|
|
In some ways, it's been a challenging summer, and I have certainly struggled to keep up with my blog. I keep telling myself that there is a time and a season for everything, and sometimes we have to adjust our expectations and desires in order to work through the unexpected challenges and opportunities that have emerged in our lives. Often it seems that things come into our lives in waves. When we are faced with learning experiences, it sometimes seems like related ideas keep popping up everywhere as if the universe is trying to teach us something and repetition is the only way to get our attention. The themes that are resonating with me right now have to do with gaining a new perspective or seeing things in a new light. A related theme is that of letting go of constraining expectations and embracing simpler approaches to everyday problems. This is a lengthy introduction to the topic of this post which is simply things that are making me glad. As I engage in personal reflection, I find myself feeling an abundance of gratitude for the opportunities and resources and blessings I enjoy, despite the losses, so I thought I'd share what's tickling my fancy, making me think, motivating me, and bringing me joy. It's a bit of a copout as far as topics go but also surprisingly cathartic. I hope you find something that peaks your interest and enriches your life. AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. This just means that there are product suggestions included within the text. Should you click on one of the links and decide to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I only suggest products I love and have experience with that are directly related to the content in this post. You can view my Disclosure Statement for more information. Thank you for your support!
You've probably heard of or seen advertisements for Noom and come away confused. The adds are cryptic to say the least. After seeing them for more than a year, I decided to check it out and ultimately ended up joining, and I'm so glad I did. What is Noom? Simply stated, it's a weight loss program, but it's really so much more than that. Most of us understand the basics of nutrition and what it means to eat a healthy diet, but in my experience knowing and doing are not the same thing. Noom helps people create and maintain healthy lifestyle choices, particularly (but not exclusively) dietary choices, in a number of ways:
I'll be honest, I haven't lost a ton of weight on Noom, at least not yet. I am, however, on a consistent downward trend, and more importantly, my overall health is improving. I sleep better. I have significantly less joint pain. I'm excited about preparing and eating healthy foods, and the changes I'm making feel sustainable which I believe is the single biggest indicator of long-term success. I'll Drink to That!
I'm referring here to Wendy Watson Nelson's book Change Your Questions Change Your Life. There is another book by the same title written by another author which I have not read, and therefore cannot recommend. Wendy Watson Nelson has thirty years of experience as a marriage and family therapist. Her deep personal spirituality combined with her professional insights give her a unique approach to getting the answers we seek in life. This is a super easy read filled with experiments for the reader to try. I'm actually working on reading it for the second time and getting even more out of it this time around. The book is aptly named. The author demonstrates the power of questions and how reframing questions can open the door to new insights, greater self-worth, improved relationships, and the ability to overcome personal stumbling blocks to progress.
My husband was introduced to The Great Courses in 2005, and we have been loyal customers ever since. A product of The Teaching Company, The Great Courses include an ever-increasing collection of college-level lecture series on an expanding array of topics. Categories include:
Recently the company began offering a streaming service known as the Great Courses Plus (now Wondrium) as well, and that is what we now use. Our annual streaming fee paid for itself in less than a month because of how much we use it. I listen while I work around the house, while I drive, and while I'm walking. My personal favorites are the history courses, but we have sampled a wide variety of topics and rarely been disappointed. Which brings me to another point - customer service. The Great Courses has the best customer service I have ever experienced anywhere. If you break a disc, they will replace it, no questions asked. If you lose a disc (or even a set of discs) you can purchase individual discs or sets without having to buy the whole course again. If you decide you don't like a course, you can send it back for a refund no matter how long you've had the course. Their representatives are friendly and helpful, and their service is speedy. The Great Courses recently changed their name to Wondrium and expanded their services to include educational television series, documentaries, and more. This company just keeps getting better!
If you're going to listen to lectures (or podcasts) while you work, I recommend getting a good speaker for your phone. I use the OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth Speaker, and I love it. In fact, I had to buy one for my husband because mine kept disappearing! Because I listen while I'm cooking and doing other household tasks, I also like having a cell phone stand to cradle my phone. It makes it easier to see and interact with what's on the screen and gets my phone up off the counter where it may encounter moisture and other hazards. As a bonus, it's also handy if you use your phone for Zoom calls. Happy to be Hands-free
I love to cook, except when I don't. I seem to go through phases. At times I am highly motivated to plan and follow a menu. Then at other times nothing sounds good, and I don't feel like putting in the effort to cook. Can anyone relate? I have developed a cheat that allows me to throw together soups, stews, casseroles, and other seemingly elaborate meals with relative ease. In place of raw chicken, which has to be diced and cooked, I use frozen grilled boneless chicken breast strips or dices. They're precooked, so all you have to do is thaw them. I use them to whip up some of our favorites in a manner of minutes. This includes chicken fajitas, chicken salad, casseroles, and soupls like the delicious Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipe that I shared in my last Favorite Things blog post. A Final ThoughtIt will come as no surprise to anyone that the last year and a half have been turbulent, both at home and abroad. When I listen to or read the news I sometimes feel as though there is little hope for the future. Then I venture out into my little community and encounter countless good people striving to show kindness to those around them and generally do the right thing, and I feel better.
