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You know when you think of a memory and you immediately connect to a feeling? This is me ... writing this email in the early am... with my gifted pretty coffee mug ... remembering this recipe I'm sharing this month. My mouth is watering and it's not even 8am. If you like pasta, or truffle oil, Cactus Club ... or Rob Feenie, keep reading!!! The recipe I share will make you a STAR chef during the holidays!
Also ... random hilarious meme sent to me by my friend. She doesn't even drink coffee but laughed way too hard at this while sending it to me. Uhmmmmmmm whatcha sayin'? lol
COFFEE TALK
You wouldn't believe how hard it is to decide what to share in my coffee talk column each month. I have a LOT of thoughts, many lessons and so much good goodness from my coaching calls. I really have to think ... if I were to sit down for coffee with someone, what would I be talking about?
Usually I speak in terms of life lessons and personal development and how I view the world through a lens of self-discovery, so this month I decided to share something that I think a lot of us experience ... differing opinions.
***
Okay remember the judgey comments I got a few months ago when I asked for great lunch recipes for my son and his friend?
Since then I've had a few more differing opinions shared on some of my posts. Observing my thoughts and emotions when reading them and then throughout the whole process of responding has been very interesting! Here's what I mean:
I shared this post:
.. and someone on my page corrected my words. "Remove the 'stuff' (not 'shit')", she said.
So let's go through my thoughts, just for fun:
1) oh man ... I've offended her. I wonder if there are others who are offended. I shouldn't have said "shit" ... because these things ARE precious paid for items to some people. I'll apologize and say she's absolutely correct.
2) Or, maybe I should just reply that I SWEAR on this page ... cause it's MY PAGE and so she might not like it, but she has the choice to leave.
3) If I fretted over every word I chose, to make sure that everything was perfect ... I'd never fucking post anything! This post is very much authentic to me ... it's the way I talk. Of COURSE I don't mean literal shit, though anything that you aren't using or loving might as well be. Maybe I'll just delete her comment.
4) Deep breath ... achieve emotional regulation ... decide what is TRUTH to me. Let the regulated, empowered me respond.
If I had reacted quickly, in the moment, when emotions were elevated, I would have responded like the triggered me ... not the empowered me. If this happens to you too ...
TAKE THE 90 SECONDS.
Breath.
Stop making up stories on what "she/he/they meant".
Calm your nervous system.
Realize that we ALL have opinions ... and it's okay to disagree.
THEN RESPOND WHEN YOU ARE REGULATED.
Life is a lot happier, powerful and free when we do.
FENG SHUI TIP OF THE MONTH
Have you been following along on my Facebook business page at all? PLEEEEASE DOOOOOO, comment and or react to my stuff, k? The more you do, the more my page grows. Current, Facebook has started recommending my page "because pages like (mine) bring people together" so says Zuckerberg. That's pretty cool hey?!
I've started doing Feng Shui Tip of the DAY this month and I'm really kinda liking them. I shared one in the previous section but here's a few more:
Pretty, huh?
I will be sharing some Christmas Feng Shui/Design tips on my page too, but because you are on my list and I kinda like you ... you get the in-depth super cool more graphic version. ;)
LET'S TALK CHRISTMAS DECOR!!!
It's really important to me, that you LOVE your home for Christmas. I want you to be happy in your space and love the twinkle lights and the tree and your pretty mantle.
I equally don't want you to feel overwhelmed, stressed, cranky and tired throughout December and then blame it on Christmas, finances or your family ... when it's your home that's pissing you off more than anything.
Example ... let's take a look at my friend, Jamie Oliver. (he doesn't know we are BFF's but we are)
This is a screenshot of one of his Christmas specials. I love the idea of those gorgeous paper snowflakes (and I really liked making them as a kid) but it's a LOT, Jamie.
I don't think I paid any attention to anything he said, just the fact that the snowflakes were everywhere. His wife had to dodge them to get into the frame and notice how his baby is reaching up for them??? Yep ... that's where OUR attention goes too. Like I said, it's a LOT.
In a newer special, he has more subtle decor (I suspect because the set advisor realized the snowflakes the year before were a BADDDD idea). If you look at the background, doesn't this just seem SO much more relaxing, but still festive?
This is what I mean ... when we ADD to what we already have in our homes, sometimes it can create a feeling of overwhelm.
