It has been a long few weeks. I had a beautifully boring and relaxing vacation in August. I finished four books, I ate well and I barely interacted with any humans. I felt so well rested and then I returned to an absolutely draining week. I coworked with a friend on Monday after having blood work done (I googled the results and spent an entire week stewing), had a long working lunch on Tuesday, had an all day in person meeting with partners followed by dinner with them Wednesday, and then I went to see Jared Freid on Thursday. All of that was a lot already, but then Friday came with a bit of an emotional roller coaster my dad totaled his truck. He is perfectly fine but it was scary to hear about it. I was “officially” diagnosed Type 2 diabetes—I’d self-diagnosed myself Monday after that googling. You can read more about that rude awakening and catalyst for change here. Then I left Sunday at 6AM for a work conference in Orlando and now I’m headed to see my family in PA. These Five Things are what have kept me moving, functioning, and on a steady path forward.
Book: I have been reading Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson for nearly three years. Let me clear this is not because the book isn’t amazing. It absolutely is one of the best epic fantasies that I have ever read. It also has let us start to see the greater picture of the Cosmere, which makes me so happy. It is also more than 1200 pages, and Sanderson writes in a way that often there are natural stopping points. I have walked away for months at a time. I am finally done though and now picking up Rhythm of War, the fourth in the Stormlight Archive.
Article: It is no secret that I have been digging into my own habits and routines. I found this article about the Daily Habits of Happiness experts absolutely fascinating. I am trying to find ways to incorporate these into my routine, but I’m reminding myself that I should only incorporate them if they make me happy. It is far too easy to fall into the “cool girl” trap. Trying to convince yourself that you like something just because you feel like you should. Yes at 34, I still fall into this trap.
Movie: Ok so I made a mistake and watched Joy Ride on a flight from Detroit to Orlando. It seemed like a great idea. It would have been if I wasn’t actually laughing out loud and then crying in public like a weirdo. I loved this movie and will definitely rewatch in the privacy of my home. The cast was phenomenal, hilarious, and embodied female friendship goals. Much like Girls Trip before it, we get both an absolutely laugh out loud story with a heartwarming message of friendship, support and belonging.
Food: I have become absolutely obsessed with this Chobani Complete Mixed Berry Vanilla the past week or two. Touting 20g of protein, it is filling and tastes delicious. More than that, it is quick and easy for me to throw it in my bag on the way out the door in the morning. This is a necessity for the days when I am working in the office. As I start trying to embrace morning workouts in the next few weeks, I suspect this will come in clutch.
Item: I bought this notebook months ago because clearly a new notebooks was going to fix all of my problems. This one has actually helped a ridiculous amount. I began partially bullet journaling with it. I don’t do great with capturing my reflections in here (I have along form journal for that). Instead I’ve been using it for task lists, meeting note taking, brain dumps and scheduling. I still use digital systems, in fact often the written lists get transferred there.
