% confident that I will never be a magical morning unicorn. For the record, I'm more of an early morning blind badger. I claw, scratch and break myself right into the morning. 

That's why I am up early because yoga has taught me another way of thinking. Maybe bending might be a better option. Yoga says try easing into the uncomfortable and stretch into the day. This is where we need to crack a good yoga pretzel joke. In fact, here is one for you:

A cracker stomps into a yoga room.

The twisty pretzel says "Hey!, shhhhhh, we are trying to shavasana here."

And the cracker snaps back "Don't get bent out of shape, Salty."

Did I mention, I am terrible at writing jokes? Where is Jim Gaffigan when you need him? 

Let's get back to talking about bending and breaking. Today's project is to create bend in your day. Find things in your day where resistance comes up for you. Try to bend versus break with your ideas and thoughts. For instance, I resisted getting up early this morning. I thought it would break me but here I am bending into the day by writing before I head off to yoga. How about you? Where can you find bend in your day? Is someone work annoying you? Try bending into their ideas. Traffic is terrible and someone just cut you off? Turn up the jam and just bend into that traffic. Do you burn dinner? Perfect, bend into dinner. Go out for ice cream!

I need bend right on over to my yoga class now.  Let me know how your pretzel time goes today. Don't forget to bend and see you tomorrow Salty!

Hey kids! It's Thursday and my littlest kiddo keeps asking me for a cat. For the record, his request is 90% adorable. He goes through burst of crying about how he NEEDS a cat. I take him to the local animal shelter and show him the kittens. I take him to the pet store and show him the full grown cats. I hope that these visits will dampen out the need for a pet. I, however, realize after months of visits to shelters and stores, we need to get creative, reframe this problem and find a solution.

Today a good friend suggested something brilliant. "Make him a pet rock. Let him carry it around wherever we go." Well, there it is! A solution to the problem and today's project. Now you might think making a pet rock sounds slightly crazy. However, in 1975, a man named Gary Dahl invented the pet rock after he heard his friends complain of their pets. After marketing the pet rocks with their own cardboard box and training booklet, Dahl made millions on a his pet rock idea. There is more here on Wikipedia "Pet Rock."

"Blueberry The Pet Rock Cat

For today's project, find a smooth medium sized rock, a few paints or markers and create a pet rock. Create a symbol of the possibilities that can be found in the absurd and ridiculous. It's amazing how one creative idea can turn into something that catches fire. I am going to get back to caring for ,"Blueberry" the cat rock, and we will see you tomorrow kids!

Hey! You! Yeah! You! Ever find yourself mad for no reason? Or at least no reason that seems apparent. Sometimes emotions just build up like volcanic activity. One day, the volcano lets off steam and the top comes off. Frankly, I am firmly in the camp of trying not to put anger out in the universe. However, we get cut off in traffic, someone wrongs us or we don't get the last donut at breakfast and BOOM! We loose our temper at the world. What do we do when negative feelings bubble up inside and are ready to burst?

Today I Googled "What to do when you are angry?" and I found this on Life Hack "20 Things to Do When You Feel Extremely Angry" and it was helpful and enlightening. Someone once told me that anger is like a storm. It will come raging in with fierce lightening, ear splitting thunder and powerful winds. These storms can be disruptive or destructive. They can either shuffle things around a bit or cause damage beyond repair. If you are bringing the storm, make sure which outcome you intend. The storm always leaves but the remnants remain.

Today's project is to create a 5 point check list to have on hand when you are angry. Use the Life Hack link above and pick five ways to deal with negative emotions. What will be on your list to work through the anger? Can empathy provide perspective? How can you use the anger to find the good in the situation?

I'm go for a walk and cool my jets. Until tomorrow angry birds!

Hey Dreamer. Remember when we use to dream? Who out there still has time to dream? Is it just me or has dreaming become a way of the past? Maybe it's since the introduction of the smart phone, but I feel like daydreaming is dead. Before smart phones, when I had a few minutes, I use to stare off into the distance and let my mind wander. I use to look up at the clouds and imagine shapes. I use to watch people and try to figure out their lives. Now when I have a few moments, I click on my little hand held computer and browse through social media. By not pausing to dream, I think we can safely say it's destroying any chance of understanding the real world. We are not allowing ourselves time to sift, sort or think.

