Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone
Hello everyone, my name is Crystal Holmes Myers. I am an author, self-publishing coach, playwright, and aspiring filmmaker. I’m also an emotional eater. For most of my life I have been overweight. Today, I am not at my heaviest, but I am not happy with my weight. If you know me personally, you know that this is me stepping all the way out of my comfort zone. I do not share my personal life with others unless I consider you a dear friend. Trust, if you have ever had the opportunity to have aconversation with me about my personal life, I value your friendship and advice.
This blog is about change. I can motivate, coach, and encourage others to step out and live in their purpose. I encourage others to complete and remove visions from their vision board. However, year after year, I leave one of my visions unchecked on the board. My vision to lose weight. My vision to be comfortable in my skin. My vision to be honest with myself about my weight. Year after year, I just push it to the side. Of course, every New Years, I take the plunge and begin a new workout regime. I may even buy new products and vow that this is my year, but by my birthday, February 22, that New Year resolution is already forgotten and I am back to my grind of focusing on everything except my weight.
Well, today it all stops. I cannot live in my purpose if I am ashamed to come from out the shadows. My face has to be out there. Visual Marketing is important. We no longer live in a world where you can hide behind your business. If people don’t know who I am, how do I expect them to purchase my products? Sure my sales have been great, but I can’t be the ‘six figures or more chick’ I know I can be if I don’t step out and put my face out there. Truthfully, the honesty in this blog is surprising the hell out of me.
Today, I began my fourth quarter challenge. I am going to get my coins by pushing through in my business. I am also going to get to work on losing this weight. I am an emotional eater. I bury my feelings in food. Lately, I have been releasing some of my emotions through my characters, but that is not enough. By the way, I am an amazing author. Check out books one and two of my Kilpatrick Series. Brown Sugar and Chocolate Storm are available for sale at www.crystalmyerswrites.com and on Amazon and nook. Yes, that was a shameless plug.
Today marks the first day of my Weekday Vegetarian Challenge. I will post a weekly blog for the next 16 weeks detailing my progress. I will include pictures, videos, and my favorite recipe of the week. I’m ending 2016 with a bang.
Much Love,
Crystal
Starting Weight:
248.0
Favorite Recipe of the Week: Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
One pot, healthy vegan broccoli cheese soup is sure to make any dinner special. This broccoli cheese soup only takes 25 minutes, and is packed with added veggies, fiber and protein! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, removed from thick stalk and cut into small pieces
- 1 box organic vegetable stock
- 1 head broccoli, removed from thick stalk, cut into small bite size pieces
- 2 organic carrots, sliced
- 1 can organic northern white beans
- ¾ cups flax or coconut milk, unsweetened, divided
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. thyme (optional)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- Instructions
- In a large pot, add ½ the carton of vegetable broth and cauliflower. Cover and cook 12-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
- While cauliflower is cooking, chop the broccoli and slice the carrots.
- Once cauliflower is tender, blend the cauliflower in the pot with an immersion blender (or transfer to blender and blend in batches, being careful with hot liquids).
- To the cauliflower puree, add the remaining vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, garlic powder, salt, thyme and black pepper. Stir and cover for 7 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
- While soup is cooking, rinse and drain the can of northern white beans. After soaking 5 minutes, rinse and drain. Blend with ½ cup non-dairy milk until smooth.
- Add beans and additional ¼ cup non-dairy milk to the soup once the broccoli is tender.
- Add ½ cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
- Allow to cool slightly before enjoying.
- NOTE: If the soup is too thick for you, add another ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- if the soup is too thin for you, simply simmer on the stove for 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.