So for this holiday season, pay attention to how you FEEL. Do you feel more edgy than usual? Do you have a hard time relaxing? Do you constantly feel like you've got "something to do" but you don't actually know what it is? Yep ... could be the fact that Christmas threw up in your living room.
What I suggest is instead of ADDING, try to REPLACE. Switch out pictures; put away things you normally store on your mantle in exchange for the stockings.
THEN ... see how you feel.
WHAT (or who) INSPIRES ME
In an upcoming episode of The Happy Hour with Leigh and Sandra, we talk briefly about Leigh's New Years Eve tradition which ... I'm going to be doing this year too.
p.s. click the link above and just check out the titles of these episodes. Leigh does such a great job of titling them I'm so impressed.
On New Years Eve, Leigh and friends write out (on "flash paper") all of the things that they would like to release. They burn those papers and then write their word of the year on white rocks. They place the rocks in a basket that she places at the front entrance of her home for the year.
The entrance is where "opportunities" come in, remember? It's brilliant.
p.s. I don't actually know what "flash paper" is ... maybe we call this tissue paper up in Canada? I'm not sure and didn't think to ask, but a client of mine suggested WISH PAPER or Prayer Paper which is a pretty cool idea!! Kinda like those Chinese lanterns that you light.
A few more details: Leigh gives her guests TWO rocks, one for them to take home and one for them to leave. She and her family write on just one rock.
She places her family rocks AND her one of each of her friends rocks in her basket. It's like double the manifesting energy for her friends!
Since it's end of November and we STILL have no snow (unheard of, really) I was able to go down to the beach in my flip flops and grab a ton of pretty tumbled white rocks.
I've placed them all in a dish up against my newly painted wall. DOES THIS NOT LOOK FREAKIN SPECTACULAR by the way???? It's a 20 foot wall so it's a statement piece in our home for sure.
Now, I'm going to do a bit of a twist on this tradition of Leigh's.
This entrance wall happens to be in my Journey/Career/Life Path area of my home. I've chosen black as my accent wall intentionally (black or dark colours are great in this gua) and I've chosen this dish because of the wavy lines that remind me of the marks that waves leave in the sand and the rocks were picked from the beach (water elements, also great in this gua).
So my family and I are going to write on these rocks, things that we wish to manifest in 2024 (instead of our words of the year). We are going to place them upside down (so our wishes are still private and not open for everyone to view - I very much believe in keeping things we wish to manifest private).
There's a lotta rocks ... we can aim for ALL that we wish for. There is no end to asking for what we want.
COOL SHIT
When my kids were little I was always putting toothbrushes in their stocking. I'm sure they were THRILLED, hey?
Well this year they are gettin' 'em again cause I found these toothbrushes recently that I find fascinating.
The bristles feel SUPER weird and you can see from my picture below - it almost looks like my eyes can't focus on them because they are so fine. When I use the brush it's like I can't quite tell if it feels like I'm rubbing an eraser on my teeth, or just rubbing them with a wax covered finger (?) ... I really don't know, but I love how gentle the brush is and how my teeth feel after.
The website says that this toothbrush have an "Ultra Soft high density Floss-Tip bristles which wrap around each tooth providing a deep clean along the gum line".
They massage the gums and they foam the toothpaste a LOT so that you use less/waste less toothpaste. Seriously try this toothbrush and tell me what you think ... they feel so weird but I LOVE them!
Also ... here's more tooth humour cause I found it too cute not to share.
WHAT'S COMIN UP?
For the next few months I've got some COOL things happening!!!
1) I JUST announced my holiday special. It's a private coaching call with me at super reduced rate!!! I'm calling it my 1-1-1 Holiday Offer!
If you've felt stuck in some way or you're struggling with a situation that you can't seem to overthink your way to feeling better ... this is the cheapest my coaching goes. The sale ends on 01-01-2024. :)
Click here to check it out
2) When I was worrying like it was my damn job, stressed the fuck right out and not sure where to turn ... I knew that I needed to control what I COULD and stop trying to manipulate what I couldn't.
THE POWER OF YOU ... is my signature course to help you gain power over your thoughts, gain emotional regulation, lean into your strengths, find your passion and your power so that you can manifest the (seemingly) impossible.
The program starts in January, but you'll get access to my private coaching portal from the time you sign up ... till the end of the course.
PLUS you'll have immediate access to my private podcast. I will be sharing meditations in there and the odd inspirational message from MOI.
