Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I have to tell you: I’m pretty awesome at quitting. Seriously. I’ve quit all kinds of things: jobs I’d fought for (contemporary art museum, art center), an engagement (not this one! Michael and I are very much getting married in two months!), sports teams (soccer, softball, fencing…), leases before the end date (not one, but two), friendships, grad school (once a semester into a program at a prestigious institution), gluten. And that’s just what I think of without trying!

The thing is, quitting is awesome.

It has such a bad reputation, as if The Powers That Be will you serve you up an extra helping of awesome if you slog through something that makes you miserable, just because then you won’t Be A Quitter. Here’s the thing, though:

If you keep pouring your energy into things that your gut/intuition/whatever is screaming at you to abandon, you won’t have any room for what’s going to make you buzz with excitement and the conviction that This Is Right, whatever “this” may be.

Not convinced? Let’s revisit that little list from above, and see what came into my life–sometimes immediately, sometimes with a little grace period–after I quit.

• Museum: Little money, little respect, lots of stress and insecurity –> a month working and traveling in Italy, followed by an offer for a job I’d been courting before I left on my trip.
• Art Center: Little money, lots of frustration –> a year+ in Korea, working at a job that let me pay off my giant pile of debt and find my true path.
• Engagement: Emotionally abusive, extremely controlling, made me miserable in nearly every relationship –> Michael! My dream man! Brilliant, talented, hilarious, exciting, and handsome to boot–I win!
• Sports teams: Pain and frustration –> time to explore things that make me happy…like yoga and reading.
• Leases before: Living situations that were toxic or I’d outgrown –> extremely precious memories of living with my cousin in her last independent days and the chance to set up house in Seoul.
• Grad school: Nights literally crying over statistics homework and money spent on textbooks that didn’t really interest me –> a year of learning about myself in a totally new environment
• Grad school, round 2: Frustration and anxiety about the application process –> time and energy to spend on a project I am pee-my-pants excited about. (More on that later.)
• Gluten: pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, and being fat and unhealthy –> a door to a healthy, vibrant life.

For the record, I’m also postponing (not quitting) the latest Palin challenge. I want my last few days here in Seoul to be about things I enjoy, rather than things I feel compelled to do. I know I’ll have lots of healthy living when I get back to the States, aka the land of Whole Foods, yoga studios, and oceans to run next to.

What can you quit to make room for more awesome in your life? What have you already quit, and how did it help you thrive?

Hummus. I’m a sucker for the stuff, and it feels silly to fork over $4.50 for 16 oz. of it when I can so easily whip it up. As we worked to eat through our pantry before moving home next week, I made batch after batch of this creamy chickpea spread, and, this Indian-inspired incarnation was one of my faves.

For better or worse, I never seem to use recipes, so this is a very general guideline, with a heavy emphasis on tasting and adjusting as needed.

I use dried chickpeas, so I soak them overnight and then rinse thoroughly. Put them in a large pot with plenty of water, ½ an onion cut in chunks, a few cloves of garlic, a thinly sliced lemon (peel included), and a few teaspoons of paprika. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until chickpeas are soft, which always seems to take an eternity. Drain and add to blender or food processor with plenty of olive oil—1 or 2 tbsp per cup of chickpeas should help it blend and give it a nice consistency. From here, you can flavor as desired. The for this version, add about 1-2 tablespoons of garam masala.

Some of my favorite variations include (in place of the garam masala):

• a few tablespoons tahini and the juice of one lemon
• diced roasted red pepper and caramelized onion
• a drizzle of sesame oil

Friends have also told me that hummus does freeze well if you want to make it great batches like I do.

Do you make your own hummus? Do you have a favorite variation to recommend?

