It’s been a busy season, and it’s so easy to fixate on what’s killing me, not literally, but the things that feel hard and hectic. So, I have decided to try the quarterly practice of making a list of What’s Saving My Life Right Now. I first heard about this practice on The Lazy Genius and the Next Right Thing podcasts. Making a list of the big and small delights in my life forces me to pause and notice the good that is all around me.
Without further ado, here’s the list:
- Having the same breakfast every single day. Coffee with collagen, 1 egg + 1 egg white, which we have coined the “super egg” due to its amped up protein content, and 1/3 cup of oatmeal with chia seeds. It’s nourishing, it’s filling, and it cuts down on decision fatigue. I wake up ~5am these days, have my coffee, take Ollie out for a mile walk around the neighborhood, and then come back and cook my egg along with the kids’ breakfasts. Last, I microwave and eat my oatmeal while the kids are eating breakfast and getting ready for school. Did you know you could just microwave oatmeal for 2:30 minutes instead of cooking it stovetop? Game. Changer.
- Podcasts to listen to as I’m walking Ollie. These have provided advice, companionship, and laughter. Some of my favorites have been the Girls Next Door Fall Extravaganza episode (hilarious every year), Huberman Lab (I always learn something), and Happier with Gretchen Rubin (practical small tips).
- Delicata squash. OMG I look forward to when delicata squash appears at Trader Joe’s and Sprouts every Fall. I first discovered them when I made a Thanksgiving Panzanella Salad as a healthier stuffing, and that is still the most delicious way to eat them. But, for simple every day cooking, I just cut it up into 1/2 inch thick slices, coat with some oil, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, pepper, and then air fry for 8min at 390 degrees until slightly brown on the edges. OMG. It’s so easy and so satisfying. This snack is like the signpost that Fall has arrived… and I’m all about the fall vibes.
- Quiet morning time block. This block of time is so precious, when the kids are at school, I get back from my workout, and Ollie is still napping. It is my “good brain” time, when my mind is clear and I am not fatigued. This is when I do my best work and the best time to plan out my day and outline my priorities. I have to put away my phone and remind myself not to squander this time on email, social media or small housework tasks that can be done later.
- Watching my kids become Swifties. Singing along to songs with them and discovering that they know the lyrics better than I do. We don’t share many interests in terms of media (What can I say, Captain Underpants just doesn’t do it for me), so this is a new feeling for me, to genuinely geek out over the same news and fandom. It’s fun to have a shared interest that is just purely fun. We went to see Taylor’s concert as a family, and we are going to watch the Eras movie too.
- My workout routine of F45 and CrossFit Sun is really working for me. I am having fun, I am learning new things, and I am getting stronger. It’s a great combination, and I think the workouts play off of each other well.
- My non-fiction reading life has been moving into new themes this year, taking on topics of longevity, aging, and happiness in retirement. The prior themes of parenting and minimalism are still present for sure, and many of these are still my favorites, but it’s interesting to see how my reading interests have naturally evolved. It appears that I am now considering how to move into my mid-life and how to age gracefully with an eye towards service.
- Benadryl Itch-Stopping Mosquito Gel. Mosquitos love me, and this is the best thing I’ve found for relieving the itch.
- Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Did I mention I love fall? I used to be all about the PSL, until it become intolerably sweet to my taste buds. Now I order the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew with no vanilla syrup, so I just get that little hit of sweet pumpkin foam with my cold brew. Delicious.
- Seeing Halloween décor cropping up around the neighborhood, and specifically watching Ollie react warily to these new characters always makes me laugh. It never gets old.