Blog Posts

Keep Your Resolutions

It’s the season for New Year’s resolutions. Setting and reaching goals is always an admirable endeavor, and most people set goals during the first part of the year. The Liv Northgate Blog has a couple of tips that will help you achieve and keep all of your resolutions this year. We hope that you have a great year filled with achievement and success. Get inspired Before you start working on your New Year’s resolutions, take a few minutes to get inspired. Create a “mood board” or a Pinterest board with pictures and articles that you think will help you stay motivated. Read books related to your goal, make a list of people whose careers you want to emulate, and surround yourself with inspirational quotes. One of our favorite inspirational quotes is from Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.” You can find a list of inspirational quotes here . Come up with a game plan A game plan can help you map out just what you want to achieve, track your progress, and set deadlines for your goal. Make sure that your goal is concise — know what you want to achieve, how you want to achieve it, and how quickly (or slowly) you want to make progress. The SMART method of writing goals is particularly popular. Find out more about writing SMART goals here . Work You can’t achieve a goal unless you’re willing to work for it. Make sure that you are intrinsically motivated to achieve your goal. Motivation comes when your goal is something you really want to achieve. Don’t set goals for other people or because you think that you should. Set goals because you are passionate about seeing results and then work like mad to achieve them. Don’t sweat about slipping up once in awhile — just rest, recover, and start again. Persistence is what separates those who don’t achieve their goals and those that do. Need some inspiration to keep going? Angela Lee Duckworth has a great TED talk on sticking with your goals. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions for us? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

New Years Eve

New Year’s is coming up, and this month we have some advice to help you celebrate. We hope that our tips help you have a very happy New Year’s! We have everything from New Year’s dishes, appetizers, desserts to help with writing your New Year’s resolutions. Appetizers We love these Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges from Creme de la Crumb . These wedges are perfectly seasoned and they go great with ranch or blue cheese dressing dipping sauce. Another great New Year’s appetizer is Taco French Bread . Life in the Lofthouse makes this appetizer with ground beef, taco seasoning, refried beans, cheddar, french bread, tomato, olives, and green onions. This is an easy-to-make recipe that you can throw together easily before your party. This is the perfect appetizer for a casual New Year’s Eve in with friends. Main Dishes We don’t know about you, but we’re looking forward to a low-key New Year’s Eve. If your New Year’s Eve is a more casual affair, make Slow Cooker Roast Beef French Dip Sandwiches . This recipe comes from Closet Cooking. This recipe uses balsamic vinegar for a unique and delicious taste. It takes a while for the roast to cook, but once it’s done, this recipe is a great and easy dish to throw together. For a more formal affair, try making this Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken from The Recipe Critic . You’ll love having this dish with pasta, quinoa, or rice. Desserts If you’re going to keep your energy going through midnight, it’s important to have something to look forward to. Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is an easy dessert to make for a group of people, and it tastes great with a side of vanilla (or mint!) ice cream. It doesn’t take very long to make, either, which can be a benefit when you’re trying to throw together dinner for a large group of people. Caramel Apple Donuts are a great snack to eat right after you ring in the New Year. After midnight, it’s technically the first morning of 2017. Greet the morning with these donuts and a cup of hot chocolate . Resolutions Many people choose to make New Year’s resolutions. We think that you should write one this year. Make sure that you have a specific plan to achieve your goal, with smaller goals in between you and your final goal. Focus on one goal at a time and report your progress to a friend with a similar goal for motivation and encouragement. What are your New Year’s resolutions? Are there any New Year’s celebrations coming to Gilbert, AZ that we should know about? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Look on the Brightside

In this post, the Liv Northgate Blog is celebrating Look on the Brightside Day here in Gilbert, AZ. Look on the Brightside Day is coming up on December 21st, and we’re helping you prepare and celebrate with five TED talks embracing creativity, positivity, and innovation. We hope that these tips help you become a more positive person this month. Grit: The power of passion and perseverance Angela Lee Duckworth studies the difference between successful and unsuccessful students. Successful students have grit; unsuccessful students don’t. Duckworth discusses the benefits of grit and offers a possible solution to fostering it in ourselves and in others. Quote: “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, buy for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Embrace the near win Sarah Lewis teaches us a little bit about perseverance, mastery, and the benefits of a near-win. She argues that almost winning — and never feeling completely satisfied, always picturing something more perfect in the future — can keep us motivated to do better and keep going when failure seems imminent. Quote: “ We build out of the unfinished idea, even if that idea is our former self. This is the dynamic of mastery.Coming close to what you thought you wanted can help you attain more than you ever dreamed you could.” Elizabeth Gilbert: Success, failure and the drive to keep creating Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love , discusses what keeps us going even when failure sits at our doorstep: love. Gilbert urges listeners to find what they love and stick to it, even when doubt and distress threaten to tear down what you’ve built. Love will keep you going through epic failures and maybe even lead to success. Quote: “Look, I don't know where you rightfully live, but I know that there's something in this world that you love more than you love yourself. Something worthy, by the way, so addiction and infatuation don't count,because we all know that those are not safe places to live. Right? The only trick is that you've got to identify the best, worthiest thing that you love most, and then build your house right on top of it and don't budge from it.” The optimism bias Tali Sharot speaks of how our brains are hardwired for optimism, and how our “optimism bias” affects how we perceive ourselves (and others). She discusses both the benefits and pitfalls of optimism in this TED talk. Quote: “Whatever happens, whether you succeed or you fail, people with high expectations always feel better. Because how we feel when we get dumped or win employee of the month depends on how we interpret that event.” The happy secret to better work Shawn Achor discusses the happiness that can come from embracing a positive attitude and the benefits of positivity in your work and in your personal life. He also discusses ways to make your brain think more positively. Quote: “If you can raise somebody's level of positivity in the present,then their brain experiences what we now call a happiness advantage, which is your brain at positive performs significantly better than at negative, neutral or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy levels rise. In fact, we've found that every single business outcome improves.” What are your favorite TED talks on optimism? Leave us a link and your best “positive thinking” tips in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Violin Day