This time round I'm including a bonus module on boundaries. Guess why? Most of us suck at boundaries. ;)
Get Access to Private Coaching at The Power of You
TASTY SHIT!
While I am a total foodie, if I find something that I really like at a restaurant I tend to order the same thing each time I go (or else I'm disappointed). At Rob Feenie's Cactus Club restaurant I almost always order the Butternut Squash Ravioli (for an appetizer). It's just SO tasty. The shrimp are always cooked perfectly, I'm obsessed with the fried sage leaf (it just gives it that perfect finish) and the burre blanc sauce with truffle oil ... yum yum yum.
Once I find something that I like, I like to try to recreate it at home. Luckily the interwebs have some pretty dang good copycat recipes, so if you're wanting to WOW your friends and family this December .... you gotta try this!
Butternut Squash Ravioli appetizer
Things you need:
"Fresh" Butternut squash ravioli (I bought mine at Costco - the dough is a bit more orange in colour but tastes very similar)
** you also have the option of making your own, if you're fancy ... I'm gonna link the full recipe HERE
Truffle Burre Blanc Sauce
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
⅓ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
2 sticks (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
truffle oil - not much ... like DROPS
Garnish
Large prawns - 1 per ravioli (you can also slice in half lengthwise)
fresh sage leaves – 1 per ravioli
butter- 2 Tablespoons
pine nuts - 2 Tablespoons, lightly toasted
cracked black pepper
METHOD
Pasta:
Boil in generously salted water, as per directions to slightly el dente, then drain. But while cooking ... make the sauce ... make the garnishes.
Truffle Burre Blanc Sauce:
- Reduce white wine and vinegar in a small saucepan with shallots to half the amount (approx 5 minutes)
- Add cream and simmer gently
- Melt small cubes of butter in the sauce until melted
- Remove from heat- Add a tiny bit of truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste ... add more as you go and stir
Garnish:
Cook prawns in olive oil until cooked: 2-3 minutes on each side: do NOT overcook. Shrimp will become opaque with some red and pink. Remove from pan and cut in half lengthwise if they are large shrimp, whole if smaller
Saute whole sage leaves in a little oil, for 1 minute on medium heat until crispy. Ideally you want these still green, but also crispy. They turn too brown quickly so keep an eye on these suckers!
Toast the pine nuts slightly until they are just a LITTLE bit browned, but not much - be careful not to burn
To assemble the pasta dish, place ravioli in a shallow dish or on a plate. Pour sauce on top (this does not make a lot because you do not need a lot) and place shrimp on top of each ravioli. Add crispy sage, pine nuts, and sprinkle cracked pepper on top.
Our Tips and Tweaks:
- I usually get this as an appetizer when I'm at Cactus Club (mostly because I also want to get Rob's Hunter Chicken for a main ... and I wanna have both). This is it ... doesn't it look good too?
Anyway, you can easily make this the butternut squash ravioli as a full meal like I did at home, just omit the garnishes and I would top with grated Parmesan. I forgot to take a picture of mine, but here is one I ripped off of the internet. Photo credit is in the bottom.
- don't make the burre blanc sauce ahead. It can "split" a bit when it starts to cool; you wanna serve it immediately.
- there is NOT much sauce here and you don't need much! In the pictures you can actually barely see the sauce ... I use more ... cause I love it.
- I got the white truffle oil in SOBEYS up here in Canada but you can get it on Amazon too. It's expensive but a little goes a long way and you can easily overpower the dish if you put too much on!
- if you hate truffle oil ... well ... this is a nice white sauce but it's not gonna be Cactus Club quality ... just sayin'. ;)
If you try it, or tweak it I'd love to hear what you do! Post a pic on your social media and tag me!
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Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you SO much to all of you who regularly email me, recommend my group, my courses, my coaching or this newsletter to your friends and colleagues, your biz besties and your family. I appreciate every one of you and every message that I receive.
OH AND ONE MORE THING!!!
If you're loving this email but you're wanting all the blasts from the past, you can now access ALL MY PRIOR NEWSLETTERS on my blog!!
www.thefengshuichick.ca/blog
"Life is not meant to be an assembly line of tasks ... it's meant to be a masterpiece. Only you can hold the brush".
Sandra Priestley
XO
If you've got a friend who might be interested, invite her into my free community:
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