My husband and I are working on a book about the war in Afghanistan. As a result, we have met some amazing people who have broadened our perspective and given us an appreciation for what it means to serve and to sacrifice. As I write this post, my thoughts are on them and their families. Some, I know, have made it to safety outside that wartorn country. Others are desperate to get word of their families whose lives are in very real danger. While there is little, if anything, that I personally can do to help my newfound friends on the other side of the world, there is something I can do to make the world a better place. I think Thierry K. Mutombo said it best in a recent address: "When we choose to follow Christ, we choose to be changed." If I can truly strive to emulate the most perfect example of kindness, love, generosity, and grace the world has ever known, I can make a difference within my small sphere of influence. I can make someone else's day better, ease someone else's burden, or just spread a little sunshine in a world that so often seems dark and intimidating.
16 Comments
There is a bit of a craze these days among podcasters, bloggers, and others to share things that they like (and sometimes things they don't like) with their audiences. I've decided to jump on the bandwagon for a little change of pace because who doesn't want a (hopefully) helpful recommendation? I, for one, love a good suggestion that points me to a new product or resource that makes my life better, easier, or more interesting. Plus, I'm hoping that in reading my recommendations you will feel inspired to share your own with me! AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. This just means that there are product suggestions included within the text. Should you click on one of the links and decide to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I only suggest products I love and have experience with that are directly related to the content in this post. You can view my Disclosure Statement for more information. Thank you for your support!
I have been a Brain.fm user for a couple of years now, and I absolutely love this amazing tool! What is Brain.fm, you wonder? It is a website (and an app) that offers specially designed music to help listeners focus, relax, or meditate. There are different playlists depending on your purpose. I use the focus option the most, but I have recently become hooked on the relaxation tracks as well. Their patented "functional music" is based in research, some of which has been funded by the National Science Foundation. Their audio products, which feature an underlying musical score accompanied by a specific range of modulations, is designed to induce something known as neural phase-locking. Essentially, it helps you achieve a desired cognitive state - such as focus or relaxation. I don't know how it works, I just know that it does! Admittedly, the "music" is a little funky at first. There's a real techno vibe to the tracks. Depending on your listening preferences, it may take a little getting used to, but I embraced it pretty quickly (as soon as I felt the results). I love to listen when I am writing or working on any sort of project that requires concentration. Just a few minutes is all it takes to get into a sort of flow state in which my thinking becomes clearer and I'm able to work fluidly without distraction. I believe there may be some sort of free trial for new users. I pay $15 every three months, and it is so totally worth every penny! It is recommended to use headphones when listening to Brain.fm because they help to block out other sounds. This Wireless Bluetooth Headset is my personal favorite. It's affordable and effective with good sound quality and a long battery life.
If you follow the blog at all, then you know we recently moved. Our new home has a lovely, big yard framed by spacious flower beds filled with all sorts of plants I did not recognize. I am not an experienced gardener, but I do have modest aspirations. The Picture This app is helping me become acquainted with, and learn to care for, my new yard. This awesome app is super easy to use. There is a paid version, but I honestly can't think why you would need it because the free version is excellent, at least for my purposes. You simply click the little camera icon and snap a photo of any shrub, tree, or plant, and the app tells you what it is! In addition to identifying your plant, the app tells you all about it: how to plant it, how to care for it, how much to water it, and more. It will even help you diagnose pest and disease issues. The database has something like 17,000 plants, and this includes everything from house plants to weeds to vegetables to towering trees.
He has a gift for examining the science behind human behaviors and translating it into simple, digestible language. His book Atomic Habits not only breaks down the cognitive science behind habits, it also helps the reader master tiny (atomic) behaviors that lead to exceptional results over time.
Have you ever noticed that ideas tend to come at you in waves. They do for me, anyway. I hear or read something, and the next thing I know a similar concept pops up in another place, and another. Perhaps that is only true of things that really resonate with me; I notice them because they have struck a chord. At any rate, I love this quote that I stumbled across on Instagram recently, and I thought the Charlie Brown comic (seen of Facebook) related nicely. I tried to find the original source for the Charlie Brown quote below. It appears to have been altered from it's initial wording. As far as I can discover, the original version went like this:
Either way, I kind of like Snoopy's take on things.
Speaking of living life to the fullest...who doesn't love a little comfort food now and then? I'm completely enamored with this recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Soup. Nothing beats it on a damp, chilly evening. Seriously, it is so good! It's rich and creamy and decadent, like a bowl full of heaven. We like ours served in a homemade bread bowl for an extra special treat, in theory, that is. I confess that my attempt at bread bowls fell a little flat - literally. The dough (which rose wonderfully) sank and spread, making them way to flat to serve as bowls. Instead, we cut them into thin-ish slices and dunked them in our soup. They were still amazing! It's been fun putting together this post of some of my current favorite things. I hope you've discovered something new and wonderful here that you, too, can enjoy. I hope, as well, that you will feel inspired to share some of your favorite things with me in the comment section below. I look forward to expanding my horizons through your suggestions.
|
Archives
November 2022
Categories
All
|