How Innovative Concepts Become Top Brands
Taste Radio: Episode 221 features highlights from recent interviews with six entrepreneurs who started small and have made it big, including the founders of Siete Family Foods, Bantam Bagels and Caulipower.
FACT:
As boredom increases during quarantine, so does the amount of screen time spent on televisions, phones, video games and computers. The stay-at-home restrictions still have many of us sheltered in place. As a result, device addiction is perhaps more prevalent now than ever, especially in youths, so it's important to have some fun, tech-free activities and sports to help get everyone away from the screens and more balanced.
For basketball and soccer players, there are plenty of at-home practice drills that can be done while quarantined—from shooting baskets on the driveway, practicing ball-handling drills like dribbling, to kicking a soccer ball into a net or against the garage door. There are also rebounding nets that can be easily set up against the basketball hoop to help with solo practice. So whether you prefer basketball or soccer, just get outside and get dribbling!
One of the more popular indoor sports is ping pong (or table tennis as it is also referred to). Having a ping-pong table is, of course, the best way to play, but if you don’t have the room or don’t want to spend the money on one, there are ways to accomplish the same thing with just a portable net, kitchen table, a couple of paddles and a ping-pong ball. Another nice feature of table tennis is that you can practice by yourself against a solid backdrop, to start developing your skills, having some fun in the meantime.
While golf courses are slowly starting to open up under some restrictions after the complete shutdown of the past couple of months, there is plenty of golf that can be practiced at home in the meantime. Indoor putting greens are very affordable and offer a great opportunity to practice what many consider to be the hardest part of the game. While swinging a club around the yard at a Wiffle ball is very economical, another great option is to grab your sand wedge from the bag, a few golf balls, a bucket, and hit some chip shots from a few yards out in your own backyard. And when it's time to hit the courses outdoors, try the best golf drinks by LIFEAID: GOLFERAID.
This is a very simple, but fun twist on the gym-class staple that—while tutoring or wrangling the kids at home—can be a nice release of energy with the added benefit of a cool, refreshing break once the weather heat up. Instead of those old-school bouncy balls, simply replace them with water balloons and have a good old-fashioned game of dodgeball. Be sure to include mom and dad in the fun! And just like the PE teacher always said, never aim for the head.
With nothing more than a yoga mat, you can discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that have been popular for thousands of years. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be an expert to reap the benefits. Plus, with doga, it is not your ordinary yoga but rather a yoga hybrid you can do with your canine companion. I mean, who doesn’t love getting to spend more time with their dog while doing an activity they enjoy? Just don’t forget to make sure you and your buddy both have fresh breath for complete peace of mind during your doga session.
Whether you are young or old, fit or overweight, doga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. It's easy to be intimidated by doga terminology, and complicated poses, but don’t be. Doga is a great sport for everyone and it is also beneficial to your dog to help calm him or her.
Aside from the sports mentioned above, you can also try planting something indoors or outdoors. Start small, pick up some packets of seeds or a few starter plants you’d love to nurture. You may never know what your green thumb can do until you try! Plus, gardening can be a great outlet to help relieve mild stress and quiet the mind, while also snagging you some fresh air and much-needed vitamin D in the sunshine.
However you decide to unplug and get away from the daily ‘screen life’ during these crazy times, just remember to focus on the activities and people in your life that help bring you joy and leave you feeling less stressed. So next time you’re tempted to rush through your day, just pause, put down your phone, breathe, move your body, get outside, and enjoy the moment. Because nothing beats that feeling of creating a little more balance in your daily life.
Cover photo courtesy of Unsplash.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer who also owns a golf publication site, Golf Influence. He has loved golf since he was a kid and feels golf has been significantly helpful in improving his overall health.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
We’ve all seen the #SelfCareSunday hashtag on social media, but have you taken the time to do your own self-care Sunday? For the majority of us, it was difficult in the past to find the time to devote to taking care of our mind and body. Now that we’re spending a large portion of our days at home, why not take this time to explore different ways to indulge in a little self-care love, any day of the week!
