Throughout our lives, we’ve been given a hefty dose of advice and “words of wisdom” from our friends, family and anyone else who just feels like they should chime in and I have to admit, I’ve been one of those people. I mean, who hasn’t?  Some of the advice is good but some of it just sucks don’t you think? We’ve been told to keep our friends close, our enemies closer and everyone else at an arm’s length. We’ve been told to speak when spoken to, to give thanks and, to always follow our hearts. We’ve been told that Life isn’t fair, don’t get mad, get even, or to just get over it, how hard can it be? We’ve been told that time heals all wounds (try to tell that to a parent who has lost their infant child).  We’ve been told that If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all (I’m sorry, but sometimes you just have to let it fly). We’ve been told that it’s the thought that counts, or just snap out of it, or the famous you shouldn’t care what people think. However, words are many times overlooked and overheard, going in one ear and out the other, and many times we don’t even understand what the advice means or how it pertains to our lives. But I try to remember that people mean well and even though their advice isn’t always asked for, they mean it out of the goodness of their hearts and there are some truths and lessons that I can learn from these words.  And on days when I’m not feeling the best, I like to go back to the basics of what I have learned while I was getting a healthy dose of adulting and trying to shape my identity in this world.

Every one of us have rules we live by whether we realize it or not, so here are a few rules I have learned so far and that I try to live by, they are ones that are helping me to stay true to myself:

1. Take responsibility for your life up to this point. Admit to your mistakes in life and look to rectify them if you are able to. But don’t regret what has happened in the past, you can’t change it. And it is what has led you to today.  Make peace with your past so it doesn’t screw up today.
2. Believe in your ability to change your circumstances, if that’s what you want.
3. Trust your instincts, generally our gut doesn’t lie. If it feels wrong, it probably is wrong. And always follow your heart, because there’s no better guide.
4. Always put you and your family first.
5. Practice the art of listening – you were given two ears and one mouth for a reason.
6. Help others without expecting anything in return. In addition, give because you want to give, not to receive anything in return – there is something beautiful about giving from a place of genuine love without conditions or expectations and that is more than enough return on your investment.
7. Don’t compare your life to others, you are on a different path altogether. And your journey is yours alone.
8. Don’t put others down to make yourself look better.
9. Don’t give your power away by letting others dictate how you should feel.
10. Stop trying to read everyone’s mind, it can’t be done. I have spent too many years trying to do that.
11. Hug as much as you can and say ‘I Love You’ from the heart.
12. Love your partner with everything you have.
13. Live by values you’ve defined for yourself.
14. Give everyone a chance and when necessary, give them a second chance.
15. Don’t be confined by rules, break them every once in a while.
16. Treat everyday as a gift. Each day you wake up is a new day to write your story, experience life, try something new, dance or even sing in the rain.
17. Learn to lean on people when you need to. By doing this you are not showing weakness, you are showing bravery.  Living with a chronic illness like MS is scary – forget about what next week holds in store for you, I don’t know what the next hour holds so I am learning to ask for help when I need it (although my family members might argue that this isn’t totally true, but I am trying).
18. Cherish love when you find it, because it’s rare.
19. Take the high road, the low road is never as fulfilling.
20. Tell your mom you love her while you can, because that’s all she wants to hear.
21. Sing when you feel like singing, because voices are meant to be heard. And our bodies are meant to move, so dance like nobody is watching!
22. Don’t cry over spilled milk, because it’s just milk. In other words, don’t sweat the small stuff.
23. Look for the silver linings, unless of course there’s a golden one.
24. Never judge on first impressions, because people are surprising.
25. Forgive yourself and forgive others.
26. Make your own path, because it’s the only way to where you want to go.
27. Eat your vegetables, because it will be easier to poop.
28. Work hard, nothing good comes from being lazy.
29. Start today, because tomorrow may never come.
30. Be a good friend, the world needs more of those.
31. Don’t say yes when you really want to say no.
32. Write it down, your memory is shit.
33. Show love. Never, ever hold back from giving a compliment if it is sincere.  There’s never a bad time to say something nice so get in the habit of doing this.  People will love you for it.
34. It’s ok to let your kids see you cry.
35. It’s never too late to be happy.
36. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
37. Keep your eyes open, miracles are waiting everywhere.
38. Your children (or grandchildren) only have one childhood.
39. Avoid over analyzing things – most of the time we never actually get an answer, but a whole new set of worries. So, stop thinking so much, because your thoughts are the root of most of your problems.
40. Allow yourself some quiet time every day.
41. You create a better world through leading by example.

