Happy chilly New Year! And, forgive the misleading title. I’m not about to do a “year in review.” My year had ups and downs, like they all do, and there is simply no way to quantify it in one short, cute post. No, what I’m here for today is to sum up a little of what I learned this fall as a student of Meghan Telpner. I couldn’t possibly share all the nutrition and cooking info I absorbed, we’ll have to work together closely for me to share the nutritional deets with you! But I got a lot more out of my stint as a CNE student this fall than just nutritional information, some of it pretty surprising! And, after just receiving my final grades and certificate, I find myself wanting to quantify it for myself, and thought I’d share my insights with you.
1.
On the evaluation form for the Culinary Nutrition Expert Course was a spot for a testimonial. In parentheses it said we could cite our feelings, as in, “It was life changing!” And I have to say, for me it was not. THANK GOODNESS. I may have thought I wanted a life changer, but at heart I really didn’t. And here’s why: my life has been changed through my relationship to food so many times already that I may have outlived my 9 cat-like lives. I think I entered this program seeking a way to deepen my beliefs and put them into action, and a business mode. So the first thing I learned is that I’m on the right track. Phew. That’s a new feeling!
2.
I like structure. Shocking, but true! Yes, I rail against it too. Too much structure makes me feel trapped. But the deadlines of recipes, reading, writing, quiz taking and so on put nice little boundaries on my week that inspired me to create MORE in my personal business. Ok, Jeffrey Davis, Time Tracking and Mind Rooms are now in order.
3.
Recipe creation is hard. Yes, I’ve been doing it right along, but I’ve been resting on my laurels a little. I create things I know will work. I often edit recipes I know I already like and just make them more my style. But creating a killer recipe out of thin air and then writing it in a way that all can follow is harder than I first thought. More of this to come, and hey, kudos to you guys out there that have been doing it right along! I’m going to be far less quick to judge from now on.
4.
I needed to revisit my intentions and make sure my behaviors were matching. Aha. No, I didn’t need a complete “life changing” eating overhaul. But guess what? Sometimes as life goes along, the lines between what we intend to do and what we actually do can become blurred. I think the holidays are good proof of that! This is ok. Life should have some wiggle room. But sometimes the lines can blur without awareness, and then it’s good to check in. I found that I wasn’t really making as many home-cooked meals as I wanted to. Also that I wasn’t being as creative at home as I could be, and hence both my taste buds and my blog were suffering. The CNE program gave me all kinds of new ideas and fodder for great home-cooked meals to come. You guys will reap the rewards!
5.
I’m great in the kitchen already. I am. Yes, there’s a little ego involved there, but hey, if you’ve got it…. I keep looking for the cooking course that will turn me into a professional, but actually I am already very nearly the cook I want to be. What I need more help with is the business side of things. And even there, the main thing I need to do is implement what I’ve learned.
6.
There is no right or wrong. Nutrition is an ever-evolving field. I think in 10 years we might be shocked by what we thought we knew today. But what doesn’t change is that every body is different. We all have different needs, and it’s mindfulness and compassion that will help us all figure out what’s best for us.
7.
A clean kitchen is a wonderful thing. There weren’t many days in the course that my kitchen was actually clean. But then, the deliciousness that came out of the mess was worth it. Still, I just did a deep cavity cleaning and feel much better about the world. But, can’t wait to mess it up again!
8.
I like my own cooking. I really do. Though it was fun to experiment with the recipes we had to prepare each week, I like what I like and was happy to get back to planning my own meals. In coaching people in the future, I want to do the same for them. Give them suggestions, but ultimately help them to make things that they like, just in a truly healthy, Life Delectable way.
9.
Food isn’t everything. Not that I didn’t know that already. But this course turned my fall focus so much toward food that I began to miss the time I used to have to obsess about yoga! Long and short I have more than one passion, and I think that’s a good thing. Maybe I am actually more balanced than I thought.
And, there’s lots more. But those are the biggies. I kept my philosophy, deepened it and organized it. I also organized my kitchen! Woo hoo for mason jars!
The program lit a fire under my you-know-what and got some creative juices flowing. Oh yeah, and then it tired me out. But I have had a rest, a good think, and now I have so much more deliciousness to share! I look forward to helping guide you towards your own happy, delectable balance in 2014.
And, as a very special New Year’s treat, here’s a special offer: book a 20 minute free consultation session with me and if you decide to book any consultation or package at the end of the call, you’ll get a first-time discount of 15%! I’d love to help you take stock of your health and make some easy changes that will bring meaningful results.
And with that, I’m off to find something nourishing and warm to get me through this bitterly cold day. Perhaps you’ll hear about it soon!
Here’s to a new year filled with joy for all of us!
Laura
