The art of the cozy life includes creating softness for all the senses. Today, we focus on the sense of hearing and the impact of sound.

The Qualities of Sound

Sound is a vibration that propagates as a wave.

We know that certain sounds, especially ones at specific frequencies, produce physical & psychological effects in us.

We are very aware of the effect produced in us by the soundtrack of a suspenseful movie: we are rivited, feeling the tension that is created by heartbeats or ominous music.

Soothing Sounds

Soothing sounds are somewhat subjective, but often include the following:

Waves crashing on the sand

Rainfall

Crackling fire

Crickets

Birds chirping

The voice of a loved one

Silence.

Closing Thoughts on Choosing Soothing Sounds

It is wise to consider the sounds that we choose to allow around ourselves: the music or vocals in the background of our vehicles or homes, and the sounds we fall asleep to.

Our lives will be much cozier if we surround ourselves with peaceful sounds.

Love
~Kate

Spring is in the air! Where I am, the mornings and evenings still dip into cooler temperatures, while the days are beautiful, crisp, and clear.

The word “Spring” comes from an Old English word meaning “to rise up, or burst forth”. What a fitting name for this season, and what a great theme/intention for our own season of life.

3 Ways to Celebrate Spring

1. Plant a Garden

What better way to celebrate Spring than to literally watch it take place before your eyes?

If you already have a garden, you know the magic of watching new life begin and dormant/apparently dead plants flower forth again.

If you have never had a garden before, now is the time investigate your favorite flowers/vegetables and try your hand at it!

Your local garden store is a great resource, usually with knowledgeable staff who can advise you on what grows best in your particular soil/sun/shade conditions.

2. Have a Tea Party

A Spring tea party is so lovely and festive, and seems particular suited to the season of flowers.

Decorating is easy – all you need is a pretty tablecloth and some fresh flowers.

You can ask your guests to bring items to share, or keep to a simple menu of chicken salad, one type of fruit, and, of course, scones. Provide some crostini, bread, or crackers for the chicken salad, and some jam/clotted cream for the scones and you are all set.

Whether you invite one or two close friends, or host a small gathering, you and your guests are sure to have a great time!

3. Spruce Up Your Wardrobe

Spring is a great time for a wardrobe reset.

As you put away your cold weather clothes and return to your warm weather wear, it is a good idea to take a look at each item and see if it still suits you.

Is it still to your taste/style? Do you still love it? The Marie Kondo favorite: Does it spark joy?

Consider donating or selling items you no longer enjoy so someone else can love them, and then look for new things that you love and feel great wearing.

Pink, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, and floral prints are sure to have you feeling in a Spring-y happy mood.

Bonus!: Spring Clean Your Home

Cleaning is not most people’s favorite thing to do; however, once you have done it, your home looks and feels so much better!

It becomes a joy to live in once more.

If cleaning up the whole house is daunting, start with just one manageable area, put on your favorite music or podcast, and just start organizing the chaos!

With your soundtrack in place, the time is sure to fly by and, before you know it, that area will be tidy and inviting once more.

Then reward yourself with something you enjoy, and take pride in a job well done.

Cleansing your home of accumulated clutter is a great tribute to the cleansing and new birth themes of Spring.

Closing Thoughts on Celebrating Spring

Each season of the year has its own special character, with Spring especially being dedicated to the idea of new birth, flowers bursting into bloom, and Resurrection from death into new life.

Let us aspire to rise up and burst forth in a special way this season.

Happy Spring!
~Kate

As much as I like to create coziness, peacefulness, and ease in my home, I also strive to maintain a certain amount of discomfort in my life as well.

After all, what would endless comfort in life actually look like? Wouldn’t it actually lead to chaos in the home, lack of ambition, and ultimately lack of purpose?

Lack of Purpose = Lack of Days

My husband played a little piece of a podcast on longevity for me the other day. It referenced a study of the longest-lived people and their habits/lifestyle.

It turns out that what these centenarians have in common is community and purpose.

The study also found that the steeper the incline the person has to climb to reach home, the longer the person lives.

So lack of community, lack of purpose, and lack of drive ultimately leads to dissatisfaction with life and fewer days.

Lack of Purpose = Lack of Sales

My husband played for me another podcast in which an entrepreneur was speaking about his experience switching his employees from commission to salary.

It turns out that people tend to avoid conflict, even if that “conflict” is potentially minor, such as asking for a sale or asking for a bigger sale.

The entrepreneur discovered that even his best sales associates sold less when on salary, due in no small part to their desire to avoid the “conflict” of asking the client for a sale.

Lack of Discomfort = Lack of Success

It is often said that men make more money than women in the same position… is that because women are satisfied with less? Or is that because women avoid conflict more than men?