My brother really likes climbing trees

What do you know about green roofs? Living walls? Taking easy steps to make your house or business more eco-friendly? I have to admit–I’m still a rookie when it comes to all this. Fortunately, I happen to have a super talented big brother who happens to be a bit of a green expert. Want proof? Check out this recent New York Times Magazine piece and look, surprise surprise, for the man in the tree, right smack in the center. That’s Anders. (His good friend and exceptionally talented friend Curran is the photographer.)

Anders is currently wrapping up his degree in Landscape Architecture at Cornell where he’s working on incredible projects like green roofs, green walls, and collaborating with school districts to get fresh food onto our children’s plates. He also has company, a division of my mother’s landscape design business, called Higher Ground, which focuses on green roofs and living walls. Early this summer, Higher Ground, Bella Bocce (my mom’s bocce court business; seriously, how cool is that), and Lindquist Landscape Design (the parent company) were all featured at a fundraiser in our hometown. Anders put together a fabulous, informative poster about why green roofs are so important, and gave me permission to share it with all of you. I’ve been meaning to post this for ages, and am so excited to finally spread the word.

There’s so much info, it’s tough to make it fit on here, but go ahead and download the Vines & Vignettes Higher Ground Information Board to learn more. And here’s a little teaser to get you started:

Do you have any questions about green roofs and living walls? Would you ever consider installing one or having one installed? My dream house is definitely kitted out with plants growing on nearly every available surface. Fortunately, I’m pretty sure my brother and my mom will help me make it happen when the time is right.

As I mentioned before, I needed a little extra nudge to overcome the post-July lethargy. I kept meaning to do yoga/go for a run/pump iron and get really huge at the gym/eat my weight in veggies, but those Law & Order episodes always just seemed so much more appealing.

It’s all well and good to veg out and recover, but I wanted to get back into good habits before I returned to the States. (I admit, there is added incentive because I still have to find my wedding dress; I suspect that trying on a fitted white dress under fluorescent lighting is not going to be the most forgiving experience–though I’m majorly looking forward to it.) Once we land, our schedules are packed full of wonderful things, including two weddings of friends and a family reunion. In other words, there is lots of food, booze, and celebration in my future, and I wanted to make sure I don’t wind up run down and not feeling my best.

So…Sarah Palin to the rescue! No, don’t worry (or rejoice, depending on your political leanings): I’m still a bleeding heart liberal. But Palin does help me achieve my goals. In the spring, I teamed up with the lovely Paloma and Amanda for our first disincentive challenge. We each set a series of measurable goals and logged the day’s progress in a shared google doc. If, at the end of the month, someone had fallen short, she had to pull out her checkbook and send a big ol’ check to Palin. Thankfully, we all pulled it off and got to keep our hard earned cashola.

This month, I’ve set three goals:
1. Do yoga for at least 15 minutes a day, six days a week.
2. Run at least three times a week for a total of 8 miles.
3. Eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, with more veggies than fruits.

The yoga and produce have been the easiest, but running has definitely taken some willpower. Fortunately, when my choices are a) run, stimulate my lymph, increase my fitness, and get some endorphins pumping or b) sit on my duff and send Sarah Palin a check…the choice is pretty easy.

So far, I’m right on track,* though I’ve had to make a few adjustments to my initial goals. For this challenge, it was important for me to choose things that could form a foundation for healthy habits I want to maintain, rather than meat some overambitious goal and burn out.

Have you tried a disincentive bet? Want to join ours? What goals do you need a little kick in the pants to make a reality?

*Whoops! Update to that “So far I’m right on track” bit: that’s only because I apparently couldn’t count the days in a week or # of miles I’ve run…despite logging it in a spreadsheet. Yeesh! I wound up only logging 5.5 miles last week, which is still 5.5 more than I did in the many weeks before. And I already have 2 miles to count towards this week’s tally; the funny part is, I tied on my shoes despite feeling sick and having work to do because I want to make my totals. Ah well–it all counts in the end!

