Hey guys!! Welcome to yet another edition of Fab Finds Friday. Come get cozy, curl up with a mug of something hot and delicious, and let the waves of inspiration flow over you 😀
How the heck are ya? I hope your week had some sweet and joyful moments. Whenever I am really busy, I sort of assume that everyone else in the world is super busy also, so if that’s you, I send you all the strength in the world to push through until the weekend and to find the little things in your day that make all the struggle worth it.
And I think some of the articles I’ll share below might help a bit too 🙂 The things I choose to share with you each week really do vary based on where I’m at on that specific week, so this one is heavily centered on mental health, self-care, and creating margin in your day.
But I’ll let the posts speak for themselves!
Welcome to Fab Finds Friday!
A chance to reflect, not on the things you did, but on the things that did something to you!
Whether it’s something you heard, a sentence you read, a quote that spoke to you, or even something you wrote yourself, if it inspired you and you want to share it with others, we want to know about it!
Make sure you have a hyperlink in your post to both Laughing My Abs Off and My Little Tablespoon. Then drop your link below and discover what inspired others. You never know when you’ll stumble upon the next life-changing nugget of wisdom. Happy Friday!
Simple Ways to Practice Self Care in a Busy Time
One of my jobs this semester is actually a writing job for a pretty great company called Natural Healthy Concepts. Basically, I write articles via Georgetown’s blog database and occasionally link to some products from NHC if they fit with what I am writing about. This post is NOT sponsored, but I will say please go check out NHC. They are a wonderful source of information and knowledge and have tons of cool products for the health-inclined. 😉
This post easily flowed out of me (I wonder why), and I’ve been using these tips pretty much daily to stay sane and happy amidst the craziness.
Davida’s Mental Health Story
Oh my gosh. You guys know how much I adore Davida, and after reading this post, I am even more convinced that she and I are soul sisters. Her raw and real mental health story is worthy of reading, no matter what your history is. More likely than not, if it’s not you, then you know someone who has struggled or is currently struggling with depression or anxiety. The scariest part is how easy these can be to hide or sweep under the rug, especially when you find yourself in an environment where no one really knows you. If you are currently struggling, please get help. It gets better, but you need to take that first step. If you know someone who is struggling, give them love and grace and remind them they are not alone. <3
Creating Margin
I absolutely loved this post by Naomi. Like I mentioned in my previous FFF post, Naomi and I are basically blogging soul sisters. Our content always just feels very parallel, and this one was no exception. She put so beautifully into words what I am always ruminating about, reminding me that we are never alone in what we experience. The concept of margin here means creating space in your day that is not used for anything in particular. It is not space for getting ahead on work, or working out, or meal prep. It’s just that half hour or couple hours or whatever in your day that are free to become what you feel like making them in the moment. Ideally something that fills you up and rejuvenates you. If you’re interested in this topic, I have an older post called The Importance of Doing Nothing that you might find to your liking! 🙂
How To Eat Mindfully in the Real World
This is something I have been thinking about quite a bit lately. I realized a while ago that every time I would turn on an episode of my favorite show or read blogs while I ate, I felt a small pang of guilt because I felt like I wasn’t practicing “mindful eating.” Which is obviously the only “good” kind of eating. Note the heavy sarcasm here.
I love that many bloggers have actually started talking about this and pushing back against the idea that eating should be this sacred solitary activity. I mean, eating is inherently social. It’s cultural. The cultures that have the best relationship with food are also the ones that eat in community together, where everyone is talking and, well, distracted.
Yes, that is perhaps better than mindlessly eating while watching TV, but I like the way this article puts it. If you make sure to tune into your hunger and fullness levels before, during, and after the eating experience, it is totally okay to be distracting yourself as you eat. The caveat here is you should not be conflating the eating experience with something stressful, such as work, because that could definitely lead to mindlessness in both tasks. Rather, if you partake in an activity that lowers your stress levels, and it happens to distract you, that’s okay.
The Body as a Temple
Kylie recently wrote a 5 thoughts post, in which she talked about the idea of the body as a temple.
We see this all the time, right? Treat your body like a temple; you only have one body, so treat it right, etc. I never had any issue with these statements; they seem pretty empowering and positive at first glance. Yet what Kylie noted is that looking at your body as a temple could lead to an unhealthy obsession with it because it implies that the body is something to worship. She reframes this to say that a temple is not actually something to worship, but a place you worship IN. Which gives an interesting perspective on the whole temple idea because it transforms the body from something to be idolized and obsessed over to something that is a vehicle for us to enjoy our lives. We should certainly take care of that vehicle, but it is not something that should be obsessed over or remain unchanged forever.
Moreover, treating your body as a temple does not mean never eating junk and working out a certain number of times each week. It means not cluttering your mind with negative thoughts and self-hate. It means respecting your body, not judging it in front of the mirror. It means treating your body with the love and kindness it deserves.
That’s all for me, guys. I hope to be a little more active on here next week because I really do miss blogging consistently, but we shall see how it flows. Love you all, and talk to you soon!
Drop your links below!
So much empowerment here. I absolutely love Naomi’s idea about creating margin. I think that is such an important – yet surprisingly difficult – thing for us all to do. And this shift in mindset around “mindful” is definitely one I support. Sitting down in silence and only staring at my food sometimes is just totally not enjoyable, which doesn’t help me in any way!
Cora recently posted…Week In Review: Time For Fall, Spending Money and Letting Go
Yes! So glad you liked the links, girl! Margin really is such an elusive concept, but when we get a handle on it, man does it feel lovely. It’s totally okay if it’s not always reality, though.
I especially need the article about mindful eating. I tend to graze and sometimes I over-graze. I love to eat roasted, salted almonds and good olives while I cook. Maybe while sipping a glass of vino. Then I’m full before I begin to eat my dinner! The alternative is that I wait to eat until I am super-hungry, then wolf down my meal without even tasting it. Sigh! I need to find a way to a happy medium here.
Laurie recently posted…Show Me Your Best {Link}
So glad you enjoyed the link, Laurie! And thank you for linking up! Oof that’s always a dilemma, isn’t it? I find what works for me when I’m starving while cooking is to snack on something like raw carrots with hummus or cherry tomatoes or grapes, so that I am kind of quieting the monster in the belly but also not getting overly full!