{"id":5516,"date":"2021-04-12T16:44:42","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T21:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/?p=5516"},"modified":"2021-04-13T10:22:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T15:22:52","slug":"did-you-know-that-gratitude-helps-digestion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/did-you-know-that-gratitude-helps-digestion\/","title":{"rendered":"Did You Know That Gratitude Helps Digestion?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-53px|||||&#8221;][et_pb_row disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; min_height=&#8221;1640px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||0px||&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|124px||124px|false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love to cook. But not just for the sake of\u00a0<em>making food<\/em>. I love to create meals that nourish our bodies &#8211; and our souls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love the whole \u2018European\u2019 process of preparing food &#8211; with each step containing the nourishing energy of love&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Shopping for fresh produce at the local market early in the morning, picking up the still-warm bread from the corner bakery, and stopping occasionally to say hi to the neighbors passing by&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Placing the vegetables and fresh herbs in a colander and admiring their colors, shapes, and fragrances&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Stirring, cooking, setting the table, eating, and staying seated just a little longer after the meal is over&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Growing up in Croatia, I watched Nana (my grandmother), who lived with us, prepare delicious meals. They weren\u2019t elaborate meals\u00a0and I often wondered how such small amounts of food fed our family of five.\u00a0We never snacked between meals, we were pretty healthy and satisfied.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">What I didn\u2019t realize then is that\u00a0<strong>nutrition is not just about what we eat, but\u00a0<em>how\u00a0<\/em>we eat\u00a0<\/strong>and how we digest the food we consume.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">The Chopra Health course (that I am now practice-teaching\u00a0and soon to be certified in), presents the science behind our digestive system. It\u2019s like I\u2019m hearing my mom and Nana saying: \u201cSit and eat in peace,\u201d \u201cCalm down before you eat,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t run from the table too fast, let your food digest\u2026\u201d LOL<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Did you know that digestion starts before we take the first bite?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Did you know that food provides both energy and information that our bodies and our minds need to function properly and efficiently?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">How we metabolize food determines how our bodies absorb the nutrients and how they\u00a0process and eliminate toxins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love (re)learning about this and applying it to my every-day life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">As much as I love to skip down to the Farmer\u2019s Market on an occasional Saturday morning\u00a0and take the whole day to cook, preparing a beautiful meal doesn\u2019t have to be a huge production.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">All it takes is paying attention &#8211; sitting down, putting my phone away during meals, serving food on a nice plate, blessing it and feeling grateful for it, noticing what I eat, noticing the\u00a0colors and textures of the food, and eating in peace without rushing&#8230; And\u00a0lingering afterwards for a few minutes to allow my body to start breaking down the last bite. Then I move a bit before I sit down on my office chair to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">When I was learning about Mindful Eating as a part of nutrition, one thing jumped at me:\u00a0<strong>gratitude helps digestion<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|8px||7px|false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love to cook. But not just for the sake of\u00a0<em>making food<\/em>. I love to create meals that nourish our bodies &#8211; and our souls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love the whole \u2018European\u2019 process of preparing food &#8211; with each step containing the nourishing energy of love&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Shopping for fresh produce at the local market early in the morning, picking up the still-warm bread from the corner bakery, and stopping occasionally to say hi to the neighbors passing by&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Placing the vegetables and fresh herbs in a colander and admiring their colors, shapes, and fragrances&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Stirring, cooking, setting the table, eating, and staying seated just a little longer after the meal is over&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Growing up in Croatia, I watched Nana (my grandmother), who lived with us, prepare delicious meals. They weren\u2019t elaborate meals\u00a0and I often wondered how such small amounts of food fed our family of five.\u00a0We never snacked between meals, we were pretty healthy and satisfied.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">What I didn\u2019t realize then is that\u00a0<strong>nutrition is not just about what we eat, but\u00a0<em>how\u00a0<\/em>we eat\u00a0<\/strong>and how we digest the food we consume.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">The Chopra Health course (that I am now practice-teaching\u00a0and soon to be certified in), presents the science behind our digestive system. It\u2019s like I\u2019m hearing my mom and Nana saying: \u201cSit and eat in peace,\u201d \u201cCalm down before you eat,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t run from the table too fast, let your food digest\u2026\u201d LOL<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Did you know that digestion starts before we take the first bite?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Did you know that food provides both energy and information that our bodies and our minds need to function properly and efficiently?