Safe Sally

Dear Enchantress,

I have all the things I could ask for. I own my house, I have a family I love, I go on dates, and while dating is not an awesome area of my life, it's alright. I am taking a cooking class and recently signed up for pottery classes. I play it pretty safe in my world. I don't take risks with dressing up or speaking up and there are times I do want to say something, and I don't. It could be in a friend's circle at dinner or at work when they ask if anyone has good ideas. Even with my family, sometimes I stay quiet when I really want to speak up. Got any advice for me?

Thank you

Taking risks can be scary but it's often worth the reward! When you take risks, you push yourself outside of your comfort zone, so when you're nervous about saying something, do it anyway, and know you may stutter, you may even get ignored. Being messy means being alive. You will find yourself growing both mentally and emotionally because taking a risk means that you realize life is an adventure and something to be explored. Not only will risk teach you more about yourself, but it can also lead you to amazing opportunities. You could even make important connections with new people and find support for ideas that could help further your success as well as bring greater meaning to your life. So, if you're ever faced with fear of taking risks, remember that there is so much out there that awaits exploration. Don't be afraid to take the jump in order to reach higher heights! Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone, so don’t be afraid to dive in headfirst – no dreams or goals have ever been achieved without a little risk-taking!

I say all that and then say, being scared is normal. We are not skipping over that part. My biggest tip is to share that you're scared before you say what you want. That will not only get people's attention, but it will also strike up their compassion and there is a greater chance that they will listen to you.

By Sharon Feldman

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces kielbasa

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 yellow onion

• Small head of cabbage, chopped

• Salt and Pepper to Taste olive oil. Sauté the sausage over medium heat until pieces are well browned.

Cut the onion and finely dice it. Once kielbasa is browned, add the onions and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent.

Chop the head of the cabbage into 2" wide strips. Add the cabbage to the skillet with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until cabbage is tender. I add a few tablespoons of water to create steam and soften the cabbage.

Once tender, drizzle half the mustard vinaigrette over the kielbasa, onion mixture and stir to coat. Add more if needed.

Serve warm.

Mustard Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup of olive oil

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1-1/2 tablespoons stone ground mustard

• ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

• Freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

**If you’re not carb conscious, you can add noodles. Find

Prepare the vinaigrette by adding the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until all ingredient are combined. Set aside.

Slice kielbasa into half rounds and add to a large skillet, along with the