We  search, scan, surf, link, chat, sign up, and sometimes fork over, for anything we think will improve our lot and mood.

Where do they come up with this stuff?

In all fairness, there IS a ton of excellent material online which carries the potential to make us feel good, better, even best.  But how do we tell who the ‘good guys’ are? And how much time and treasure should we spend in the hunt?

What if the Ultimate Feel-Good Article is something WAY DIFFERENT than you expected?  Something you can’t even look for. Kind of like what they say about a solution to a puzzle only showing up after you sleep on it, or the answer to a prayer not coming from where you thought it would.

What if the Ultimate Feel-Good Article is one you write yourself?  Hey, don’t feel cheated, at least not yet.  Like Billy Mays said, “Wait, there’s more.”

• Proposition 1:  Spend 15 minutes a day (5 min. for new mothers/fathers and other time-challenged creatures) being with yourself, and jot down a few things you are grateful for.  Lists, prose, poetry, outlines, stick-up notes, napkins, doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you practice — five minutes every day that you don’t have an all-day migraine.
• Proposition 2:  Let the habit sweep you into a new mindset.
• Proposition 3:  Allow yourself to think this is important, and it carries the potential to make a BIG difference.  Keep your tidbits, WRITTEN.

THE BIG PROP: Read the stuff on the days when you least want to do so.

Read it aloud.

Recite your lists to pets, babies, sleeping squirrels in your oak tree, house plants, mirror, friend on the phone, partner if you have one, favorite lamp, doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you listen.  Listen, huh?!

The Ultimate Feel-Good Article turns out to be ephemeral, unless it gets to take root in your psyche.  So you have to actually listen to yourself to have this work for you long term.

(Short-term yada-yada is quite acceptable, however, because it gets your brain used to the messages, even if your mind still thinks it’s hogwash.)

Try this.  Yes, of course, come back and explore our offerings, but first…

Go read YOUR Ultimate Feel-Good Article.  Then come back and leave us a comment, or questions about getting the hang of it.  We’ll be here for you.

Steak and brats? Not as much fun with four inches of snow on the deck.

Prefab freezer meals? They call it variety, but after a while …

So what’s for dinner? The answer turns out to be in a fabulous retro book. I discovered the classic Eat Well Diet Book by renowned author, magazine food editor and television food commentator Charlotte Adams. Our moms or grandmothers may have owned this amazing cookbook, chock full of recipes and diet guru tips.

Every recipe has simple, careful instructions, as well as a per-serving calorie count. I know when I’m eating healthy or giving in to a luxurious splurge.

Charlotte included seven-day and thirty-day menu suggestions for 1200, 1600, and 2000 calories a day, as well as lists of which veggies and meats are low, medium, and high in carbs, so you can make your own sensible choices. Plus, there are pages of herb and spice descriptions and when-to-use recommendations.

As for the recipes themselves, this is no ordinary collection. She offers great ideas for every course, every time of day. I found dozens of tried-and-true favorites like shepherd’s pie (when’s the last time you had that?), and standards with twists, like a tomato and basil omelet. Then there’s more exotic fare, like beef tongue with raisin sauce, lamb and eggplant casserole, halibut in cucumber sauce, orange sauerkraut, Mexican coleslaw, molded crab mousse, homemade lime sherbet (very simple!), brandy souffle, eggnog pudding, peppermint Bavarian … hundreds of delectable edibles that will delight every palate.

The phrase “everything old is new again” is perfect for this 130-page goldmine. Oh, and there’s a prize in Charlotte Adams’ Eat Well Diet Book. Find out what it is on this page.

So what’s for dinner? Download your copy now, and you’ll never be bored with menu planning again!