I am a big fan of advertising. I love commercials. I’m one of the only people I know who doesn’t fast forward through them so I can listen to the voice over artists as well as look at the creative marketing choices. I pay attention to print ads in magazines, billboards as I’m riding in cabs, and am especially transfixed by the posters in the subway. This has been a particularly good year for promotions. And when I say good, I mean POSITIVE. Nearly every business is sending a message of hope, goodness, positivity, and empowerment.
I first noticed this ad for AT&T in the subway in September and something immediately switched on inside me. Imagine what those words did to the rest of New York City on their commute? The inspiring effect of these words is more powerful than any telephone sales the poster might have attracted, right? Yes, I write a blog entitled All Good Things, and yes, I tend to assess situations by looking for the favorable side first, so I am already tuned into these messages. But that’s gold right there. Go AT&T!
Once I was tuned into finding encouragement in advertising, I made a game of looking for the signs. I hit the jackpot!
Why yes, Chiquita bananas, I WILL just smile!
Hello, Mr. Vineyard Vines Whale, every day should feel this good!
Oh Toyota, I’m working on it, thanks for the reminder!
Then the signs started looking for ME:
I challenge you to open your eyes to the positive messages all around you. Look for the signs of goodness and embed them into your thoughts. You can use them as supportive little tools when you are taking actions. Carry them with you to fight off the possible holiday blues, or as you go into that tough meeting at work, or attempt to put your child to bed for the umpteenth time in one night.
Signs come in all forms, even vegetables! I was in my farmer’s market this week and was greeted by some festive purple tinged produce. Last Summer I wrote a post about going on a rampage of appreciation (that also makes for a very good post to read during the hectic rush of holiday time!) In that post I wrote about missing my friend Amy and her love of the color purple. I was in the farmer’s market missing my friend and like magic, I found myself surrounded by purple vegetables! I gathered them up, took them back to my kitchen and created a purple salad dedicated to my dear friend. As you can imagine, I am missing Amy terribly as I prepare to celebrate the holidays and she is far away in Los Angeles with her family. But here she is with me in my market, in my kitchen, in my heart. A memory (and a phone call away!) What can you cook as a sign of love that will conjure up the memory of someone far away?
Amy’s Purple Sautéed Greens
with Sesame and Ginger
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger and green chili paste (or crushed garlic)
- 1/2 pound baby bok choy
- 1/2 pound mustard greens (or any bitter green)
- 1/2 pound of trimmed kale-ets (substitute a small bunch of chopped kale, stems removed)
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Heat the oils in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the ginger paste, stirring. Add the greens, season with salt and pepper, stirring for 2 minutes until everything is wilted but still crisp. Remove from heat, and top with sesame seeds.
