Random Thoughts from September 2021

And just like that September is over!!!  Also ... it's day 6,836,920 of this pandemic and even though I'm a huge introvert (I could stay home and never leave quite easily) I've had JUUUUUUST about enough already.  I'm thinking we need to try something new here and this sounds like as good of an idea as any ...



COFFEE TALK

Ok now once the University of Saskatchewan grabs onto that shoe spray idea I think we could be off to the races, but in the MEANTIME ... I'm going to chat quickly about the destruction I'm seeing (and then we go back to fun shit cause I don't like gloom and doom).

A few weeks ago I was in the pharmacy and an Alberta Health Services poster was on the door.  The sign said:

We are committed to safety for all.
We are here for you.
Please be kind and respectful to us.
Harassment and violence are never ok. 

I must've been in a super zen state because it caught my eye, I thought "well what a nice sign!" and I took a picture of it to show Cam.

Firstly, as I stood back to take the picture, a woman who was coming into the door groaned as I stopped, then bumped into me to move me out of the way.  (as you can see I took the shot quickly ... it's not like I asked her to hold the door for me while I grabbed my tripod out).

When I got inside, I mentioned how I liked the sign given how much anger there seems to be in the world right now.  The worker said that they had to take the sign down off of social media because of the bullying and hate they received. 

(insert long pause with mouth open ... who harasses a pharmacy based on a post asking for respect?)





We can't control the actions of others, nor the majority of circumstances we find unfair.  We can ABSOLUTELY get caught up in the drama and trauma, fear and despair ... but have you ever thought about what happens when you SHARE it on your social media or decide to make that phone call when you are most angry?

You’ve now multiplied the EXACT feelings thoughts and emotions that you don’t like nor want. Now you’ve given it power and legs of its own.

In the last few days I’ve started a #bethelightchallenge . I’ve asked all of my followers to be more intentional with the thoughts feelings, emotions that they share with others. If they post online they use the hashtag above and tag me so I can share it even further. My newsfeed, DMs and stories are now filled with the most amazing messages ... like a little army of positivity and love has been created to go out and heal the world.




I hope you will take on the challenge too.  It feels AMAZING to have a small part in helping the world along.

FENG SHUI TIP OF THE MONTH

Lately I've had a lot of people join my Room4Miracles challenge.  It is SO FUN to get the feedback from people and to receive the pictures from them when they clear out a drawer, inspire their kids or how they sleep so much better now!

It's more than that though ... our homes can truly communicate with our souls.  I LOVE this challenge so much because it's me, it's fun and it teaches you a bit about feng shui too. Who wants to join a boring decluttering challenge????  (Only Marie Kondo, I'm pretty sure).  I mean I'm all for sparking joy but that girl is a next level that I just can't reach.

The trick:  your home is like a 3D vision board.  Choose to curate your space like your newsfeed .... only things you love.  ;)

If you wanna get onto my email list and try to the challenge, the link is here:

www.thefengshuichick.ca/room4miracles 




COOL SHIT I LOVE:

K now this is a little odd possibly ... but this month's cool item is actually a set of cloths I bought my daughter from Bed Bath and Beyond.  They are called ERASE YOUR FACE.


 

Now the first time you use them, it sort of feels like you are taking a fleece blanket from a toddler, getting it a bit wet and using it to take your make-up off with.  It's definitely a little weird but it is WAY better than a facecloth.  There's just something about these things!!!

Despite literally every aesthetician, skin care expert and Shoppers Drug Mart cosmetics section girl telling her she NEEEEEEEEDS hundreds of dollars worth of cleansers and toners and moisturizes and peels and scrubs and masks .... her skin is clearer with NO cleansers and just this cloth!!  

$15 for 4 cloths and you use NO CLEANSERS, just water.  It's insanely cool and she loves them.

Check them out here:  https://www.amazon.ca/Danielle-Erase-Your-Face-Cloth/dp/B01CRB3PLA 




p.s. they look kinda gross all covered in makeup so be prepared to wash them often.  The site says hang to dry (oops!  I throw them in the dryer) but they work just as good today as they did when I bought them almost a year ago!

