Doorway to the Sea, Amalfi Coast, Italy

… because we want you all to understand wellness better. Wellness is not waking up in the morning and resolving to eat fiber all day. Wellness is also not about diet and exercise. What wellness is, however, is a culmination of these things and more.

Your well-being relies mainly on what makes you a happy and healthy person. 

The way you feel about yourself, your status in life, and your goals, wants, and needs, affect how happy you are on a day to day basis. With the increasing amount of stress and upsets in today’s society, more and more people find themselves feeling as if a piece of them has gone missing; as if they’ve lost purpose in what they do.

We’re here to remind people not to stop what they are doing, but to slow down, reevaluate, and regain meaning. Deep down, there are at least one or two things we know make us smile. And if there isn’t one inside you just yet, then there is something you may want to try or experience. Some want the company of a close circle of friends or others may want to liven up their existences. Whatever it is, remember that you have to have to be happy.

So as a step forward, make a list of things you like to do and why you like to do them. Identifying why will help you recognize when your body needs them. Whether you write down “Shopping” because it helps you build your self-esteem and sense of style, or “Listening to Music” because it helps you release steam and refocus your priorities, it will help you understand a lot more about yourself and what you need more of in your life.

The Blue Hole, Belize

Kunsthofpassage Funnel Wall, located in Dresden, Germany. The drain pipes and gutter system play music when it rains.

Xcaret, Mexico

Stone Bridge in Switzerland

Waterfall Gardens, Villandry, France

Go get a balloon!

Beach Relaxation

Iceland Highway One photographed by Julian Calverley

Sunset

Today looks like a great day to start doing something new! Why not take a walk and enjoy the scenery? Or take a run into the park and take random photos of random things? Happiness and well-being are what you make of it..so explore something new!

1. Preheat oven to 225°C/440° F.
2. Combine the garlic and oil in a large bowl, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to the baking sheet, coating it well.
4. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic mixture and toss to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high power until the potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the bowl to redistribute the potatoes halfway through cooking.
5. Combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.
6. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Serve with ketchup, mayo or sour cream.

Update: Given that I do not like to use the microwave for cooking, and plastic cling wrap is a little scary to use, I have tried making these garlic fries by par-boiling the potatoes and then letting them steam dry by laying them in a single layer on kitchen napkin. I proceeded with step 5 and it turned out to be SO GOOD!