The Grind

Hey, what’s up?

Nothing, working.

Uh-huh…

Tell me about it.

Yup.

Why is it, whenever I ask someone at work how they’re doing, invariably their response is one of misery, fatigue, angst, depression, all delivered with equal parts whine and woe-is-me?  Okay, not everyone, perhaps, but way too many.  Are that many people that unhappy with their jobs?

The answers may surprise you, even during these economically challenging times.  If you asked many of the above folks if they didn’t have to work would they be toiling away at their jobs, what do you think their response would be?

Silly question, huh?  Anyone of us who does not HAVE to work wouldn’t, right?  Certainly not at a job that made you miserable.  But even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still wake each day with a choice: do nothing, or do “something.”

That “something” is what makes us who and what we are.  We all need to have that “something” that motivates and keeps us going.  The real lucky ones are those who love what they do—their “something” is SOMETHING they would literally do for nothing.

And that’s the key—finding that “something” that you really would do for nothing…only make it something that can pay the bills, at least a few of them.

Here’s a newsflash—life can be a grind, when you think about it.  Why would anyone think that their day-to-day jobs wouldn’t have some grind in them too?  Even movie stars and million-dollar athletes, at times, feel the grind of their chosen professions.

I suggest doing all you can do to eliminate the grind in your daily grind.  How?

·         choose to be positive

·         smile, laugh, spread the job

·         look for the good in all your tasks

·         look for the good in all your coworkers

·         take care of yourself by keeping your triad of balance fit

·         work hard, focusing on living in the moment

·         take pride in your job

·         help others

·         lower expectations when necessary

·         raise the bar when needed

·         leave your work at the job

·         then go home and forget about it

Most importantly, try to find a career, vocation, job, or profession that puts you in touch with your creativity, your bliss, what makes you happy, and what draws from you the wealth of desire and knowledge that drives you.  If your current job offers none of this, make it your quest to find one that does.

Even in these challenging economic times.  Why wait—life’s too short.

Think about it…

Until next time.

peace,

Mike

Hummus, Anyone?

If someone were to ask me a few years ago what one of my favorite snacks was, I would have probably said: potato chips, or some other salty treat. Hummus would have been far down the list; in fact, it would not have even made the list. Back then, I didn’t even know what hummus was. Do you?

Well, today, most of us have at least heard of hummus. But how many of you have actually eaten it? Interested in learning more about this intriguing food? Read on.

Hummus is a dip, spread, or paste made from cooked and mashed chickpeas. It is then blended with tahini (crushed and soaked sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. The best way for me to describe how this delicious spread is made is by letting watch this video:

 
Hummus is Middle Eastern in origin, and has been around forever. Chickpeas have been a food item for over 10,000 years. Wow, that’s a lot of hummus over the years, huh? Most people eat hummus with pita bread—tearing off pieces to use as a scoop. You can also use your favorite dipping chip or cracker. I like to eat it with soy chips. My favorites can be found at Glenny’s; and they are loaded with vegetable protein. A snack of soy chips and hummus, which I consume two or three times a week, gives me around 10.0 grams of healthy protein and 7.0 grams of fiber. And they taste amazing!

Besides being a wonderful source of vegetable protein and fiber, hummus is also high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron--and is a good source for antioxidants.

As for different types of hummus—shop around, there are dozens of flavors and styles and brands out there. And, as always, read the nutritional information—some are high in fat and calories (read the ingredients, see what you’re eating!). These days you can find hummus in most grocery stores. I love the eggplant hummus at Trader Joe’s. And this site has some excellent organic hummus and other products you may enjoy.

For all you lovers of hummus (like me!) out there, keep enjoying this flavorful food’s myriad tastes and healthy benefits. And for those of you who have yet to try hummus? Give it a shot; you may end up loving it and making it one of your favorite snacks.

For more about hummus, I suggest visiting these two great sites:
The Hummus Blog
Desert Candy

And, as always, you can enjoy self-help videos about health, personal development, entertainment and much more at my video site, livelife365.com.

Until next time...

peace,
Mike