Feel Good Friday 33

How are you?  Have you had a good week?  I can honestly say that I feel a little peace coming over me lately.  I’ve given myself permission to just be this summer, to create for the joy of it, read and learn and grow for the betterment of my self and our society, and to have no agenda other than personal development.  While I was sad that Chris went back to work, it will afford me the time to just spend with my kids, playing outside, taking walks and runs with them (or solo), and getting to know myself more as well as enlarging and diversifying my circle.  I have some obligations to take care of in the next few weeks, but come July, I am taking the month off from creating content.  I might pop in if the spirit moves me, but I am freeing myself of any obligations, and that is a wonderful feeling.  I’ve even ordered myself a new watercolor set, and plan to spend some evenings playing with my paints. Sometimes you just need to take time to just be, and to listen and learn. Anyhow, speaking of learning and growing, these are the things that caught my attention this week.

Book About Facing Your Fears

Last month Sourcebooks reached out to me to see if they could send me a copy of Hello Fears by Michelle Poler.  I was stoked because I had been wanting to read it after hearing her on a podcast this winter. If you aren’t familiar with her story, she created a 100 Days of Facing Fears project that went viral.  Each day, she faced a new far such as jumping from a plane, holding a tarantula, posing nude for art students, and finally ending with public speaking at a Ted talk. This book shares everything that she learned throughout the process and has several journal prompts and little exercises to help the reader face her fears and become not fearless, but more courageous.  I learned a lot and loved Michelle’s truly authentic approach- a real person facing her fears!  She encourages us not to ask, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Instead, ask yourself, “What’s the best that can happen?” I read this one in just a few days, and was kind of surprised that when she posed the question of what job you would do it nothing stood in your way… my answer came quickly and it was:

Inspired Artwork

I was looking for a print to fill a hole in our living room gallery wall and had recently come across The Everyday Print Co in a post that shared Black artists.  I found exactly the perfect piece which I will share later, but I also bought myself this print.  I just finished the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle in which the cheetah is a strong theme.  When I saw this print, I thought it would be perfect in our bathroom against our green walls, and serve as a daily reminder to me each morning that I am a Damn Cheetah!

Bingeworthy Podcast

I have become absolutely obsessed with Oprah’s Master Class podcast. In this series, she interviews several people who are masters in their field and I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far including Goldie Hawn, Jeff Bridges, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carol, Dwayne Johnson, Jay-Z, and Simon Cowell.  My favorite two were from Maya Angelou and Billy Bob Thornton.  I listened to Maya Angelou last Friday while I ran, and you might think it odd to run to her voice, but it was such a therapeutic, meditative, and empowering run with her voice in my ear whispering, “pick up the battle and make it a better world.” Her story was so inspiring… she had been a mute as a child and poetry helped her find her voice again.  Thank God, she did, because she was a gift to the world. Billy Bob Thornton’s voice echoed throughout the kitchen while I baked cookies earlier this week, and his story was also extremely interesting.  He talked about how he scraped by, and I mean scraped by, when he first got to California, but that it wasn’t a big deal to him because he had never really known any better and there was nothing to go back home to in Alabama.  I truly appreciated his honesty and perspective on the world. I knew I would love hearing Maya Angelou, but Billy Bob Thornton was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.

Healthy Delicious Salad

I am a sucker for a greek salad, and this one looks absolutely incredible!  I didn’t try any new recipes this past week, but this is one that I will be trying soon. I love that artichokes are added to the recipe, because I love me some artichokes! By the way, I also pinned this recipe from her site for healthy peanut butter rice krispy treats, because it’s all about balance.

Found: Flattering Affordable Swimwear

I haven’t purchased a bathing suit in several years, and we are headed to the beach for a few days soon.  I decided it was time…. I have always been more comfortable in two pieces because one pieces never feel long enough, and I don’t have the cleavage to support it if they come down to low. I searched high and low for a full coverage high waist bottom and found exactly what I wanted at Coral Reef Swim. I actually bought two bottoms and three tops, and they arrived quickly.  I tried them on and was thrilled!  I love how they fit and I love the coverage they offer in the rear…. no butt cheeks peeking out!  Actually, I loved them so much that when we struggled to find anything available anywhere else in Emmy’s size, we ended up ordering her a two piece in an adult XXS from them.  If you are looking for something flattering, check them out! (This is not sponsored, I just am thrilled with the fit and wanted to share!  For reference, I usually wear a 4-6 in shorts/jeans, and a small in tops, but I can’t stand when bottoms are a little snug, so I ordered a M bottom and a S top.

Well, my friend, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I hope that you grant yourself permission to just have a little fun this summer, too.