I am half German and, as my grandfather on my other side always reminded me…half Southern! I love having such different cultures as influences in my life. On New Year's Day, that means eating black-eyed peas and sauerkraut. The black-eyed peas are so that my Dixie genes have good luck in the coming year, and the sauerkraut is for my German side to make lots of money.
This year, I decided to make extra black-eyed peas and share them with neighbors (figured I'd never be invited to any potlucks again if I tried to serve them with the sauerkraut!).
Early in the morning, I pulled out the slow cooker, poured in all the ingredients, and forgot about the whole thing until late afternoon. My neighbors were appreciative, but they all seemed to think I'd gone through a whole lot of trouble. I hadn't, really, just took 5 minutes to pour a few basic ingredients in the slow cooker before spending the rest of the day having fun.
I was reminded of how my clients often seem disappointed that what I have to offer them when they ask me to help them with changes…isn't high tech, or expensive, or glamorous. The best changes are always the easiest, the cheapest, the lowest maintenance. Why is it that if it's not complicated, high profile, or involving a lot of money, we don't think it's worthwhile to pursue?
The biggest investment with these peas was the slow cooker. And since I made a double batch, I had dinner for a week.
It's really not about big, dramatic, difficult changes. It's about small changes that stick with you over time. For most of you, I bet the hardest thing about learning to use a slow cooker is remembering to put all the ingredients together before you leave for work. But there is always the ever-handy Post-it note reminder right at eye level in the bathroom mirror.
You'll save money, you'll have a great smelling house when you come in at the end of the day, you won't have to worry about what to cook when you're tired…and what you DO eat will be a little closer to what you know you need to do for better health.
What do you say…about making 2008 the year of little changes that add up to big differences?