You might not guess it from the lack of activity, but there has been a lot going on in Green Junkie Land. Then again, maybe the lack of posts has been a great big clue that stuff is going on–good stuff–I’ve been living the high life! Here’s the quick and dirty of what’s been shaking around here, and a preview of some posts I’ve been dying to write, and finally feel ready to put down in words.

Post-July burnout hit me hard. Old me would have continued to push push push just because I thought I should. New me realizes just how silly that is, so I savored my newfound downtime and gave myself a week–which wound up stretching into two–to just relax. When I wasn’t working, I was probably curled up on the couch in my pajamas watching Law & Order in unfathomably long stretches. At first I worried that I was being lazy (and really, what’s wrong with that once in a while?), but I soon realized it was important for me to indulge in this quiet time following 85 hour workweeks and in advance of the wonderful whirlwind that will be September and October.

We are moving back to the States in twelve days! Don’t get me wrong, this past year has been a blessing in so many ways (I started to list them here, but realized that accounting of blessings needed its own post.), but holy smokes am I ready to be back to familiar territory. I’ve been spending a good chunk of time going through our apartment, selling bigger items (bike) and trying to find homes for things we’re giving away (pantry items, puzzles), sorting clothes into donation piles and those that are coming back with us.  Then there’s that little matter of trying to spend some quality time with people I’ve grown close to and won’t see until next summer.

I’ve been dreaming and scheming. Again, this is going to get its own post–or a few–but I have finally discovered the deliciousness of Gala Darling‘s Love & Sequins and Danielle LaPorte‘s Fire Starter Sessions. I have been a bit rabid about devouring the brilliance these ladies have put down on paper, and I’ve been spending a good bit of time thinking about how I want to implement some of these ideas. In fact, I was so taken with the Fire Starter Sessions, I’ve signed up to be an affiliate. This means that if you use this link to but buy the Fire Starter Sessions, Danielle will generously share some of the proceeds with me, in addition to the charities she already donates to. In that spirit, I will be donating an additional $5 from any FSS purchase to YogaHOPE, a sensational organization that provides free yoga sessions to survivors of domestic abuse.

Our wedding is fast approaching. I can’t believe I get to marry the man of my dreams in…66 days! The reality of how much will have to get done once I get home is a bit overwhelming, so I’ve been trying to take care of some details from here and plan a timeline for accomplishing tasks without driving myself–and my loved ones–nuts. Thankfully, I have some wonderfully talented and generous people in my life who are helping pull together details to make this celebration awesome.

Disincentives Bet Round 2 is in full swing. Yes, I needed to rest and recuperate after July, but I also needed to attend to my health and fitness. Plus, I’m not gonna lie, I want to look extra fabulous in that wedding dress! To that end, together with some friends, I have embarked on another Palin Challenge. You guessed it: details about this will be in another post soon, too.

Whew! I think that pretty much sums all the big stuff. Now that I’m back in the groove, you can expect regular posts again, including a series I’m working on about the How Tos of owning your own health. If there are any specific topics you’d like me to cover, please let me know!

Lastly, here’s a friendly little reminder to subscribe to the RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, and join the Green Junkie Living Facebook fan page if you haven’t already.

[All images borrowed; please click image for original source link.]

This is the last planned installment of Careers in Holistic Health. I am so thankful to all the women who have participated for teaching me so much. Does this mean I know what I want to do next? Not a chance. But it’s given me lots of food for thought. Even if this wasn’t directly applicable to you at this point in your life, I hope you file this away or pass it along to anyone who’s curious.

With that, I give you a fabulous finale, the final installment of my interview with Bonnie Schmidt of Anxiety to Zen!

5.     Do you like the atmosphere created by most of your colleagues in the industry?

Yes!  I adore the yoga community.  I approached yoga as a way to help my anxiety, but I found so much more.  I found love and acceptance and empowerment.  Positivity was something I was desperately missing in my life and all my teachers have touched me in a way that not only made me believe I could heal myself, but that I could help others with my story. When I shared with a teacher my dream to create Anxiety to Zen and workshops geared towards helping people understand how to incorporate yoga into their lives to help alleviate anxiety, it was that teacher that gave me the confidence to jump in and do it.

