10 Secrets to Happiness Stumbled Upon Whilst Pursuing Dessert

“Life is short so eat dessert first.”
“Keep calm and eat a cupcake.”
Mottos I love.
In my “x” number of years on planet earth, I have, however, stumbled upon 10 secrets whilst pursuing dessert - the sweet stuff of life.

1. Step up!

Photos Courtesy of David Cassidy
©Cassidy 2011

Ancient philosopher, Lao Tzu (which means old master in Chinese) was right. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Do you yearn to master the art of French macaron cookie baking? Or write the Great American Novel? Or ________ (You fill in the blank.) Seize five minutes, Saturdays, whatever time you have to follow the song that makes your heart happy.

2. Breathe

The bread for an-pan (azuki bean filled buns) needs time to breathe. So do you.
Take a moment to meditate. Or do yoga. Maybe a Down Dog like kitty cat, Sheba. 

Don’t pinch your nose like a kid and cut off oxygen to your brain while enduring the necessary eating of peas. (AKA humble pie, action steps, grunt work.) Just ‘cause dessert hasn’t arrived yet doesn’t mean you get to stop taking action. If you really want your dream. Remember to breathe on your journey. Making and baking sweet an-pan (azuki bean filled) buns take time.  Bread needs time to breathe and so do you.

As Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13^th Century Sufi mystic wrote:
But if in every breath?
You strip naked
?Just like a winter
The joy of spring?
Will grow from within

3. Relaxation: Samurai-Style

For Samurai Cartoon Credit, Click Here
Dancing Samurai Cartoon Courtesy of Dance Toru
And the Ninja Baker with a modern day samurai at Himeji Castle in Japan

A small sizzling pan receives thin layers of egg, rice wines, and soy sauce and turns into Japanese omelet (tamagoyaki.) It burns easily if not watched. Concentration is key. Tamagoyaki is not the best dish to make if you’re distracted. But a perfect marriage of sweet and savory if made right.

My dad who was the VP of Southeastern Asia for a major banking firm always talked about how we are most productive when relaxed. Father was right. Clear the emotional, mental decks: get out your angst with a punching bag at the gym, write a vituperative letter and burn it; then proceed into battle like the samurai warriors of ancient Japan.

4. The Present is a Gift

A Few of the Ninja Baker's Cupcakes

Enjoy the present moment – enjoy the process – the journey. Just ‘cause the goals I wrote down for 2012 have yet to be manifested doesn’t mean I can't be blissed out right now. Au contraire. Contentment encourages further action in my experience. And it feels better. I love prepping my cupcakes with frosting and decorations for a NinjaBaking.com iPhone photo shoot frosting while David clicks away on his computer and we enjoy The Voice on TV. Simple activities, yet, fulfilling. What are your moments of bliss? Love to see your answer in the comments section.

5. Game Time!

Which card are you playing?

Photo Credits: Click Joker or Queen of Hearts or King of Diamonds.

Obstacles are opportunities to play games. Bakerella kindly provided a link to Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate Adventure baking contest. A few others evidently had the same info. Upon arrival at the market, Scharffen Berger’s Semi- Sweet Chocolate boxes had been swept off the shelf. Mercifully one remained. Plus there were a few boxes of cacao nibs left. I had and have choices: 1. I can adjust my recipes. 2. Or take time away from my novel writing and seek other purveyors of Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate.  3. I could stomp my feet on the ground like a three-year-old shouting, "No fair!" So far, I’m choosing number one. It costs less time, gas money and emotional expenditure.

6. Stop Looking at Your iPhone: Notice Nature

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
          That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
          When all at once I saw a crowd,
          A host, of golden daffodils;
          Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
          Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
-William Wordsworth

Daffodils Photo Credit: Click Here

Granted life does present us harder obstacles than our favorite foods being out of stock. Sometimes the pause button needs to be pressed. When my husband went into surgery to repair a damaged aorta, I felt like I was in a lonely vortex and the world was whooshing by. Although the surgery was successful and my husband was quickly back to work; for a brief time I felt like I was in some sort of vacuum. Yes, my wonderful sister and niece were there for me. As were dance classmates via e-mail. But it was unreasonable to expect anyone to hold my hand in every minute. So allowing myself to take a moment to notice flowers, hummingbirds and my angel-cat, Kiku (Chrysanthemum in Japanese) permitted me to catch seconds of relief, of faith that goodness, a higher power, angels would always prevail on this whacky planet.