It is generally perceived that asking for a raise, like asking for a sale, is uncomfortable.

Many things that are necessary for advancement in life require discomfort, from getting a raise, to being treated fairly, and even asking someone on a date.

Getting What You Want

If we really want to make it to the next level, we must be willing to be uncomfortable. So many people are so unwilling to be uncomfortable that they drop out and give up on their dreams. Let’s not be one of them!

Let us focus on what we really want and PUSH for it. Push until we get it. Push past the comfort and discomfort, and across the finish line.

We can push with grace and elegance. We can push firmly and sweetly. We can push with strength and a smile.

The important thing is to push until we win. Which doesn’t mean that the other person loses. Winning with strength and grace means we and the other person both achieve something.

Closing Thoughts

May we always seek a certain amount of discomfort in our lives – the discomfort that comes from striving to achieve what we want. May the climb be as steep as the length of days we seek.

Happy climbing,
~Kate

WoW! These are sooooooo good! Soft, a little chewy, the perfect mouthfeel, sweet, a little salty, a little crunchy, just mmmMmmm, good!!

And Bonus! So. Easy.

But… You NEED a kitchen scale. It’s part of what makes it so easy! If you don’t already have one, I promise you, it’s worth it. You can get this one on Amazon for $11.

To make these a bit healthier, I used Einkorn flour (a non-hybridized flour that has been in use for over 1000 years), natural crunchy peanut butter, farm fresh eggs, and fancy European farm butter (this one, soooo good).

As I mentioned here, I’m also in love with vanilla bean paste.

Peanut Butter Cookie Butter Cookies

The Ingredients

The Recipe

1. Take out all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Weigh the flour (180 g), add to a prep bowl with the cornstarch (1 Tablespoon), finishing salt (one big pinch) and baking soda (3/4 tsp). Stir together and set aside.
3. Weigh the sugar (135 g) and add to a mixing bowl. Weigh and add the butter (140 g). Add the eggs. Cream the ingredients together until lightened and well-incorporated, using an electric mixer if possible.
4. Weigh and add the peanut butter (100 g) and the cookie butter (40 g). Add the vanilla bean paste (1 tsp). Beat ingredients together until well incorporated.
5. Add about one-fourth of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beat, repeat until all the dry ingredients have been combined with the wet.
6. Scoop out the batter and roll into a ball about 1 inch thick. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Create a criss-cross pattern on the top of each cookie by pressing the tines of a fork across the cookie, depressing it about halfway down, then rotating the tines 90 degrees and pressing again.
7. Bake for 8 minutes. Enjoy! (Makes about 24 cookies)

Closing Thoughts

I hope you enjoy these Peanut Butter Cookie Butter Cookies! Despite the repetitive name, these cookies really are one-of-a-kind delicious! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!

Happy Baking,
~Kate

Otherwise known as perseverance, tenacity involves the dogged determination to see it through to the end.

The Necessity of Tenacity

In our society of instant gratification, it is easy to assume that a goal not achieved quickly is a goal that will not be achieved at all, leading to discouragement, frustration, and ultimately, abandoned pursuit of the goal.

Deeper reflection reveals that this is not the case at all!

Rather, it is true that dogged determination to achieve the goal overcomes great obstacles. It is said that Edison attempted to invent the lightbulb thousands of times before actually succeeding.

10,000 Hours

Malcom Gladwell’s book, Outliers, suggests that the greatest artists and musicians practiced their craft for 10,000 hours before becoming true virtuosos. This offers us great encouragement to persevere past the initial stage!

To be not met with instant success does not mean the endeavor or skill is unattainable, but rather that it will be all the more sweet when achieved.

True Greatness

MANY great models of perseverance can rightly be proposed and celebrated. In fact, nearly every successful person has had to face adversity and setbacks, and continue to forge ahead, despite the ridicule of others and sometimes even despite abandonment by family and friends.

GREATNESS can not be achieved through small effort. GREATNESS can only be achieved through GREAT effort.

Barbie & Ruth

One remarkable example of sheer, dogged determination to succeed is Ruth Handler, the woman who gave us the Barbie doll.

This woman simply would not take “NO” for an answer.

The story of her perseverance is truly inspiriting, which is why her story, as told by Robin Gerber in her book, Barbie & Ruth, has been chosen to kick off the Friday at Kate’s Book Club.

Closing Thoughts

For the month of March, we will focus on Ruth and her determination to power through any obstacle. If you’ll join me in reading, I think you’ll agree that we could all use a little more of this virtue!

Happy reading!

~Kate

Do you like your thought soup? You know, all the random thoughts that combine in your mind to form the substance of what you think about?

