Be the "rule" breaker...

Living in a small, rural town in Oklahoma of just about 2,000 people, you see it often and I'm sure you've see it where you live too. It's common. Too common. 
The poverty mentality. 
Generation after generation living a life of constant struggle.
The idea that "grandma was broke, momma was broke and so I'll be broke too."
"Grandpa had nothing, daddy had nothing and I'll have nothing too."
"They weren't smart, so I can't be smart and my kids have no hope."

It's a dream crushing, imagination squashing, living outside of God's promises way to think. 
And it breaks my heart. 

I also see it in our business.
People in our team and in customers who have signed some invisible "contract" in their lives to just live their days miserable, broken and well below what they are capable of.
All because "that's just the way it is" and that "rule" keeps them from pursuing a life well lived. 

But wait. 
What if it's not true?
What if that isn't just the way it has to be?
What if you could break that "rules" of leading a life that is in constant turmoil and struggle?
Because you can.
You absolutely can.
You just have to do it. 
Did you hear that? YOU HAVE TO DO IT!

Years ago, it was said that it was not humanly possible for the body to run a mile under 4 minutes. Experts weighed in, runners gave it a go (even having bulls chase them to spur them along) and it just wasn't happening. 

As runner's persisted in chasing this goal, a record was finally set in the 1940's to 4:01. 
Not under 4 minutes, but 4:01. That record held for 9 years. It was never going to happen. No one would ever run a mile under 4 minutes. Generations before couldn't make it happen, so why would generations after even bother?
Everyone knew it wasn't possible.

Except Roger Bannister.

On May 6th, 1954, Roger decided that it could be done and he would be the one to do it.
Taking responsibility for his dreams and waiting on no one else to do it for him, Roger ignored the "rules" that it couldn't be done and ran a mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. 
Record broken. Forever in the history books. His life changed as he finally grasped what so many before could never grab hold of.

Even more important is what followed. 
Once the record was broken by Roger, others started doing it too. First, just a few and then more. Now, over 60 years later, there are high school students running 4 minute miles. A feat history told them wasn't even possible is done every single day, all over the world. 
Why? Because one person changed their mindset. 
One person didn't follow the "this is how it's always been" thought.
One person took responsibility for their dreams and made it happen.
And the rest of the world saw IT WAS possible after all. 

You have to become the rule breaker in your own life. You know, the "rules" that you'd always have and be nothing? Yeah, I'm giving you full on permission to break them. 

Just because the generations before you couldn't see possibility and hope, doesn't mean you have to be tied to the same demise. That is solely the way your mind has been programmed. 
Psst....You can change the channel. 

Change the channel not just for your life or your finances or your dreams. Change it for the generations who will come after you. Be the one who shows the rest of them what's possible. Give them permission to do the same!

If you intend to do anything great with your life, it starts with you, not anyone else.
And it's starts today, not tomorrow. It starts by letting go of what others have told you that you are capable or not capable of. It starts by choosing to stop being fine with just settling for a mediocre life.
It starts by taking responsibility for your dreams, changing the channel and running after them just like Roger chased that 4 minute mile.

Henry Ford once said  “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Today, which will it be? 

Tomorrow, I'm going to post again and share with you ways to battle this mindset. Challenging you to change it does no good unless I give you tools to do so, right?
To make sure you don't miss it, be sure to subscribe to our blog.

Until then, Happy Dream Chasing.- Amanda

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Snow

With the forecast hinting of snow falling in our area tonight, my cold weather loving heart is getting pretty excited. Now when I say the forecast is calling for snow, I mean like less than 2". So those of you who live in the north would be terribly unimpressed, but here in southeast Oklahoma, snowflakes are few and far between, so when we get them, we take what we can get.
Having spent the beginning of my childhood in Colorado, with proper snow, my heart leaps with joy when I see white flurries falling (even if it's not the same).

There is something about cold weather that begs for yummy food. Giant pots of bubbling soup or chili, cups of coffee and hot cocoa  (with marshmallows of course) and loaves of warm bread. All followed by cozy blankets and Disney movies.

Today, in hopeful preparation, I am going to bake a loaf of our favorite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Yep, you heard me right. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. If you've never tried this combination, consider this your invitation. It's pretty legit. I do not like nuts in my desserts or really, much anything else. I either want them by themselves or not at all and certainly not in my banana bread. Chocolate chips bridge that gap of wanting that little bit of bite in the soft bread while adding their own magical flavor. I prefer dark chocolate chips in mine, but milk or semisweet will work just fine as well. You do you.

I don't even remember where I found this recipe years ago, but it has become a sweet staple in our home. We often gift it to others when we want to share the love and in that spirit, thought I'd share it with you.

Obviously, there are probably more fussy recipes that could compete with this one, but you can't hardly beat the simplicity here.

Before I start with the recipe, let's talk bananas.

You want your bananas to be ripe. Like ugly, brown, but not rotted ripe. We like to let ours sit out until really brown, peel them, throw them in a ziploc bag and throw them in the freezer until we are ready to use them. At that point, we'll throw the bag on the counter to thaw. Let me warn you that it will look gross, slimy and just plain messy, but that's a good thing! It means your bread will not only be sweeter, but be moist and delicious. (If you're one of those people who the word 'moist' offends, sorry.)

If your banana's are not ripe enough and you're aching to make this recipe, no worries. I got you! Here is a super quick method to get them ready for bread making.
Heat your oven to 300 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with foil, line up your bananas so there is room for air to move around them. Slide into the oven for about 30 minutes until the skin is black and shiny. You might flip them half way through to make sure it's even. Then, removed from the oven and let cool completely. Ta-Da! Slimy, ripe bananas. Perfection!

Now that we have that out of the way, here is the recipe for the our favorite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread:

Ingredients:

3-4 Over ripe bananas, mashed

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup of oil

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 cup chocolate chips (any variety will work. We prefer dark)

Supplies:

Loaf pan or muffin tins

Ice cream scoop (for muffins)

Bowl

Spatula

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using loaf pan, grease well. If using muffin tin, use liners.

In a bowl, mix your wet ingredients (eggs, oil and bananas)

Add boxed cake mix and stir until well combined.

Stir in chocolate chips.

If using a loaf pan, pour your mixture into your pan and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Bread will be done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean (sans gooey chocolate). Another good way to tell if you press on the center of the bread and it is firm.

If baking muffins, use the ice cream scoop to scoop batter into each muffin liner. The scoop will ensure each cup is filled consistently. Bake 12-15 minutes until muffin top is firm and light brown.

Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes and then take out of the pan to completely cool (to help stop the cooking process). Enjoy warm or at  room temperature. If you can hold off until the next day, they'll get even better, but I won't blame you if you gobble them right up.

Wa-la! You are done! See...so simple, right? 

If you or your kids are beginning cooks, this is a great recipe to start with. My girls can make it without any help at this point and there is a lot of pride in that for little ones. Shoot, I feel pretty proud of myself too. It's just. so. stinking. good!

Happy Eating! - Amanda