Thursday, March 28, 2013
GETTING THINGS DONE




People talk about A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. being a problem. And everyone thinks medication is the solution.  Forty years ago – no one had ever heard of either one of these.  The truth is, long before there were even medications for such – staying on task and getting things done has always been a problem for many people.  It has existed ever since humans have been on this planet, which is why Historians have found many incomplete artifacts, artwork, incomplete storytelling and half-done projects still to this day.  It is human nature to get distracted.  More than half of those diagnosed with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. really don’t have it at all!  

Today, it may seem as if we have more to get distracted by.  And while it is true that technology takes up a lot of our time, we’d like to take the time to quote Betty White: “I really have to thank Facebook… I didn’t know what Facebook was, and now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time.”    Yes, Betty it IS a huge waste of time, especially if has become an addiction and is taking one away from many other things that they should be doing. 

Prioritization is most people’s problems.  And it isn’t necessarily about multitasking.  We feel that multitasking can be productive, but only if one is organized.

The main problem is organizing your priorities and mastering the use of time.  And this is where many people fail, even if they put themselves on a schedule.  This is also why most people claim they have ‘no time’ to work out, clean, take a time out for themselves to have fun, etc. and become even more tired, worn out, listless and lose the desire to live life because it becomes overwhelming with too much to do.

The answer to all of this is to schedule everything based on what is important.  And while we cannot create a list for you, it is up to you to figure out what is important.   We think that there is a particular order that is logical – because many things cannot happen unless they are prioritized.  Health is most important – because without it, you really can’t do anything else (work or play or spend time with family; or do any other task). 

Take the time to eat well and healthy. Get some fresh air outside every day along with some exercise, even if you are just walking around the block.   Rest properly getting the right amount of sleep.  Drink plenty of water.   

These things seem elementary, but more than 50% of the population does NOT do this and this is why they have a problem with concentration, focus, task mastering, organization – not just of priorities to tackle, but of their own thoughts which become scattered and create less productivity.  They become malnourished, dehydrated, tired, and overly stressed (because they are not sleeping well!) and it’s a very cyclical thing – for which they end up medicating themselves for, which causes more side effects and more problems altogether.

Be sure you honor yourself and your health. You'll soon find that this is the ultimate solution for concentration and for getting things done so you can enjoy your life.

~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Monday, March 25, 2013
THE FINE ART OF LETTING GO




As a child, we were told to let go of a toy and share.

As a child, we had to let go of our fears and learn new things – like swing on the monkey bars or dare to play Dodge Ball and be hit with the ball.

Yet at the same time we were told to NOT let go of our parent’s hand when crossing the street.
And we were told to NOT let go of the handrail on the escalator or while climbing stairs.

At some point we somehow accidentally let go of a balloon and set it free.

Some children cry when they see the balloon go away.  Some children gasp with wonder as they watch it soar in the sky.  

We all react differently in letting go and we received lots of mixed messages over the years about what letting go actually means and the consequences of what happens when we do.

Letting go is a fine art.  We don’t realize it – but much like all the other lessons we learn in life, we have to at some point release everything.

So what is the real fear here?   When we let go of everything what is the fear?  Is the fear losing everything?  And so what if we did?  Is it so bad?  How do we react to that very balloon now? 

Do we cry? 

Do we gasp with wonder?

Letting go is hard for a lot of people.  Mostly because they look at letting go as rejection.  Truth is if you let go – and release, you’re surrendering to the idea of being free.

Freedom is about being strong enough to be okay no matter what and not put yourself in a position of thinking that life is about ‘hanging on’ to things which no longer serve you.
We often get stuck with staunch positions of ‘being right’ – but in doing so, we stay stuck in ego-mode.  How about being OPEN….open to learning, open to growing, even open to being wrong so that you can evolve into greater wisdom? 

What happens when we are open?  We release, we let go, we unleash the burdens which weigh us down and no longer feel ‘stuck’ in the position of victimization, or being wronged or feeling helpless or hopeless.  We simply are.  And in simply being – it is when we are most free.

The art of letting go is about trusting in the idea that we don’t know everything.  We still are works in progress and we have a lot to learn and more discoveries to make.  And isn’t that something really beautiful about life?  That we may actually have more living to do, more learning to do and more adventures to explore and discover? 

