Studies show that healthy relationships make aging more enjoyable, lessen grief, and provide camaraderie to help you reach personal goals, among other things.

Read more about the importance of friendship.

The season for outdoor entertaining is on the horizon, so to remind us that dining alfresco doesn’t have to mean paper plates and plastic cups, we’re taking a look at seven dinner parties that are just as chic and elegant as any indoor soiree. From a refined French countryside–themed affair to a casually glam dinner, these are some inspiring alfresco gatherings. Read more.

People often ask how the support of a wellness coach differs from the support of a spouse, family member or friend. 

Support from your loved ones is important, but sometimes things get tricky because others will be supporting you in a way that blends their agenda with yours. Take your mother as an example. Her style of support will be influenced by her needs of you because of your complex relationship. She loves you unconditionally, but she may have needs of her own related to how she wants you to behave or approach challenges. 

One of the greatest advantages of hiring a professional coach to support your goals is that your agenda, needs and solutions will be the only focus. 

Certified coaches are trained specifically to ensure they don’t prevent you from coming up with your own solution by offering their ideas or suggestions. 

Instead coaches use motivational interviewing to foster unearthing your own authentic solution, plan and action steps. Your own solution will always be more realistic and successful because only you intricately know all the influencing factors your lifestyle presents. 

Learn more about wellness coaching by scheduling a free session.

Ingredients
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp nutmeg
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Cup applesauce
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
5 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 Cup milk
1 Tsp vanilla
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup of sugar
1/2 Cup of brown sugar
2 1/2 Cups shredded, peeled parsnips (about 4 medium)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put both flours, baking power, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Mix applesauce, vegetable oil, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugars on medium speed with a paddle for about 2 minutes, until very well blended. Pour in liquid ingredients and mix well again, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients in three additions, mixing gently after each. Fold in parsnips. 

Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Scoop in batter. Bake 24 minutes and check for doneness (a toothpick poked into the middle should come out clean). Let baked muffins rest for 5 minutes in the tin, on a baking rack. Remove muffins from tin and cool, or eat right away. 

Makes 12 muffins. 

Recipe from Always in Season: Twelve Months of Fresh Recipes from the Farmer's Markets of New England, written by Elise Richer and illustrated by Teresa Lagrange.

Read the full Psychology Today article, Be a High Performer (Not a Workaholic) in 2015, for those of you looking to work SMARTER, instead of harder and/or longer this year. 

The full piece provides practical advice to work smarter, rather than harder, with these four key shifts:

1. "High performers are proactive in creating their own value. Workaholics are reactive, thereby allow others to determine their value."
2. "High performers give 100% at the right time. Workaholics give 110% all of the time."
3. "High performers take the initiative every workday. Workaholics are reactive to whatever the workday tosses them."
4. "High performers put themselves first."

Sleep is very important for humans.

Sleep has a direct impact on our overall health, waistline, mood, energy level and ability to manage everyday stress. It also influences learning and memory retention, focus and willpower. 

Most people struggle with logging enough sleep because of life's demands. 

Check out this great infographic, "Turn Back the Clock and Wake Up Beautiful."

Any opportunity to make sleep more of a priority helps. Do you have time Sunday morning to sleep in a bit? Can you catch a lazy weekend nap? 

Research things that may improve your quality of sleep and/or commit to a gradually earlier bedtime. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups steel cut oats
4 1/2 Cups water (depending on if you like thicker or thinner oatmeal)
1 Cup canned pumpkin puree (about half a can)
2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 Teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 Cup brown sugar

Directions
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on the low setting for two to four hours, stirring every 30 minutes. The oatmeal is done as soon as it reaches your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and/or more brown sugar.

"According to researchers at Eastern Washington University, people who experience the most gratitude tend to:

1. Feel a sense of abundance in their lives
   
2. Appreciate the contributions of others to their well-being
   
3. Recognize and enjoy life's small pleasures
   
4. Acknowledge the importance of experiencing and expressing gratitude.

Whether or not these attitudes come to you naturally, paying attention to life's positives can train you to see more and more of them, which will help you learn to be more grateful. 


Acknowledging [things you are grateful for] —on paper, with words, or even in your thoughts—will help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude—and with it, a boost in happiness that will last year-round." 

Read more about cultivating gratitude.

Living in a way that is authentic to yourself and your personality strengths plays a large role in overall happiness and wellness. 

So where do you start? The VIA Institute is a nonprofit that offers a free online character strength survey, as well as resources related to making the most of your results. 

According to VIA, “Research shows that knowing and applying our unique character strength profile increases our life satisfaction and well-being. [The institute provides] simple and effective tools for each of us to learn more about ourselves and our personalized pathways to happiness. Developing your character strengths can have a significant impact on quality of life, as well as a positive effect on relationships, careers and personal growth.” 

The VIA Survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and only requires basic personal contact information so you may receive your results. 

Launch your personalized survey from the VIA Survey webpage.

Generation X, those born between 1966 and 1980, are twice as likely to develop diabetes as Baby Boomers. 

A recent Australian study concluded that, “Compared at the same relative age of 25 to 44 years, Generation X had a higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes compared to Boomers. This suggests that Generation X may be developing the lifestyle related conditions of obesity and diabetes sooner when compared to Baby Boomers.”

Wellness Coaching is a great match for those embarking on permanent lifestyle change. Learn more by requesting a free session.

We all have our own specific relationship and mental constructs related to money. Do yours leave you feeling secure and in control, or reactive, worrisome and frazzled? If you are like most people, the answer is probably a little of both. 

“Financial health is having a conscious and purposeful relationship with money that is satisfying and isn’t overly stressful,” said Brad Klontz, PsyD, a financial psychologist and director of research at H&R Block Dollars & Sense.

Working with a coach to define your financial values, and planning spending based on that foundation, can help in developing a greater sense of control and peacefulness concerning your fiscal future. 

Learn more about wallet wellness from this great article: What It Means to Have a Healthy Relationship with Money.