National Sugar Cookie Day

Since it's National Sugar Cookie Day, I wanted to share a favorite sugar cookie recipe of mine and the boys. The boys love decorating and I love (eating) sugar cookies. It's always a win-win. I originally found this sugar cookie recipe on this page:

Sugar Cookie Recipe

I was drawn to this recipe because it took less time and it didn't require cream of tartar. Most of the recipes I found required that ingredient. This one is very similar to one I've previously used, maybe even almost exact with the exception of using confectioners' sugar for rolling. I had only used flour for rolling in the past. I also appreciated that the ingredients were listed in order of use. I did the same below.

I'm also going to note that I used all organic ingredients. I followed the recipe, but the serving size was not the same. Apparently, my cookies were much larger than the cookies in the original recipe. I came out with exactly 19 cookies, instead of 36. To adjust for size, I baked them for 14 minutes instead of the recommended 12.

At the time I made these, I did not have any cookie cutters, so I improvised and used a small glass to cut round circles into the cookie dough. You don't have to own cookie cutters to make simple sugar cookies! Although, I have several types of cookie cutters now. 😉

Recipe:
1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar for rolling

So, this is what I did for the recipe:

1. Cream together 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar in a large bowl. It stated about 3 minutes - which seemed to be about what it took.
2. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla to the mixture.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. Mix well.
4. Slowly add the flour to the butter and sugar mixture in the larger bowl.
5. Next, dust the countertop with confectioners' sugar. Roll the dough out on the counter to the preferred thickness. *You can also separate it into halves before rolling, but I didn't.*
6. Cut the sugar cookies with cookie cutters. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies from the counter to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. *You can also use a cup to cut the cookies or you can roll them into balls, then flatten onto the cookie sheet. Rolling/cutting them out makes them perfect for decorating though.*
7. Place the cookie sheet into the freezer for about 15 minutes. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. Bake the cookies for approximately 12-14 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies. 

For softer cookies, remove once the cookies start to brown on the bottom of the cookie. You can tell by looking at the edges of them. If you want crisper cookies, let them bake for a bit longer. I prefer soft sugar cookies, so I remove them as soon as the bottom edges turn light brown. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.

I have an icing recipe I like to use for my cookies, but I used a pre-made frosting because I was short on time. The author does list a cookie icing recipe. I haven't tried it, but it appears to be rather simple as well. I will definitely check out this recipe in the future. The boys helped decorate and they came out rather well.

Happy Baking!

Stop Worrying About Other People's Opinions

Thought of the day: 

You can't control what happens around you—or other people for that matter. However, you can control your actions or reactions to outside stimuli. Don't allow other people to get under your skin. ~Penelope Winthrop~

I began to see a gradual shift in my life when I stopped worrying about what other people thought about me and started focusing on who I am, my destiny, and how I can make a positive difference in other people's lives.

And guess what? You can do it, too.

Speaking from experience, it's not nearly as difficult to become the person you want to be when you stop allowing other people to get inside of your head. Who truly dictates your life? You or the people surrounding you? 

Let it go.

When people accuse you of something you are not—ignore them. Brush it off. For example, if someone calls you a racist online, and yet you have never been racist in your entire life, you have a couple of options. You can fight back, try to understand their underlying emotions, or you can let it go. People have a habit of taking out their frustrations on those around them or in the digital world where you probably won't ever encounter them again anyway. 

I get it, people piss you off at times. However, why waste your time and energy on someone who obviously has their mind made up about who you are as a person? To defend your pride? It's not worth the headache or frustration you'll feel. Think about it, does it really make you feel better to argue with some stranger on the internet? Move beyond them and stay focused on your goals because you simply cannot control anyone, much less everything else. 

Everyone progresses differently

Your business associate's firm is gaining clients at a faster rate than yours. Both of you utilize a similar marketing plan, both of you are working 70-hour weeks. And yet, you feel like you're not doing enough. Your associate tells you to do this and that to get better results. However, it's not working. You feel frustrated because you're not progressing quickly enough to satisfy your desires. 

An excerpt from "The Experience of Insight" by Joseph Goldstein says this: "Some progress quickly with a lot of pain, and others progress quickly with a lot of pleasure... But if we're facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking." 

Accept the fact that each person (and business) progresses differently than the next. Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. In all aspects of life, whether it be business or physical fitness, you have to be patient and trust that your hard work is paying off. Keep moving forward with your eyes on the goal. 

Know your worth.

Realize that the true you, underneath all those layers of the fake you, is worthy of love, being accepted, and deserves to be treated well. Look within to uncover and shed those layers. Don't subdue your spark because you're afraid you'll outshine someone or because you fear others won't approve. You are worthy of more than you could ever imagine. 

Once you've become in tune with your true self, surround yourself with people who share your interests. Those are the people you should be associating with—not those for whom you wear your facade. Additionally, kick the people, who drag you down or abuse you, to the curb. Those people who never have anything nice to say—Gone! Those people who think your dreams are unattainable or stupid—Good riddance! Those people who lie to you and make you feel like crap—Gone, gone, gone! Don't be afraid to cut the toxic people from your life. Know your worth, and don't compromise it.

