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Balance
Perhaps no time
of the year presents a greater challenge to the balance-seeker than December. Whether it is a balanced day, a balanced diet,
or a balanced personal life that you seek, December is a challenge! So how do we maintain or create balance in the face
of December chaos? The four Ps: prioritizing, planning, patience and positivity.
Prioritizing. What is most important to you? Is it maintaining a reasonable
bedtime? A daily workout? A family dinner? Your morning coffee and newspaper? Identify that part of your routine which
gives you energy, focus and peace and dont let it go. It will center you as you are pulled in various directions.
Planning. How many times does a day get away from us and we chide ourselves,
I have so much to do - what did I do today?! While to-do lists are great, they are inadequate when things really get busy.
In order to get the most out of each day we actually have to plan it out. Not day-by-day but hour-by-hour. That may seem
restrictive but it actually results in greater freedom! If we allow ourselves 30 minutes in the grocery store, it will take
30 minutes if given an hour, it will take an hour. By giving each task an assigned time of the day and an expected duration,
you remain in control. Planning also allows you to clump items together to achieve greater efficiency. Havent we all driven
by the cleaners and wished we had our clothes with us, or passed the grocery store only to realize our list was at home?
Planning doesnt mean scheduling every minute, it means scheduling your priorities (especially the most important ones that
you identified above). Furthermore, by assigning time increments you can break tasks down over time. For example, I will
wrap gifts each day from 2:00-3:00 until they are complete. I will address holiday cards while I watch the evening news.
Planning relieves the stress of, when will I get this done? Planning allows you to choose the way that works best with your
schedule and your lifestyle.
Patience. While patience is virtuous at all times, it is imperative in stressful
times. Patience with our families, friends, co-workers, and perhaps most importantly, with ourselves. Nothing and no one
is perfect. All of the prioritizing and planning in the world (above) will not result in perfect results. There will be
unexpected twists and turns and some days will certainly be smoother than others. There is no perfect gift, no perfect party,
no perfect daughter/son/mom/dad/friend/employee/employer. Once we accept that, we release ourselves and those in our
lives from unrealistic expectations and self-inflicted stress. What a wonderful holiday gift!
Lastly, positivity. Find the joy. Embrace the moments gratefully
and mindfully with those you love. Happiness studies have overwhelmingly concluded that, after basic needs are met, material
items do not create lasting happiness shared experiences do. It is not about the food (though my husband insists it is)
or the gifts, it is about the moments..each and every moment. Discover the joy and share it!
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 Low-Fat
Southwestern Meat Loaf
This is a family favorite that I have been making since my children were young. It is wonderful during the cold months,
is as flavorful as a bowl of chili and can be prepared ahead! I adapted a Food & Wine recipe to create this low-fat dish.
Cilantro-spiked brown sticky rice and a green salad make the perfect accompaniments.
Low sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, minced (remove seeds)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (28 oz) Italian crushed tomatoes, well drained
2 pounds extra lean ground sirloin (or ground turkey)
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ cup egg substitute or two eggs
1 cup corn kernels, frozen
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 pound sharp nonfat or low-fat cheddar cheese grated
1. In a large skillet, heat the chicken broth over high heat. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic, jalapeno peppers, chili
powder, salt, oregano and cumin. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are
soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, for ten minutes longer. Remove from the
heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef and the tomato mixture, bread crumbs and eggs or egg
substitute; mix well. Add the corn and scallions and mix to distribute evenly. Transfer the meat mixture to a shallow baking
dish and form into a flat loaf.
3. Bake until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160 degrees, about one hour. Pour off any grease or pan juices.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the loaf and return it to the oven until the cheese is just melted, about 4 minutes.
ENJOY!!!
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Final Exams
While it seems that
the rest of the world is preparing for the holidays, why are you having to worry about finals or midterms?! Is it some kind
of a joke or some cruel rite of passage? Whatever the reason, finals and midterms are here. Thus, they serve as a perfect
opportunity to identify what we can and can not control: we can not control the existence of exams, but we can control whether
we handle them or they handle us. The same concepts I described in Sharis WellNews (above) are relevant to you as your preparation
begins.