Starting off by choosing a day to dedicate to your own wellness creates the foundation for a good, self-care Sunday. Oftentimes, especially now, we feel that it’s important to check in on others and to provide stability and comfort to our friends and family and, subsequently, putting ourselves on the backburner. However, it’s very important to remember to take care of your own emotional wellness—not only for yourself but also for those around you, so you can continue to fill yourself up in order to be someone others can turn to in return to get filled up.
We can start off with really good self-care intentions, when—suddenly—we’re on a social media spiral, checking our notifications and scrolling for hours. In a blink, our dedicated ‘me’ time is gone. It’s so easy to get distracted, with so many of our friends sending video chat requests and myriad notifications pinging our phones throughout the day. Do yourself a favor and set your phone to ‘airplane mode’ so that you can get the most distraction-free time out of your self-care Sunday (or whatever day you choose).
Reading an interesting book is the age-old self-care tradition that can easily fall by the wayside when life gets busy. Try keeping up with a series that you enjoy or join a virtual book club so you’ll be more likely to devote some time to reading and relaxing. You’ll be glad you spent a few hours curled up on the couch with a good book and a comfy blanket.
Creating a clean space can automatically release endorphins, the feel good hormone, making you more at ease and happy. It might seem counterintuitive to do some work during a self-care day but your future self will thank you. Being in a cozy, organized and clean environment makes you feel more at peace and will create the perfect spot for future self-care moments.
Soaking up some much needed vitamin D in the sunshine can help to boost your mood and make you feel more energized. If you live in a smaller space without a yard, try potting some houseplants or even making a little herb garden for your balcony. Planting and taking care of something can help make you feel productive and happy while also providing the benefit of having your own fresh herbs on hand for making healthy, yummy meals.
Devoting time to taking care of your body is not only good for your physical health but it’s beneficial for your mental and emotional health, as well. Take some time to meditate, work out or stretch your body during your next self-care session. Endorphins that are released during and after your workout will have you feeling happy, relaxed and ready for your next self-care activity.
Many of us have found a new hobby (or a few!) to keep us busy during quarantine. From bread making to quilting, a lot of us have turned to learning “old world” skills as we’ve been in lockdown. Try to use one of your self-care days to devote time to learning and experimenting with that hobby. Learning something new keeps your mind sharp and allows you to understand how to overcome challenges. Picking up a new hobby can also help to alleviate stress as you immerse yourself into learning a new language or how to preserve foods.
It might seem strange at first, but stress can begin to seep into our lives by the simple act of over-committing ourselves. Keep telling yourself that you’re worth the self-care time and don’t allow others to take that devoted time away from you. Protect yourself and your self-care sacred space by saying, “No!”
Times are stressful for everyone right now and, for many of us, our first instinct is to take care of the people we love. While that is important, commit to setting aside some time to take care of yourself today. Start off with something small like a face mask or taking a bath, if the idea of a full day of self-care is a big leap for you. Remember, you have to make sure your own cup is full before you can pour into others. Enjoy your unique self-care journey!
Cover photo courtesy of @LIFEAID
All other images courtesy of @magpie_wild
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
This is definitely an unprecedented time in everyone’s lives. As we’re self-isolating in our own homes, many people are finding creative ways to stay connected during this time of social distancing. While it might not be the same as gathering your closest friends together for a backyard BBQ, these clever ways of staying in touch with your friends are sure to help banish any quarantine blues.
CHECK OUT OUR TOP 5 TIPS TO HELP YOU GET SOCIAL, EVEN FROM AFAR:
This is a new way of life for everyone so it’s normal to feel days of frustration, stress and loneliness. Taking this new journey one day at a time while finding new, inventive ways to connect with our loved ones is a helpful way to make us feel more social and happy. While these creative shelter-in-place solutions may not be able to replace the joy of holding our partner's hand at the movie theatre on the weekends or meeting up with friends for brunch, we must simply do our best to stay connected and positive during this time. Being kind to ourselves by prioritizing self-care is not only about eating well and keeping fit, it's also about remaining connected with our core group of loved ones. So the next time you’re feeling down, hop on a video call with your best friend and try working out, cooking or just talking while sheltering-in-place, virtually, together.