Today, create day dreams. When you are tempted to pick up the smartphone, don't. Instead, stare off, look at the sky or simple sit. Sift through what is going through you. Pause to take in world around you. It is interesting how day dreaming and pausing can help us set priorities and see solutions.

Well, I'm going to stare at clouds and put away my smart phone. Until tomorrow dreamers!

Hello Everyone. Oh boy, another Monday has arrived. It's hard to take on Monday when Sunday was a remarkable day. In fact, the whole weekend was amazing. It included time to catch up with friends, classmates and family. Meeting up with these brilliant people also translated to: coffee at Philz, seeing the Stanley Kubrick exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum which featured artwork by famous graphic designer Saul Bass, a hike up to Coit Tower and a dragon and lion dance in San Francisco's China Town. It's easy to get busy and forget to make time for the people around us. We get tired. Someone gets sick. There are bills to pay and work to do. However, taking time out this weekend to connect with people reaffirmed the power of meeting up. Especially, with people in my life who challenge, guide and fill up my life. I'm speaking about the people who provide a wide perspective. The people who bring meaning. I'm realizing more and more I need to be generous with my time with them because you never know what kind of adventure or life altering experiences they will bring to life.

Today, create time to meet-up with someone who recharges you. Take them out to lunch, meet for coffee or go for a walk. It's amazing what comes up when we talk with people who hold such value in our lives and the adventure that can be presented when we just talk and listen. 

I'm going to get back to Monday and reflect on being thankful for yesterday. See you tomorrow friends!

Why hello. Good to see you here today superstar! Maybe since it's Sunday, we have a little more time on our hands have some fun? If so, let's to try something a little bit crazy for today's project. Pick you favorite ballade and sing your heart out while you record yourself. Yes, that's right create a recording of yourself signing your favorite tune. This might be uncomfortable for you, so record yourself where you are comfortable. Maybe hit the record button in the car? The bathroom? While you mow the lawn? Or download a cool karaoke app such as "Sing! Karaoke by Smule."  Let loose, turn on your superstar powers, warm up the vocal cords and go for it with abandonment!

Am I going to share my recording? No way in hell! No one wants to hear my rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Frankly after five attempts, it's clear to me that I might be tone deaf. It, however, was eye opening to hear my voice struggle to belt out a tune. It creates an appreciation for great music. Well, enjoy your 5 minutes of fame and see you tomorrow darling divas!

Hey there! It's Saturday and who doesn't have a million things to do today? Therefore, I'm going to jump right to today's project. Create a line portrait of yourself. First, fire up the smart phone camera. Take a photo of yourself. Now, grab a pen and paper. Take 5 minutes to study your photograph. Notice your hair, the expression on your face and and all the little details. Then draw the self portrait without ever picking up your pen. That's right use one continuous line to create a self portrait today.

I need to get back to the list of million things. Enjoy the self study and see you tomorrow!

Hello. Hello. Morning. Morning. Hey. Hey. Yes, I did mean to type these words twice. I'm playing with words today. It's Friday and a great day for messing things up and playing games. Especially, word games. No, I am not talking about Scrabble or Crossword puzzles. I am talking about simple word play. Are you bored at work right now? Grab a pen and paper. Now think of an interesting word. Write it down. Now play with the word. Write it twice in a row, upside down, switch the letters around or draw a doodle around it. Take a break today and create word play. What comes up when we play with words? Does reframing things create something new in your old grey matter?

I'm going to keep shuffling words around and usher in the weekend with play time.  See you tomorrow wordsmiths.

Hey there kiddos. It's been a long day here. I am going to go straight to today's project. For all you parents out there, this post is for you. With the summer coming to a close, back-to-school is at the top of the old grey matter today. Is it just me or is there a lot of excitement and anxiety swirling about the first day of school? Even as an adult, there can be some worry about sending kids off to who knows what. As a dad or mom we might wonder are they having fun? Did they remember their jacket for the playground? Are they eating their lunch?