Be content in your path

It took me years to accept that my path wasn't something to look down upon. As someone who became a mother at the age of 19, life was rough. Life was always rough for me but that's for another post. So, when I realized that a good majority of the people I grew up with and other friends of mine were doing far better than I was, well, it was a very hard pill to swallow. It became a very difficult time period. Those were very dark days that I managed to eventually push through. 

Block out the negativity and hateful self-talk. It's really making life difficult for you and will continue to do so if you let it. Even now if I don't stay mindful of the current course I'm on, I occasionally catch myself wondering why I'm not as accomplished as others my age. That's when I remind myself of all the things I have accomplished, in spite of all the obstacles that have been thrown in my path. Sure, I could be doing much better but this is the path for me and I'm content with that—no matter who approves/disapproves. Be grateful, not hateful because life could be much worse.

Let it out

If someone has you frustrated or upset, speak with someone you trust, write it down but don't keep it bottled up. It will only make things worse for you if you keep your feelings tightly corked. It's one thing to brush off someone's opinion without letting it bother you but a totally different thing if you push it way down and allow it to fester at the bottom of your feelings. Don't do that. Let them out, acknowledge the feelings are there, speak to someone about it, and face the issue head on.

You know, when someone criticizes you, it's typically a reflection of how they feel about themselves. I wouldn't worry about anyone else's opinion because the only one that truly matters is yours. What makes you happy? What makes you feel secure? What are your goals? Accept yourself, love yourself, and find inner peace. Once you do, you're free, and life will become a lot easier. Only then will you be free to become the person you want to be and to live life on your own terms.

Thanks for reading!

Take Action to Change Your Life for the Better

Thought of the Day:

"A positive mind won't change much if you're not willing to change." Penelope Winthrop

Go ahead and dream about the possibilities of making changes to your life all you want. Being positive is great, but if you're not willing to do the work, then nothing is going to change. You have to be ready to step out of your comfort zone and get to it. 

If you have a dream, then getting up early or missing social gatherings, binging on coffee... These are a part the sacrifices you make as you grow as a person. There will be days when you want to quit but discipline will carry you across the finish line. Train your mind to be disciplined so you can give it your everything. 

Habits

It can be very difficult to break bad habits especially if you're unwilling to evolve. Change involves discipline and sacrifice. There is absolutely no way around it. Do you want to get into shape? Then get your butt off the couch and go for it. Work in the way of your exercise routine? Wake up earlier than you normally do. Do you want to make money? Then, stop dreaming about what you would do if you had money and get a job, land some clients. The money isn't going to make itself. Sure, be positive and keep your eye on the prize as you're working toward your goal, but you have to actively work for it if you want to produce results. 

I mentioned in another post that I wake up at 4:30 every morning. It was incredibly challenging for me to begin waking up at 4:30 every morning. I could see myself waking up and getting a load of goals done, but for a long time, I couldn't actually do it. And honestly, I still struggle with it at times. It is especially tough when your child doesn't sleep through the night on most nights. Kids zap your energy like you wouldn't believe, so this was difficult for me (still can be). I really just wanted a few extra minutes (more like an hour or two) of sleep.

Eventually, my hunger to get a jump on the day outweighed my need to sleep in until 6. I managed to develop the discipline to wake up early in order to accomplish some of my daily goals. And actually, I've been trying to maintain the discipline needed to meet them. This past year wasn't as great as it could have been. Many parts of it were downright horrible but I've come a long way. Am I exactly where I want to be? No, but I'm actively taking those steps to get there. 

Growth in Failure

Fear is another thing that holds people back from changing their life for the better. What if they don't like it? What if they go into debt? What if they fail? Ah, failure is not something to fear because, in your failures, you learn a lot.

Like:

A positive attitude beats a negative one any day of the week

Get back up and try again—and again—and again

Keep going even though you've failed

Never give up

Continue to believe in yourself

Never repeat your mistakes

Hard work eventually pays off

If you're still trying, then you haven't really failed

A Lonely Road

It's a constant struggle especially because I feel so alone at times even though I know others are in my shoes. Often, you hear people talk about success and how amazing it is to be there. You don't hear about the struggles they went through before finally making it. They don't mention how they failed repeatedly. They don't mention how they gave up friends or their favorite hobbies for a long time so they could be successful. It can be a lonely road when you decide to change your life. It's something many entrepreneurs face but it's not usually talked about. In fact, it's something everyone faces at some point in their life—whether you're an entrepreneur or simply want to make a lifestyle change. 

The difference between the go-getters and the dreamers is that the go-getters dream big, but then work hard to make it happen. I mean, sure, you say you want something, but are you willing to put in the hours to get there? Do you truly want it? If so, what are you waiting for? Seize the day. You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Just keep in mind that even when you fail, you're not entirely defeated. If you're moving forward, then you're generating change—no matter how minuscule it may seem. Never give up.

Thanks for reading!!