You’ve probably seen KIND nut bars on the counter at the local drugstore—and supermarket, and corner store, and airport newsstand—because they’re EVERYWHERE.  But did you know that KIND also makes scrumptious granola, and that nearly every variety is 100-percent vegan?! I discovered this after the nice people at KIND sent us a box of treats to sample, and I have to confess: I ate almost the whole bag of Maple Quinoa Clusters with Chia in one sitting. The ingredients list is pretty straightforward (oats, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, tapioca syrup, dried cane syrup, cranberries, raspberries, chia seeds, non-GMO canola oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla extract, brown rice syrup, rice flour, vitamin E ) and honestly, the stuff was really tasty. For less gluttonous eaters, I recommend a standard-size bowlful topped with some sliced banana or seasonal berries and a generous pour of rice milk. Yum!

I just unearthed a relic from the past that was bundled in a thick wrapping of forgotten memories. Ten years ago, I was hit by a car, and yes, it was dramatic and traumatic. For six months, in addition to surgery and re-learning to walk without a cane or crutches, I struggled with severe Post Traumatic Stress. 

Even though it had nothing to do with my own accident’s circumstances, whenever I would see a woman pushing a stroller into an intersection, I would spontaneously burst into tears or have a panic attack. I needed help! Someone recommended a therapist, so I gave it a whirl. It was expensive, but the results were almost miraculous in both their efficacy and the speed with which the results manifested.

We did two different kinds of therapy, one of which was biofeedback, where you’re hooked up to a machine while monitoring your physical and emotional reactions. The other strategy was “tapping,” which—odd as it sounds—involves tapping your face (and pinky finger) with two fingers while repeating a positive affirmation. In my case—as this sheet of paper from my past reminded me--it was “I’m releasing all of the emotional traumas, pain, anguish, and suffering in tall of the roots and deepest causes of all of these problems throughout my being.” Corny? Maybe. But it worked. I swear, I was “cured” in about five sessions!

Tapping has become sort of a thing lately. Trusted lifestyle gurus like Gabby Bernstein  and Marie Forleo have been talking about it  a lot (as well as a book called “The Tapping Solution”), and you know, why not? If it can help and can't hurt, it's definitely worth a try. Besides tapping for serious anxiety issues, it's also said to be useful for working through daily stresses and emotional turbulence. 

Have you ever tried tapping? What was your experience? Did it help you relieve stress? Get through an emotion hump? Would love to hear from you!

I just watched an oldie-but-really goodie: An interview with Chip Conley on Jonathan Fields’ The Good Life Project. Fields sat down with the Joie de Vivre founder/author/lecturer to talk shop about finding joy in life, chasing dreams, and attending festivals around the world. Festivals? Chip Conley is in his 50s! I honestly never considered that that demographic might be the festival type. But as he spoke about burning out on his hospitality- empire career and looking for new meaning (which came to him in a serendipitous, haphazard way, during an audience Q & A after one of his lectures), I started to get it. 

Conley's stroke-of-genius idea? Become the world’s leading authority on something dear to his heart: Festivals. Yes, we’re talking Burning Man, but also the Kumbh Mela (a hindu spiritual festival) and EDM festivals (electronic music fests). I loved the way he drew connections between festivals and connecting with a greater good, connecting with people and different cultures, and how it can help shape a great life.

Have you ever been on a pilgrimage or attended a festival that lifted your spirit? I'd love to hear about it!