In a world where we could have just about everything we want at a moment’s notice, we have to pick and choose where we allocate our energy and always remember that while good things are fleeting,

Great Things Take Time

You all know I love food, and I love to cook, which means I can appreciate a good recipe. A good recipe is something that is treasured for years and passed down through generations. Some are closely guarded secrets, others are shared proudly with the world, or filled with a zillion ads and SEO optimized writing (that’s some 2025 realness for you). Today, I want to share a recipe of mine with you.

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Here's what's in today's email

• A Recipe For Joy

• Adrian's Take on Returning To The Goodness

• Moments with Maurice

• What's Got Me Smilin'

A Recipe For Joy

What if we started collecting our own recipes for success? I’m not talking about general statements like “wake up and be great” or “Great Things Take Time”, I’m talking about something that is tested and true to ourselves. If baking is different for those at higher altitudes or with a different oven, then the process for finding a way to implement a new habit would be different for each of us. Some of us prefer rare steak (guilty), others well done, and some don’t even eat meat; clearly, we aren’t following the same type of dinner plan, and many other things are also likely different.

Today, I want to share a recipe of mine with you.

Last week, we laid to rest my father’s best friend. It wasn’t unexpected, but it hurt all the same. Another reminder that tomorrow is never promised and things can change very quickly.

Growing up, pretty much every weekend in the summer was spent at my “Uncle’s” house as our families mirrored each other. My dad and he were very similar in many ways. Both were Bobs (he Uncle Bob, my dad, Bobby). Both worked New York Sanitation. Both full of life, bursting at the seams with the joy they give others.

At the funeral, I was in awe of Uncle Bobby’s wife, Louann, because even after losing someone so close to her, she radiated joy and floated around spreading warmth and love over everyone there. She is clearly a woman who finds joy in all of the little things, a glass-half-full kind of person. We all grieve in different ways, but seeing her at the funeral timed with one of your questions from last week made me think of the power of finding the beauty and joy in life, and a reminder of how I love to exist on that side of things.

There is so much out there that makes life hard and brings us down; we each have our own personal battles we fight daily. Maybe you’re like me, and there are times when I don’t want to think about what’s going wrong; I want to see the good and the hope in things. (Or, if I’m being honest, I’m stuck in a grumpy spiral and could be offered the best in the world, and nothing would make me happy.)

Finding goodness in the everyday, the bad news, the predictable, and the common can get tricky when you’re in a routine and haven’t had any of the BIG soul-filling moments lately (think: social media highlights). Sometimes, in the middle of everything, it can be so hard to find your joy when you want to so desperately. 

It’s why I include the section at the bottom of these newsletters of things during my week that bring me joy, it’s not just for you, it’s also a reminder for me!

But If only I had a recipe I could return to that reminded me exactly what has worked for me in the past… A bunch of ingredients thrown together to make something I was craving: joy in the little things. 

And this is where today’s newsletter comes in! I need the accountability to come back to a recipe that shows me exactly how I’ve gotten to the product in the past, but unlike creme brûlée, I don’t need a blowtorch. Sure, I should know this by heart, but like a recipe, sometimes you forget the exact spice ratio or that secret ingredient and need to go back for reference.

Chef’s note: These are what work for me, but I don’t always abide by the recipe. Sometimes I think I know better than the tried and true methods, and I throw something in there I’ve never tested before. It doesn’t always come out tasting good, and then I’m reminded to stick to the boring and predictable recipe. It works for me just about every time, and that is something that makes me happy. Like any great recipe, I hope you take this and make it your own, or start from scratch, because you can’t believe I would even CONSIDER using some of these ingredients. ;)

Adrian’s Take on Returning To The Goodness

1. Dump in a heaping serving of Staying Present (Don’t measure this, just put as much in as you can, believe me, it won’t blow the ratios) and mix it with a good amount of water. (You can’t be present if you’re thirsty).
   