6.     Would this career work well as a part time gig?

Sure! I host most of my workshops on the weekends and when I work one-on-one with clients we work out a system that works well for both of our schedules so there’s lots of flexibility.  Teaching yoga can fit into most schedules.

7.     In your opinion, is this a good career for a working mother?

Again, there’s a lot of flexibility so I believe so.  I’m not a mother yet, but teaching yoga and working with clients and students allows me the opportunity to continue this when I choose to start a family.  And even if the yoga isn’t catered to those with anxiety and the desire is just to teach yoga, most classes can easily be taught on weeknights, weekends or around a family’s packed schedule.

8.     Generally speaking, how is the earning potential?

This has a lot of variables.  It depends a lot on how many classes you teach, if you work with private clients, if you conduct workshops or week long intensives.  The more you do or teach the more potential you offer yourself.

9.     Any words of wisdom for someone interested in following this path?

Absolutely!  Don’t let insecurity or doubt hold you back.  I’ve met people that won’t step in a studio because they can’t touch their toes or think they have to be in amazing shape to be an instructor.  All you need is passion.  I never dreamed I’d be where I am today, but I was passionate about my mission of giving a voice to anxiety, helping people though it and sharing the gift of yoga. If it’s your dream to share yoga, get out there and do it!

10. Anything else you’d like us to know?

I think one thing I’d like to share is the power of being open about what you are going through. [Emphasis Olivia's.] I spent many years pulling away from people, ending relationships and keeping people at a distance because I didn’t want them to know my “secret.” And all it did was cause massive frustration and sadness for all of us. Once I opened up about my struggles, what I was going through and how I was helping myself, people became a lot more receptive. My husband made an effort to learn about anxiety and I actually learned that a family member was struggling with the same thing! We bonded on a deeper level and experimented with holistic healing together. My relationships became stronger and I felt more confident because I didn’t always live in fear of someone finding out what I was going through. I even told my boss! The amount of support was overwhelming and really helped empower me. So don’t hide what you’re experiencing or going through. Support is a powerful tool and one that you definitely want with you on your journey.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series, and that you will check out Bonnie’s powerful work on her website. I may be posting updates to Careers in Holistic Health on occasion in the future as I come across new talented people with a story to tell. As always, feel free to share your stories and experiences in the comments.

Bonnie Schmidt, Serenity Guru and Yoga Instructor

Have you heard about Bonnie Schmidt yet? The brave, stunning, and altogether inspiring woman behind AnxietytoZen.com? I am always particularly inspired by people who have overcome crippling anxiety because I have certainly dealt with it myself–in spades. I’ll save most of it for another post, but suffice it to say I seriously considered dropping out of college because of panic attacks, and still avoid large crowds for fear of losing it. SO–hurrah hurrah hurrah for Bonnie sharing her tale, helping folks through this potentially crippling experience.

1.   What is the most rewarding aspect of this career?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of this career is being able to connect with people through something very deep and personal.  When we have anxiety, we’re not likely to shout it from the rooftops so we often feel very alone and isolated in our struggles.  Just knowing someone out there not only dealt with the same thing but also conquered it is a very powerful thing to share with another person.  It offers hope during a time when it feels easiest to give up. Talking to people going through the same thing really helped me through tough times. When I share my struggles and I see people nodding and smiling and coming to the realization that we’re all in this together – it makes my entire journey worth every moment.

2.     What are the biggest drawbacks? What frustrates you about this work?

The biggest drawback isn’t so much of a frustration as it is an obstacle.  When I’m working with a person and they begin to make progress, they immediately become empowered and committed.  However, it’s not always an easy road to travel when working through anxiety and anxious moments and panic attacks are par for the course when facing your fears.  When my clients and students come to an anxious moment or period of time they tend to withdraw and progress is stopped. I faced this in my own journey. It’s hard to remember, but times when we feel the worst (and really anxious) are times that we need to be the most dedicated and focused on helping ourselves through it.  That’s the most important time to stay faithful to your practice and try the hardest. Once you stop moving forward, you’re left at a standstill.

