May 2008

Originally posted on http://zoefoodsblog.blogspot.com/.

We all fall into ruts from time to time, whether it is about how we look or feel, or whether we are achieving our goals. I’ve learned that the key is to not fall down too far, and if I do, to acknowledge it to myself, my family, and my colleagues. Recently, I’ve been in a bit of a rut with too much to do, and not enough time for family, work, friends or myself.

Here’s just a small sample of my to do list for the next couple of days: My family has just moved to the next town and we need to unpack, set up phone and internet service (thank goodness for my Blackberry), change our address at the P.O., unpack, buy a birthday present for my daughter’s friend’s birthday tomorrow, unpack, repaint the kitchen, unpack, take better care of myself and get more sleep, unpack … At Zoe Foods I just have a couple of things going on :), reformulate Zoe’s Granolas to make them taste as good as the leading brands, hire a new VP of Sales, get our marketing intern up and running, revise Zoe’s Granola packaging, increase sales… UGH – where to begin!

Well, I guess the good news is that I’ve recognized that I’m completely overwhelmed at work and at home and so I’m in a bit of a rut. Two things that I’ve found to be helpful: (1) Write my to do list for one day only on one of those magnetic boards that kids play with and have it next to my desk. At the end of the day, have completed everything on it and slide the slider to erase all of the cross outs – yeah! The next day I get to start with a clean slate – not so overwhelming. (2) Stop committing to so many things – and tape “You can only do so much” to my computer monitor as a reminder!

As a friend said to me recently, if you’re on an airplane and the oxygen masks drop down and you’re with your small children, what do you do? My answer was to help my children first of course. I am just now beginning to understand that this is the wrong answer. If I can’t breathe, how will I possibly help anyone else?

Originally posted on http://zoefoodsblog.blogspot.com/

I hate to be the one to break it to you – but it doesn’t exist. And by the way, there’s no fountain of youth, and I have yet to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. But hey, I don’t mean to be negative, just realistic. As the founder of a natural foods company, I am often asked the question “will I lose weight if I start eating Zoe’s Granolas and/or Zoe’s Bars?”

Although there is no such thing as a magic bullet, a little discipline and common sense do go an awful long way. Easy advice to give, harder to actually follow – I know because I’ve been there too.

When I first started Zoe Foods – about eight years ago – I received an email from a woman sincerely thanking me for making Zoe’s Granola. She said that she began eating Zoe’s Granola in place of her normal breakfast. Before long, she had begun to lose weight and not be hungry before lunch. Since she had lost some weight and was feeling better, she started walking regularly. Before she knew it, she had unintentionally lost more weight, and felt stronger and more energetic.

I couldn’t believe that Zoe’s Granola had become the catalyst for change for this woman to lead a healthier lifestyle. Although Zoe’s is not a magic bullet, I was pretty excited about its potential to make a difference in people’s lives. This has been my dream for a long time.

Starting Zoe Foods eight years ago is part of my dream to make a difference in people’s lives through a business that would be interesting, challenging, and allow me to work with amazing people. My dream to grow Zoe Foods into a natural foods brand that is available in grocery stores nationwide persists. Because my team and I believe in this dream, we are beginning to see how we can achieve our goals.

Keep believing in yourself, and you too can achieve your goals whether they relate to your weight or anything else you would like to achieve in your lifetime.

Originally posted on http://zoefoodsblog.blogspot.com/.

I had forgotten this story until just now… in November I was with my husband and our two girls, and some friends of ours and their two children. Tina gave all four children a penny to throw in the fountain so that they could make a wish. My youngest daughter, 3 years old at the time, started to cry after she threw her penny in the fountain. Through her tears she explained to me that she wished she had a unicorn, but after the penny went into the pool, no unicorn appeared.

I tried to explain to her that when we make a wish, it doesn’t always happen immediately, and that sometimes we need to keep wishing in order to make it come true. Luckily for her, Christmas was around the corner and Santa Clause must have gotten wind of her wish because she received a unicorn in her stocking

Why did I suddenly recall this story from this past December – because I realized that today, I was having a “no unicorn day.” My wish and dream to grow Zoe Foods has had its challenges, and today feels like a day with few “wins.” Like my daughter, I too will keep wishing and working hard to make my dream to have Zoe’s Granolas and Zoe’s Bars available in retail stores throughout the country. Please share your dreams and wishes with me – I’d love to hear from you.