2. Mix well until it forms a paste and spread that shit over everything.

   
   Recipe notes: The toughest thing to do is focusing on where I am and who I’m with. This means I’m not thinking about the ever-growing to-do list or the upcoming events; I’m in the moment. I’m trying to avoid the regret where I later look at a situation and wish that I hadn’t been distracted, that I hadn’t taken advantage of everything in the moment. When I’m in the moment, I can fully capture every detail and play it back later. I feel so connected to the moment and the person, which in turn leaves me with a sense of glee.
   

3. Next, slowly add in a pinch of each item from your Gratitude List.
   
   Recipe notes: This one is simple and can be physical or mental. It’s running through a list of everything I have to be grateful for. Sometimes, I’m in a funk because I’m just being a bit of a brat, and this knocks me on the head and reminds me that I’m just stuck in a complaint mindset. Ever get to the point where you laugh at your “problems” because when you put them in perspective, they seem kinda silly? 
   

4. Fold in the Gratitude List, ensuring you turn it on its head to look at it as a past self.
   
   Recipe notes: The kicker is when I go through my gratitude list as past-Adrian. For example, 10-year-old me would probably have passed out with glee upon hearing that I have a car, or young 20s Adrian would be so relieved and happy for me to be out of credit card debt.

   

   
   

5. Whisk the mixture vigorously, all the while, being careful and keeping a Loss Mindset to ensure you don’t lose any of the batter out of the sides of the bowl.
   
   Recipe notes: You know that feeling in March or April, after the short days and depressing winter weather, when you’re outside and the sun hits your face and everything feels so wonderful? I like to think about how that will feel when it’s gone. Sure, this is a bit depressing, but there are plenty of things that we know that will come and go. The seasons are a perfect example of this. There are days when I try to find just five minutes to go outside, turn my face to the sun, and remind myself how lucky I am to be experiencing this now, because tomorrow might not be the same. What do I do on cloudy days? Either just turn into a dark cloud myself or remind myself that at least not every crevice of my body is sweating!
   

6. Finally, scoop out a tablespoon spoon ball-sized amounts and lay on a baking sheet with Six Degrees of Priority Separation
   
   Recipe notes: There are several things in my life that I use to inform the path I take. These priorities are unique to me, and while in general they may be similar, when you start breaking them down, they are very different. My priorities help dictate my schedule, the people I spend time with, the things I do for fun, and how I allocate resources. When I’m caught in the monotony and mundanity, I like to think about how this directly contributes to a priority and something that feels special to me.  Laundry sucks because it feels like it’s never-ending, but when everything is put away, my house becomes a space that is relaxing for me and that I can host people in. I am directly feeding my priority of creating a welcoming space for those around me who I love, making a safe haven for myself, and this makes me see the joy in the absolutely awful and tedious task of folding clothes.
   

7. Bake for 5-45 minutes with a quick workout to get the blood pumping and the endorphins flowing, then sit back and enjoy your hard work.

Moments with Maurice

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

If you’ve been journaling along with me, take the time to pause on the reflection and write down your answer to the prompt. Even if it feels silly in the moment, looking back on what you’ve written down can be eye-opening when you start to see patterns form.

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

Always Spritz Szn

It may be fall with a crazy Nor’easter, but it’s ALWAYS spritz season. Who says I need to save it for a certain time of year?!

The Downshift

In the midst of the rebuild of my car post accident, the interior is getting pieced back together. I also got to fill out a fun quiz to find out my attachment style and surprise surprise, it’s wheel measurements!

Breakfast Inspo

Last week, I took some time to focus on my breakfast and while my normal meal is granola and greek yogurt, switching it up was fun. There is more to why I was able to spend more time on my breakfast coming to you soon…

Nothing But Gratitude

The feeling when I find an almost empty street in NYC is one of those moments that makes my hear soar. This is a perfect example of Loss Mindset from above. I know that at some point, I’ll be surrounded by people, so right now it’s time to appreciated the peaceful morning in the city.

Remember:

-Adrian