WHAT (or who) INSPIRES ME:

For the past few years its been my son's football team that has inspired me on a regular basis.  They are SO much more than just football.

When we attended the signing day, we heard that NO MATTER the degree, student-athletes are the MOST stressed out students on campus by far.  This team ... works hard to ensure that they have as much support as possible to thrive not only on the field, or in the classroom but in the world as well.  

They focus on studies, offering tutoring and learning strategies to their athletes.

They spend time in team training, learning about mental health issues that are common for student athletes (depression and anxiety).

They spend time learning about diversity among the team, racial and cultural differences and they become role models to others by "going first" and being vulnerable.  It's truly amazing what the coaching staff have created.  

(Did you know:  Elite athletes are vulnerable to mental health disorders as a result of the various specific stressors they experience in their sporting environment. Key factors are the impact of injury, overtraining, social media scrutiny and ongoing competitive pressure to perform.)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:



Ok I'm SOOOOOO excited to share this girls success with you this month!!!!

Kia and I first met when she was recovering from a barrel racing wreck.  She had significant injuries that she was healing from and her treating professional had recommended she try PiYo (a Beachbody program).  She fell in love with it, continued to improve her flexibility and reduce pain and she became a coach too!

She and I travelled to Nashville together (she's a TON of fun and much more adventurous than me), went to various events and as I watched her, there was just something special about her.  She was made for more.  You could SEE it so clearly she just needed something to bring it out in her.

After having two adorable little girls, she began using essential oils to help her deal with sleep issues, energy levels, mood levels, and to feel more relaxed and not as anxious.   More recently she wanted to focus on more ways to feel confident (with little time) - she became obsessed with a particular brand of makeup, became an artist shortly therefore and she is KILLING IT in this business!!!!!  Her videos are effortless.  She speaks her truth in the most kind and compassionate Kia-like way.  She is unearthing that sparkle that I always knew was there.  

https://www.instagram.com/kitrina.brown.lifestyle/

Here's just one of her posts recently.  You'll see what I mean:

If you told me a month ago that a palette of makeup would help impact my life in a positive direction… I wouldn’t of believed you. Actually in fact I’m facing a hard season in life right now starting my life over from the ground up. I’m currently in the process of looking for something full time and when my mentor mentioned that this may one day be my full time job I wasn’t having much expectations …. All because of a palette of makeup I’m now seeing where I potentially could go with this opportunity! I hit my first goal in August and that’s all because of everyone that has supported me this last month … I’m forever thankful 🙏. Every single Friday is pay day, and having those funds cover boxes of diapers, tanks of fuel, fall boots/ clothes for my girls and to help me work towards my life goals makes me so excited to keep sharing this with all of you! Not only the financial side is a bonus but earning credit towards free makeup for myself, and one of the biggest wins is getting my identity back after feeling it was lost since becoming a mom. So once again thank you 💕🤗


WHAT'S COMIN UP?

DID I TELL YOU I AM QUITTING MY JOB ON OCTOBER 8TH!!!!????!!!!  7 more days to go!!!!!!!



(and holy fuck it can't come soon enough).

It's going to be ONE hell of a busy last week, but let me tell ya .... I'm 
SO excited.  I'm going to take a day to celebrate with a glass of champagne and netflix maybe ... and then it's on to full time CEO status!!!!



And just like in decluttering ... when we let some things go ... WE OPEN UP TO MORE!!!!!!

HERE is what is coming up!!!!

NEW BRANDING ~ NEW FB GROUP NAME ~ NEW OFFERS

Firstly ... UNSTUCK with the Feng Shui Chick FB group is getting a facelift in OCTOBER!!!   I can't freaking wait to share it with you!!!  I am in love with the new name!!!!!

