Stress free Soy-Glazed Chicken

Cooking is therapeutic for me. Currently, I'm unemployed so I've been a little stressed out. I usually like to try different recipes so I can learn new techniques. Today is not one of those days. I felt like using ingredients that I was familiar with -- soy sauce, lemon grass, ginger, brown sugar. I love Asian sauces because they're usually a little sweet with a punch of flavory goodness.

When I make Asian-y marinades, I usually go with my gut and taste it often.

Here's my inexact recipe for making some Soy-Glazed chicken:

Mostly soy sauce (~1 cup)

5 cloves of garlic (pureed)

2-3 tablespoons of lemongrass

4 tablespoons of sugar (I did 3 brown sugar and 1 granulated)

dash of ginger

sesame seeds

pepper "to taste"

1 tsp of sambal sauce (for heat if you want)

I marinaded my chicken for a few minutes because I was impatient. I would actually marinate it for 15 minutes to an hour. You try it and let me know :)! 

Bake at 425 F degrees for 35-40 minutes. I flipped it halfway and added leftover marinade to its body... it will result in burnt sauce on the pan and a marinaded drumstick. Worth it.

Take it out, let it rest, and hope for the best :P. 

How to Combat Negative Thoughts

I was recently watching a scene in Gilmore Girls where the protagonist, Rory, had lived her entire life dreaming of becoming a journalist. She landed an internship at one of her boyfriend's dad's newspapers and shadowed him for weeks. Towards the end of the internship, Rory felt like she made an impact on the organization and that she found her stride. This is then crushed when her boyfriend's dad sat her down and told her that she just "doesn't have 'it'", leading Rory on a downward spiral where she questions her entire identity.

This scene in Gilmore Girls immediately gave me a flashback in college when my professor proclaimed he "[couldn't] let someone graduate college" with such poor writing skills. This was hard for me to hear after many years of viewing myself as a good writer. Like Rory, I was sheltered by own ego.

I spent the next few years not wanting to blog or apply for a Master’s program because I was afraid that I wouldn't be good enough. All I thought of was my professor telling me that I wasn't good enough. I was caught up in a negative thought cycle and created a habit of putting myself down. In reality, the professor did me a favor. He pointed out that my writing needed work and was honest about it.

He didn't say "you are not good enough" or "stop trying". I made that incident to mean that. He did not actually say that. That is a huge difference.

In college, I was consumed by my own thought patterns with constant highs and lows. I never truly got out of them until a year ago through the help of others shedding perspective. To combat rejection and other setbacks, we must be proactive in recognizing these thought patterns.

If you ever face a setback that spirals into a negative thought cycle, here are steps on how to combat them.

1. Observe what you are thinking without judgment.
I learned this while reading "The Power of Now". See what you are thinking and do not continue to feed it. Simply observe it. It is like a flame, do not continue fanning the flame when your goal is to take it out the fire.

2. Set up a way to counter your thoughts using action.
Action has been one of the easiest way for me to get out of my negative spirals. Go outside, jump around, meet a friend for coffee. Get yourself in an environment that causes you to be in a more positive state. Once you're in a positive state, you can take a better look at your thoughts and what caused your negative thoughts to trigger.

3. Figure out your triggers.
One of my triggers is when someone tells me that I am wrong. I notice my body becoming irritated, upset, my heart beats faster, and I start to hear myself say "you're wrong, you're wrong". This is created in my mind. I immediately discount that these thoughts have been created in my mind are untrue and that these thoughts are rooted from a blockage I have from early childhood.

4. Surround yourself with a strong support group who do not judge you when you are vulnerable.
Surrounding yourself with people who do not set off your triggers or enable your negativity is key. People will be able to provide perspective or a safe space for you to let out what you are thinking without judgment. Although it may feel like a burden to others, be assured that the people around you love you very much. Find the right people to help you get through this.

These are just a few steps on how we can combat negative thoughts in our everyday lives. I wish everyone the best of luck. I am creating this blog to share my thoughts and hope to help others.


**Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist but rather offer my own experience to those who might make use of it. **

Recommended Books:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Before Happiness by Shawn Achor
The Defining Decade by Dr. Meg Jay