3.     What sort of training is required?

I am a 200 hour certified instructor and the majority of my experience with anxiety is from my own struggles, triumphs and tribulations.  I continuously read up on and study anxiety, meditation, yoga and yogic philosophies to keep myself up to speed on new developments and findings.  There are also yoga workshops that focus on yoga and anxiety that help further knowledge and understanding.

4.     How did you know this career was right for you?

After struggling through my own anxiety disorder for almost 10 years, I know how it feels to want to give up.  When I found yoga and helped myself heal from anxiety and panic attacks I knew I wasn’t the only one that needed this.  Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses out there and yet nobody talks about it.  We try to fight it or ignore it, because we might not be sure how to face it.  Or we might believe we’re destined to be “worriers” and there’s nothing we can do about it. And while I believe that everyone’s path is different and the healing journey takes many turns, I became passionate about sharing my personal experiences.  And even if I only helped one person, then my entire mission is worth it.  But it’s reached far beyond that.  I knew I could connect with those suffering with anxiety because I went through it.  I know how they feel.  I’ve been there. There was no way I couldn’t share what I went through and things that worked for me – because they could work for someone else too!

5.     Do you like the atmosphere created by most of your colleagues in the industry?

Yes!  I adore the yoga community.  I approached yoga as a way to help my anxiety, but I found so much more.  I found love and acceptance and empowerment.  Positivity was something I was desperately missing in my life and all my teachers have touched me in a way that not only made me believe I could heal myself, but that I could help others with my story. When I shared with a teacher my dream to create Anxiety to Zen and workshops geared towards helping people understand how to incorporate yoga into their lives to help alleviate anxiety, it was that teacher that gave me the confidence to jump in and do it.

Check back tomorrow for Part II, and please please feel free to share any stories–or inspiration–in the comments. And of course, don’t forget to check out Bonnie’s website and see what she’s up to. (Blog too!)

Man was July tough! Working six days a week, often up to 15 hours a day can really take a toll on a person. Fortunately I fared far better this year than last, so I’m not feeling completely blitzed now that the calendar has flipped to August. I attribute this success to a number of things:

The holy VitaMix

• regular green smoothies, chock full of vitamins, enzymes, and EFAs
• making sleep my top priority (aside from getting my work done)
• knowing the ropes, which greatly reduced stress (speaking of which: make sure you don’t miss tomorrow’s post)
• spending the months leading up to the summer making sure my body was in a peak healthy state
• approaching my work with love, even when that was really, really hard
• dry brushing!

Typically, when I come out of some similarly intense period, my body crashes, and crashes hard, unleashing all the illness and stress that I was harboring in every fiber. Thankfully, all my planning and strategy this past month has really paid off, and I don’t feel there is anything lurking (knock on wood!), waiting to rear its ugly head.

That said, I’m still taking care to ease out of this intensity. My former self would have pushed, and pushed, and pushed. But where would that get me? Sick and burned out and no fun at all. So this time, I’m making a conscious effort to–wait for it–honor my body and give it the rest it needs.  This may not be earth-shattering to you, but believe me, this is a whole new ball game for Miss Type A Squared.

Now that this insanity is over, I hope to post all the things I’ve been thinking about these past few weeks. But I’m going to take my time with it, rather than push to meet some arbitrary, self-imposed deadline no one cares about.

How do you plan to rest today? My friend Tina just shared this quote with me, and I urge you all to take it to heart–and take care!

Before you spend all day doing everything, spend five minutes doing nothing.

From the look of things, you guys loved Part I of Jamie’s interview–so I know you’re excited for part II. Enjoy!