I ALLLLLLLLMOST shared it with you in this newsletter but I really want to keep it as a surprise until I'm FREEEEEE to be me.  No more ball and chain to the government. ;) 

Secondly ... I'm coming to you LIVE for the week of October 11th for my BIRTHDAY WEEK and a week of Feng Shui!!!!   I will be sending out all the details in a special edition email to you (and also announcing it in the Facebook Group and in social media).  Watch for details and psssssst there might just be some announcements made too!

TASTY SHIT!

K who loves curry??  Cam made this last week and while I have no idea how long it took him to whip this thing up (I was working) it was WORTH it.

p.s.  Did I mention I've cut back on carbs lately???  No rice for me ... but that would have been extra fabulous.




Now onto tastier treats ...

Best Thai Panang Curry with Chicken

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken thigh boneless, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 white onion finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell peppers chopped
• 1 red bell peppers chopped
• 1/2 inch galangal roughly sliced
• 1 inch lemongrass roughly sliced
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small jar Thai Panang curry paste measured to about 4 ½ tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened peanut butter
• 2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 pinch nutmeg powder optional
• Salt to taste if required
• 2 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
• 6-8 kaffir lime leave crushed
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

Instructions

• Heat skillet or deep bottom pan. Add coconut oil and wait until oil melts.
• Sauté finely chopped onions in hot coconut oil until onion is translucent.
• Add roughly chopped galangal, lemon grass.
• Add minced garlic, red and green bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes constantly stirring.
• Push veggies to one side of the pan. Add washed and cleaned chicken things. Cook until chicken browns a bit and changes colour.
• Mix chicken and veggies together. Continue cooking it for a minute more.
• Again gather chicken veggie mix to one side of the pan. Scoop out Thai Panang curry paste ( or Thai red curry paste) to empty side of pan. Stir the paste and fry it in oil. Wait until oil separates from the paste. Pro-Tip : Do not skip frying curry paste in oil. Flavors cone out and curry turns delicious with this step.
• Stir in unsweetened peanut butter, fish sauce and palm sugar. Nutmeg powder to be added now if using.  Take Kaffir lime leaves on your palm and crush it. Add crushed kaffir lime leaves to the pan. 
• Cook stirring regularly for 2 minutes.
• Simmer flame. Pour in thick coconut milk. Give it a good stir.
• Let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
• Add few Thai basil leaves. Stir.
• Turn off flame. Thai Chicken Panang Curry is ready.
• It’s great when served with steamed jasmine rice.
• You can also serve Thai Panang curry with rice noodles.

Notes

1. Fry Curry Paste - Essential step to make a good curry with great taste is frying curry paste in oil. Fry curry until you see oil separates from the curry paste.
2. Kaffir Lime - Crushing kaffir lime leaves will release all it’s aromatic oil to the curry. Crush leaves before adding to curry.
3. Peanut Allergy? Panang curry has peanuts in it. If you allergic to peanuts, you may want to avoid this curry or leave out adding peanut butter in the recipe.
4. Fish Sauce - Add it as per taste. Before adding fish sauce taste curry and if it's too salty, adjust the amount of fish sauce to be added to the curry. 
5. Coconut Oil - I prefer to use coconut oil.
6. Spicier Curry - The recipe makes medium spicy curry. Spice tolerance levels varies greatly for every palate. If you want to make it more spicier, use curry paste that is spicy enough or use 1 or 2 birds eye chili in the recipe. 
7. Palm Sugar Substitute - If you can’t get palm sugar , substitute with brown sugar or jaggery.

Our Tips n Tweaks:

I see on the recipe that he didn't add in the galangal (that's good cause I don't know what that is).  I don't think he added the lemongrass or the kaffir lime leaves cause we don't have any.

Still.  So.  Good.

(P.s. pictures are not mine - they are courtesy of currytrail.in .  We were so hungry that I forgot to take pictures)





***

Well that's it for random stuff from September!!    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 to the UNSTUCK with the Feng Shui Chick group or direct her to my IG account:  @sandrarpriestley.  The link to this newsletter is in my bio and I LOVVVVVE seeing the number of subscribers go up!!!