Here, in Washington, DC, when the cherry blossoms bloom, they not only bring with them the feeling of spring but they also bring their wisdom. 

The cherry blossoms are beautiful, intense, and fleeting! They can easily be taken for granted by the people living closest to them. If you want to see them at their peak, you can't put it off for another day. You never know when a rain storm or a windy day can come and knock down the blossoms. So if you want to see them, even if it's inconvenient, you need to make time in your day. 

Did you already pick up on the wisdom of the cherry blossom? 

Don't give up just yet! Since February is the time when most of us start tossing our new year's resolutions aside, I thought this was the perfect occasion to break out my annual guide to building a resolution. 

Admittedly, I'm not always a huge fan of making resolutions. First, I think change can happen at any time and on any day of the year. Second, I think resolutions are great when we create realistic and specific goals. But, resolutions are not so great when we only say "I am going to lose weight" or "I'm not going to be late this year". Without a specific plan of how we'll achieve the goal, the odds are we'll get discouraged, give up and say, "I'll try again next year". And, this can leave us feeling worse than before we started to make a change. 

So, how can you build a better resolution? Try following these 5 steps.

A few weeks ago, I went apple picking and beet pulling. Such a fun day! In my excitement though, I bought A LOT of apples and beets. 

During the ensuing apple sauce making and beet roasting production, I started thinking about how I often hear from people that they don't buy many fruits and veggies because they end up going bad before they can eat them. They feel like they're tossing food and money down the garbage disposal. 

Since I'm always looking for ways I can help people eat more fruits and veggies, here are 5 tips to help you increase your fruit and veggie consumption and decrease your food and money waste.

It's hard to believe but it's officially fall! 

Though I am always sad to bid farewell to summer, fall brings with it a whole new way of life. Old routines are back, new projects are ready to be started, apples are plentiful and closets are ready to be cleaned. And, if you've been wanting to start a new habit, I think fall is a fantastic time to do it.  

If you're starting to think about starting a new habit or bringing back an old one, my advice to you is to make a plan. No matter what we're trying to accomplish in life, we're so much more likely to accomplish it with a plan. Need a hand? Here are 3 steps to creating a plan and a habit.

1. Figure out the "What?" and "Why?"

Sooner or later, life throws all of us a serious curve ball. 

Sometimes, we know it's coming and sometimes it comes out of nowhere on a random, sunny morning. In those moments, taking care of our own well-being can be incredibly hard but is also critical so that we can be there for ourselves and those who may be depending on us.

 When a curve ball comes your way or the way of someone you care about, these 5 little steps can help make a big difference.