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">How we metabolize food determines how our bodies absorb the nutrients and how they\u00a0process and eliminate toxins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I love (re)learning about this and applying it to my every-day life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">As much as I love to skip down to the Farmer\u2019s Market on an occasional Saturday morning\u00a0and take the whole day to cook, preparing a beautiful meal doesn\u2019t have to be a huge production.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">All it takes is paying attention &#8211; sitting down, putting my phone away during meals, serving food on a nice plate, blessing it and feeling grateful for it, noticing what I eat, noticing the\u00a0colors and textures of the food, and eating in peace without rushing&#8230; And\u00a0lingering afterwards for a few minutes to allow my body to start breaking down the last bite. Then I move a bit before I sit down on my office chair to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">When I was learning about Mindful Eating as a part of nutrition, one thing jumped at me:\u00a0<strong>gratitude helps digestion<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/FINAL_Blog-Banner-TC.com-1-1-1024&#215;390.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;FINAL_Blog Banner TC.com (1)&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|124px||124px|false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Saying Grace before a meal, feeling grateful for the source of the food, and for \u201call of the human beings and elements of nature that have contributed to the meal on your plate\u201d \u00a0actually sends the signals to our brains that everything is ok. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Our body reacts with lowering stress hormones and prepares our digestive system to release enzymes and activate the gut bacteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">How awesome is that?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Especially when you think that every culture and religion has some sort of a ritual of blessing and giving thanks before a meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\"><strong>Since the beginning of our existence, humans knew what\u2019s best for your body, mind and spirit.\u00a0<\/strong>We knew what to eat and how to eat it. It\u2019s just that in the past few hundreds of years, we did a lot of forgetting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">We eat while working, we pick up food at a drive-through and eat while driving (not able to look at our food), we eat stressed out, in front of TVs, and scrolling through our social media. We eat food our bodies don\u2019t even recognize as food, and we wonder why we feel unwell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">It&#8217;s as if we made an agreement that everything else is more important than eating. Even though, next to breathing, it\u2019s one of our most vital bodily functions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">So\u00a0this week, I\u2019d like to invite you to observe and take notice about what you eat and how you eat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|16px||6px|false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Saying Grace before a meal, feeling grateful for the source of the food, and for \u201call of the human beings and elements of nature that have contributed to the meal on your plate\u201d \u00a0actually sends the signals to our brains that everything is ok.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Our body reacts with lowering stress hormones and prepares our digestive system to release enzymes and activate the gut bacteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">How awesome is that?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">Especially when you think that every culture and religion has some sort of a ritual of blessing and giving thanks before a meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\"><strong>Since the beginning of our existence, humans knew what\u2019s best for your body, mind and spirit.\u00a0<\/strong>We knew what to eat and how to eat it. It\u2019s just that in the past few hundreds of years, we did a lot of forgetting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">We eat while working, we pick up food at a drive-through and eat while driving (not able to look at our food), we eat stressed out, in front of TVs, and scrolling through our social media. We eat food our bodies don\u2019t even recognize as food, and we wonder why we feel unwell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">It&#8217;s as if we made an agreement that everything else is more important than eating. Even though, next to breathing, it\u2019s one of our most vital bodily functions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">So\u00a0this week, I\u2019d like to invite you to observe and take notice about what you eat and how you eat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #be1e2d;\"><em>Music<\/em><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|124px||124px||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">You\u2019ve got to hear David and I sing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7-BQpRqmwM0&amp;ab_channel=HankWilliams-Topic\">\u201cJambalaya\u201d<\/a> on one of our Live Streams \ud83d\ude42\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sessionslive.com\/davidandtajci\">Check out SessionsLive\u00a0<\/a>for our schedule &#8211; and if you catch a show, make sure you let us know you are there to hear it \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I sang this song with my dad and his band when I was a teenager. I remember the guests at the summer resorts dancing and singing along. As Croatians love their food and having a good time, this always made us smile and feel good. Here is the great Hank Williams singing \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/tatianacameron.krtra.com\/c\/gla7Sr8DyVCp\/we7x\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tatianacameron.krtra.com\/c\/gla7Sr8DyVCp\/we7x&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618349433412000&amp;usg=AFQjCNENaQP6TguwlbbL2fEwHrw8ZA1CCw\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #000000;\">Jambalaya<\/a>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221; min_height=&#8221;49px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">You\u2019ve got to hear David and I sing <span style=\"color: #0c71c3;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7-BQpRqmwM0&amp;ab_channel=HankWilliams-Topic\" style=\"color: #0c71c3;\">\u201cJambalaya\u201d<\/a> <\/span>on one of our Live Streams \ud83d\ude42\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sessionslive.com\/davidandtajci\" style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0c71c3;\">Check out SessionsLive<\/span>\u00a0<\/a>for our schedule &#8211; and if you catch a show, make sure you let us know you are there to hear it \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #000000;\">I sang this song with my dad and his band when I was a teenager. I remember the guests at the summer resorts dancing and singing along. As Croatians love their food and having a good time, this always made us smile and feel good. Here is the great Hank Williams singing \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/tatianacameron.krtra.com\/c\/gla7Sr8DyVCp\/we7x\" target=\"_blank\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/tatianacameron.krtra.com\/c\/gla7Sr8DyVCp\/we7x&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1618349433412000&amp;usg=AFQjCNENaQP6TguwlbbL2fEwHrw8ZA1CCw\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: #000000;\">Jambalaya<\/a>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7-BQpRqmwM0&#038;ab_channel=HankWilliams-Topic&#8221; thumbnail_overlay_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.6)&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; width=&#8221;65%&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||101px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7-BQpRqmwM0&#038;ab_channel=HankWilliams-Topic&#8221; thumbnail_overlay_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.6)&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-78px|||||&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/blog&#8221; button_text=&#8221;BACK TO MAIN BLOG PAGE&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#BE1E2D&#8221; button_border_width=&#8221;2px&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0)&#8221; button_border_radius=&#8221;0px&#8221; button_icon=&#8221;%%19%%&#8221; button_icon_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; button_icon_placement=&#8221;left&#8221; button_on_hover=&#8221;off&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||25px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|||50px|false|false&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#D0EFE5&#8243; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;12px||-2px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;50px||50px||false|false&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>Let music+story+<\/span><span>coaching help you figure out<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>AND live\u00a0<\/span><strong>your<\/strong><span>\u00a0dream life.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and<br \/> <\/span><span>e<span face=\"montserrat\" color=\"#000000\">vent updates directly to your inbox.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#D0EFE5&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; min_height=&#8221;55px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||50px||false|false&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"kartra_optin_containerb6d767d2f8ed5d21a44b0e5886680cb9\"><\/div>\n<p><script src=\"https:\/\/app.kartra.com\/optin\/7Wcar2JKZPoQ\"><\/script>[\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_row disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#D0EFE5&#8243; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;12px||-2px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;50px||50px||false|false&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>Let music+story+<\/span><span>coaching help you figure out<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>AND live\u00a0<\/span><strong>your<\/strong><span>\u00a0dream life.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and<br \/> <\/span><span>e<span face=\"montserrat\" color=\"#000000\">vent updates directly to your inbox.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-53px|||||&#8221;][et_pb_row disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; min_height=&#8221;1640px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||0px||&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221;][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;on|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.5.7&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|124px||124px|false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;2.4em&#8221;] I love to cook. But not just for the sake of\u00a0making food. I love to create meals that nourish our bodies &#8211; and our souls.\u00a0 I love the whole \u2018European\u2019 process of preparing food &#8211; with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Well, I was going to write a different email today, but then something amazing happened yesterday: Olivia Newton-John and her daughter Chloe Lattanzi released a song, \u201cWindow in the Wall\u201d, which I co-wrote with two other songwriters.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I knew it was coming (and I had to keep it secret until it was officially released), but I had no idea what would happen when it was released, and more importantly, how I would feel about it.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>My Nashville friends tell me it\u2019s a big deal :) And it was a bit surreal hearing Olivia talk about the song on the TODAY show, knowing we wrote it in my piano room :)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>You know how it is\u2026 You show up every day and do your work. You keep at it, you push through the hard times, and you learn to enjoy every minute of it - because after so many ups and downs, you learn to let go of your attachment to the outcome and you trust that Love (God) will organize all the pieces (that you put your heart into) for you. (I just wrote a poem about that last week. LOL)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>You find satisfaction in your work - especially when it touches someone, or provides value for someone - which is the case with all meaningful work!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>And you are happy. Fulfilled.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Like my son, Blais, who got himself a job at the local grocery store. After his first day of training, I asked him what his responsibilities would be. He said \u201cI\u2019m in customer service. And that means my job is to make people feel welcomed, valued, seen, and heard.