Do you ever have moments where you just feel the overwhelming urge to reorganize your life? As though there’s just too much going on?

Your workspace is too cluttered; your laundry pile is too high; your kitchen pantry is too full of things you never use, bathroom cabinet full of things you don’t need, closet full of clothes you never wear.

I realize that these problems sound incredibly petty, trivial, and honestly misplaced, considering everything going on in society today. But on this day, this moment, and in this life, I felt overwhelmed. I have too many responsibilities that I’ve signed up for, and not enough time to do them. I’ve told friends “no” when they’ve asked me to go out, because I had a looming date with my bathroom that desperately needed cleaning. Seriously? Yes, that happened. I’ve devoted all of my free time to working, thinking that’s what I should be doing.

In reality, I was doing so much more harm than good. If I’m not producing, organizing, cleaning, cooking, doing, acting, driving, riding, reporting, working, running… spinning….. I’m not doing anything worth doing.  If that won’t drive someone to the nut-house, I’m not sure what will. I work 6-7 days a week, sometimes for weeks at a time, and I have to be honest… I’m just tired.

And so – while I haven’t done it yet, I’m making it my mission to take a break – I will take the time to do things like read, or some sort of craft, or just cook for fun. This is important for a couple of reasons…. Both in the long run, and short term. Breaks help you refocus, reevaluate your priorities, and allow you to think about what you’re trying to accomplish.

In preparation of taking a break, this delicious grilled Hawaiian Chicken sounds like the perfect way to start 🙂

Paleo Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups of fresh pineapple chunks or 1 14-ounce can of pineapple chunks, juice reserved
• 1 cup gluten free tamari sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 green onions stalks, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 ½ lbs chicken breast or thigh (keep consistent due to cook time)

Instructions

1. Combine pineapple, tamari, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, garlic, ginger and green onion in the food processor. Blend until smooth, no major chunks.
2. Trim chicken of any excess fat or other parts, and place in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over and cover for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
3. Preheat the grill to 400+ degrees F.
4. Place chicken on direct heat, ensuring to let sit to cook thoroughly. Use excess marinade to coat while grilling, until finished… about 10-15 minutes each side.
5. Remove from heat once cooked, and let rest under foil for 5 minutes. Serve with some Mexican Corn Salad.

Enjoy!

-S