The art of letting go allows us to the great gift of what freedom truly is – the freedom to be human, to be allowed to make mistakes, the divine gift of forgiveness – of ourselves and of each other and simply being the best we can be. 

The art of letting go allows us to soar upward into the life we were meant to live and become who we were meant to become. 

~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS
Thursday, March 21, 2013
LIFE ON THE ROCKY ROAD




When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life hands you a rocky road, well…what else should you do but embrace it and take it on.

While many people may reach for rocky road ice cream – here at We Solved It we make Rocky Road Candy.   The inspiration has come full-circle. 

Both of us, Athena & Tess come from World War II veteran fathers and mothers who survived challenging times.  Some would say it was a time that was one of the ultimate rocky roads of life.  During this economic struggle and recession our families had to try to make the best of times.  

We learned early on that rocky roads were something that we just had to accept and do our best to endure the struggle. But it was in that struggle we discovered that the strength pulled from those times, gave us the tools to actually solve more problems than we realized because we had to become resourceful in getting by and providing what happiness we could within our family structures to make it through.   It is during these times – that yes, we do find out what we are made of.  And we do discover who we are and what we are capable of.  

It is also during these times we learn how not to take good things for granted and pay forward the respect, compassion, empathy and understanding even while we ourselves may be going through a tough time, which is what has inspired us to remain solution-oriented. 

On the Big Island of Hawaii, there is a rocky road.  This is a real road (pictured above) with a sign that really does say “Drive Carefully, Unimproved Road Ahead.”   Let’s remember that the islands are made from volcanoes.  But if we take a step back and think about how an eruption can create beauty and look at life through these same eyes, we will soon discover the magic that resides within the journey to get there to appreciate WHAT IS.

This road is much like this.  And yes, you will need 4 Wheel Drive to get through it – but it is a real road one that is unpaved and one like a challenging obstacle course that one must get through in order to see what is awaiting one’s eyes on the other side.  

What is on the other side?  Well, the bluest ocean you will ever see.  The tallest palm trees swaying playfully and freely in the island breezes and the sun glistening upon the ripples of the water which sparkles in a way you think can only happen in movies or dreams.   But IT IS REAL and it DOES EXIST.  And the vision is beyond sweet.

So this is what the inspiration is behind this blog and yes, making this recipe a life ritual for making life sweet, to endure the rocky road of life we all face at one time or another and of course, knowing that the gift of sweet paradise awaits us.   But it is the rocky road of life that makes us APPRECIATE life when it is sweet and to take the time to KNOW and UNDERSTAND that while the rocky road is not always easy, that it makes us who we are and gives us the better perspective of appreciating the journey along the way.  It’s about survival and knowing we not only can, but we must also savor the moments we can make for ourselves and for each other as a reminder that we can experience a break in the process to enjoy a sweet moment we must make and create ourselves.

Make rocky road candy… and know you are not alone. 

~ Athena & Tess – We Solved It
SOLUTIONS for everyday PROBLEMS


ATHENA’S ROCKY ROAD CANDY
 


16 oz. of chocolate, chopped (you can pick your favorite: milk, semi-sweet, and 60% dark or white)
3 cups of miniature marshmallows
1 cup of chopped nuts (your choice – walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans or pistachios)

Butter a 9 x 13 glass dish.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler.  If you do not have a double boiler pan, simply get a pot, fill it 1/3 of the way with water and place a heat-proof glass bowl on top, making sure that the glass bowl does not touch the water in the pot.  Put chocolate in the bowl and simmer water over medium heat.  Be careful you do not overfill the pan with water. You do not want water to boil over, underneath the bowl where the chocolate is sitting.  Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat.  Take top of the double boiler or bowl off the hot water (be careful – use a pot holder!).   Add marshmallows and nuts into the melted chocolate and stir to incorporate.  DO NOT over stir; you do not want to melt the marshmallows. You want to keep them as whole as possible.  Use a rubber spatula and pour melted chocolate mixture into buttered dish.  Chill in the refrigerator until set.  Cut into pieces. Enjoy! 

NOTE: The better quality the chocolate you use the better the rocky road turns out.  Baker’s Chocolate is sold in grocery stores and is generally used for candy making over chips. But you can use chocolate chips and it will turn out tasty.