What do you tell yourself about your life? Are you happy? Do you think: “I am happy”, “I love my life”, “I am blessed”, or the Dave Ramsey favorite, “I am better than I deserve”?

Thoughts have a Huge Impact…

Our thoughts, in large part, determine the character of our lived experience. If you mostly think happy, contented, encouraging thoughts, your life will likely “feel” the same. Likewise, if you are troubled by anxious, sad, or doubtful thoughts, your life will likely reflect those thoughts.

Changing Our Thoughts…

Our thoughts can be the hardest thing to change. We must be flexible, willing to change, and willing to admit we may have been wrong in our thoughts.

They also tend to be habitual. We wake up in the morning and think: _______. We drive around and think: _____. We eat and think: ______. We look at a task and think: _________. We look around our home and think: _______. We look at the people in our lives and think: _______.

Facing Challenges

Truly, we can’t like everything we encounter in life. This is unrealistic – everyone meets with challenges, difficulties, and pain. It’s how we face those challenges, what we think when we encounter those difficulties, and how we get through the pain.

Successful people, those who triumph over the obstacles thrown their way, face the challenges that arise with courage, conviction, and can-do spirit. This is not an accident of personality, but a choice anyone can make.

When we consider the key role our on thoughts play in how we approach, handle, and evaluate a situation everything changes. Difficult conversations, difficult negotiations, setbacks, physical pain, life in general – these challenges will be much easier to conquer if we go in with a positive attitude, as best prepared as possible, and considering the other(s) affected. Certainly, it will be much easier than if we approach with fear, doubt, or other negative thoughts.

Closing Thoughts

It is wise to consider the substance of our thoughts. What DO we spend most of our time thinking about? If your thought soup is not delicious, change the recipe! Even if it is an old family recipe…

To more days of “I love my life”,

~Kate

What do we do when we want something? We make it happen! As quickly as possible, usually. Want to eat some food? We prepare it, order it, or open it. Want to watch a movie, hang out with a friend, go for a walk, or finish your to-to list? Maybe take a trip or visit family or make a change in your life? We make like Nike and Just Do It.

But sometimes the timing of what is desired is out of our control. When that happens, the temptation is to view the waiting time, the in-between time, as a time of inactivity – like nothing is happening.

The Pregnant Pause

But let us pause to consider the beauty of negative space, the poignant silence in a symphony, the stillness of winter that melts into spring. These moments give more meaning to the colors, the sounds, and the new birth that follows.

Something is Happening…

Like a wave on the beach that must recede before rushing forward again with renewed strength, the pause is a time to grow, to reflect, to enjoy, to plan, to dream, to gather strength, to become the best version of ourselves so that when the waiting is over, we can fully enjoy its fulfillment.

~Kate

One of the key pieces of living a cozy life is having a cozy home. Home decorating is a key piece of creating that cozy home. When it comes to creating that cozy vibe, I have a winning formula:

How to Make Your House a Cozy Home

Tip 1

Choose a piece that you LOVE. This could be a framed piece of art, a sculpture, a wreath, an object, or a piece of furniture.

Tip 2

Consider the characteristics of that piece. What are its shapes, colors, lines, dimensions, and the “feel” it conveys?

Tip 3

Look for other pieces that match these characteristics. The lighting, furnishings, paint, and other decorative pieces you choose should have a connection with this piece in at least one of the characteristics listed above.

Tip 4

Lighting is key to creating a cozy space. Warm, soft light creates the coziest feel, while bright white lights convey the opposite.

Tip 5

Texture is another key characteristic in home design. Incorporating soft textures, especially in seating and bedding will ensure a cozy experience.

Tip 6

A note on color choices: Both warm and cool colors can contribute to a cozy feel. Bold colors can be incorporated, but should be soft in texture and have a lush feel. Think Moroccan palace. Otherwise, keep the color palette more harmonious with what you would find in nature.

Closing Thoughts on Cozy Spaces

If you’ve just moved into a new space or you find that your current space is not working well for you, I hope these tips provide you with a starting point on which to build your cozy vision with confidence. The world can be a chaotic place. Creating a cozy retreat is a beautiful way to provide yourself and your loved ones with a peaceful, restorative sanctuary.

~Kate

Our day-to-day lives are filled with a certain structure: we rise; we go about our day organizing chaos as much as it can be organized – through work or study or managing a household; we eat; perhaps we make time for a favorite enjoyment; and then we retire, hopefully to restful, restorative repose.

The repetition of daily life presents a challenge: We want our lives and our actions to have a deeper meaning and purpose, but, so often, the repetitiveness of these activities can make us feel disconnected, as if we are simply going through the motions.