The lovely Jamie Dougherty

6.     Would this career work well as a part time gig?

Absolutely!  You can take on as many clients as you like, so in terms of how many hours you work, it is completely up to you.
7.     In your opinion, is this a good career for a working mother?

Definitely.  Not only because of the flexibility in schedule but for the training as well.  There is nothing more important than having the knowledge to feed your children in the best way possible.
8.     Generally speaking, how is the earning potential?

Fantastic.  It certainly takes a lot of work to build up a flourishing practice and learn what marketing avenues are best for you.  However, it is not like working in a large office where you have to look to others for a promotion.  The only ceiling you hit is the one you enforce upon yourself.

Nature's bounty

9.     Any words of wisdom for someone interested in following this path?

Remember what brought you to this place.  Many times we can get overwhelmed with everything that is ahead of us.  Just take it one step at a time and be gentle with yourself.  Health coaches are not perfect people.  Remember that helping others heal is an amazing gift to bring to the world.
10. Anything else you’d like us to know?

Do not be afraid!  This is an amazing field, one that is very popular and only getting bigger and more respected.  There is nothing more empowering that taking charge of your own life and following your passion. If you feel the desire, you’ve got to go for it!

(Sorry about the formatting on these videos–can’t seem to resize them quite right.)

In one of the first interviews of this series, I had the honor of introducing you to my friend and Philadelphia-based holistic health counselor, Ali Shapiro. Now I get to help out all you west coasters by bringing you the wise words of the one and only Jamie Dougherty. I have yet to meet Jamie in person, but the blogosphere and Twitterverse have helped us connect, and I’ve been reading her blog and loving her videos since I first stumbled across her website. So, without further ado, the one and only–and very funny–Jame Dougherty.

Jamie Dougherty, Health & Lifestyle Coach

1.   What is the most rewarding aspect of this career?

Changing peoples lives!  It is the most amazing feeling when someone tells me they no longer crave sugar, or now cook organic foods, or have stopped emotional eating because of my support and recommendations. I always wanted to help others and I feel incredibly blessed to spend my days with fantastic clients.

2. What are the biggest drawbacks? What frustrates you about this work?

I love health coaching and there is nothing more fulfilling than clients seeing amazing results after following my advice. However it is extremely frustrating when clients don’t use the tools provided and subsequently see little change. It can be tough as a health coach because I want to do everything I can for my clients.  In my years of practice however I’ve certainly learned you can only lead a horse to water, you can’t make it drink.

Regarding drawbacks, I’d say bookkeeping I love being a business owner but I hate tracking and imputing every monetary transaction.  Luckily I will soon be outsourcing that task.  Yay!
3.     What sort of training is required?

I attended the holistic health coaching program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Jamie eyeing some delish greens. Don't you wish she could make you dinner?

4.     How did you know this career was right for you?

I didn’t actually  When I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, all I knew was that I loved good healthy food and wanted to help people eat the same way.  It wasn’t until I opened my practice and saw the changes in my clients that I new I had found my calling.  Also the beauty of this work is that your practice changes as you do, so you never get bored.  I currently work with lots of mid-thirties working women because that is what I am.  However, I’m sure I will work with more mothers once I have children.  I have other friends that have taken their education and opened food companies and meal services.  The possibilities are endless!
5.     Do you like the atmosphere created by most of your colleagues in the industry?

That’s an interesting question.  I think it depends on the practitioner.  I work alone but definitely refer out to other holistic healers in my community.  Most of them are fantastic and some… not so much.  I think it’s that way in any field.  The best sign of a good health practitioner is someone who walks their talk.  You certainly don’t want a stressed out, McDonald’s eating health coach do you? [Editor's note: That last image literally gave me the chills. Guess that would be a big giant no!]

Want more Jamie? Check out her website, blog, Facebook page, and Twitter feed to get your Jamie Living fix! And of course, check back for part two tomorrow.