2024 – Loading 💬

Holiday season is almost over, and we only have one more day left in 2023. How did this year treat you? Most people would probably say, “It was a mixed bag”. We do have some control over what happens in life though.

One activity that I did with most of my patients this past week (and I’m doing it for myself too today) is to create a monthly focus point to concentrate on and to hopefully create a positive mindset or a tangible outcome. The exercise goes like this: you take 12 candies, little chocolates, caramels or a hard candy would work. You then cut out 12 little paper squares, 2-3’ would work. On each paper square, you write down either an affirmation, a supportive mental concept, an encouraging sentence, or a concrete goal to concentrate on. You wrap a candy inside each paper and put it in a box to keep. Then on the 1st of each month, choose one paper with a candy (and trust the Universe that it’ll guide you to the one you really need that month), unwrap it, and the words inside become your focal point of encouragement for the next 30 days. And you get a piece of chocolate to sweeten the deal. I’m encouraging you to try it!

We had a quiet Christmas with just the immediate family, my parents and my son with his girlfriend. The menu was quite simple too : antipasto, a couple green salads, oven fried flounder, and lasagna. No pictures as everyone was busy eating. I do have pictures of Buche de Noel though – gluten free vanilla sponge roll with cranberry whipped cream inside and chocolate buttercream outside with sugared cranberries and white chocolate chips. It was delicious!

In between Christmas and NYE, we’re lightening the menu and having buckwheat flour banana bread with chocolate chips (delicious)!

And, I made Earl Grey tea crepes that everyone raved about.

Miss Afina would like to wish you a very happy, healthy, joyous, and prosperous New Year!