Prioritize your exams by order of importance. Which exam could potentially
really help your grade? Which one requires the most time? Which test is first?
Plan your calendar. Block out time for each day and create a plan for when
you will tackle each subject. Be realistic. If your notes are scattered, you will need an hour or so just to organize yourself.
Plan your attack. Do you memorize better with flashcards? Do you need extra folders? What about study breaks? These are
just as important, so plan them too, along with when you will sleep and when you will exercise (a great way to de-stress).
Patience. Remain patient with your family, teachers, friends and yourself.
Stress can make you edgy and even mean. When others (most likely your parents) offer help and suggestions, their best intentions
may inadvertently fuel your stress fire. Instead of reacting negatively, assure them you have things under control. Perhaps
share with them your study plan so they better understand what they can do to help you in your efforts. Most importantly,
be patient with yourself. You will not remember everything and are unlikely to make 100s on all your exams. With a solid
plan of attack and well thought out priorities, however, you are giving yourself every opportunity to succeed.
Positivity. Keep things in perspective and remain positive. No single test
determines your future success or defines you. You are much more than that. Remember, negative energy paralyzes your mind
and positive energy clears it. Approach your exams with calm positive focus and alas the holidays will be here!
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 A Client's
Wellness Journey - Part 2
Week #2
So I dont know if this is beginners luck or just the initial euphoria that accompanies new endeavors, but my second week on
a wellness program has been wonderful! Ive been feeling better about myself in almost every aspect of my life. My best friend,
a marathon runner and super-active gal, and I started working out together. Shari was right - there really is something to
be said for having an exercise buddy. Because I always look forward to spending time with her, Ive come to look forward to
our workout sessions. In between sets we can gossip and there is nothing like laughter to make a set of crunches even more
challenging! Similarly, Ive been eating well, and, perhaps most importantly, Ive realized the difference between feeling satisfied
and feeling full after eating. This, frankly, is a breakthrough for me. I sincerely hope that I can keep a grip on this feeling
and make it a part of each eating experience because its proving to be very successful. Since starting my program on October
14th, I have lost seven pounds! Normally, I would say to myself, Big freakin whoop. Whats seven pounds to an elephant? But
Shari doesnt allow that kind of negativity. So when she congratulated me on my weight loss I said thank you and that I, too,
was proud of it. At the very least, its a solid start to my long journey.
On another note, feeling positive and energized overall has helped me to make a rather huge decision about my future. Instead
of quitting, I am going to face the dreaded Bar Exam for a hideous third time. I will sit for the Texas Bar for the first
time in February. Honestly, I am scared. But I feel like my life is finally starting to change for the better and that makes
me feel ready to tackle this challenge. Plus, this go-round Ill have a much more diverse support system in town with me. Not
only will I have all three of my loving parents (they were out of town the last time), my amazing best friend, a solid circle
of close friends, an incredibly supportive aunt and uncle to whom I am very close, but this time I will also have the nurturing
guidance of Shari Fish. See, I tend to be brutally mean to myself during times of stress and pressure, so having Sharis relentless
positivity in my life is going to be a life saver. I feel confident that if I stick to our study plan and continue working
on my overall health, I will emerge from this Bar experience as a licensed lawyer and a more well-balanced individual. Wish
me luck!
A Client's Wellness Journey continues in the next issue of Shari's WellNews.
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While earning her Masters degree in Educational Psychology/Counseling, Shari was taught that in order to understand
clients issues," you must first closely examine their maladaptive behaviors and/or past missteps. However, being a pragmatic
and optimistic person, she was searching for a more efficient, effective and positive means to help her clients create healthier,
richer and more balanced lives. Thus began her personal and professional journey into wellness coaching. Based on the principles
of Positive Psychology, Shari helps clients to clarify their values and motivators, and to celebrate their personal strengths
and past successes. It is from this perspective, that clients are able to achieve the lasting change they desire and to create
a more balanced life.
It is Shari's
desire that each of her clients experience increased life satisfaction, self-efficacy and truly become his/her best self."
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Shari's
WellNotes: 
