Feel Good Friday 39
It’s my favorite day of the week with you guys, Feel Good Friday! It’s also the very last day of the month I planned to take “off,” and while I do intend to come back here more regularly, I don’t know exactly what that will look like as we head into this fall. If you’d asked me in February, I was going to be working hard this coming season, with Wilder in school 3 days a week, and my older kids back to school. Of course, as it is for most of you, things are not at all as expected, and instead I will continue to be home with my 3 kids for at least the first 9 weeks of the school year. Our district has decided to do virtual learning for 9 weeks and then reassess and decide how to move forward. That leaves me with a lot less time on my hands to dedicate to projects and the blog, and while it’s disappointing for sure, I also truly appreciate that I have the luxury to be present with my family and make sure that my kids have the care they need. All that is to say, I am not making too many plans for upcoming projects, but I will do my best to keep providing you with everything I can within my means. One thing I can for sure tell you is that these Feel Good Friday posts will continue because I love sharing things that bring me joy, peace, wisdom, or laughter. That being said, today’s post is a good one, so grab your coffee and enjoy! (I am an Amazon associate and earn a small commission through qualifying links. I truly appreciate your support!)
Coaching
I’ve mentioned it before, but I spent 12 weeks from May until July working with a coach, Chandra of Moonshine Coaching. She is a huge part of the reason I took some time away, and just focused on rediscovering who I am, what I love, and what I want from life. I can honestly say that I am in such a better place mentally right now than I was in May, despite all of the conditions of the world we live in. I have a greater sense of peace as well as a trust in the world that something good is coming for me. She’s just launched a new program, and I once again signed up to start on August 31 in a new program she put together which she outlines here; it’s sort of a hyrbid of one on one and group coaching. The next step for me is to figure out what to do with my skills and gifts that will serve others and fulfill me, and that’s what this coaching session will focus on. I am so excited to dive deeper with her. If you have ever thought about trying to gain clarity and then taking that clarity and putting it to use, I can’t recommend Chandra enough! If you want to hear more about what she’s done for me and has done for others, I had the opportunity to interview her live here.
A Book About Trusting
Last week I shared with you that I had finished Super Attractor by Gabby Bernstein, which focused on manifesting the life you want. This week, I went back to one of her older books that I had not read, The Universe has Your Back. This one was a really quick read filled with guided meditations and prayers, as well as great stories and spiritual wisdom. While I can’t say that I will recall all of the prayers and remember to do them all, I definitely took away so much from this book… as my coach said after I discussed it with her, “Let go and let God.” It was one of her all time favorite books so I was stoked to let her know I had finished it, and that my major takeaway is that it was all about letting go if control and choosing love always, as opposed to choosing out of fear. For the past year or so, I have definitely been trying to control outcomes, and I’ve worked the last month or so on being still and trusting that the universe has a plan for me. This book was a great reminder of what I have been working on learning, and a great start for anyone who needs to hear the message of letting go of control.
Moving New Album
I’ve been a fan of Taylor Swift from the very beginning, and she dropped a surprise album this week entitled Folklore. It’s raw, real, and beautiful. I use Amazon Music to listen, but check it out on whatever service you use. My favorite song from it so far is Mad Woman. Her music has always been moving and thought-provoking, but this album is a return to the deeper soulful rumination of my favorite older albums.
Favorite New Podcast
Did you know that Michelle Obama launched her new podcast this week? I listened yesterday on my walk with Wilder. In each episode, Michelle will have a conversation with someone in her life, and her inaugural episode featured none other than her husband Barack as they discussed the idea of community and our part in it. One line she spoke that stuck out to me was that “We are each other’s brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.” They discussed in depth how they each arrived at thinking about their own roles in community, and how it’s really up to us to be a part of our community and think about the greater good. They also discussed gratitude and Michelle quipped, “How dare you not be satisfied with what you have?” It was a moving and thoughtful conversation that certainly made me think about my own direction in life and worth listening to. I also enjoyed hearing their flirtatious banter and look forward to many more episodes to come! This podcast is a spotify exclusive, but it’s worth adding that app if you have to (like I did!)
Feel Good Funny Movie
Sunday night was game night at our house, and we finished in time that I actually decided to watch a movie. Chris was laying in bed reading, and I decided to watch Lovebirds on Netflix which had looked like a cute film. Chris ended up putting his book down and joining me because it was hysterical! It’s a romantic comedy filled with so many scenes that had me cracking up! The Lovebirds follows the story of Jibran and Leilani who have been together for 4 years, but the romance has faded. In the car, they decide that it’s time to call it quits, and suddenly they hit a biker. The movie takes off from their as we follow their riotous adventure of what follows. This movie was the perfect one to watch while lying and laughing in bed with your partner!
Healthy Gluten Free Crackers
Last week for dinner one evening we made a big charcuterie board. I love doing charcuterie boards because they’re easy, can be made healthy, and there’s something for everyone. Wanting to be a little healthier, I selected these crackers and I absolutely love them. They’re super crispy and taste great, especially with gourmet cheese or avocado. I would show you a photo of them on our board, but when my husband told me not to cut the sausage before I put it on the board, I placed it rather inappropriately on the board. Sometimes my immaturity astounds even myself. Mary’s Gone Crackers
An Excellent Quirky Read
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is one of those books that I had heard so much about, yet put off reading. My mom gave it to me last year, and even then I still hadn’t read it. I have been on a major reading binge this month (I read 9 books in July!), and I am so thrilled that I finally gave my time to this book because it was SO good! It started a little slowly, and I had to get used to the author’s writing style, but once I was into it, I was into it. This story follows the curious Eleanor Oliphant who is a loner with a mysterious scar and an off kilter relationship with her mother as she embarks on an unlikely friendship after accidentally helping to save a man’s life. I don’t know about you, but I always find these odd characters to be the most relatable, because it’s easy to see ourselves in the weirdness that is them. I loved this book, and can’t wait to see who will play Eleanor in the movie version! BTW, the film was due to come out in 2019, so I hope it still is planning to be released!
The Rainbow’s End
Finally, I want to end with a very cool and unique experience we had this past week. I was making dinner Wednesday night when a strong storm rolled in. As it was coming to an end but still pouring, the sun started shining and we looked outside for a rainbow to show Wilder. As it happened, we discovered it in the back yard, and it actually ended in our neighbor’s yard! If you look closely at the photo below, you can see that the rainbow comes in front of the trees and ends on their grass. I have never seen the end of a rainbow like that before. The experience felt magical, despite the fake news about pots of gold. 😉
Thanks for taking the time to hang out with me today- I told you I had a lot to say. 🙂 Let’s buckle up and get ready to make August awesome! Pssst- it’s almost my birthday!