Which brings me to a great idea I learned from a wonderful mom of three. Place a note in your child's lunch box to make them feel remembered and loved. If school starts in a few weeks, just print out the below free printables and have them ready to go for the first week of school. The idea is to create a connection even when apart, especially on that emotional first day of school. You can download a free printables PDF here: Mom Notes.

And for all you dad's out there, these are for you too.  

I'm going to get back to dreaming up tomorrow's project. In the meantime, I am raising my milk glass to the first day of school and saying bring on the school days!

Oh, hello there neighbor. Thanks for dropping by. It occurred to me last night, after one of my neighbors was locked out of their home, that I don't know my neighbors very well. I say "hello." They say "hello" and that's where it ends. It's a shame. I makes me think, there is a certain generosity and kindness with knowing neighbors and it has been lost.

Today, let's create acts of kindness. Here is a list of 10 ideas to help our neighbors and share our generosity with the world today. Consider doing all 10 today or picking a few. Perhaps none of these are feasible for you. Go ahead do your own act of kindness. Whatever you choose make it generous and full of meaning.

Drop me a message and let me know how it felt to do a random act of kindness. I'm going to get back to baking muffins and meeting neighbors. Until tomorrow folks!

Hey you. As summer end starts to get closer, something is just around the corner for all the parents out there. Well, and maybe some adults too. It's back to school time. Yes, it's that time of year for backpacks, sharping pencils and best of all, brown bag lunches. As a kid, I always had the weirdest lunches. They often consisted of: 1 hard boiled egg, a can of V-8 juice, a pack of saltines, a thermos of warm milk and a beef sandwich. No one ever would trade lunch with me, no one.

Flash forward years later and here I am thinking about the proverbial school lunch. How can I make a lunch that will be down right irresistible, delicious and healthy? More importantly, I need to make something completely envious to all small and big kids alike. Well, since I live in the land of granola, let's start today with a project to whip up some darn good homemade granola bars. 

School Daze Granola Bars

• 1 cup dates (pitted and packed)
• 1/8 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup sun butter or nut butter
• 1 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats (toasted)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coconut chips
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place oats on a cookie sheet. Once the oven is at 350 degrees, place the oats in the oven and bake for 12-15 min.

Step 2: Add the dates to a food processor and pulse for 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and pulse for 1 more minute.

Step 3: In a bowl, add the blended dates & maple syrup, oats, sun butter, coconut chips and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Mix together until combined. In a  8" x 8" baking pan lined with parchment, smooth and spread the batter in the bottom of the pan with a spatula so the dough is firmly packed. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and the remaining chocolate chips on top of the dough. Press the sunflower seeds and chocolate chips into the dough with the spatula. 

Step 4 : Freeze the granola bars for 15-20 minutes. Remove the them from the pan and slice into 10 bars. Keep in an airtight container in the freezer and enjoy!

Well, I hopefully these granola bars create a school lunch wow. Drop me a note and let me know what you remember about your school lunch. Until tomorrow kids! 

Oh hi. Oh dear, it's Monday again. Why can't we just take Monday out of the week? Today might be a great day to take a nap and elude Monday. For the record, I hate naps. A rest in the middle of the day? First, I barely find time to get a 5 hours of sleep at night. A nap sounds more luxurious than buying a 24ct gold toilet brush. Second, who wants to wake up from a nap and be greeted by Bob from accounting asking for the TPS report? Or a toddler covering you in stickers? 

However, the CDC states that 1 in 3 adults don't get enough sleep. Lack of sleep contributes to accidents, causes cognitive dysfunction and temporary memory loss. In fact, there is a whole list of problems that lack of sleep causes. The list can be viewed on "Healthline: The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On The Body."

With all that research, it has become apparent that it's important to create wellbeing today. Find a comfortable place to catch a few ZZZs. Before closing your eyes, take note of how you are feeling. Set a timer and take a deep breath. Now, close your eyes, breath and rest. After the 5 minutes note how you feel after the nap.

Well, I'm going to go begrudgingly take a 5 min nap, make a few notes and see you Tuesday sleepy heads!