2024 Wrapped
Recipes for Success is a weekly newsletter with recipes for success in your life, career, and kitchen from Sales Leader, Self-Love Author, and Homemaker, Stef Caldwell. Want more? Grab a copy of my debut book, ManifestHer, here.
Last year, I promised myself that even though I was becoming a mom, I wouldn’t stop writing. Writing is one of my favorite things to do — it’s a way I process information and ideas, bringing clarity and structure to my thought, it’s also a creative outlet, it’s also one of the ways I connect with all of you, whom I am so grateful for.
So, this year, I published 52 newsletters, and 52 recipes. One for every week of the year.
Today, I am re-sharing all of your favorites!
3 Ideas from Me
Why ManifestHer Failed and What I Learned From It — You guys like when I share about the shortcomings of ManifestHer, probably because many of you are ManifestHers. I am so fond of the memory of the ManifestHer community, Tasha, Helena and I often crave a resurgence of it all.
How to Set Boundaries — Boundaries are a key part of the narrative around self-love these days, but it doesn’t make it easy to set them, nor keep them, especially with your loved ones. Ask yourself these questions in order to establish your boundaries, and determine if you want to keep them.
How to Count Macros — I spent 6 months working with a fantastic trainer this year. I lost 15 lbs and I’m so much stronger than I was a year ago. Learning how to count macros, or more importantly understanding the purpose of different types of food as fuel for our bodies, and the nutrient make-up of various foods was a major unlock for me. You guys seemed to like this dive into health too.
3 Ideas from Others
12 Ways Companies Make Money from The Personal MBA Book — Josh Kaufman believes that you don’t need to go to an Ivy League Business School to create a big, impactful, business. He distills essential business concepts into clear, actionable insights in this book, The Personal MBA.
James Clear Quotes Living Rent Free in My Head — James Clear is the best-selling author of Atomic Habits. These are three quotes from him that I play on repeat in my head.
AG1’s Kat Cole’s Hot Shot Rule — Kat Cole is the COO of AG1, most recently valued at over $1.2 billion dollars. This is her monthly process for leveling up.
3 Favorite Books
Worthy — Jamie Kern Lima. I wrote about how much I loved this book back in March. It’s still one of my top picks of the year.
Jamie Kern Lima also wrote Believe It! A story about her journey from Denny’s Waitress to Founder of It Cosmetics which was acquired by L’Oreal for over $1B. Rumor has it, Jamie walked away with just shy of $500M from the transaction. After her massive exit, her story and her fortune opened doors she never believed would open for her. But here’s what she learned: if doors open, but you don’t feel Worthy of walking through them, there’s no amount of money in the world that can make you feel like you belong in the rooms on the other side. This deep dive into self-worth, what it is, how we can cultivate it, and why it is the multiplier for our fulfillment in life and career, is her answer. Reading this was like spending a long weekend in Sedona with your best friend (you know the one that loves you, supports you, knows you and sometimes hugs you for an uncomfortably long amount of time because she knows you need it?). Imagine you are with her, in Sedona going hiking, going to the spa, drinking green juice and letting the vortexes re-magnetize your internal compass. That’s this book.
10x is Easier than 2x — Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. I wrote about my obsession with the book back in August.
THIS BOOK! Wow was it good. One of the big ideas that I loved was this (it’s an analogy, so go with it): If you make it your goal to be a great tennis player, you could hire a ton of different tennis coaches in the world to help you achieve this goal, that takes a lot of time and effort to find the right coach. On the other hand, if you make it your goal to be a triple crown, world champion tennis player, there’s probably about 2 people in this world who you can hire to coach you to the level you need to help you achieve this goal. It is actually easier to set your sights on the extraordinary, because extraordinary results require a totally different set of actions and connections than do average results. Mic drop!
This book is completely game-changing. The big idea is that we are all born with our own true nature, but when that true nature clashes with culture, we sell ourselves out to culture. The way of integrity is about finding your way back to your true nature, and allowing yourself to live in culture in this way. It’s really good stuff.
3 Favorite Discoveries
Kroma Cranberry Hydration Elixir — I am obsessed, I can’t stop ordering it, I have spent way too much money on it, and IDGAF. We had the founder, Lisa, on the pod, the episode hasn’t been released yet, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, here she is on the TSC pod.
Homecourt surface cleaner in Cece — We had the CEO, Sarah, on Allowlist this year. She’s a badass. I also think she shared some really insightful stuff about trusting the timing of your life and career. It was a special conversation. She also talked about how home-care is self-care, and I couldn’t agree more. There’s nothing like getting your home good and clean, lighting a candle, and kicking your legs up after a long day. YES.
Seed Phytonutrients Shampoo, Face wash, and body wash — I made a friend at the gym who reps this product and he gave me some to try. It smells so good and the powder texture washes with the teeniest little exfoliating vibe! So that’s what got me started on these products. BUT what has me hooked is that since the shampoo, face wash, and body wash are all powder (not liquid) I keep them in my gym bag, toss them in my travel bag (no issues getting through TSA with these!), and literally just bring them anywhere with me so easily. Who would have thought? Powdered shampoo, face wash, and body wash would be so game-changing.
3 Recipes
Tasha’s Easy Green Chile Enchilada Casserole — the perfect dish to make ahead, freeze, and then bake when you need something simple, fuss free, and delish!
Honey Lemon Sheet Pan Salmon — The perfect, super easy, almost-clean-up-free weeknight meal for those who wants to nourish their body, without compromising on flavor.
Peanut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread — My favorite Sunday morning activity is baking this fabulous banana bread while Charlie coos at me from her high chair. I know many of you have enjoyed it this year too. Thanks for baking with us <3