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When he came home from his first day of work, he was glowing! He had been corralling shopping carts and bagging groceries for six hours, but he didn\u2019t even mention that. ALL he experienced was interacting with customers. He felt incredibly accomplished because he told me, he got to talk to people, ask them how their day went, and make them feel good. He brought me a bunch of roses because he said he was moved by someone who was buying roses for their mother.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>THIS was a life-defining moment for him. Blais\u2019 manager could have told him his job was to bag groceries quickly and efficiently, and to compete with the next kid at the number of shopping carts they can pull in one swoop. <strong>Instead, they gave him the gift of a mindset that puts people - and service - before productivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I guess the manager also knows that with that mindset, Blais will naturally work faster and more efficiently - and everyone wins. And of course, this takes trust. Being pleasant to customers isn\u2019t something a manager can put out as a neat checklist or a measurable goal. Trust.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Now, back to my song\u2026<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A few years back, when I first moved to Nashville, I met Tom Paden, a songwriter who wrote hit songs for artists like Reba McEntire. Tom suggested we co-write a song that I would record and enter it into the Eurovision Song Contest. A few days later, he showed up at my house with his writing partner, Eddie Kilgallon.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Tom and Eddie had an idea for a song about the Wall (as in the Berlin wall) - an anthem about what happens when the wall comes down and people come together.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>You can imagine I had a few things to say about that, LOL\u2026 but the most important thing for me was that <strong>big changes don\u2019t happen fast.<\/strong> It\u2019s a process.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>(Full disclosure here: I wasn\u2019t talking about life in Europe. I was drawing from my marriage struggles. Matthew and I had just come out of our separation and were working on healing our relationship.)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>When the conflict grows too big, we build walls because we need something to keep us from charging at each other, and constantly attacking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Then, the wall keeps us away. But our anger and unresolved conflicts grow in our minds and hearts, which makes the other side seem full of dark shadows and scary monsters.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>We keep this up for a while, but eventually we get tired (because anger and fear are exhausting, and walls make us feel constricted).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Then something happens, or someone comes along who inspires us to address the wall (because there is still the Divine that finds a way to interfere with our human quarrels and stubbornness) and we feel willing to try.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>What happens in that moment is what this song talks about.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Tom and Eddie put a demo together and it came out so well that we decided to pitch it to some major artists (instead of having me sing it).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I released my attachment to the outcome, and trusted that Eddie and Tom knew what they were doing. We all wanted the song to get out there and reach a lot of people with its beautiful message and melody. Tom and Eddie did a lot of pitching, but they also trusted that the right artist would come along. Olivia Newton-John heard the song (through a very unconventional channel connected to her non-profit) and was immediately drawn to it.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>:)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Trust. Do the work and then trust.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWindow in the Wall\u201d is perfect for the times we live in. I\u2019ve been reading the comments on Olivia\u2019s social media, and people are already commenting on how much they needed this shot of hope and encouragement.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>So here are three things I hope can be a bit of an inspiration for you today:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>(1) Keep showing up. Find little joys in everyday tasks.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>If you are out of work, keep finding meaningful work - learn something, help someone, create something. Nourish your soul, mind, and heart with uplifting content - music, art. Nurture your body with healthy foods and walks in nature. Update your resume, research or contact potential employers, rebrand yourself if you have to (I\u2019ve done that a few times\u2026), stay in shape, and then let it go.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Trust. I know it\u2019s easier said than done, but pushing too hard and stressing about it will only exhaust you and you won\u2019t be at your best when an opportunity comes.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>(2) Look for a window, or a crack in the wall, through which you can look to the other side.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I know it\u2019s scary. Try to entertain a thought that those on the \u2018other side\u2019 aren\u2019t monsters, but people with the same fears, same hurt, same pain as you. Trust and be willing to mend and heal\u2026<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>(3) When something good happens in your life (unexpectedly) <\/strong>and you realize that it was always meant to be exactly the way it happened - not the way you envisioned, but often better - drop everything and celebrate :)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>That's what I did this past weekend! Check out the live online concert we did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-UfNftot_7E&amp;ab_channel=Tatiana%E2%80%98Tajci%E2%80%99Cameron\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5516"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5527,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5516\/revisions\/5527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}