If your days are beginning to feel more like an existential to-do list and less like actually living, allow me to share with you some tips to introduce the joy of daily ritual into your life.

Tips for Rediscovering the Joy of Daily Ritual

1. Start the day with something you love.

2. End the day with something you love.

3. Focus on Living in the Moment: really see everything in your world, listen to the sounds, feel the senations, taste the deliciousness, take in the scents and aromas, be present to the people around you.

4. Pay attention to the soundtrack in your mind – and change it if necessary! Your thoughts affect so much of your experience.

5. Focus on the deeper meaning of your life and how these activities are helping you reach your goals. Consider how your life and the challenges you face are preparing you as you become the Person you are meant to be.

25 Daily Ritual Ideas:

Tip: Choose three of your favorites and resolve to do at least one every day. Put it on the calendar!

– Enjoy a cozy cup of coffee or tea

– Light a candle and bask in the glow

– Read a chapter of a great book

– Turn on a playlist of your favorite songs and sing along

– Dance to your favorite music

– S t r e t c h . Hold each stretch for 5-10 seconds and feel it sink in

– Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while and catch up

– Lace up your sneakers and go for a run

– Take an exercise class, for example: PureBarre, yoga, spin, water aerobics, tennis, Zumba. Or hire a physical trainer

– Take a walk around your neighborhood

– Head over to your favorite spot and hang out for a while

– Have coffee with a friend

– Watch a movie with a friend

– Host a game night, dinner date, or tea party

– Write a letter

– Pray or meditate

– Pull out your art supplies and get crafty

– Take a personal enrichment class – such as cooking, language, art, music, instrument, etc.

– Bake a cake. Or some cookies.

– Cuddle – with a person, a pet, or a stuffie

– Soak in a scented or Epsom salted bath

– Write in your journal/gratitude book

– Make or add to your vision/inspiration board

– Do something nice for someone

– Finalize your plan for world domination

Closing Thoughts on the Joy of Daily Ritual

A ritual involves a mindful moment, elevating what could be simply mundane into something with meaning and purpose beyond itself. If you’re feeling disconnected, consider setting aside some time for an activity that brightens your day and re-energizes you. Any task of daily life can be undertaken with purpose and “ritualized” if undertaken with this thought in mind.

Best wishes for a cozy life,

~Kate

Because why not?

French Toast is my go-to brunch favorite, but I have some rules: It must be brioche, it must be thickly sliced – about one inch is right, and it must be served with real maple syrup.

I’m flexible with toppings – maybe some strawberries, maybe a “stuffed” French Toast with cream cheese and jam, maybe go tropical with a mango/pineapple medley, maybe top with some cookie butter, or even peanut butter (not my thing, but I know some who like it!).

But my favorite way is the classic way: a little powdered sugar, a little high-quality butter, and real maple syrup. It allows the French Toast to really shine, rather than be simply the edible “plate” for the toppings… which is sometimes the role of the pancake (a topic for another day).

Notes on Kahlua French Toast

I created this recipe mostly because I had just a little Kahlua left over after making a Kahlua chocolate cake and that bottle of Kahlua had hung around for too long already. Time for a fresh one!

A recently-discovered ingredient I LOVE – that makes *everything* better – is vanilla bean paste (link). I used this ingredient for the first time in a batch of sugar cookies, and they blew everyone away. They went so quickly!

I have read that it can be used one-for-one in any recipe that calls for vanilla so I’ve been doing so with great success… and maybe adding just a little bit more than what the recipe calls for.

That’s all for the notes, now for the recipe:

The Kahlua French Toast Recipe

It is soooooo easy!

1/4 c. Kahlua
2 eggs
1 heaping teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
8 1-inch thick slices of brioche
butter
real maple syrup

1. Combine the wet ingredients plus sugar with a fork, “whisking” until well-combined.
2. Heat the butter in a (cast iron/stainless steel) pan over medium heat.
3. Dip both sides of each slice of bread in the batter and place each slice in the heated pan.
4. Cook the first side for about 3 minutes and flip. If it looks browned and lovely, do the same thing with the other side. If it is a little too light, just wait a few minutes until the second side has cooked and flip again. Don’t worry if it seems a little on the blackened side.. this is just the sugar caramelizing and it should still be delicious covered in maple syrup, but keep an eye on the pan and lower the heat or add more butter as needed.
5. Top the cooked slices of French Toast with a little fresh butter and a little maple syrup.
6. Enjoy!

Final Thoughts on Kahlua French Toast

I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Kahlua French Toast recipe! I think is would be great served with berries, breakfast meat, and a blackberry mimosa.

Cheers!

Kate