Do: A small action can be just the thing
to put more love and light out into the world.

Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

6 Tips to free ourselves from fear

from Deepak Chopra’s “The Matrix: How did we get here? How can we escape?”

I found Deepak Chopra’s list of Dos for cultivating emotional intelligence to be simple and powerful. I commit to reviewing this list daily to keep it top of mind. That fifth one challenges me immensely as I often feel compelled to people-please. But the older I get, the more I realize how ineffective that strategy is.

If I can take these mental actions throughout my day, I will diminish any anxiety and fear and instead create a more abundant life for myself and everyone around me. I’ve shared these with my husband and my boys, and they are up to the challenge. Join us.

  1. Commit to never complaining, criticizing, or playing the victim.

  2. Imagine a creative, positive future for yourself.

  3. Don’t regret the past. It no longer exists.

  4. Be present in every situation as it occurs.

  5. Be independent of other people’s criticism or approval.

  6. Be responsive to feedback.

Conscious Cranberry Orange Scones

Try making these scrumptious scones for someone to whom you want to send joy, abundance, hope, healing - whatever they need. Set your intention on them, and pour your focused, loving energy into each step. Recipe makes 12 simply divine scones.

Ingredients

2.5 C flour
2 T sugar (+ 1-2 T for sprinkling)
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
Zest + juice of 1 orange
3/4 C dried cranberries
1/2 C heavy cream (+ 2 T for brushing)
2 large eggs
1 C powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400.

  2. In a large wide bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Top with cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter (or food processor if you don’t want the arm workout), cut the butter into the flour mixture until it forms pea-size pieces. Mix in the orange zest and cranberries and make a well in the center (aka a volcano-like hole).

  3. Use a measuring cup large enough to hold the cream and eggs. Crack eggs into the cream and whisk together into a smooth golden liquid. Pour into the well. Save the measuring cup - you’ll use it again for the brushing cream in Step 5. Use a spatula to press the liquid into the dry ingredients until the dough starts to come together.

  4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to pull it together into a ball. Then press it out into a deep dish pizza-like disk, about 1” thick. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the disk into 12 equal triangles. Transfer each triangle to a baking sheet lined with a silicone pad or parchment paper.

  5. Pour about 2 T cream into the saved measuring cup, and using a pastry brush, brush each triangle with cream. Then using the extra 2 T of sugar, sprinkle some over the tops of each.

  6. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes until the triangles are puffed and the edges golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes before glazing.

  7. In a shallow bowl, whisk fresh orange juice into powdered sugar. Add more sugar if glaze looks too runny. Whisk until smooth. Dip each scone top into the glaze and set to dry.

  8. Give them, share them, eat them with love.