Guess my upbringing in Japan has something to do with my appreciation of the serenity that accompanies nature…Even on the busiest streets in Tokyo, there are verdant trees, parks where children can romp, and artistically combed stone gardens attached to temples are easily found.

7. Two Magic Words: Thank You!

Photo Credit: Click Here

Gratitude lists – feeling positive – saying affirmations - were not a top priority while waiting for the outcome of David’s surgery. But I forced myself to listen to my Hay House Radio mp3s of Doreen Virtue “the Angel lady” and felt relief…And gratitude. Just the willingness to focus away for a second from the dark brought me to a lighter place. And I did feel so very, very blessed that my husband was under the care of a top surgeon, Dr. Rigberg and his team at the UCLA hospital in Westwood. I was also grateful that I could express a small token of appreciation to some of the nurses with my mini cupcakes swirled with matcha tea cream. You could say hope emerged. 

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
-Emily Dickinson

8. Jump for Joy!

Whether in Bayon (Cambodia) or Old Sarum (England),
it's always fashionable to jump for joy!
Photos Courtesy of Maria Cassidy
© Cassidy 2011

You can bet that joy bounced in and out of me when I heard the extended hours in surgery had produced a very positive outcome. I don’t recommend enduring the waiting room or worrying besides a hospital bed to induce such states, but please discover joy. Here are a few suggestions for rediscovering that buoyant feeling inside from one Ninja who sometimes is a little too driven and sours her pleasure in the pursuit of stalking the sweet stuff of life. Besides eating bowls of sticky white Japanese rice (with soy sauce dribbles) and diving into tubs of frozen yogurt, here are a few of the Ninja Baker’s tricks.

• Watch the telly – football or your favorite TV show. Many are online like Dancing with the Stars: All Stars
• Go get a massage or mani-pedi with sparkles or that crackle stuff which is en vogue en with the ‘tweens.
• Exercise: Zumba, stair climber – whatever it takes to whisk those moody cobwebs
• My sister loves quilting.
• David loves to split his afterwork time between writing a screenplay and developing an App for the iPad.
• Share your Joy secrets in the comment box.

9. Humans Only. Robots Exempted. Thou Shalt Reward Thyself.

On a very rewarding outing with David and Maria Cassidy to
Chef Elizabeth Falkner's Citizen Cake in San Francisco last year.

Don’t you express appreciation to your spouse, your friend when they’ve said or done something nice? So, remember to say thank you, to you too. Most of us are not robots. We may act like it at times. But we’re not. So take a break with a cup of tea, a stroll…Or peruse the fabulous places, people and fancy desserts on Pinterest. And get inspired to work, write, bake and blog again!

10. Check it Out!

Photo Credit: Click Here

Check it out! Trust your own experience.  Recently I attempted to pipe roses from a frosting recommended for creating the flowers. The mixture was way too soft. The recipe did not call for any kind of vegetable shortening or meringue powder – two substances needed for firm buttercream roses. I should have listened to the voice which whispered, “This is a wee bit soft.” But I overrode the voice with, “Well, the recipe writer is an excellent baker so she must know what she’s doing.” I chalk it up to experience. Next time I’ll tweak the recipe and trust myself more when I see the mixture is a tad too runny.

Whether it’s recipes for frosting or living life, I’ve read and heard loads of advice. I’ve also been given directives from mostly well-meaning folks. But I’ve learned that I’m the one living my life so I’d better stick with what sings to my soul. I’m not saying don’t listen to what others offer. I’ve course-corrected umpteen times thanks to sages disguised in young and old bodies. And am grateful. But I’ve also learned that placing so much value on the words of experts has stirred up dissonance inside. So, check it out. If it works for you, great! If not move on. As the Bard (William Shakespeare) says,

“This above all: To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
-Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3, 78–81

Wishing you a week of stumbling upon much happiness in your pursuit of dessert.