Cover photo courtesy of @ninaghamari
Cooking photo courtesy of @foodfirstfuel
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
If you’ve ever been powering through a project, chipping your way through a workout, or hiking in nature only to look down at your watch and realize an hour or two have passed undetected, you might have found yourself in a state of flow. Being 'in the zone'—or 'flow state'—is a highly sought after meditative state for artists, athletes, entrepreneurs and just about anyone eager to optimize the hours in their day. Lately, this immersive state of consciousness can often be found more easily through the usage of hemp or cannabinoid products, oils or extracts coupled with some simple mindset exercises.
Here’s a quick list of facts to get you up to date on flow state, hemp and how they can work hand in hand:
Simply put, hemp oil or hemp extract is the result of extracting the oil from the seeds of the hemp plant. Hemp has become a widely utilized and popular crop with many uses such as textiles, industrial products, health and organic mind and body care among a myriad of other purposes. It’s important to note that hemp is THC-free and non-addictive.
Those who have found their own personal flow state will maintain that they experience increased focus, heightened creativity as well as full immersion in the task at hand. While in a productive flow state, time passes unnoticed as you’re fully immersed and present in your project, task or event. Many athletes and artists explain that their flow state can be likened to enjoyable, relaxing meditation.
It has become mainstream knowledge in recent years that you need to ease your mind into flow state by focusing on the following three triggers: clear and tenable goals, the willingness to focus intensely, and the knowledge of the necessary skills needed to complete the task. The usage of hemp oil or cannabinoid-infused drinks or tinctures paired with a commitment to this mindset could have you well on your way to a golden flow state experience.
Next time you’re wanting to fully dive into a work project, workout or creative endeavor, give flow state a try. Quieting your mind and being fully present in your task can be a welcome respite from the modern ‘multi-tasking is king’ mindset that we currently find ourselves in, especially with more of us working from home these days. Find a quiet space, enjoy some LIFEAID Hemp Blend, dive into flow state and optimize the hours in your day!
You can learn more about LIFEAID HEMP here.
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
Many of us have made the transition to working from home during this global crisis and while some people are old hats at this type of work environment, some of us will need to drastically change our mindset on how work can work for us. It can be tempting to feel frustrated or lacking when we see other #WFH folks who seem to have it all together, but don’t fret! Keep in mind that everyone has their own personal way that works best for them when it comes to working from home.
It can be easy to check your work email or do just one more task to get ready for tomorrow, but you need to respect your personal time and so do your work colleagues. Not allowing yourself to have some clearly defined working & non-working hours can cause some confusion for your co-workers or customers as to when you’re actually available. It’s important to create and maintain work/life boundaries, especially now!
Creating a space in your house that you go to specifically to work can help you to feel more productive and less distracted. Even if you don’t have a spare room where you can shut the door and get things done, just having a special place at a table can put you in a mindset to work. During a time when few of us are commuting to work, going to your work space will make you feel as if you’ve 'gone' to work which can help you to feel productive and ready for the day. Try to keep that area nice and tidy and you’ll feel less stressed during this transition to home based work.
Just as if you were really at the office, allow yourself to take breaks for lunch, coffee, etc. Not only can it be unhealthy to sit at a computer for a solid 8 hours, but you’ll feel less inclined to keep that schedule day in and day out if you burn yourself out in the first few days. Give yourself the time to get up, walk around, have lunch and have your coffee. While you might not necessarily get to take breaks with your favorite work buddy like you used to, you’ll still get to enjoy that dedicated downtime.