Today the Liv Northgate Blog is celebrating Violin Day on December 13th with a few performances from the Phoenix Symphony. The Phoenix Symphony has been entertaining audiences in the Gilbert, AZ area since the 1940s . Violin Day is a celebration of one of our favorite instruments, so it only makes sense that we would feature our favorite symphony to celebrate. The three events we are featuring are just a sampling at the events coming to the Phoenix Symphony next month. We encourage you to look at the calendar now and get your tickets before they sell out — they go pretty fast. We know you’ll have a great time attending an event next year. Star Wars: The Music January 13, 2017 “ The Phoenix Symphony brings another popular episode of Star Wars: The Music to Symphony Hall. As Rogue One takes on the universe this fall, put on your best Star Wars costume and come celebrate John Williams’ acclaimed music including the “Main Theme,” “Imperial March” and new music from Episode VII – The Force Awakens . Get your tickets today as this one night only concert is guaranteed to sell out.” Simple Sinatra January 14015, 2017 “Journey to the timeless era when The Chairman of the Board ruled the stage. Sensational vocalist Steve Lippia returns to The Phoenix Symphony for this popular tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra. In an evening dedicated to Ol’ Blue Eyes, enjoy favorites like “Luck be a Lady,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “My Way” and more.” A Night of Leonard Bernstein January 20-21, 2017 “Music Director Tito Muñoz leads a distinctly American program dedicated to the late composer, conductor, educator and humanitarian Leonard Bernstein. The concert is highlighted by Bernstein’s popular Symphonic Dances from West Side Story , and also explores the range and depth of the composer’s work. Opening with Divertimento, a lighthearted reflection of the composer’s storied relationship with The Boston Pops, the program also includes selections from the Bernstein archive including the choral work, Chichester Psalms , and Three Meditations from Mass , featuring The Phoenix Symphony’s principal cellist, Melita Hunsinger. “ Are you planning on attending any events at the Phoenix Symphony next year? Leave us a comment and let us know. Thanks for reading!

Creativity

In this post, the Liv Northgate Blog is featuring a few of our favorite TED talks on creativity. Creativity can have great benefit in both your daily life and in your work life. We hope that these TED talks inspire you to become a more creative, innovative person. Creative ideas can come from anywhere and anyone; we encourage you to not only watch these talks, but to also meet new people and experience new things this month. We hope that these talks help spark your creativity. Adam Grant: The surprising habits of original thinkers Adam Grant touts the benefits of procrastination and failure in the pursuit of creative ideas in this surprising and funny TED talk. Grant uses several examples both from his personal and professional lives to illustrate how “Originals” go about being original. Quote: “Originals feel fear, too. They're afraid of failing, but what sets them apart from the rest of us is that they're even more afraid of failing to try. They know you can fail by starting a business that goes bankrupt or by failing to start a business at all. They know that in the long run, our biggest regrets are not our actions but our inactions. The things we wish we could redo, if you look at the science, are the chances not taken. ” Linda Hill: How to manage for collective creativity Linda Hill argues that innovation is more about having an open forum of discussion and leadership than one strong, capable leader at the helm of an organization. Quote: “ Leading innovation is about creating the space where people are willing and able to do the hard work of innovative problem solving.” Joi Ito: Want to innovate? Become a “now-ist” Joi Ito speaks of the importance of the internet and being aware in our modern world. He uses examples of innovators all around the world to illustrate his points. Quote: “So I think the good news is that even though the world is extremely complex, what you need to do is very simple. I think it's about stopping this notion that you need to plan everything, you need to stock everything, and you need to be so prepared, and focus on being connected, always learning, fully aware,and super present” How to you develop your creative ideas? Leave us a link to your favorite TED talk in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Dinner Etiquette

Thanksgiving might be over, but the holiday season has just begun! This week the Liv Northgate Blog has five etiquette tips from the Etiquette Scholar for you to use at any formal dinners you might attend this month and next month. You can visit the Etiquette Scholar for a full list of their dinner etiquette tips . No Calls (or Texts) at the Table, Please Put your electronic devices away while you’re eating dinner. It is rude, especially at a formal dinner, to pull out your phone and start snapchatting during a fancy meal. Save all of your facebooking, tweeting, and youtubing for after dinner. Your conversations with friends who are not at the table can wait until you’re done eating. If there is an emergency, politely excuse yourself from the table. Taste First, Then Season Make sure you taste your food before you start seasoning it up with salt and pepper. This is common courtesy, and it is an easy way to make sure that you don’t over season your food. You don’t want to over salt an already salty dish. All About Elbows You may have heard that having your elbows on a table is rude. Etiquette Scholar insists that this is only a rule while you are eating. If you are not eating, feel free to rest your elbows on the table. It’s still wise not to take up too much space — make sure that you’re being mindful of the other guests at the table. Please and Thank You When asking for someone to pass a dish, make sure to say your “please” and “thank yous.” The old etiquette rules you have always known still apply. Make sure that you thank your host at the end of the evening, as well. Cool It Down If your food is too hot to eat, wait for it to cool down. Don’t blow on your food to cool it down more quickly, although it can be appropriate to stir any too-hot soup. Do you have any etiquette tips for us? What’s your favorite restaurant in Gilbert, AZ? Leave us a recommendation and a tip to use the next time we’re out to dinner in the comments.