I read somewhere that you should find just one thing to be thankful for every day.  By doing this regularly it will help you build up a state of mind that is thankful, grateful and appreciative.  Even on the hardest of days, it’s hard to be completely miserable when you remember all of the things that you are thankful for. I think that’s a great place to start, what do you say?

And I’m going to start by being thankful for these Keto friendly bagels!!! I can’t say that I am really missing any foods (except popcorn, but that’s another story) but my husband is a bread guy and I like the occasional bagel and cream cheese so I thought I would try my hand at a homemade bagel.  I tried once many moons ago to make pretzels and it was an all day affair for a less than mediocre pretzel that I may or may not have tossed in the garbage. Let’s just say that it was no New York bagel. It’s safe to say that these babies are on a whole different level than my first failed attempt.  The other thing I love about these, is they are fast to whip up and super easy to make. I like easy.  I did learn a couple of things which I will change-up the next time I make them.  Like, cook them a little longer as I prefer a denser consistency and if I am toasting one for breakfast, I would leave it in a little longer so its crispier, other than that, they are awesome!  I used a half of one to make a sandwich though and it was a perfect substitution for carb heavy bread.  These perfect bagels come to only 5 net carbs!  Try them and let me know how they work for you!

I found the recipe in my research (aka: Pinterest) when I stumbled upon Wholesome Yum. You can find it here as well! www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-bagels-with-almond-flour-keto-gluten-free-5-ingredients

Maya’s blog  is all about easy, natural, gluten-free, keto & low carb recipes – each with 10 ingredients or less! She’s so much more than Keto though – she has recipes that are vegetarian, Whole 30, Nut Free, Dairy Free and more – stop in to her site, you won’t be disappointed! Thank you Maya for this yummy KETO winner!

Low Carb Bagels with Fathead Dough

• Servings: 6
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

These Keto Bagels are easy, chewy and delicious!

Source: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Almond flour
• 1 tbsp Gluten-free baking powder
• 2 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 2oz Cream cheese (cubed)
• 2 Large Egg (beaten)
• Sesame seeds or Everything Bagel Seasoning (for topping – optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Stir together the almond flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Combine the shredded mozzarella and cubed cream cheese in a large bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir again at the end until well incorporated. (If you don’t want to use the microwave, heat the cheeses in a double broiler on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently, until completely melted and easy to stir.)
4. Stir the flour mixture and eggs into the melted cheese mixture. Working quickly while the cheese is still hot, knead with your hands until a dough forms. The dough will be very sticky, but keep kneading and squeezing through your fingers for a few minutes. If the dough becomes hard before fully mixed, is too difficult to mix, or is still sticky after a couple minutes, you can microwave/reheat for 15-20 seconds to soften it. In that case, wash your hands and knead again.
5. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Form/roll a long log with each part, then press the ends together to make a bagel shape on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. If using sesame seeds, sprinkle them over the bagels and gently press into the dough. (You can also use Everything Bagel Seasoning for everything bagels.)
6. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until the bagels are firm and golden.

NOTES:

a) It’s very important for the dough to be completely uniform before proceeding to the next step. You shouldn’t have pieces of cheese separate from areas of almond flour.

b) If you want to use a food processor or stand mixer, or if you have trouble with sticky dough, please check the tips in www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-bagels-with-almond-flour-keto-gluten-free-5-ingredients/  

Drop me a comment and share your rules, I’d love to hear them~

Thanks for stopping by today!

Raegan