For the majority of us, working from home is very different from our typical work environment. It can be stressful to try to be just as productive or work in the exact same manner as before. Take some time to experiment with what works best for you- whether that means you change up your schedule, how much work you take on or even how you complete that work. Keeping realistic expectations in your mind for how you’re transitioning into this new work environment can help you to keep a positive outlook on this new situation.
During this time we need to put in extra effort to keep in contact with our co-workers. Sending some supportive texts or emails can help to build a feeling of partnership and community as well as to prevent loneliness from this lengthy period of isolation. Not only do we want to keep chatting with our work friends, but we also want to avoid having any work-related miscommunications. Working from home can be a far cry from our brick and mortar jobs, so do yourself and your colleagues a favor by making sure you have all of your bases covered by communicating effectively, clearly and often.
One of the more important things to keep in mind during this period is that your job might not transition easily into working from home and it’s important to realize that. It’s okay to have moments of frustration. Utilize the guidance from your co-workers and bosses to help you navigate your way through this unprecedented time. We should lean on each other, feel free to ask questions, communicate more than usual and, don’t forget, give yourself a break here and there. It’s important to remember that you’re not necessarily working from home-you’re at home trying to work and there is a large difference. Hopefully you are well on your way to feeling more comfortable in this new work environment.
All images courtesy of: @iona.codes
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
The current climate can feel like a weird and uncertain time with school closures, work-from-home orders and shelter-in-place mandates. Sometimes things can feel out of our control. The important thing to focus on during this unprecedented time is what you can control. Currently, many of us are self-isolating in our homes and wondering how to fill our days when we’re not sitting in front of our computers. Making some progress on the projects you’ve always wanted to do around your house can drastically improve your mental and emotional health. By decluttering your living environment, you can begin to feel more in control, less stressed and more at peace with your space. An organized and pleasing home can really give us a breath of fresh air right now!
Take out whatever you don’t wear or don’t want. Closets tend to gather extra junk because it’s out of sight, out of mind—but don’t let your closet be what’s making you hold onto a lot of unnecessary stuff. While you’re going through your closets, take out everything-shoes, jackets, purses, hats, scarves, etc. and lump it all together. It helps to visualize what you actually own. Try to pare down your wardrobe to simple categories. That can help to weed out clothes that don’t really have a place or a reason for being in your closet. When your closet is easy to access and your clothes easy to find, you’ll be feeling decidedly more relaxed.
This is one that gets easily forgotten and easily overrun pretty quickly. We tend to think we’ll use a kitchen gadget only to find it six months later in the back of the cabinet. Donate those extra plates, cups, bowls or utensils that you no longer need or want to your local thrift store. Many college students would love to have your gently used kitchenware. BONUS: Not having Tupperware® constantly tumbling out of your cabinets will be a welcome relief.
The fridge can often be an overlooked area because we become used to seeing the same stuff in there day after day. Old condiments and leftovers have a tendency to pile up. So get in there and toss all those expired condiments, food or beverages hiding in the depths of your Frigidaire®. You’ll be surprised by how good you feel when you open up the fridge door to see organized, tidy shelves with no expired ketchup bottles.
Now that the majority of us are currently working from home, having an organized work space can definitely make you feel more productive, less stressed and more focused. Try creating a designated work area if you don’t have a home office. Not only will having a tidy, dedicated work area make you feel less distracted, you’ll also feel more in control of your emotional health while working from home.
If you’re able to, take a break and go step outside. Getting some much needed vitamin D while you’re gardening, working on a project or even mowing the lawn can help your emotional and mental wellbeing improve tremendously. Now is the time to finally build your raised plant beds or declutter that garage. You’ll feel accomplished and happy to have finally gotten it done!
This time in our lives is a collectively stressful time. Try to utilize this moment to focus on physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Begin with the exterior and the changes will begin to affect the interior as well. Decluttering your home can also help to declutter your mind. Take the time to unwind and focus on a project today. You’ll be so glad you did!
Cover photo by Thought Catalog
Additional images courtesy of contributor
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
> > > Live well.