Cook for less!

Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone! Are you feeling the holiday spirit yet? Quick tip to help you minimize your spending during this time of year. Maybe you're attending thanksgiving dinner at a family members house or maybe you're hosting yourself, either way when it comes to dessert we're all hoping for pumpkin! Instead of buying a pie from Meijer or another supermarket for at least $5 or more, we have an even better idea to propose: MAKE IT YOURSELF! I promise it will be cheaper and you will have in doing it! All together making one load of pumpkin bread will cost under $5 (and will taste way better because you made it!) once you purchase he ingredients you can make double, triple the recipe and get more bang for your buck! I made a sample for myself from y favorite food blog: sallysbakingaddiction.com and I can say with confidence that it is EASY, CHEAP, and DELICIOUS. Making things yourself will save you money, I promise! So go ahead, try it! Turn it into a date night or family fun evening! Send us a picture and leave a comment about how your pumpkin bread turned out! Here's mine:

Winter Gear

Now that time of year is coming around the corner again, it's time to start talking about winter gear! For starters, pull out the winter clothing stash...(in my excitement for summer I hid a lot of my winter clothes! Hopefully you don't have this problem too!! I can't find my gloves anywhere!) It's a good idea to wash all of your gear for the season, chances are you rushed to put your clothes away, eager for t-shirts again! But old winter sweaters can collect dust, mites, and strange scents from being packed away all winter. May as well get a fresh start and take your old favorites to the laundromat! Washing your clothes will help you see what you are missing and take stock of your wardrobe. Who knows, you might discover a pair of long underwear you forgot you had! It's always better to go shopping in your own closet before spending money at the store. Check Family Dollar for cheap basics like thin gloves at hats. These make great liners for below your regular winter gear. Last but not least, a tip from a wise grandmother - always wear socks and keep your shirt tucked in!

 Drafts = cold.

What winter weather tips do you have to share? Let us know in the comments below!

It's getting cold!

Is it safe to say winter is coming upon us? Take some time to think about the animals in your life! What do they need to get through a Detroit winter? Make sure they have a warm place to sleep and rest during the day! If you cannot afford a coat or fancy dog gear, that is fine! Check out my greyhound modeling one of my sweatshirts!

Think about the animals around you or in your neighborhood and do your best to help them get comfortable and warm!

Don't Give Up

So why the fish in the fishbowl? What does this have to do with employment and being ready to work? Well, sit back and let us show you the way! Beta fish also known as Chinese Fighting Fish are so aggressive with their own kind (they will fight to the death) need to live their lives in isolated bowls. They are so aggressive that in pet stores the sides of their bowls need to be covered so they do not smash into the glass over and over in an attempt to fight their neighbor. The job hunt is hopefully not nearly as violent as beta fish, however we know it can be frustrating and at often times tempting to dive into your own fishbowl and give up. We're challenging you to keep trying. Avoid isolating yourself from connection with others. We talk about this a lot, but you never know where a conversation might lead with a neighbor or the repair man - maybe they need an extra hand or know a friend who is hiding. Take the leap out of your fishbowl and meet, engage, and talk with others! Don't give up! A job is absolutely out there for you!

Homeostasis Thoughts

Some fall-spiration! Today I learned a new theory from a local psychiatrist that I thought was very applicable for all of you! Do you remember studying homeostasis in biology class? Does this word sound at all familiar? Homeostasis in scientific terms is the nature of balance and harmony, specifically in the ecosystem or our bodies. For example, let's say we catch a fall cold from some kind of virus in the air. That virus throws off our body's balance and homeostasis, thus the body works hard to fight off the virus in order to return to balance. Make sense? Well, this psychiatrist related homeostasis to our lives and families. She said humans naturally strive for balance and gave me this example: let's say mom has completely given up drinking. Her life is starting to fit back together, but suddenly her son starts getting in trouble at school. The psychiatrist said this is extremely normal because when mom stopped drinking the negative homeostasis was thrown off, impacting her child to fill in that gap. What do you guys think about this? How do you see this take place in your own home or workplace?

Inspiration Station!

Things have been really busy for everyone here at ECHO lately. We've been rushing, typing, helping, finding (not to mention rebranding!) It's always good to take a moment to slow down and notice the world around us. Today I send you this bit of inspiration found from my desk! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

UPS is Hiring!

Got an amazing opportunity today for those of you go are looking for work or who are looking I make more money to support you family! UPS is HIRING. 
Why is this do great? Well, for starters the pay is great and there is opportunity for getting further into the mail/package/transport industry, not to mention it is a very reputable company! Please, please leave a comment below or find us on Twitter at DetroitEcho and we can help you apply!!!

Catch YOUR Fire

Some beautiful words of creative wisdom from "Catch the Fire" by Peggy Taylor and Charlie Murphy:

"The arts provide powerful tools for transforming lives and communities. In the not-too distant past - and in some cultures still today - creative expression was seamlessly woven into everyday life. Cross-cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien tells us that in land-based cultures, when sick people went to the local healer, they were essentially asked four questions. She calls these the healing salves:
-When did you stop singing?
-When did you stop dancing?
-When did you stop telling your story?
-When did you stop sitting in silence?"

How beautiful is this? Unfortunately these days we don't have local healers, we do have organizations and community groups who can help one another heal. I love these questions and how about today ask them to yourself! Fall is a stressful, buzzing time for us all and the first thing that slips is connecting to our inner creativity. Do you need some healing? Do you need to connect to you inner artist? Look within and discover this ancient practice for natural health.

Lots of love ECHO friends!