Homemade Chicken Divan – chicken casserole served with almonds, and Mornay sauce. American cuisine

More left overs?

The thought of warmed over food can make you queazy — Yuck!  You like freshly prepared meals!  If the entire dish is warmed over and over and over again – what was juicy becomes rubbery and tasteless. Let me share a secret that will make you hide your left overs from hungry guests that bring nothing to the table! It’s about having the right perspective, chemistry, technique and environment.

The right perspective.

When I was first divorced, I was so glad to be free, I didn’t realize there was a sadness blanketing my soul.  I was so busy being busy.  Maybe you’re a leader doing great things but you’re still not satisfied.  There’s this feeling of being overlooked. Selected but not empowered. Overworking, overcommitting.  Running everywhere in the name of good. The tinge of sadness creeped up around the end of October and expanded into the new year.

The Left Over State.  The leftover state looks similar to our meals after Thanksgiving.  As a carefully prepared meal was presented, appreciated, sampled and left on the table, perhaps so were you.  All of the hype and anticipation of being presented and appreciated built to a crescendo. Then seemingly without warning – the sampling and rejection phases come crashing down around you. You brought everything to the table. Now the celebrated newness is over, it feels like more is pulling at you — taking away from you. You’re no longer on the fast track to your dreams. But hold on!  Everything is happening to take you from where you are to where you want to be. If you can begin to see it, it’s possible to create it.

The right chemistry.

The ingredients, spices and flavors become even more poignant with time in the right temperature.  You thought the stove was the key item for blending all of the ingredients together.  Yes, heat is necessary for the fusion process but the metamorphosis is not over. Refrigeration continues the blending process. In the quiet — the coolness, when it seems like nothing is happening – the important work is occurring.  It allows the dish to be sustained — preserved for a specific time.  The right relationships, opportunities, conversations and goals are coming together for you.  The inner work is preparing you for the outer manifestation.

The right technique.

Taking an entire turkey and warming it repeatedly in the oven creates jerky! Perhaps you need to change your method — your technique. Take a bit of the whole and attentively, warm it so that it is invigorated — not over done. Ever noticed that cake icing hardens after a day or so, but when ever-so-slightly warmed, the moisture resurfaces. The first bite in your mouth makes your lips turn up in a smile. Your eyes roll back in your head, and your hand slaps your knees — how can it be that this is even more delicious?  Don’t burn out.  Learn to take it step by step — attentively and consistently, celebrating along the way.  You’ll find a revitalization that lights up your eyes!

The right environment.

You are in the perfect position to change the whole perception of left over.  Unique soul!  You are here for a reason.  The fire was hot but you came through it. The situation did not take you out!  You may have been left out, left alone, or just left — but it’s not over!  It just means you’re ready for part two of the process. It takes being put in the right place where your flavors can come together to create something more flavorful!

Your latter is greater than the former, and the glorious latter is not for everyone. So as we go into the holiday season, know the secret of leftovers and be selective. Remember you were set apart to delight. Motivate. Inspire. Transform into a more delicious you! More desirable and satisfying than ever.

Don’t you love left overs?